Great day at November Plane Crazy Saturday

Cathy Hansen.

Dave Robbins C-182.

Lots of people came out for Plane Crazy Saturday this month, even though it was colder and windy. It is so nice to see a number of aircraft on the ramp, including Dave Robbins Cessna 182. Dave works at Stratolaunch and pilots the chase plane, a Cessna Citation.

We had a visitor from Germany, Joerg Schieber, who had sent an email to us in September asking if it would be possible to fly in a Cessna 150 while visiting Plane Crazy. We told him that we would try to find someone.

He had earned his pilot's license last November in Germany and wanted to be able to say he flew in the skies over Mojave Air & Space Port at Rutan Field!

Because of the winds there were no Cessna 150s on the flightline on Saturday, however there was a Cessna 182. I asked Dave Robbins, a Certified Flight Instructor, if he would consider taking Joerg up to fulfill his dream of flying here and he said, "yes!" Thank you Dave!

Dave let Joerg fly in the left seat and he was totally impressed with the power of this airplane. It has a Lycoming O-540 engine with lots of get up and go!

Another visitor sent me a photo of Stratolaunch that was taken on Thursday. Lynn Barker still had the photo on the cell phone. It is always thrilling to see ROC in the air!

The 11 a.m. presentation was given by Mojave Transportation Museum board member, Alexander Teteriatnikov. The title was, "Trails and Treasures."

Courtesy A. Teteriatnikov.

Alexander Teteriatnikov.

"The Mojave Desert is a captivating and diverse landscape, home to hidden gems and popular attractions alike. From the scenic twists of the Tehachapi Loop to the adrenaline-fueled tracks of Willow Springs Raceway, there's something here for everyone," said Alexander. "This unique desert region, rich in history, natural wonders and adventure, is waiting to be explored."

Alexander guided us through some of the most intriguing and often-overlooked locations within the Mojave Desert, uncovering the places that everyone should see or hear about and it is all conveniently located near the Mojave Air and Space Port.

Alexander said, "Discover the magic and mystery of the Mojave Desert in ways you never imagined."

He showed photos of Willow Springs International Raceway, Red Rock Canyon State Park, Pacific Crest Trail Access, U.S. Borax Mine, Desert Tortoise Preserve, Boron Aerospace Museum, Antelope Valley Poppy Preserve, Tehachapi Loop, Tehachapi Railroad Museum, California Living Museum (CALM) and Tehachapi Mountain Park.

Everyone enjoyed his personal comments about each of the locations. He was very enthusiastic about visiting each site and appreciates meeting new people and learning about each location.

Alexander is now helping with MTM website and Tails and Treasures can be found at http://www.mojavemuseum.org/. Explore and discover things to do around the Mojave Air and Space Port. Discover the unique blend of aerospace history, outdoor adventure and local charm within a 30-mile radius of the Mojave Air and Space Port!

Alexander has been attending Plane Crazy Saturday events since he was 12 years old and his father is a model railroader, so he is interested in the rail history of Mojave and Tehachapi.

Alexander built a large model of Stratolaunch out of Legos when he was 14 and we have it in a display case at the Hansen Hangar.

Lynn Barker.

Stratolaunch in flight.