An Aerobat on Cross-country

   Mission: Deliver playing cards.
   Aircraft of choice: Cessna 150 Aerobat.
   In preparation for our chapter of the Ninety-nines' flyin' poker fun run, MyMrMallory and I flew to Frederik, Oklahoma, and Vernon, Texas, two of the run stops, to deliver cards. We took off from Wichita Valley airport.
 

    Both navigation radios in our little aerobat Cessna were inoperative, with Bobby unable to repair them until next week, but we did not worry, for we carried with us other navigational technology.

    MyMrMallory expertly inputted frequencies into the portable GPS, a Garmin 296. Just after takeoff, though, the portable Garmin ceased to function. Not to worry! We brought along, not one iPad, but two. So I reached behind my seat and brought up my mini iPad, which did not show any data. I must have missed paying my bill. Not to worry! I reached behind MyMrMallory's seat and brought out his iPad, the battery of which ran low and shut it down. So, where is that ol' timey sectional? Oh, it's blowing around in the back.

      Dangerous picture-taking. I wrapped my camera strap around my wrist, then poked it out my window to take this image of the Red River below the empennage and tail of the aircraft.

A homestead and grain silos at the corner of plowed fields near Frederik, Oklahoma.

      Clouds that portend rain started to pop up over a parched land. Relentlessly, we flew to complete our mission just in case the storm promised by the weatherman would not interfere with the flyin' poker run.

          On short final to runway 17 at the airport in Frederik, our eyes open wide for fighter traffic from nearby Shepard Air Force Base. The jet fighters come in to Frederik airport to do touch-n-goes as practice. What a sight that must be.

Our little aerobat's shadow on the runway at Frederik.

Frederik is home of the WWII Airborne Demonstration Team.

       Parachuter Sharon met us at the airport to take our playing cards. She also handed us a packet containing a video and a certificate for a "buy one, get one free" ride in the DC-3. What a delight to shake the hand of a parachuter.

      On short final into Wilbarger County airport. Just to remain steady with theme, the battery to my nifty Nikon P7700 was too low, so I had to switch to my iPhone camera, which I use with just as much delight. 

Here we are in the prairie, a prairie as long as the eye can see! Clouds have turned darker and thicker.

       Walking into the FBO at Wilbarger County airport, Harlan, to the left in the image, said hello, and followed it up with "Coffee's that way. Restrooms are that way," he said, as he pointed toward the back and toward my right. Lawrence, right, walked up to say hello. "You want some popcorn? Help yourself."

      "I'm a wore out crop-duster," Kirk said to me.

      "What do you fly?" I asked him. 

      "I fly an Air Tractor, an ancient one, ancient like me." 

      "I'd love to fly an Air Tractor. You are lucky to have one." 

      "Yes, I am."

      "Do you know Amanda?" I asked.

      "You bet. She's a good ag pilot."

       Our mission accomplished, we took off on our return to Wichita Valley airport with 15-knot headwinds, quite strong for a little airplane. With my window open, I breathed the fresh country air of a lovely autumn day before a much needed rain fall, one that would ground our flyin' poker fun run, probably, but I wouldn't mind at all.