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| Lake Powell mirrored by Flight Design CT wing |
It is very early in the morning, and the sun is just above the eastern horizon. Our Flight Design CT plane, with owner and friend Philip as pilot and me as copilot, is last in a group of five CTs taking off from the Page, AZ, airport, for a meandering low flight over Lake Powell. The string of graceful planes leaping into the air reminds me of geese taking flight. As we bank for the flight north, the sandstone hills and the lake are mirrored in the wing of the plane.
We participate in the 7th Annual 2013 Page, AZ, Fly-in, organized by Roger Lee, an expert for CTs and Rotax engines. He is based in Tucson, AZ. Thirteen CTs have come, and one Sportscruiser, a neat low-wing plane made in the Czech Republic. When not touring the area, the planes are tied down at the Page airport in two reserved rows.
This is our first day of flying in the area. We get up at 5 am, have breakfast, and take the 10 min walk to the airport. As we near the airport fence, the rising fiery sun illuminates the Navajo coal-fired power plant. It is an impressive view, but it also demonstrates how politics can mar the landscape and spoil pristine air.
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| Navajo Power Plant |
The CT is a beautiful plane. The wings are so efficient that the flap-up position had to be modified from the European setting so that the plane does not exceed the LSA-required max speed of 120 kts. Nevertheless, the 100 hp Rotax 912S engine produces a 110 kt cruise. At the same time, all takeoffs, including at Bryce Canyon airport with up to 9,500 ft density altitude, are a cinch, using not more than 2,000 ft of runway. This is a special plane indeed.
As we fly north at 500 ft AGL over Lake Powell, the views are breathtaking.
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| Lake Powell at 500 ft AGL ... |
Destination is the airport of the Bullfrog Marina and Resort. The runway is narrow, and a crosswind demands a precise landing. A cinch for Philip, who has owned the plane for five years and is used to the strong winds of the Southwest.
A van of the Bullfrog Resort picks us up for the short ride to the resort, where we have another breakfast. For us, this is the lunch for the day. Then we return to the airport for the flight back to Page.
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| Philip checks CT for the return flight |
We fly at a higher altitude, getting another perspective of the spectacular landscape of cliffs and lake.
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| From Bullfrog to Page ... |
At the fly-in, the flying is always done in the morning while the ground is cool and winds are moderate. The air is smooth as glass, in contrast to the afternoons, when rising thermals and winds would produce a bumpy ride.
A number of short flights can be done from Page: Monument Valley, the Grand Canyon via Marble Canyon, Bryce Canyon, or St. George.
On the second, for us last, day in Page, we opt for the Bryce Canyon trip. The views are magnificent, just as the day before.
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| On the way to Bryce Canyon from Page |
We fly near the boundary of Bryce Canyon National Park to get a good view of the intricately carved sandstone cliffs and hills.
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| Bryce Canyon National Park |
After landing at Bryce Canyon airport, a van from Ruby's Lodge picks us up for a second breakfast, that is, another lunch, and brings us later back to the airport.
The return flight to Page uses a different route for sightseeing of hoodoos. The on-air discussion of "hoodoos" and "hoodon'ts" and other variations results in funny exchanges.
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| Hoodoos near Bryce Canyon National Park |
Since all flying is done in the morning, the afternoons are open for other activities. For the first day, we decide to take a tour of Antelope Slot Canyon.
A pick-up truck with benches takes us from Page to the canyon, a 20 min ride. From the sandy parking lot, the canyon looks uninteresting. That changes as we step just a few feet into the canyon.
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| Entrance of Antelope Slot Canyon |
The canyon is world famous and has been photographed so often that probably every square inch of the canyon has been captured by some photograph.
Our tour guide is a camera expert. She knows how to set any and all cameras to produce outstanding pictures in the canyon and offers to adjust every person's camera in the group: iPads, smart phones, Nikons, Canons. You name the camera, and she knows how to set it. A good thing, since we, the tourists, have no clue about features of cameras we often have owned for years. This includes me.
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| Still near the entrance |
As we proceed into the canyon, the guide tells various stories and points out special views and angles for photos.
Frequently the guide offers to take pictures in a dramatic setting. She takes one with Philip and me.
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| Pilot and Copilot |
At some point we ask her, "What is the best time to see the canyon?" Without hesitation, she says, "3 pm." Well, we are one half hour later than that, but the light is still very good and brings out a multitude of hues of yellow and orange and red and brown.
As we get deeper into the canyon, the sunlight becomes weaker, and the sandstone takes on ominous, almost threatening, colors.
When we reach the end of the canyon and exit for five minutes of rest, the guide plays a haunting Navajo melody on a flute. Then she says, "We have spent much more time than planned and need to go back." So we do, and marvel at the wonders of the canyon one more time, without taking any photos.
This was one terrific flying trip. If you have not been to that area of the United States, I can only say, fly there in the fall and plan to spend several mornings in the air and afternoons on the ground.
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