Every once in a Blue Moon,
the weather, time of year, and the destination combine to make the VMG
monthly fly-in perfect. This month our destination was Sedona, AZ, and the
conditions were absolutely great. Sedona airport, known out west as the
U.S.S. Sedona because of its aircraft carrier image, is located on a mesa in
the spectacular Mogollon Rim country. The beautiful views of the rosy
sandstone bluffs that surround the town make Sedona a favorite fun
destination for pilots.
Originally, we had been
promised exclusive use of the corporate jets ramp right in front of the
restaurant for our Mooney group but it was not to be. It seems there was a
large all white Gulfstream jet parked there and no other planes were to be
allowed near it. Later conversations with the line crew revealed that it was
a Counter Intelligence Agency jet that came in on Friday carrying Leon
Panetta, Secretary of Defense. It seems he was in Sedona visiting Senator
John McCain who lives just a couple of miles from the airport. Odd, I always
thought that CIA planes would be painted all black?
We had 17 planes and 36 people
attending. The unannounced arrival of a Bonanza group who was having a
fly-in breakfast overloaded the ramp. We Mooniacs had to park wherever we
could fit in.
The beautiful new
restaurant at the airport had a separate patio for our Mooney group to
luncheon at. This restaurant is starting to be known for its chef and the
daily crowds are almost making reservations necessary. We all had a
excellent lunches with much chatter. After lunch, I made a presentation on
our recent Mooney trip around the Caribbean all the way to Curacao, off the
coast of Venezuela, and to Panama, and then back to Tucson. It was a
9650-mile trip.
All in all, I think
everyone had a good time and were happy to visit with other Mooniacs.
Ozzie Kaufmann N1157A
Tucson
Photographs courtesy of VMG Member Paul Kortopates
See you at our
next fly-in!
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