BajaNomad

HAVING COFFEE WITH CAPTAIN MIKE!

ELINVESTIG8R - 2-4-2018 at 09:24 AM



HAVING COFFEE WITH CAPTAIN MIKE!



ELINVESTIG8R - 2-4-2018 at 09:46 AM

BajaBlanca - 2-4-2018 at 09:49 AM

Based in Mulege...I never knew. Cheers to a perfect brew!

ELINVESTIG8R - 2-4-2018 at 09:54 AM




fishbuck - 2-8-2018 at 01:18 PM

Hey Cap! I am on the verge of beginning my quest to land on each of baja's remaining 23 or so runways.
I hunting down a cheap Piper Cherokee 140. It stretches the range a bit but I'll carry a few hours worth of fuel in the back seat if they let me. I've done it before.
Does anyone fly in baja anymore?
I don't care about the fees or any of the other stuff. I want me some baja flying.
Give me a short rough baja dirt runway anywhere any day. That's soul flying.

David K - 2-8-2018 at 02:45 PM

Quote: Originally posted by fishbuck  
Hey Cap! I am on the verge of beginning my quest to land on each of baja's remaining 23 or so runways.
I hunting down a cheap Piper Cherokee 140. It stretches the range a bit but I'll carry a few hours worth of fuel in the back seat if they let me. I've done it before.
Does anyone fly in baja anymore?
I don't care about the fees or any of the other stuff. I want me some baja flying.
Give me a short rough baja dirt runway anywhere any day. That's soul flying.


Capt. Mike is mostly on Facebook nowadays. He no longer has a plane or is based in Mulegé. Nice memento, however.

As for runways and private flying in Baja... there is a NOMAD FORUM just for that (and I have posted lots of runway images there, from space, and from airports of Baja books): http://forums.bajanomad.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=36

[Edited on 2-8-2018 by David K]

JZ - 2-8-2018 at 02:50 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David K  


Capt. Mike is mostly on Facebook nowadays. He no longer has a plane or is based in Mulegé. Nice memento, however.

[Edited on 2-8-2018 by David K]


Talk Baja or some others?

I arranged for him to once fly my sister and niece out of Guaymas to Phoenix.

David K - 2-8-2018 at 03:00 PM

Quote: Originally posted by JZ  
Quote: Originally posted by David K  


Capt. Mike is mostly on Facebook nowadays. He no longer has a plane or is based in Mulegé. Nice memento, however.

[Edited on 2-8-2018 by David K]


Talk Baja or some others?

I arranged for him to once fly my sister and niece out of Guaymas to Phoenix.


No, just his personal page... I was lucky to get a flight on Screaming Airlines myself around Mulegé back in 2001.

pacificobob - 2-8-2018 at 03:07 PM

Quote: Originally posted by fishbuck  
Hey Cap! I am on the verge of beginning my quest to land on each of baja's remaining 23 or so runways.
I hunting down a cheap Piper Cherokee 140. It stretches the range a bit but I'll carry a few hours worth of fuel in the back seat if they let me. I've done it before.
Does anyone fly in baja anymore?
I don't care about the fees or any of the other stuff. I want me some baja flying.
Give me a short rough baja dirt runway anywhere any day. That's soul flying.

do you plan on running the stock 6.00x6 tires or something larger on these "rough" strips?

fishbuck - 2-8-2018 at 03:55 PM

I have always used stock tires on all my rental cherokee 6/lance trips.
Lots of dirt runways. Did get a flat once.
Had a little cig lighter pump and flat fix. Worked fine. But I think I may prepare slightly better this time. Like spares.
But planning to run stock tires no wheel pants.

fishbuck - 2-8-2018 at 03:58 PM

The key to dirt strips in baja is roughly akin to driving a 2 wheel drive pick up.
Stay out of the soft stuff or you will get stuck.

capt. mike - 2-8-2018 at 05:53 PM

Wow all this banter sure makes me miss Baja flying. I started in 1978 in rented Cherokee 180s. Then in a Mooney exec in 1985 when I joined the Flying Sams. Then the magical Comanche 250 war horse in 1995, my steed until I parted with her in 2017 August. I have plenty of time on dirt. In fact I prefer dirt. It means smaller towns.

capt. mike - 2-8-2018 at 06:03 PM

And thanks for the concern for Janeen. Soon she will go to assisted living. After 20 months staying home she is not safe here. Needs medical knowledge far above my pay grade.

BigBearRider - 2-8-2018 at 06:37 PM

Quote: Originally posted by fishbuck  
Hey Cap! I am on the verge of beginning my quest to land on each of baja's remaining 23 or so runways.
I hunting down a cheap Piper Cherokee 140. It stretches the range a bit but I'll carry a few hours worth of fuel in the back seat if they let me. I've done it before.
Does anyone fly in baja anymore?
I don't care about the fees or any of the other stuff. I want me some baja flying.
Give me a short rough baja dirt runway anywhere any day. That's soul flying.


There must be more than 23 runways in Baja left, no?

David K - 2-9-2018 at 07:15 AM

Quote: Originally posted by BigBearRider  
Quote: Originally posted by fishbuck  
Hey Cap! I am on the verge of beginning my quest to land on each of baja's remaining 23 or so runways.
I hunting down a cheap Piper Cherokee 140. It stretches the range a bit but I'll carry a few hours worth of fuel in the back seat if they let me. I've done it before.
Does anyone fly in baja anymore?
I don't care about the fees or any of the other stuff. I want me some baja flying.
Give me a short rough baja dirt runway anywhere any day. That's soul flying.


There must be more than 23 runways in Baja left, no?


They are sure only a few left from once being over 200!
Withot looking, I can think of these in Baja Norte (and am not certain they are all legal):

1) Tijuana
2) Ensenada
3) Rancho Meling
4) San Quintin Military + many farm/crop duster strips
5) Campo Lorenzo (San Quintin Bay)
6) Cielito Lindo
7) El Socorro
8) El Rosario (ex-Diamante del Mar)
9) Mexicali
10) San Felipe
11) Puertecitos
12) Punta Bufeo
13) Alfonsina's
14) Rancho Grande
15) Punta Final
16) Punta San Carlos (Solosports Resort)
17) Rancho Santa Ynez
18) Bahía de los Angeles
19) Punta Prieta
20) Villa Jesis María
21) Punta San Francisquito
22) Guerrero Negro

Maybe Pedregal on San Quintín Bay, too?

Cliffy - 2-9-2018 at 07:36 AM

Used Papa's strip in Gonzaga many times back in the day. When Papa was there! Used the Diaz strip right in town in BOLA too. AH the good ol' days.

BigBearRider - 2-9-2018 at 07:49 AM

I think I counted about 100 on a relatively recent map. However, many of them were probably closed. For example, both in San Ignacio are closed. There are about 20 to 30 strips between Mexicali and San Felipe on the LA sectional, but I haven’t seen any of them from the air and don’t know if they are permitted.

David K - 2-9-2018 at 08:26 AM

Most of the old runways we loved seeing on Arnold Senterfitt's books and maps from the 60s to 90s (or Galen Hanselman's 1998 'Air Baja!') are abandoned, ditched, or forgotten. Because Mexico wants all of them to be licensed with heavy annual fees and military inspections upon landing the casual runway at so many ranchos, villages, and beach camps is a thing of the past. Careful Google Earth inspection reveals many landing strips far from any people but at the end of a faint auto road. The cross-lines of ditching them is also seen. Drug runners have ruined it for many flying tourists to Baja.

Udo - 2-9-2018 at 08:43 AM

What is Captain Mike's real name, David. I could not find out anything on his FB name.
Thanks for the help, David.
Quote: Originally posted by David K  


Capt. Mike is mostly on Facebook nowadays.

[Edited on 2-8-2018 by David K]

David K - 2-9-2018 at 09:02 AM

Since Mike has been 'poked' to view this thread, maybe he will u2u that to you?

John Harper - 2-9-2018 at 09:03 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Cliffy  
Used Papa's strip in Gonzaga many times back in the day. When Papa was there! Used the Diaz strip right in town in BOLA too. AH the good ol' days.


My dad and I flew into BOLA and landed on that strip back in 1973. Had to "buzz" the landing strip to get all the people and vehicles clear before landing. I was only 15 so it was quite an adventure. Stayed at Casa Diaz.

John

David K - 2-9-2018 at 09:33 AM

Quote: Originally posted by John Harper  
Quote: Originally posted by Cliffy  
Used Papa's strip in Gonzaga many times back in the day. When Papa was there! Used the Diaz strip right in town in BOLA too. AH the good ol' days.


My dad and I flew into BOLA and landed on that strip back in 1973. Had to "buzz" the landing strip to get all the people and vehicles clear before landing. I was only 15 so it was quite an adventure. Stayed at Casa Diaz.

John


Here is a video of the last twin to land at the original L.A. Bay/ Papa Diaz runway before it was closed:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jV1Ly217dis

BajaTed - 2-9-2018 at 11:32 AM

When we flew baja in the late 60's the practice was to buzz the airstrip first to see if burros or cows were around.
It always seemed there was a hump in the middle of the strip and you got to land twice each time.
We could tie the plane down in five minutes when we saw a chubasco coming.
Those were the days

fishbuck - 2-9-2018 at 01:34 PM

The dirt runway was closed and was already part of the town when I first visited. But you could still see it a little.
I stayed at Casa Diaz. Seems like it was the only place back then but it wasn't.
So small and tropical desert feeling. Exotic.
Still is.
I hope the paved runway hasn't deteriorated. It was still fairly fresh and new first time I flew in.
You still buzz town but that is so the taxi knows to come pick you up.

gringorio - 2-13-2018 at 06:37 PM

Quote: Originally posted by capt. mike  
Wow all this banter sure makes me miss Baja flying. I started in 1978 in rented Cherokee 180s. Then in a Mooney exec in 1985 when I joined the Flying Sams. Then the magical Comanche 250 war horse in 1995, my steed until I parted with her in 2017 August. I have plenty of time on dirt. In fact I prefer dirt. It means smaller towns.


Hey Capt. Mike! Saw this thread and wanted to say thanks for the great flight way back when to the sea turtle conference in Loreto. I forget the year now. Tucson to Rocky Point then over the Colorado River Delta, then some small dirt strip for tacos before getting to Loreto. Will always remember that flight - thank you!