From the Logbook...Sierra Checkout

Yesterday I began my checkout into some of the mountain airstrips we have here. WOW! Things are a lot different here than in Ecuador. To compare the type of flying that happens here compared to what I was used to in Ecuador would be close to apples and oranges. That said, these airstrips are a lot more challenging than a typical day back in the jungle. We only have one airstrip that is a two way strip, one in which you can land and take off both ways. Even then, the conditions have to be just about perfect for it to be usable both ways. The rest are only one way in and one way out.

After running some errands this morning in regards to my pilot's license, I went to the airport to make another training flight to some more airstrips. Needless to say, I am all sweaty and worn out when we finally get back to Oaxaca.

This is a picture of Barranca Honda. It is one of our more challenging strips, and one that is at the bottom of the list for me to solo into because of it's difficulty. As with all 2 dimensional pictures trying to depict a 3 dimensional world, this picture doesn't do Barranca Honda justice. It is extremely steep, thus we have to park the airplane sideways for fear that it will start rolling downhill while we are out and about. Between the wind, weather, and slope of the strips here, I have my work cut out for me for a while until I gain experience.