Poker Run

[Julian]

Sounds like an interesting alternative to your standard fly-in. These are pretty popular over in California Flying Schools I have been to as a fun way to get newly minted PPLs using their licence and meeting more experienced pilots rather than just letting it gather dust.

J.

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JOY OF FLIGHT: THE POKER RUN
Ever tried your hand at poker--general aviation style? Poker runs have
temporarily turned many a quiet GA airport into a mini-Chicago O'Hare
as dozens of pilots swoop in to collect their playing cards, hoping to
finish the day with the best hand. Ride along with Colleen Turner in
"The Poker Run," ( http://www.aopa.org/members/joyofflight/0610.html )
the latest installment of the Joy of Flight, as she recounts flying in
to five airports to pick up cards during a poker run in the Seattle area.

[Aeronut]

This is superb idea!! Link requires AOPA membership though - any chance of a cut and paste?

Combines two of my loves! Poker and Flying - what a great idea. Gotta get involved in this in the UK!!:)

[englishal]

What about a "Chicken Ranch" run :} ;)

[Julian]

As requested - bit of a let down as she doesnt say what hand she ended up with (I take it she lost :) )


Trouble with a Chicken Ranch run is 75% of the pilots wouldnt make it home...and if they did they would have a lot of explaining to do.....:}
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When I was recently invited to participate in a poker run that involved flying into short, narrow airstrips on which I had never set plane or foot, I hate to admit that I hesitated. A year ago, when I was still in the San Francisco Bay area flying a Cherokee 235 that felt like a comfortable old shoe, I would have jumped at the chance. Now that I was in Seattle, where I had mainly concentrated on sharpening my instruments skills and learning the leading-edge Garmin G1000 platform in a Diamond DA-40, I had to seriously think about it.

Although I was proficient in the Diamond, I didn't have hundreds of hours in it like I did in the trusty old Cherokee. For the past six months, I had been flying on instrument flight plans with air traffic control telling me exactly what to do and when to do it and landing on long, wide runways with clear approach paths. By contrast, the poker run would take me to airfields that were as short as 2,275 feet and as narrow as 20 feet, surrounded by trees and teeming with other pilots eager to land and pick up their cards. Was I really ready for this adventure? I finally decided to go for it, as this would be an excellent test of my stick-and-rudder skills. My husband agreed to go along to help scan for traffic.

On the day of the poker run, the sun was shining brilliantly over Puget Sound and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Today was my day to fly low, admire the beautiful scenery, and take a closer look at any interesting feature on the ground that caught my fancy — no IFR flight plan, no autopilot, and only an occasional glimpse at the magenta line outlining my flight path on the moving map. For a second, I actually fantasized about barnstorming in the Diamond.

Departing Boeing Field/King County International in Seattle, we headed southwest to Sanderson Field in Shelton, our first stop to pick up cards. By the time we approached Sanderson Field, the traffic pattern was already abuzz with several airplanes vying for space. As we taxied to the fixed-base operation (FBO) to pick up our cards, we could feel the excitement in the air — we passed a group of skydivers climbing into Skydive Kapowsin's Super Twin Otter. I wondered if they were full of nervous anticipation about jumping out of a perfectly good airplane from 13,000 feet.

Our second stop was Elma Municipal Airport in Elma, a short hop from Sanderson Field. At 2,275 by 30 feet, this was the shortest strip of the day on which I would have to deftly set down the Diamond. Since it was hot and there was no wind, I was acutely aware that I would have to be mindful of my airspeed. If I came in too fast, the Diamond, unlike the Cherokee 235, which had the glide ratio of a brick, would float halfway down the runway. I gave myself a proverbial pat on the back as I landed just beyond the numbers.

I was grateful that it was a good landing — we apparently had an audience parked at the end of the runway watching all the poker run participants in their magnificent flying machines. It had probably been a while since Elma had experienced such a flurry of traffic. Who says that the only time a pilot manages to grease it on is when nobody is looking?

Onward to Spanaway Airport in Spanaway, our third stop. Along the way, we were treated to stunning views of Mount Rainier, majestic in the distance. Because Spanaway sits under the McChord Air Force Base Class D airspace, we had to remain below 1,000 feet. The traffic pattern is 988 feet msl, which is only 650 feet agl. Without the help of the GPS, I'm not sure that we ever would have found this unobtrusive little airport. While on downwind, I was disconcerted because I kept losing the 2,724-by-20-foot runway. While struggling to keep the field in sight, I was relieved that my husband kept me abreast of the heavy military iron flying around McChord. I thanked God for another smooth touchdown as I rolled past and waved to a parade of airplanes taxiing to the FBO to pick up their cards.

Our fourth airport was Pierce County-Thun Field in Puyallup, a mere six miles from Spanaway. It seemed that as soon as we had taken off from Spanaway we were in the traffic pattern at Thun. The frequency was so busy that somebody eventually came on and said, "Let's just all shut up and listen, please." After sorting through the chaos on the radio and reporting our position in the traffic pattern, I found myself on final with a glider landing on the grass between the runway and taxiway.

Our final stop was Crest Airpark in Kent, which was particularly exciting for my husband as we flew over the trees at the approach end of Runway 33. Although it was his impression that we had barely cleared the trees, I begged to differ.

The poker run concluded with a steak barbecue at the home of Tom and Nancy Jensen at Evergreen Sky Ranch, a private airpark. We turned in our cards, recounted stories about past flying exploits, admired recently renovated antique aircraft all dressed up in their new paint schemes, and basked in the sunshine. The proceeds from the poker run replenished the scholarship funds of the Washington Pilots Association Green River chapter and The Ninety-Nines Greater Seattle chapter. It was a genuine celebration of what general aviation has always been about — discovery, friendship, challenge, fun, and generosity — and what prompted me to learn how to fly 18 years ago.



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Colleen Turner, AOPA 959401, is in instrument-rated private pilot who has been flying for 18 years. She has more than 1,000 hours of flight time. She lives in Renton, Washington.

[Aeronut]

Ta very much Julian.

[Aussie Andy]

the poker run would take me to airfields that were as short as 2,275 feetGosh, that's just 690m...! :} I have noticed when in the US that what our American cousins think of as "short" is a bit different to 'round here!

Still, sounds like a great idea!

Andy :ok: