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Flying the Edge of America - - David Millett, Julia Buss
Wednesday evening, April 21, 2010
In the summer of 2008 our speakers flew their small, single engine, airplane around the edges of the contiguous United States of America. Along the way, they encountered America's small towns, National Parks, and National Monuments. On the most dangerous and exciting adventure of their lives they flew into unanticipated ghastly weather, thunderstorms, and brushed with hurricanes. In the end, they discovered a land much more complex than they had imagined, far larger than they could believe, and more beautiful than they dreamed possible.
Julia and David have traveled around the world twice. Between them they have visited almost every state in the USA, and traveled to every continent on the planet, including Antarctica. Their passions are hiking, snow-skiing, SCUBA diving, writing, and travel. Julia is a nurse. She came to America from England in 1991 for a six month work contract. She fell in love with San Francisco and she decided to stay. David is retired from 25 years in Information Technology. He has 20 years experience piloting light aircraft, holds an instrument rating, and flies for the Angel Flight West organization (www.angelflight.org). He keeps a journal of his and Julia's travels at (www.davidmillett.net) and is a destination writer for the (Examiner.com).
Location: SCOE
Directions & Map
Have Your Child's
Birthday Party at the Pacific Coast Air Museum. Contact
Al Morgan at 707-431-2856.
View
Calendar of Events
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Museum
Location & Hours
Pacific Coast Air Museum
2230
Becker Blvd.
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
707-575-7900 Phone
707-545-2813 Fax
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Tue
& Thu |
10:00
- 4:00 |
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Sat
& Sun |
10:00
- 4:00 |
Requested
Donation
$5.00.
Twelve & Under, None.
Directions & Map
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PCAM Blue Angel F-4 Simulator
This cockpit simulator is a new acquisition for the Pacific Coast Air
Museum, acquired from NAS Fallon, Nevada on March 8, 2006. This
cockpit section was from an F-4B that flew sorties over Vietnam.
At the end of its flying life, it seamed to headed to the target range
at China Lake, CA. But the U.S. Navy personnel had another plan. They
chopped out the cockpit, made up a trailer and did a huge amount of
sheet metal work to make it look presentable and portable.
With approval from the Blue Angel team (it is unknown at this writing
if it actually was flown by the "Blues") the simulator was painted in
the color's of the Navy's official flight demo team and it hit the
road with the Navy recruiting teams on the West Coast. The Navy even
brought it to our "Wings Over Wine Country" Air Show in the late 90's.
Talking with the staff on hand that weekend, we were told that the
this simulator was soon to be retired, as the F-4 was no longer on
active service with the Navy.
After extensive talks with the Navy command staff at NAS Fallon, the
go ahead was given to bring it to the Pacific Coast Air Museum. After
sitting in the desert for twp years between quonset huts it was in
rough shape. It took several months to clean it up, repaint the entire
outside and acquire the logos.
The interior is complete including the rear seat joy stick that
controls the radar and the huge bank of circuit breakers on the lower
right side. The U.S. Air Force, Navy and Marines flew the F-4. The
major difference is the Marine and Air Force versions were flight
controls in the rear.
Have a seat in both the pilot and RIO (Radar Intercept Officer) seats
and see how busy all involved were flying these aircraft.
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