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| March Madness The Oregon Ercoupe Erforce at Corvallis 2004 Not everybody watches basketball. Some watch the Willamette Valley scroll by under their wings. Such was my privilege the last Sunday in March. The Oregon Ercoupe Erforce, as we call ourselves out here, has met the last Sunday of every month, rain or shine, ever since I have been associated with them. This meeting it was the "shine" mentioned above. All the mountains were out as I pointed the nose of 29H north out of Evergreen..
I turned west. Crossing the Columbia River I looked upstream where my houseboat was moored. The City of Portland glistened in the hazy sun. That's the Willamette coming across the bottom, and Smith Lakes is between the rivers.
My flight takes me the familiar route - over the West Hills. These are not high hills - 1300 to 1500. But there is a Class C airspace in effect. This is because of Portland International Airport; about 8 miles away in the picture above.
Here is a shot just over the West Hills. Their formal name is the Tualitan Mountains. Not exactly up to mountain standards in the west. A mountain would be like Mt. Hood in the background. Yes, it is closer to the ground than in the last picture. The floor of the Class C airspace is 1800 feet MSL here. Today's destination is Corvallis. This town is home to Oregon State University - the Beavers; My route takes me over Newberg, past McMinnville and Independence. CVO was one of the many bomber and transport bases built during the early 1940's for the war effort. That makes it a large airport and easy to spot. I hear traffic as I'm approaching. A Cardinal is also descending in from the north. We hear each other over the radio; the helicopter has given it up for now. A quick pattern and I'm on the ground. Shut down and log the seven tenths. I chat briefly with the Bonanza pilot who followed me in. He sounds foreign, and I find out that he grew up in England. So nice to see persons finding their homes in the great northwest USA. I stroll to the ramp and greet Joe and his wife. They are the other Ercoupe on the ramp. Soon Joey and Peggy drive in. That's all that we got today. The Corvallis Municipal Airport has no eating facility. So it is either the snack machine or starve! I have left over pizza and an apple. There is water and a microwave at the FBO. The fuel truck is filling the Bonanza and I take the opportunity to also take on a load of gas. Fourteen gallons into 17 gallons of tank is a bit shorter than I usually run it. But counting the header tank, 29H holds 23 gallons. As always, "Know before you go!" We do the usual "hangar flying" after lunch. We're not in a hangar. The weather is so nice that we are at a picnic table in front of the FBO. It is getting on towards time that he mowed his grass! I took this picture on the ramp. 2129H is the silver one on the left.
With such a small turn out, I decide to drop by Aurora. Other members are there. I was able to snap this.
There is one Ercoupe in military kit, and Lance's is in the white and red one further down the line. I take the straight out departure from Aurora. I follow a Lancair. That airplane is made in Redmond, Oregon. It is one of those "high, fast" composite jobbies. Really nice. I do not have to wait long before he is well out of my way. I call Troutdale tower to transit their airspace. This is east of Portland where the floor of the Class C is only 1700. The waves on the Columbia River tell me that the east wind is blowing. Really a good windsock it is. I clear Lacamas Lake and head over the gravel pit inbound. It is rough down low; winds ten or 15 knots. But the Ercoupe is a "wind wagon" on the first order. Establishing my self well out on final, I ride the bucking to the ground. Not the absolute best of my landings, but still in the upper half. No one else seems to be up. The windsock over the nose of 29H tells the story!
Just some final shots - back in the parking spot. Thanks for the trip, 29H. Another two hours and three landings in the logs.
These are really the kinds of days that flying is all about. The glories of a short cross country. The challenges of managing fuel and winds correctly (notice no big dints in the plane!). And time spent with good friends.
Percy G. Wood March 28, 2004 Oregon Wing, Ercoupe Owners Club |
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