SoCal Mooney Fly-in Jan 12th DIVERT to Big Bear for ICE PILOTS: California

[Dave Marten]

Mooney Pilots,

We've been 'bumped' from the Cable Air Show display parking by the airshow organizers in favor of making more room for warbird and antique aircraft. We loose out on the opportunity to showcase our airplanes and promote the benefits of real GA!

 

Rather than be scattered in transient parking we're doing what any good pilot would do..... DIVERT to a suitable alternate.

Fortunately for us we now have the chance to make it on the big screen!

"Vintage Mooney Group Productions" is filming the 'pilot' episode of the totally fictitious:
         

 Ice Pilots: California
Episode One: Destination Big Bear!

 

The plot will feature dozens of daring California Mooney Pilots rising out of the LA basin and points beyond in order to complete a challenging VFR climb to nearly 10 thousand feet in order to descend on one of the highest airports in the southern continental U.S. - Big Bear, CA.

- Are their vintage (and modern) Mooneys up to the task?

- Can they find their way out of the smog and coastal fog?

- Do they even own a jacket in order to fight off the chilling 35 degree weather?

- Can they land their aircraft on the snow-free runway, miss the snow-banks, and taxi across the dry pavement in order to claim their seat at the Barnstorm cafe in time for lunch?

- Who will be the first to the fuel pumps for $4.95 AVGAS?

- Will they overcome the challenges of high-altitude flying?

 

Meet these daring California pilots who will go through all this for lunch and fellowship!

Who will make it and who will stay in their hangars?

 

Find out next week on January 12th!

Scene 1: Filming start with arrivals by 11am!
Scene 2: Lunch 11:30am Barnstorm Cafe

• Group lunch in the cafe
• Scene will feature darning pilots and their brave spouses telling tales of great aviation triumphs

Scene 3: Continued fellowship

• Boldest pilots may even brave the weather for plane-side interviews

Casting instructions:

Airport website: http://www.bigbearcityairport.com/
AirNav: http://www.airnav.com/airport/L35

Please review the VFR arrival/departure routes:
http://www.bigbearcityairport.com/pilots/

Episode One: Extended Version:

The slopes are open with additional snow forecast early this week. Why not stay and play like a true CA Ice Pilot? Rough it in a B&B, tackle the bunny hill, or 'hunt' for you own dinner in one of the fine restaurants. http://www.bigbearcityairport.com/visit-big-bear/


Please sign up at http://www.vintagemooneygroup.com/VMGWest/index.htm

FREE: Paper ICE PILOT nametags provided!

Producers note: Follow-on episodes to California Ice Pilots are not planned. Some guys in the Northwest Territory would probably throw a lawsuit at us. So next we'll try Flying Wild California!

 

"Directed and Produced" by:
Dave Marten (605) 390-8044 dandtmarten@hotmail.com

Photos of Big Bear as of Jan 5th. They're ready for filming!

 

[mooneyflyer]

Dave,

 

Great decision... I have updated the VMG site.

After reading your invitation, my only request is that you share whatever you are drinking or smoking!!

Phil

[Dave Marten]

Thanks Phil!

 

Probably a combination of hypoxia and cabin fever! Might as well have a little fun mixed in with the flying. Good for a laugh if nothing else!

 

See ya on Saturday. Good luck, we're all pulling for ya!

[carusoam]

The ice conditions in the parking lot look treacherous! Nicely done, Dave. Best regards, -a-

[PilotDerek]

It was a great day to fly into Big Bear. I really enjoyed meeting everyone that attended. Thank you Dave for putting this together. Hope I can make the next one as well.

[Dave Marten]

ICE PILOTS: Big Bear, CA VMG Fly-In (KL35)

Saturday, January 12^th 2103

 

The weather could not have been more perfect for a winter Mooney Fly-in! A cold front brought near-record low temperatures to the SoCal region, which was straight out of central casting! Big Bear was blanketed with a couple inches of fresh powder Friday night leaving the Mooney pilots guessing whether or not they would make it in. A call to the airport manager assured that the runway was only covered with patchy snow and the ramp mostly clear. The temperature at Big Bear was 1. Yes, one (singular) degree F! Not to worry the sky was clear with calm winds.

 

      In all TEN Mooneys arrived with over twenty people converging on the Barnstorm Café. The fly-in attracted Mooney pilots from Fresno, Las Vegas, Los Angeles,  San Diego and all points in between. The temperature has climbed into the double digits by lunch. Renee, proprietor of the Barnstorm café worked magic worthy of a Disney movie as her staff quickly got our rowdy bunch of pilots fed. A trip to Big Bear for just for the food at the Barnstorm Café is well worth it.

 

   As predicted the talk revolved around the extreme cold (for a bunch of CA guys). Folks were scrounging through their attics to find enough warm clothes in order to make the flight. The cold snap forced CA pilots to try to pre-heat their aircraft, something which resulted in many clever ideas. The best being the pilot who stole his wife’s hair dryer and sat at the airport for two hours warming the engine. He made it!

 

    A good time was had by all, especially the four kids who got to play in the snow for the first (and possibly only) time this season. They kept going till their noses turned red! The fifteen foot high airport snow piles were excellent for sliding down!

   Big Bear turned out to be an excellent start to our 2013 flying year. The only question on everyone’s mind was, “What’s next?”