July/August 2011

Flying B Ranch, Idaho

The Flying B stands out among Idaho wilderness airstrips for its superbly maintained runway, fine fly fishing, comfortable cabins, and bountiful breakfast buffet. As Technical Editor Crista V. Worthy reports, you may come for the breakfast, but you’ll stay for a relaxing summer break. Hike up to the natural hot spring for a long soak. Check out the cutthroats in two nearby creeks, as well as the riffles of the Middle Fork. Your stay includes three hearty buffet meals a day. Explore local hiking trails that follow clear, burbling streams,shoot sporting clays, or go for a real guided hunting trip. The hills surrounding the ranch are home to numerous deer, elk, and bighorn sheep. The Flying B is the ideal Idaho wilderness destination.

Southern Berkshires, Massachusetts

Tucked into the southern Berkshires, Great Barrington is the perfect destination for culture, history, and luxury. Celebrating the town’s 250th anniversary this year, the airport will host a special fly-in over Labor Day weekend. Celebrate American music at Tanglewood, the legendary outdoor concert venue and summer home of the Boston Symphony. Music and history combine at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center in downtown Great Barrington. Visit the Normal Rockwell Museum, hike along the wooden footbridges of a wildlife sanctuary, or enjoy a satisfying round of golf. As authors Norma Davidof and Richard H. Shulman explain, the town also offers plenty of unique shops and restaurants. Enjoy a romantic dinner in an 18th-century water mill overlooking the Housatonic River. For unparalleled luxury and class, stay at the luxurious Blantyre resort—you’ll never want to leave.

Sioux Lookout, Ontario, Canada

Come to Canada for some of the finest fishing anywhere. Author Patricia Strutz provides straightforward instructions for crossing the border into Canada and clearing customs. Then it’s on to northwestern Ontario, flying over dense boreal forest and dark, tannic-stained rivers and lakes, where you’ll find the tiny town of Sioux Lookout. Rent a houseboat and disappear from civilization for a week out on a huge wilderness lake loaded with lunker lake trout and monster-size muskies. Or stay in an authentic fishing lodge near town and take advantage of the expert fishing guides, who’ll even prepare your fresh catch over an open fire for a mouth-watering lunch. Ratchet up the excitement by chartering a Beaver, Turbo Otter, or Cessna 206 for a fishing drop-off, scenic flight, or other custom day-trip.

Eastern Sierra Nevada, California

When people think of fall color, they most often think of New England. But the Pilot Getaways crew wants to remind you that when it comes to fall colors, there really is “gold in them thar hills”—California’s mighty Sierra Nevada. Make plans now for a different kind of fall trip, a Western-style fall trip into the foothills of jagged Sierra peaks. Here, aspen glow not only yellow, but also orange—and even red. Canyon after canyon explodes with color and snow-capped peaks fill the background. Try a trail ride or even live out your cowboy fantasy, herding 100 horses to their winter pastures on a three-day ride, with gourmet meals and nighttime campfires courtesy of expert guides and cooks.

Engine Failure—Part Two

While engine failures are rare, you want to be prepared. Keeping an eye out for potential landing spots is a good start, but there are specific steps you should have down cold, because they must be taken quickly and correctly when an engine suddenly stops or is producing little power. Technical Editor Crista V. Worthy outlines six crucial decisions you must make and steps you must take to land safely after a loss of power in a two part series. In part two, she explains troubleshooting, restart, and emergency landing procedures so that you and your passengers all live to fly another day.