46 San Diego - El Paso

28 April 2007

It was good to get to a hotel in El Cajon, a town some 10 miles from downtown San Diego. I only slept for a few hours though, got up again to keep awake to “normal” bedtime before getting to bed again.

This way I was rested to go to the Gillespie airport again the next morning for the flight to El Paso. Filed an IFR flight plan and got fuel from a truck.

At about 11 am I got going, and climbed to 11000 feet in good conditions.

It was only when I got to the north of Tucson, I had some serious thunderstorms along my route. I had to ask for deviation north of my route to stay in a safe distance, and again my Stormscope, that detects thunderstorm activity, proved a valuable tool.

I had decided to go to a smaller airport south El Paso called Horizon (T27).

I landed with almost a dive down to runway 8, as I was very high by the time was released by El Paso approach. I was met by Phil the owner of the airfield, a very friendly chap, who tied the airplane down for me. The weather was rapidly getting worse and the wind picking up.

Phil advised on hotels and directions, and had a car ready for my use. What a joy to experience the very essence of the service provided at small airfield in the US.

Arrived at the hotel in El Paso 10 minutes later.