Part II
Recently, I told the story of a rescue mission flown to Mulegé, Baja California Sur. This is Part II to that story.
Dave Dunsmore intended to fly to Mulegé after Hurricane Jimena caused significant damage to the small town and surrounding area. However, on his first attempt, he determined that the aircraft could carry more supplies if he stayed behind. Luckily, cargo was lighter on the second flight and he was able to join.
Dave and his friend, Jim, originally planned to fly down for several days to deliver supplies and help clean and repair damaged buildings. But, as is often the case when aviation is involved, the weather and work forced them to change their plans. They decided to make a weekend of it, hopping down there with supplies and a quick turn back home.
As you may recall, Dave’s cargo contained over 300 pounds of adult diapers, many donated from his own supply for B-rad. B-rad has autism and positively comes alive near airplanes. He loves to fly with Dave, and it seemed like the perfect way for B-rad and Dave to contribute to those in Mulegé. B-rad wasn’t able to join in on the flight, but his donation was much appreciated.
Dave and Jim met on Friday to plan the flight and prepare the aircraft. A flight over the border requires more consideration, and the tools provided by the Baja Bush Pilots went a long way in helping them plan. The plane was packed, the flight plan was loaded into the Garmin 430/530 stack, and Dave and Jim went home to get some rest before they met back the next day at O’Dark Thirty, as we in the aviation business call it.
Saturday morning saw Dave waking up bright and early to a send off from his girlfriend, and pulling into the airport at the exact same time as Jim. They had intended to start the engines at 0645, and at 0645 exactly, the prop started to spin. Wheels up time was planned for 0700, and the wheels departed runway 32 at South County Airport (E16) at 0657. Their journey had begin.
Their flight planning was nearly on the mark, crossing Pomona at 0845 and Julian at 0917, 5 and 8 minutes late respectively. At 0935, they crossed the border with San Diego Center’s blessings. Once across the border, they contacted Tijuana Approach, got their squawk code, and let approach know they would be checking in at San Felipe.
Using the Baja Bush Pilot Unicom on 122.8, and the general chatter frequency 123.45, they found a few other pilots flying to various locations. They even spoke with someone who was traveling from mainland Mexico to Mulegé, via the Sea of Cortez.
They landed in San Felipe, Baja Mexico where they were met by the Army to inspect the plane. Dave found them to be polite and downright welcoming once they knew it was a Baja Bush Pilot mission. They were fueled and cleared into Mexico. By 1112, they were on their way again.
Anyone who has flown in Mexico will tell you it is definitely a different experience. Even on a commercial flight, it is largely free flight and completely up to the pilot on how to navigate. It is not uncommon to be cleared for a landing long before you enter the approach phase.
Dave and Jim flew 2.2 more hours into Mulegé, for a grand total of 5.8 hours, sharing the yoke between each other and the autopilot. They flew in from the coast for a photo op of the town and airport. They landed on the middle portion of the strip, as both ends were still heavily damaged from the hurricane.
It was 125 degrees on the ground, ‘smoking hot and humid,’ Dave told me. Jim took the first load to Nadia’s house, Dave’s friend from previous visits, and came back later with an old Dodge Ramcharger. While Jim was gone, Dave was unloading planes as they arrived. Most of the planes departed after their cargo was removed, though a few stayed. After a few hours, no more planes were inbound and the cargo was moved to its interim location.
Jim and Dave had some spare time to look around the town and take some pictures. Dave’s friend, Nadia, and her husband, Eduardo, picked them up at the airport for a dinner in town. By evening, the weather had cooled to a breezy 85. After a relaxed dinner of 3.5 hours, a length rarely enjoyed in the states, they returned to the airport. The Baja Bush Pilots covered the room that Jim and Dave stayed in. Luckily, it was air conditioned. They finally fell asleep, or more appropriately, I am sure, as Dave put it, “passed out”, at 1130.
Sunday morning they were up and at the plane for an 805 engine start, wheels up at 0808. They took off on runway 14, headed away from town, turned out to the sea, flying over the town to say goodbye. It was a beautiful day, so they flew low up the coast enjoy the sights and taking beautiful photos for those who didn’t get a chance to join. Eventually, the heat forced them to climb to 8500 feet, both for comfort and performance. Just north of San Felipe, they called San Diego center to get their squawk code and amend their 15 minute border crossing time. As fuel is cheaper in Mexicali, they stopped for fuel south of the border and handled the M-AOE paperwork.
After fueling and saying their goodbyes to other pilots, they departed Mexicali to time their border crossing appropriately. They landed in Calexico to clear U.S. Customs and grab a bite at “Plane Food” for lunch. After a short, but wonderful, adventure, they landed at South County at 1643 on Sunday.
Dave is just one of many pilots who has found a way to turn his love of flying into a way of helping others. In the process, he has made many friends and enjoyed many adventures. He told me that one of his goals all along had been to learn to fly and use it to create a better place. I can’t tell you how proud I am of my first solo student, and though I take no credit for the heart he has, I like to know that I was a very small part in what he has achieved.
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