Touch and Go – From 2010 to 2011

Posted on Jan 1, 2011

As the sun sets on another year of flying, I take a moment to reflect on the year that was and the year that will be.

Here it is..January 1,2011 – the start of a new year. Also a great day to reflect on the year that has been, and from a piloting standpoint, 2010 was an exceptional year for me. When the year started I’d hope to accomplish a few things; become a better pilot, “go full power on my fun meter” by doing more cross-countries, and reach 125 hours. Lo and behold, as I look back on 2010, I did all that and more.

I began the year with 93.8 hrs and ended with 127.2 hrs; of which 20.7 hrs were cross-countries. I flew 3 sunset Bay Tour flights for friends, 2 trips to Napa and Sacramento that were surprises for my girlfriend, Kaitlyn, an earlier trip in the Spring to pick up wine that I’d made with my Wanderlust wine group, 2 business flights to the Petaluma area on behalf of my business (JE Consulting), 2 psuedo-charter flights to the Napa/Sonoma area, 1 trip to Santa Rosa to introduce two of my coworker’s kids to the joys of flight, and 1 long trip down to Oceano that involved probably some of my best piloting yet. In all, it’s been yet another amazing year of being a pilot.

Earlier this week, I sat with a cappucino at Peet’s Coffee in Palo Alto reading a recent article in AOPA Magazine titled “Why Brazil?” written by a Bonanza pilot who flew his plane from his base airport in Burbank, CA through the Carribiean down to the largest country in South America. While I would have preferred it to be an article focused on the entire journey of the cross-country trip rather than an article solely about his flying experience once he reached Brazil, the article did reignite a desire within me to perform my own cross-country/international journey sometime in the near future.

Approach into Mexico City Juarez International Airport in July 2010.

Last year, I took three personal trips down to Mexico (commercially) to expand my comfort with the language and learn more about our latin neighbor to the south. Mexico is an interesting country with a rich history and warm personality. Now that I have a good feel of the language and am becoming more and more comfortable with my cross-country planning and piloting skills, I think 2011 would be a great year to combine my interests for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. So as I look to 2011, I begin the year with yet another audacious goal – to complete a cross-country flight down the California Coast and into Baja, California.

Though I’m not sure how I’ll fit this into my originally busy schedule of international trips, business plans, and social adventures, it doesn’t hurt to dream. What’s that saying, “it’s always better to shoot for the moon. Even if you don’t make it, you’ll be amongst stars.” In 2010, I felt like I shot for the stars and reached the moon. We’ll see how far my wings take me in 2011.