Come Fly Away ... A biplane ride near San Diego

The beginning of our adventure in concurrent flights in Travel Air 2000's.

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:41:11 -0700

arctangent
The beginning of our adventure in concurrent flights in Travel Air 2000's.

Preparing the passenger cockpit for passenger control in-flight.

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:42:24 -0700

arctangent
Preparing the passenger cockpit for passenger control in-flight.

Checking the passenger controls.

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:44:45 -0700

arctangent
Checking the passenger controls.

She's a beauty, on the ground and in the air. A Travel Air, built in the 1920's as a model 2000, and much later refitted with a radial engine, making it effectively a model 4000. It is p ...

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:46:04 -0700

arctangent
She's a beauty, on the ground and in the air. A Travel Air, built in the 1920's as a model 2000, and much later refitted with a radial engine, making it effectively a model 4000. It is p ...

Sign in the passenger cockpit of a Travel Air 2000 operated by Barnstorming Adventures, San Diego, CA. My flight was actually very smooth...no air sickness whatsoever.

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:46:34 -0700

arctangent
Sign in the passenger cockpit of a Travel Air 2000 operated by Barnstorming Adventures, San Diego, CA. My flight was actually very smooth...no air sickness whatsoever.

Ready to taxi for take off.

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:47:33 -0700

arctangent
Ready to taxi for take off.

Looking approximately southwest toward Mission Bay and the Pacific Ocean beyond, just after takeoff. The green area near the center, with the playing fields, is Mt. Acadia Park. I've cho ...

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:48:48 -0700

arctangent
Looking approximately southwest toward Mission Bay and the Pacific Ocean beyond, just after takeoff. The green area near the center, with the playing fields, is Mt. Acadia Park. I've cho ...

Heading out toward the ocean, whose horizon is lost in the haze.

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:49:42 -0700

arctangent
Heading out toward the ocean, whose horizon is lost in the haze.

Out over the hills, on the way to the ocean.

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:50:18 -0700

arctangent
Out over the hills, on the way to the ocean.

Travel Air 2000 heading out over La Jolla, California. The tall white building in the lower right makes a good landmark for the heart of La Jolla. The tall hill on the left, with few bui ...

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:51:10 -0700

arctangent
Travel Air 2000 heading out over La Jolla, California. The tall white building in the lower right makes a good landmark for the heart of La Jolla. The tall hill on the left, with few bui ...

La Jolla, California, from the air. Look carefully and see a string of reddish kayaks in the cove at the far right center. The curve of the coastline near the center is "mapped" for this ...

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:52:26 -0700

arctangent
La Jolla, California, from the air. Look carefully and see a string of reddish kayaks in the cove at the far right center. The curve of the coastline near the center is "mapped" for this ...

Lost Horizon...Travel Air 2000 out over the Pacific Ocean off La Jolla, CA.

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:53:31 -0700

arctangent
Lost Horizon...Travel Air 2000 out over the Pacific Ocean off La Jolla, CA.

Looking inland from somewhere near La Jolla, CA.

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:54:42 -0700

arctangent
Looking inland from somewhere near La Jolla, CA.

Looking northward along the coast at Del Mar, where the San Dieguito River flows into the Pacific. The estuary near the center of the picture is the San Elijo Lagoon. The western end of De ...

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:56:03 -0700

arctangent
Looking northward along the coast at Del Mar, where the San Dieguito River flows into the Pacific. The estuary near the center of the picture is the San Elijo Lagoon. The western end of De ...

Pricey real estate, Rancho Santa Fe, I think.

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:58:22 -0700

arctangent
Pricey real estate, Rancho Santa Fe, I think.

Jaw-dropping example of wretched excess in Rancho Santa Fe. Since I couldn't locate in Google Maps the exact estate seen here, I just tagged the center of the community of Ranch Santa Fe, ...

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:59:19 -0700

arctangent
Jaw-dropping example of wretched excess in Rancho Santa Fe. Since I couldn't locate in Google Maps the exact estate seen here, I just tagged the center of the community of Ranch Santa Fe, ...

Rancho Santa Fe estate from the other side. Now you can see some serious landscaping in the cactus garden and the maze of hedging, as well as the more conventional plantings nearer the mans ...

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:00:17 -0700

arctangent
Rancho Santa Fe estate from the other side. Now you can see some serious landscaping in the cactus garden and the maze of hedging, as well as the more conventional plantings nearer the mans ...

Somewhere north of San Diego, probably in the Torrey Pines State Preserve area, north of La Jolla.

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:01:41 -0700

arctangent
Somewhere north of San Diego, probably in the Torrey Pines State Preserve area, north of La Jolla.

Two Travel Airs north of San Diego.

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:02:45 -0700

arctangent
Two Travel Airs north of San Diego.

Travel Air 2000 biplanes flying in tandem.

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:03:30 -0700

arctangent
Travel Air 2000 biplanes flying in tandem.

Skilled coordination between pilots.

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:04:34 -0700

arctangent
Skilled coordination between pilots.

Steady at the controls...necessary for close formation flight.

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:05:19 -0700

arctangent
Steady at the controls...necessary for close formation flight.

Back out over the ocean and heading south.

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:06:24 -0700

arctangent
Back out over the ocean and heading south.

Cliffs along the Pacific coast north of Cardiff-by-the-Sea. I've made a guess of the location, but it's just that...a guess.

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:07:34 -0700

arctangent
Cliffs along the Pacific coast north of Cardiff-by-the-Sea. I've made a guess of the location, but it's just that...a guess.

Surfers gathering off shore. North of La Jolla.

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:08:56 -0700

arctangent
Surfers gathering off shore. North of La Jolla.

Beach access somewhere around Cardiff. This seems to be a park, with picnicking and possibly even campsites just behind the beach. My best guess is that it's San Elijo State Beach.

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:10:23 -0700

arctangent
Beach access somewhere around Cardiff. This seems to be a park, with picnicking and possibly even campsites just behind the beach. My best guess is that it's San Elijo State Beach.

Just off the shore, between Cardiff and Del Mar, looking over San Elijo Lagoon. The map tag is for the buildings along the highway, north of the lagoon, in the foreground.

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:11:29 -0700

arctangent
Just off the shore, between Cardiff and Del Mar, looking over San Elijo Lagoon. The map tag is for the buildings along the highway, north of the lagoon, in the foreground.

Beach at Del Mar, CA, with the Del Mar race track at the top. The point of land due west of the race track is the James Scripps Bluff Preserve. I've map tagged the strangely shaped build ...

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:12:57 -0700

arctangent
Beach at Del Mar, CA, with the Del Mar race track at the top. The point of land due west of the race track is the James Scripps Bluff Preserve. I've map tagged the strangely shaped build ...

California coastline just north of Soledad Creek (upper right). Torrey Pines State Preserve lies just out of the picture in the upper right.

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:14:21 -0700

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California coastline just north of Soledad Creek (upper right). Torrey Pines State Preserve lies just out of the picture in the upper right.

Out of the blue...converted Travel Air 2000 sporting a radial engine in place of the original inline engine.

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:14:40 -0700

arctangent
Out of the blue...converted Travel Air 2000 sporting a radial engine in place of the original inline engine.

The north end of Torrey Pines State Preserve, just north of La Jolla. Soledad Creek, seen in an earlier picture, joins the ocean out of this picture to the left. Its estuary is the flat ...

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:20:06 -0700

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The north end of Torrey Pines State Preserve, just north of La Jolla. Soledad Creek, seen in an earlier picture, joins the ocean out of this picture to the left. Its estuary is the flat ...

Trails through Torrey Pines State Preserve.

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:21:29 -0700

arctangent
Trails through Torrey Pines State Preserve.

Torrey Pines Gliderport. The cliffs here are 350 feet high, rising above Black's Beach (a formerly clothing optional beach). Hang-gliders, sailplanes, and RC airplanes share the facility ...

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:22:55 -0700

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Torrey Pines Gliderport. The cliffs here are 350 feet high, rising above Black's Beach (a formerly clothing optional beach). Hang-gliders, sailplanes, and RC airplanes share the facility ...

Gliders sailing just south of the Torrey Pines Gliderport. Note the steps in the trail leading down (way down!) to the beach. I counted three paragliders. Can you see more?

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:24:05 -0700

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Gliders sailing just south of the Torrey Pines Gliderport. Note the steps in the trail leading down (way down!) to the beach. I counted three paragliders. Can you see more?

Somewhere between Torrey Pines and La Jolla.

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:25:13 -0700

arctangent
Somewhere between Torrey Pines and La Jolla.

Metropolitan sprawl, somewhere between San Diego and La Jolla.

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:25:54 -0700

arctangent
Metropolitan sprawl, somewhere between San Diego and La Jolla.

La Jolla, with La Jolla Cove at the far right center. I've map tagged La Jolla Cove in this picture.

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:26:54 -0700

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La Jolla, with La Jolla Cove at the far right center. I've map tagged La Jolla Cove in this picture.

Kayakers off La Jolla's cliffs.

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:28:21 -0700

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Kayakers off La Jolla's cliffs.

La Jolla coastline, just south of La Jolla Cove.

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:29:14 -0700

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La Jolla coastline, just south of La Jolla Cove.

Looking back northeastward at La Jolla. The green of Ellen Browning Scripps Park is visible just beyond the tall white building in the left center of the picture. La Jolla Cove lies hidd ...

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:30:54 -0700

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Looking back northeastward at La Jolla. The green of Ellen Browning Scripps Park is visible just beyond the tall white building in the left center of the picture. La Jolla Cove lies hidd ...

Looking southward from La Jolla toward Mission Beach and Mission Bay.

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:31:48 -0700

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Looking southward from La Jolla toward Mission Beach and Mission Bay.

Pacific Beach in the foreground, La Jolla near the center (with the tall white building silhouetted against the ocean), and the Torrey Pines coastline stretching into the distance. The pr ...

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:33:25 -0700

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Pacific Beach in the foreground, La Jolla near the center (with the tall white building silhouetted against the ocean), and the Torrey Pines coastline stretching into the distance. The pr ...

Zoomed in on Lower Hermosa and Bird Rock, just south of La Jolla, which lies along the stretch of coastline that is silhouetted against the more distant ocean (where the tall white building ...

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:34:59 -0700

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Zoomed in on Lower Hermosa and Bird Rock, just south of La Jolla, which lies along the stretch of coastline that is silhouetted against the more distant ocean (where the tall white building ...

Heading inland. The red tile roofs near the center mark the enclave of La Jolla Alta, atop one of the many mesas in the area. To the left of La Jolla Alta, and separated from it by a ravin ...

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:36:37 -0700

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Heading inland. The red tile roofs near the center mark the enclave of La Jolla Alta, atop one of the many mesas in the area. To the left of La Jolla Alta, and separated from it by a ravin ...

Looking southward past Sail Bay (just west of Mission Bay). San Diego Sea World is visible in the picture, just to the right of the left dark strut, and to the left of the second bridg ...

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:38:10 -0700

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Looking southward past Sail Bay (just west of Mission Bay). San Diego Sea World is visible in the picture, just to the right of the left dark strut, and to the left of the second bridg ...

San Diego in view.

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:38:55 -0700

arctangent
San Diego in view.

arctangent's photo

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:40:10 -0700

arctangent

Travel Air biplane with downtown San Diego and the Coronado Bridge in the background.

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:42:09 -0700

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Travel Air biplane with downtown San Diego and the Coronado Bridge in the background.

Travel Air biplane above San Diego. Coronado Island is just coming into view in the upper right. The San Diego Airport runs left to right through the middle of the picture.

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:42:52 -0700

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Travel Air biplane above San Diego. Coronado Island is just coming into view in the upper right. The San Diego Airport runs left to right through the middle of the picture.

Biplane over San Diego. The airport and Coronado Island in the distance. The curving shoreline of Coronado Island is map tagged for this picture.

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:44:29 -0700

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Biplane over San Diego. The airport and Coronado Island in the distance. The curving shoreline of Coronado Island is map tagged for this picture.

Looking down on Mission Bay and Sail Bay. The largest of the islands between the two bays, near the center of the picture, is map tagged. It's called Vacation Isle.

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 12:40:56 -0700

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Looking down on Mission Bay and Sail Bay. The largest of the islands between the two bays, near the center of the picture, is map tagged. It's called Vacation Isle.

Residential neighborhood in San Diego from the air, with what appears to be a High School campus (with sports fields) in the upper right. (Did you notice the other biplane flying over that ...

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 12:41:57 -0700

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Residential neighborhood in San Diego from the air, with what appears to be a High School campus (with sports fields) in the upper right. (Did you notice the other biplane flying over that ...

Barnstormers heading back to the "barn", namely Montgomery Field. The large open area in the distance is the Miramar Marine Corps Air Station. Montgomery Field is a little south of it. ...

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 12:42:49 -0700

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Barnstormers heading back to the "barn", namely Montgomery Field. The large open area in the distance is the Miramar Marine Corps Air Station. Montgomery Field is a little south of it. ...

Nearing the end of the flight. The intersection of Balboa Ave (left-right) and Genessee Ave (bordered by green space) lies near the center of the picture. The biplane seems to float abov ...

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 12:44:05 -0700

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Nearing the end of the flight. The intersection of Balboa Ave (left-right) and Genessee Ave (bordered by green space) lies near the center of the picture. The biplane seems to float abov ...

Another close approach between the two biplanes.

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 12:33:33 -0700

arctangent
Another close approach between the two biplanes.

Very near to Montgomery Field, now.

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 12:34:46 -0700

arctangent
Very near to Montgomery Field, now.

A ghost in the machine? I can't really account for the ghost images of part of the plane, but not all of the plane. The tail and left wing sections seem much sharper than the landing gea ...

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 12:36:16 -0700

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A ghost in the machine? I can't really account for the ghost images of part of the plane, but not all of the plane. The tail and left wing sections seem much sharper than the landing gea ...

Banking to turn.

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 12:36:58 -0700

arctangent
Banking to turn.

Heading for the SE end of the main runways at Montgomery Field. The curved end "cap" of the two runways is map tagged for this photo. The view of the photo is approximately east, along A ...

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 12:37:33 -0700

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Heading for the SE end of the main runways at Montgomery Field. The curved end "cap" of the two runways is map tagged for this photo. The view of the photo is approximately east, along A ...

Just approaching the intersection of Aero Drive and Ruffin Rd, banking to turn back to the NW for the landing approach. The grassy open area is at the SE end of Montgomery Field. The runw ...

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 12:38:35 -0700

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Just approaching the intersection of Aero Drive and Ruffin Rd, banking to turn back to the NW for the landing approach. The grassy open area is at the SE end of Montgomery Field. The runw ...

Steeply banked. Just past the T-intersection of Village Glen Dr and Ruffin Rd (the larger road running upward from the lower left corner). Montgomery field is just a few blocks away, o ...

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 12:40:03 -0700

arctangent
Steeply banked. Just past the T-intersection of Village Glen Dr and Ruffin Rd (the larger road running upward from the lower left corner). Montgomery field is just a few blocks away, o ...

Final shot before landing. The view is now back to the SW. The lowest left-right street in the picture is Dorchester, and the street that runs diagonally in the picture, but NS in realit ...

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 17:27:06 -0700

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Final shot before landing. The view is now back to the SW. The lowest left-right street in the picture is Dorchester, and the street that runs diagonally in the picture, but NS in realit ...

Both of the Travel Airs parked at the terminal, waiting for their next passengers. Taken from the second level Mexican restaurant inside the terminal at Montgomery Field.

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 17:28:11 -0700

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Both of the Travel Airs parked at the terminal, waiting for their next passengers. Taken from the second level Mexican restaurant inside the terminal at Montgomery Field.

The cycle begins again. NC674H starts to taxi for its next takeoff.

nobody@smugmug.com (arctangent) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 17:29:09 -0700

arctangent
The cycle begins again. NC674H starts to taxi for its next takeoff.