Flight acoss America

So, I did it. I flew across America in a 2 seater Russian YAK52 airplane. This plane is made for training and not for long distance flights. It has a lot of power but not a big gas tank. We can fly it for about an hour and a half before we have to fill up again. Levi wanted to have it in Pensacola Florida where he has been picked up for flight school for the Navy, but of course he needed a copilot. I instantly volunteered and what follows is the amazing adventure that we had.


We flew north from Mesa passing over some beautiful dessert. We flew over and a little bit into the meteor crater. See the small visitor building and parking lot in the top right corner of the page?

We flew down into this beautiful canyon called Canyon de Chelly. I felt like Indiana Jones, except I was not being chased by anyone. It is hard to tell you how amazing it was.

I am very aware that these pictures may be boring to you but they display the beautiful country and scenery that we flew over.

I did get to fly the plane at several occasions, mostly when Levi was checking the maps or wanted to take a nap. I got good so he was letting me fly just because. I did land the plane once but did a horrible job taking off. Yes, Levi is able to take over anytime I mess up, which he did have to do on my take off. Ha laughed and said, "People must think we are drunk," because I was swerving down the runway so bad.

We stopped in several little airports. Each stop we were rock stars. People would come up and ask Levi a dozen questions about his unique airplane and ask to look inside of it.




Our favorite airport was Grant-Milan were "Eye Brows" Wes was the airport manager. He loved Levi. He lent us his Jimmy for a courtesy car and had 2 great dogs hanging out with him. We are pretty sure he live at the airport.

One airport was manufacturing little plane called a Cub. We got a tour.

We would stop and get out to fill up, go drive into town to find some food and what ever other exploring we wanted to do.

It was very flat crossing NM, OK and TX. Some of it was farm land and as we flew closer to Florida it was still flat but very green and marshy.



















The Mississippi River

Sunday
Falcon Field Mesa Arizona to
Winslow AZ
Farmington NM
Grants NM

Monday
Santa Rosa NM
Hereford TX
Childres TX
Lawton OK

Tuesday
Sulfer Springs TX
Lufik TX
Abbeville LA
Hammond LA

Wednesday
Pennsacola FL

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If you click here you can see the our stops.

More fun was had even after landing. We went into New Orleans and to an alligator Hatchery.

We flew in formation with a guy who also has a YAK52 at the airport in Pensacola. He was so excited that Levi moved there.

Sailing on the 4th of July with Levi's good friend and new wife.

We heard it more than once that we look like siblings.

On our last day we drove to Mobile and found a beautiful river to canoe on. It was beautiful.

We had a watermelon fight which I won.

However I did not win the king of the boat.