Flight Report by Dan Beltrami, N339M: From Porterville, CA to Culver OR, October, 2005

This email was sent to us by Dan Beltrami of Sandy, Oregon. Dan keeps his Mite, N339M, at Madras, OR.

Hi Dave,

I just got back from the WAMM fly-in at Porterville. Had a good time and interesting time getting back home to Oregon. Left Porterville on Sunday morning after eating breakfast at the airport restaurant. Had a nice easy flight up to Red Bluff. Red Bluff to Montague was a nice ride also, except for when I got to Montague airport and found myself in a fast-approaching cold front with low stratus and light rain. You know the kind. The engine was within an inch of of icing up but lots of carb heat worked well.

Landed at Montague and was surrounded in clouds. My back door down toward Mt Shasta just closed. It was obvious that I was going to spend the night here. If you ever have to stay over, Montague is a good place to do it. Courtesy car to town was an old Pontiac. Ran good, just do not put the window down, it will not go back up. I stayed at the airport bunk house. Had a good bed, TV, and a computer to play with for $15.00 a night. The FBO was great, he could not do enough for me. He even put the Mooney in the hanger for no charge.

Next day I launched for Klamath Falls. It was reporting 4000 feet and good visibility. They lied. The ceiling was more like 1000 feet and good visibility. I worked my way across Klamath Lake and up Highway 97 at about 500 feet. At Beaver Marsh I could see that the clouds were on the ground. I passed the cell phone tower at eye ball level and made a close pattern to one of the best landings I ever made. Oh yes, did I say that there was 1 inch of snow on the ground. Kind of different leaving a place with 90 degree temperature and landing in snow. Anyhow a local good old boy came out to meet me and took me down to have breakfast.

Two hours later I was back in the air and had a nice flight through improving ceiling to Lake Billy Chinook Airport just west of Madras.

The Mite performed very well, never missed a beat.

2005/10/05