U.S.A. Perimeter Flight: Planning the adventure of a lifetime
- the U.S.- Canadian border is 3,283 miles,
- the U.S.-Mexican border is 1,386 miles
- the Atlantic, Gulf, and Pacific coasts are 1,719, 1,315, and 1,175 miles respectively
Boyd was a regular around the Mid-America Regional contests flying competition and serving as an aerobatic judge in the 1990's and early 2000's. He flew an Eagle II in the Intermediate category and later Boyd lovingly spent many years building an Eagle 540, which was later sold to Billy Werth and used in airshows until 2014.
Judy will be blogging during the trip using her website: Ladies Love Taildraggers and her FB page.
https://www.ladieslovetaildraggers.com/blog/around-the-rim-flight/
https://www.facebook.com/ladytaildragger
Signing off Now, Flight Around the Rim, July 3, 2018
It’s official. This afternoon, the flight around the rim crew successfully completed their mission. Woohoo!! The crew of two, me and hubby Boyd Birchler, traded off stick/nav/radio time flying Boyd’s home-built RV-7 around the perimeter of the continental U.S. Our goal was to fly safely, have fun, and watch our amazing country unfold before our eyes. And WOW, that’s exactly what we did!
The final Blog entry here: https://www.ladieslovetaildraggers.com/blog/signing-off-now-flight-arou…
99 Years of Aviation: Twin Engine Glenn Martin Bomber to Experimental RV-7!
June 23, 2018
One of the goals of our personal flight around the rim was to meet the great-grandson of the pilot of the very first flight around the rim, E. E. “Tiny” Harmon. He completed his mission in 1919, and here we are today, trying to accomplish the same, 99 years later. 40 year old Michael Harmon lives in Vancouver, WA, just across the Columbia River from Portland, OR, and we’d arranged to fly into an airport near his home and spend the night. The sky was overcast as we flew north and lucky for us, it was adequate at our destination, Pearson Airfield. Pearson was as far north as possible to go VFR.
Read more about E.E. Tiny Harmon on the blog: https://www.ladieslovetaildraggers.com/blog/99-years-of-aviation-twin-e…
Short final, Pearson Field, KVUO, Vancouver, WA, 8/26 with long displaced threshold on 26. Surrounded by the river and industry all around, it was another difficult field to pluck out of the landscape. Once on right downwind, it all fell into place.
Flying Around San Fran, June 18, 2018
Boyd and I continue our flight around America, 28 days into our dream flight. The people of California have been very good to us, fantastic in fact, but the June Gloom marine layer has been a persistent thorn in our side for days. Today, finally, our RV7 took us on the ultimate California pilot’s adventure.
More on the blog: https://www.ladieslovetaildraggers.com/blog/tooling-around-san-fran/
Santa Paula, KSZP, June 15, 2018
Time is zipping by quickly as Boyd and I continue our flight around the perimeter of America. So far we’ve covered thousands of miles in our RV7 and been lucky enough to visit perimeter destinations like Niagara Falls, Cape Cod, Kitty Hawk, the Keys, Cajun country, and Big Bend Texas. Yesterday we managed to find our way to the California coastline, and being so far from home, each “next leg” is a huge adventure.
Photos and details here: https://www.ladieslovetaildraggers.com/blog/santa-paula-kszp/
It's a Good Life in Texas, June 7, 2018
Tonight, incredibly, Boyd and I find ourselves at the halfway point of our journey around the perimeter of America. Since arriving in Texas, the realization of how enormous it is has set in. We’ve flown from Beaumont in the far eastern Gulf of Texas to Houston, to Brownsville, to Laredo, to Del Rio – and that’s where we’ve settled for the night.
Read more on the blog: https://www.ladieslovetaildraggers.com/blog/its-a-good-life-in-texas/
Around the Rim Flight Arrives in Texas, June 5, 2018
Our progress westward continues. The last 48 hours we’ve covered ground and water between Venice, Florida and Beaumont, Texas. That’s much of the western coast of Florida, the panhandle, a tiny bit of Alabama and Louisiana, and across the line into the enormous state of Texas.
More on the blog: https://www.ladieslovetaildraggers.com/blog/our-around-the-rim-flight-a…
Florida Keys - Check! , June 2, 2018
Our U.S. perimeter flight continues and, for the last 36 hours, we’ve slowly been making our way around the long, narrow peninsula known as Florida. Boyd and I both agree, our flight has been a complete joy and, even though we’re less than a third of the way ’round, I’m already dreading it ending. We’ve passed through 17 states so far, but the BIG ones still lie ahead – Texas & California. As of today we’ve overflown Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.
Photos and details here: https://www.ladieslovetaildraggers.com/blog/florida-keys-check/
Happy Holladay ....Aviation! - June 1, 2018
I am thrilled to report that we’re finally on the move again! On our VFR flight around the perimeter, after 5 days of being weathered-in in Norfolk, Virginia, we gave in and filed IFR yesterday. KPHF was a great place to hang out for a few days but we’d seen the sights and the time had come to get on with it. Here’s our route of choice and I’m happy to report, we got the job done!
Checkout the blog entry: https://www.ladieslovetaildraggers.com/blog/happy-holladay-aviation/
The Adventure Begins Sunday Morning, May 27, 2018
USA Perimeter Flight ! Boyd and I plan on departing on our USA perimeter flight, pending weather, this Sunday morning. I'm packing now, raring to go! If you can join us for any of our first day stops, please post. We'd love company! We'll be departing Indiana, KMQJ, overflying KTDZ, Toledo, OH where our USA perimeter flight officially begins. First stop KPCW, Port Clinton for brunch at the Tin Goose Diner on the field. Next stop Burke Lakefront, KBLK for Women's Air & Space Museum tour. Overnight at IAG, Niagara Falls, New York. We'll have passports in hand - let me know if you're available!
Boyd with the RV-7
