Leaving the Lovely San Diego for Van Nuys

After a wonderful twenty-four hours in San Diego, it was time to head back north to Van Nuys. The view outside my hotel window showed me that it wasn’t going to be quite as sunny as yesterday.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, after all.

I remember when I was about five, my Mom took us to Winchell’s in Salt Lake City for a donut. It was such a treat. So when my Around Me app found a Winchell’s within walking distance to my hotel, the all-important breakfast decision was made.

I do these things for you, Mom.

One of my favorite things in the world is croissants. And not the Pillsbury type, either. This flaky, buttery croissant made the three-block walk completely worth it.

Soon, it was time to head to the airport. The solitary FBO at San Diego is surprisingly ghetto. It is a trailer inside a larger hangar. You can see the passengers lounge in the trailer to the left. I’ve heard that there are plans to make a new FBO, and I would like to vote for that move!

Gladys, on the other hand, is not ghetto. In fact, next to the San Diego downtown skyline, she looks downright purdy.

Thanks to Comic Con, this place was packed with tons of corporate airplanes. And they were busy! I saw the Disney Gulfstream G-IV leave and come back several times with superstars on board. I didn’t see any superstars, but luckily that doesn’t matter to me.

I’m just here to look at airplanes, anyway.

With such beautiful weather enjoyed yesterday, it was kind of nice to have the overcast layer of clouds. I love weather like this, and we rarely see it in sunny Phoenix. Can you believe that I’m complaining about sunshine?!

The cockpit of Gladys is so pretty. It’s a well-oiled computer machine. I’m so excited to go flying today!

This shot makes Gladys look so long! What a perfect airplane.

Time to take off!

These white arrows are showing a displaced threshold on the runway. We can use the displaced threshold to take off, but for landing we need to land past the threshold line. You can see the threshold line up ahead on the runway, marked by white lights to the left and right.

And we’re off! What a little rocket Gladys is!

Hello, Catalina Island. You look so pretty with the rainy weather today. So romantic and mysterious!

These clouds look harmless enough but would open up to rain on us before we landed in Van Nuys.

The trip should only take about twenty minutes, but it usually lasts double that amount because of the tricky airspace. We had to fly right past the busiest airport in the nation, LAX, before we could descend to land at Van Nuys on the north side of Los Angeles.

Hello, Rain!

Here is the Van Nuys Airport. We are on an extended downwind leg for Runway 16R. We have been at this airport a lot over the past five months, and it feels good landing somewhere that is becoming so familiar to me.

Base-to-Final for Runway 16R. Red over white, we’re all right. Speed is good, altitude is good. Landing gear is down and locked, three green. Flaps are three. Cleared to land!

After landing facing towards the south, we turned around for a taxi back to the north side of the airport at Pentastar Aviation. As always, they treated us like royalty.

I got my two passengers loaded in the awaiting car and sent them on their way.

Hi, Pretty Girl! Welcome back to LA!

This trailer is a much better version of San Diego’s trailer. What’s up with all of the trailers being used as FBOs?

This was our rental car, parked next to the mini version of Gladys, the Embraer Phenom 100. I’m still amazed that they named them the same, since they are such different airplanes!

We all know which one I prefer…

After a busy traffic drive back to the hotel, it was nice to check in to my room at the same Holiday Inn Express that we had stayed just a few nights before.

After twelve years of using my graduation-present-luggage from my Dad, it was time to replace some broken parts by getting a new suitcase.

Welcome to the family, Giant Samsonite. You have big shoes to fill.

Though perhaps not the healthiest choice within walking distance, Domino’s Pizza sure sounded good! And a small pizza works just right for someone like me!

Especially if it’s my favorite…pepperoni and black olives. Dinner is served!

It was a great day of flying through abnormal California weather to get back to Van Nuys. I need to get some sleep…because tomorrow we’re going to Six Flags Magic Mountain!