Tag Archives: Stinson

CAF Reliant Getting Time In

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Word reached me from my friend, Bob, that the CAF squadron at Arlington was planning to get some training done with their Reliant one Saturday.  I thought this would be worth a trip as I had previously left one of their events thinking that they weren’t going to fly and they did.  When everyone else got good shots of this plane, I was a touch annoyed.  Time to rectify this.

They were putting a few pilots through sorties to get time in the plane.  In the early part of the day, the weather was a little overcast so not great for shots but okay.  Of course, as the day drifted on and the sun moved around to the other side, things brightened up.  Just in time to be backlit.  At this point, I decided to call it a day and head home.  I did also have some good time near the plane while it was being refueled so I am quite happy with the results, even if they are nothing special.

Stinson Reliant – Don’t Go Too Soon

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Sometimes my poor choices can help other people out.  I made a trip down to Auburn to see the Stinson Reliant that the local chapter of the Commemorative Air Force has.  They were having an open day but the conditions were not looking great.  I got there as things were opening up and had a look around the plane while they prepped it to run.  Then they fired it up and ran the engine for a while before shutting down.  At this point, the rain was thinking about starting up and I decided to call it quits.

This was just what everyone else needed.  I got a call as I was heading north again.  My friend Bob told me they were looking to go flying.  I was tempted to turn around and go back but decided not to.  I had some other things I wanted to see and felt the conditions were likely to mean that they skipped the flying.  I was clearly wrong.  My friends got a bunch of nice shots of the plane flying.  I have to make do with it on the ground for now.

Evening at Paine Field As A Consolation

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I saw a notification that an Avanti was heading to Paine Field and due to arrive later in the evening and not long before sunset.  This seemed like an ideal opportunity.  I waited to see it depart from Mather Field in Sacramento and then got stuff ready to head up after dinner.  I made good time getting up there and the light was looking great.  Everything was on a northerly flow which was not what I had hoped for but never mind.  However, a quick check on my phone showed no sign of the Avanti.

Eventually I discovered that it had diverted back to Mather.  I don’t know the reasoning but it was on the ground down there and not close to arriving near me.  I was rather annoyed I hadn’t checked this out just before leaving because it would already have been back on the ground by then.  However, I was there and the light was nice so why not make the best of things.  A variety of planes were making the most of the conditions including a nice Stinson, some bizjets and a Horizon jet so it wasn’t a totally wasted trip.