Puyallup Trip

Doug and I flew up to the aviation conference at Puyallup Washington. The airport identifier had changed from 1S0 to KPLU since the last time I flew this way.
Below: Steam emissions from factories in Kelso, Washington.

A Puyallup FBO operated a shuttle bus service between the airport and the downtown fairgrounds. It's a long trip and we waited some time for the rides. But the price was right (free) and Mt. Ranier was glorious.
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Flight of Five to Tillamook

The local gang decided to have the $100 hamburger at Tillamook. The Air Museum at the airport has a nice coffee shop (see below). Tillamook airport changed its identifier since my last flight there.
Below: the first four of the flight of five performing runups on the taxiway at Hillsboro.

Just after liftoff. It wasn't a formation takeoff, just five aircraft in relatively quick succession. I waited a bit longer because my Skylane was somewhat faster than the others, all Piper Tripacers. The lead aircraft is barely visible between the other three.

Because the other aircraft were slower, I flew at an uncomfortably slow cruising speed to keep from running them over. I was well into the white arc on the airspeed indicator. (The white arc represents slower speeds where the flaps may be used without damage.) Even with 20 degree flaps the deck angle restricted my forward view of the other aircraft.

Below: Approach into Tillamook. The giant blimp hangar that houses the museum is on the left. The shoreline and ocean are covered by a fog bank. Two of the preceding aircraft are visible to the right. Click on the picture to see a larger version.

Lunch at the museum

Below: Flooded farmland south of Gaston, Oregon.