This writeup was submitted by host Michael Coyle.  The weather didn't cooperate as planned, but as we say in the VMG, "Whereever 2 or more Mooneys get together, there is fun for all!"

Thanks to Michael, Katie, and especially Elisa (pictured below) for hosting our first fly-in to Reid Hillview in San Jose, CA.

When I arrived at Reid-Hillview at 10am, the reported weather was visibility 1/4 mile in fog ceiling 200 feet overcast, or something like that. Still, the forecast called for the skies to clear at least somewhat between 11am and noon, so we were hopeful.

Three Mooneys arrived while the field was still IFR, two locals (Cliff Herlth's, N50HL, and mine, N9256V, with Elisa serving as Navigator) and one that had been flown from Placerville the previous day (N5509Q, by Hal and Nancy Stephens). Dan and Maria Symula, prospective Mooney owners, drove down from Oakland as well. 

I knew the weather was improving when I started hearing Mooneys on the radio. I heard Wim Zwinkels (N9229M), Rich Hill (N201CD, with his wife Kim and daughters Becky and Shelly), Jesse Kempa (N9351M), Henry Punt (N4474H), and Daniel Seidel (N5916Q) each call up and land. By then, Mark Kadrich from the RHVAA had fired up the grill (using equipment from my airplane survival kit, ironically) and was cooking hamburgers and hot dogs for the gathering crowd. The crowd grew more with the arrival of Don and Shirley Kaye, Greg Jacobs, and a Mooney owner from Charleston, SC, all of whom opted to drive in. 

Folks spent a couple of hours chatting and walking the flight line.

Cliff's Mooney was a hit with its Aspen display, Garmin 530W, and STEC autopilot creating an airliner-like flight deck. I decided against doing the white elephant exchange; only three or four people brought gifts to exchange, so it didn't seem worth interrupting everyone. Also, it was tough keeping tabs on everything that was happening while also keeping Elisa fed. 

The crowd went their separate ways around 2pm, right as our ninth and final Mooney arrived, N37MG, piloted by Chris Floyd. Chris demonstrated his spiffy new panel (with an Aspen, EI MVP-50, and panel-mounted Garmin 696) to the folks who remained.  The panel was done by Top Gun Aviation.

Photos courtesy of members Michael Coyle