Van Nuys…I’ve Missed You

We visited Van Nuys Airport a lot last year, so it felt weird to go almost an entire month with no business trip to the northern Los Angeles airport. I was tickled last week to hear that we would be there for a few days.

This Citation CJ4 was in our normal staging departure spot, but I didn’t mind too much. With expensive color-changing paint like that, you have to give the guy some breaks, you know? He’s obviously had a very rough life!

The line guys were busy on this Monday morning, getting lots of airplanes ready for their departures today. While the hangar was sort of empty, they also took the opportunity to wash the floors.

Can you see them scrubbing in the background behind this pretty Learjet 60?

Somebody put Baby in the corner.

Good morning, Gladys! It’s been a few weeks since we flew to Salt Lake City, so I’m glad to have such a nice trip this week!

And I just got my schedule for the next two months. I will be home long enough to do laundry and perhaps restock the freezer with Digiorno Pizzas for Hubby. But that’s about it!

It’s going to be crazy busy, and I can’t wait!

As you can see, a busy day on the ramp! This Hawker fired up its engines and left shortly after I arrived to get Gladys ready for our flight. I saw one pilot inside and another walking up to the airplane, and then it left a few minutes later.

So they must be going to pick someone up somewhere, since they left without any passengers. Or maybe they forgot to wait for their people to arrive? Ha, that would be funny!

I got newspapers ready, in case they felt the need to catch up on the news.

And, perhaps even more importantly, I got a little treat out and ready for our two passengers today. Nice, cold water and a tiny, adorable bag of Haribo gummy bears.

Does it get any cuter than that?!

I watched at the gate for their car to arrive, and then we loaded the airplane and were on our way. What a pretty day to fly!

Aren’t those mountains pretty? We will be taking off in the opposite direction from them today, Runway 21 for the JOHNS1 Departure with Phoenix ATC.

This little Eclipse was cleared to take off just in front of us. I worked for Eclipse for a year in their Customer Care department. I still hate talking on the phone because of that job…

And this pretty Falcon jet arrived this morning. While waiting for my passengers, I watched lots of big, gorgeous, expensive airplane depart today. The Waste Management Golf Tournament in Scottsdale and had ended just the day before. We even watched Phil Mickelson's plane take off…a beautiful Gulfstream V.

I say…good for him! He deserves such a pretty airplane! Hard-working and good to his wife? Good on him, mate!

After a few airplanes left in front of us (Tower frequency was buuuuuusy!), it was our turn to be cleared for takeoff.

Aren’t the views way better from up here, anyway?! It’s kind of my favorite place to be.

We flew at Flight Level 340 today on our way to the smoggy Los Angeles valley. I think that El Capitan wanted to go higher, but ATC couldn’t allow it today. I like staying a little lower for these short flights. It doesn’t make any sense to climb all the way up to FL430, just to start our descent back down as soon as we arrive on top.

Let’s save the fuel from that climb and go fast!

Los Angeles Center helped me get my way today. Thanks, guys!

Wow, incredibly breathtaking views on our trip today.

Just kidding. I’m only out of breath because I would hate to be down there driving to L.A. today! Flying is so much cooler!

Now we are crossing over Palmdale and into the valley that receives slightly more irrigation water. We are just about eight minutes outside of Van Nuys Airport now!

And we are cleared to cross JANNY at 8,000 feet on the LYNNX8 Arrival into Van Nuys today. In case you wanted to know.

Now we are getting into the crazy-high population of southern California. I would hate to live here for so many reasons. Have you ever experienced the traffic here?

But apparently, they’ve had lots of rain lately, too. Just like us at home. Look how alive these hills look!

If was so smoggy just over the mountains today that I could barely make out downtown Los Angeles. But you can at least see our runway now. Cleared to land, Runway 16R.

This little King Air 90 looks like it was getting some maintenance work done. Or else somebody did a really bad preflight and didn’t realize that the engine cowlings were missing!

Either way, I don’t think that I would go flying with them today…

After we land on Runway 16R, it’s a long taxi back to our favorite FBO on the field. But guess what? They just got bought by Bob Hoover, so the name is now Hoover’s Hangars! And he was even there for some business meetings, but I didn’t get to shake his hand.

Bob Hoover is an aviation legend, by the way. I’ve seen him perform at many an airshow, and I would have loved to meet him in person. Maybe this week, since we’re going back?

He just turned 90 years old and still flies. That’s how awesome Bob Hoover is.

This little homebuilt airplane took off as we taxied past. Look at that green grass, too! Sheesh!

And this big, beautiful, and expensive Bombardier Global Express was waiting for takeoff right behind the little guy. Wonder where it’s going today?

We parked and got our passengers on their way. Then it was time to prep Gladys for a few days on the ramp. We would be here through Wednesday, so I even have tomorrow off to explore!

I am so sad that we are a two-hour (at least) drive to Disneyland, or I would totally go down for the day!

Ah, Disneyland…

I cleaned up the cabin and threw out some trash after the short flight this morning.

The ramp was empty when we arrived, but they got much busier that afternoon. And when we departed on Wednesday, the place was hopping as well.

Good for you, Bob Hoover!

Two nights on the ramp will suit Gladys just fine.

Sorry about all of the pictures of her today. I haven’t seen her much this past month, so I was making up for some withdrawal symptoms.

Of course, this February and March are so busy that it will more than make up for some lost weeks of flying over Christmas!

I can’t wait!

OK, last one. I promise.

For today, anyway…

As you can see from the lack of a sign, this place is no longer Pentastar Aviation! Hoovers Hangars has arrived at Van Nuys Airport!

So El Capitan bought an annual pass to Universal Studios since we’re here so much. And he asked if I could just take the hotel shuttle instead of him dropping me off at the hotel. He wanted to get on his way to Universal.

I said OK! We arrived by 11:00 AM, and I didn’t think it was fair to miss another hour of the park just to take me to the Holiday Inn in Woodland Hills about twenty minutes away.

Unfortunately…I waited for two whole hours for the hotel shuttle to finally pick me up! I was so hungry for lunch that it made it seem longer. Had I known that they would take so long to come get me, I would have borrowed a crew car to grab some lunch near the airport.

Needless to say, I was pretty tired of this view after two hours of waiting for my ride. I’m just glad that they finally came at last! Now I can get some lunch!