Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Big Bear - Santa Paula / Beechcraft Baron 58 (N3862S) / VFR

For relaxation, I decided to fly a Baron out of Big Bear, on a route sufficiently familiar that I couldn't mess it up too much.

The Baron has a very nice Sandel TAWS, making flight through the mountains much easier and safer. After departure on runway 26, I used the TAWS during this night flight to help verify that I was following my chosen route, which leads along Bear Creek through the valley below the dam towards the Los Angeles area. That went pretty well.

The rest of the flight went very well, up to landing at Santa Paula. Once again, I came in faster and higher than I should have. My descent left something to be desired, and I landed with a single slight bounce, but that's significant on such a short runway. Something about the approach to Santa Paula makes it difficult, at least in a fast aircraft like the Baron. But nothing broke and I got down all right.

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