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I Learned About Flying From That: My Longest Trip to Vegas

To see more of Barry Ross' aviation art, go to barryrossart.com Barry Ross
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • During an IFR night flight across the desert, the pilot and co-pilot unexpectedly encountered severe icing conditions in mountainous terrain, despite initial weather checks.
  • Facing accumulating ice, the crew struggled to obtain lower altitudes from ATC and did not declare an emergency, prolonging their exposure to the hazard.
  • After a tense 180-degree turn and eventual descent, the ice shed, allowing for a safe landing, but the incident highlighted critical errors in pre-flight weather reassessment and timely emergency declaration.
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People like to ask, “What was your favorite flight?” There are so many, I wouldn’t know how to choose. But ask me to choose my least favorite flight, and I can tell you in a heartbeat. It started on a beautiful February day. My buddy Shaun decided to join me. We made a lot of good decisions during that flight, except one: taking off.

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