BajaNomad - Airstrip at San Ignacio Lagoon

Airstrip at San Ignacio Lagoon

wilderone - 3-4-2010 at 06:56 PM

I don't remember if I've ever read any discussion about it, and was surprised myself to see one, but there is an airstrip there. Four planes arrived one morning when I was there - pretty popular!

Absolutely...

Mulegena - 3-4-2010 at 07:23 PM

Its a beautiful half-hour hopover from Mulege.

Stickers - 3-4-2010 at 09:09 PM

There will be 44 BBP planes landing there this weekend!

:spingrin:

David K - 3-4-2010 at 09:10 PM

They close it off season...

Huell Howser filmed landing there when he did his whale and San Ignacio special... That's aMAZing!

Natalie Ann - 3-4-2010 at 09:12 PM

Nothing more fun for whale watching than comin' and goin' by air.

Landing at San Ignacio:

nena

capt. mike - 3-5-2010 at 07:36 AM

easy strip. long, wide, graded and prepped yearly for the flyers. Jan - april.
also the Tucson flying Sams run a clinic there 6 times per year approx. the strip is opened for them.

Mulegena - 3-5-2010 at 08:07 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by capt. mike
... the Tucson flying Sams run a clinic there 6 times per year approx. the strip is opened for them.

Yes, I've flown with them several times as an assistant in their health and dental clinic. They do an amazing job, offer comprehensive medical care to the locals and outlying ranch people who travel for hours for the clinics.

wilderone - 3-5-2010 at 08:11 AM

"There will be 44 BBP planes landing there this weekend"

44?

shari - 3-5-2010 at 08:56 AM

I'm sure the whales are gonna LOVE that!
Not to rain on anyones' parade BUT...lagoons are supposed to be NO FLY zones....you have to fly real high over them. I realize that san ignacios strip is accessed via land....but planes do often circle the lagoon to get a look from the air.

I have witnessed calves endangered by low flying aircraft. As whales are acoustical, the sound of a plane prop really confuses them and they try to escape what sounds like a big ship gonna run em over. They take their calves to the bottom and wait till the danger has passed as as calves have a very small lung capacity, they have to breath more often than adults and a calf can drown if mom keeps it down too long.

When a plane flies low over the lagoon, the whales scatter and are spooked which can really ruin a good whale encounter in a panga.

Most pilots are aware of this and behave accordingly thank goodness....just wanted to mention this in case some didnt.

capt. mike - 3-5-2010 at 09:41 AM

all the BBP and others are well aware of the no fly zones and approach the strip only from the east side.

i am not aware of any who buzz the whales.
and - most of them don't like flying over water anyway! :tumble:

the prohibitions against over flying the lagoons are well publicized.

i guess there are renegads. i do know the gov't uses binocs to read N numbers of any violators. i'd hate to be on the recieving end of a citation, pay up or lose the plane!!

Well.....44 minus one

capt. mike - 3-5-2010 at 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Stickers
There will be 44 BBP planes landing there this weekend!

:spingrin:

so 43 over t days, fri and sat.

one plane crashed on landing at Serenidad yesterday so he's out... all survived but a $500,000 Cirrus G3 was totaled.

rookie i gather.. :no:

shari - 3-5-2010 at 10:41 AM

I'm sure planes buzzing the lagoona ARENT BBP...but there are people who fly here who are not members....another great reason to join BBP so you are more aware of baja issues.
gosh, sorry to hear about the crash...glad everyone is OK physically.

LancairDriver - 3-5-2010 at 03:55 PM

Sad way for a family of four to begin what was supposed to be a fun family trip to see the whales. Says on the Baja Bush Pilots forum they are all OK thankfully. A half million dollar airplane lost, piled up on the road next to the Serenidad airstrip.

capt. mike - 3-5-2010 at 04:02 PM

George - here's the wierd part....you know Jerry M. with the places in posada and at Serenidad?

the day before, on wed i was telling him, well reminding him - that the BBP including the usual amount of rookies would be arriving en masse on thursday so watch out for bad landings when he drives in on the parallel road.... i was making a joke - then all of a sudden my prophetic words come true! if a car would have been there at the right time it would have been a plane AND car wreck!!

tripledigitken - 3-5-2010 at 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by capt. mike

Quote:

Originally posted by Stickers
There will be 44 BBP planes landing there this weekend!

:spingrin:

so 43 over t days, fri and sat.

one plane crashed on landing at Serenidad yesterday so he's out... all survived but a $500,000 Cirrus G3 was totaled.

rookie i gather.. :no:

Were they scoring the landings when he augered it? :wow:

Too bad, that's a beautiful plane! Isn't that similar to the one that the Professional Athlete crashed in NY?

capt. mike - 3-5-2010 at 04:12 PM

no - landings scoring happens fri and sat afternoon when they come in from the day at the lagoons. A tradition started by yours truly when we had our place at the Serenidad. now others carry the ball... but i WILL return... :yes:

yes Ken - same brand as the ballplayer but the bigger model - the big continental 550 motor and turbo charged. The G3 SR 22
about a 1/2 mil out the door in 2007 when his was made.
i had to look up the N number. :smug:

i won't post the pictures though.
that will make about the 6th landing mishap i have seen in the same no. of years if i woulda been there.
even more actually - one year we had 3 in the same weekend.
gotta pay attention and keep an eye on the ball! only takes an instant of misattention to ruin the day.

LancairDriver - 3-5-2010 at 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by capt. mike
George - here's the wierd part....you know Jerry M. with the places in posada and at Serenidad?

the day before, on wed i was telling him, well reminding him - that the BBP including the usual amount of rookies would be arriving en masse on thursday so watch out for bad landings when he drives in on the parallel road.... i was making a joke - then all of a sudden my prophetic words come true! if a car would have been there at the right time it would have been a plane AND car wreck!!

Mike- I guess you have seen enough action around the Serenidad over the years to give a pretty accurate word of caution. With that many airplanes parked around there it is a miracle none have been hit by a wild take off or landing. That would really be a disaster.

capt. mike - 3-6-2010 at 10:31 AM

amen brother!!

On the road?

Stickers - 3-6-2010 at 11:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by capt. mike
..........on wed i was telling him, well reminding him - that the BBP including the usual amount of rookies would be arriving en masse on thursday so watch out for bad landings when he drives in on the parallel road.... i was making a joke - then all of a sudden my prophetic words come true! if a car would have been there at the right time it would have been a plane AND car wreck!!

I just cant imagine how someone could end up on the little roadway along the runway?
I might add that the Cirrus is one of the best and safest aircraft ever built - an absolute delight and easy to fly.
So sad, there goes another fine plane and $500,000 of insurance dough.

capt. mike - 3-7-2010 at 09:25 AM

most planes i ever counted on the ramp at Serenidad both sides of the RW was about 70 during BBP whales 2004 or 2005 i think.
there were 2 accidents that year, both involved tangling with the parallel perimeter fences and posts either taxing or landing. Both planes trucked out.

i can't fathom the monthly hull premiums on a half million $$ plane.
about $15,000 a year minimum. now that's rarified air!

i pay like $1500 a year.... :lol: