Triple Tree Chilly Chili Fly-In

The word was out. . .  On Saturday February 8, 2014, twenty bucks would get you a hot bowl of chili, and all the fellowship an air-minded individual could ask for, at the first ever Chilly Chili Fly-In at Triple Tree Aerodrome in Woodruff, South Carolina.  Pop Baker heard the news all the way out in Arizona.  He rode the airliner in from Phoenix Friday afternoon; a one-stopper through DFW.  Proof that a Jellystoner will do just about anything for a good bowl of chili---including spending time in Texas!  Hold the hate mail!  I like Texas.  In fact, if Big D still had a pilot base at DFW, I would seriously consider moving there.  Our kids are out of the house, and my wife has a set of cowboy boots---and a pickup truck!   But I digress. . .

Triple Tree Aerodrome lies just fifty-two nautical miles southwest of Jellystone Air Park.  It's an easy flight to manage.  Simply depart the Rock Hill - York County Airport (South Carolina) on a westerly heading, pick up the second set of power lines trailing off to the southwest, and follow them all the way to Triple Tree.  So easy; even an airline pilot can do it!  Word to the wise, they do have an arrival procedure for the big annual fly-in that is held in September.  It is easy to locate on the Triple Tree website.

Photo by Brian Baker

The Jellystone formation of three to Triple Tree was led by our good friend, Ben Zimmer, in his 1967 Cessna 150.

Photo by Brian Baker

Brother Baker and I followed in Kevin Accomazzo's 1966 Cessna 172.  Orange was a popular color in Wichita during the Sixties.

Pop Baker, and his grandson, Colin, were Tail-End Charley's in the Baker & Son 1947 Luscombe 8A.

Photo by Brian Baker

At 11:30 AM the formation was overhead Triple Tree Aerodrome.

The website said to keep things simple and park on the west side of the runway.

Ben Zimmer & Joe Baker

"Hi Honey!  We're here. . .  Yes, Colin's being good.  He rode with Pop in 43 Bravo. . ."

Don't judge a book by it's cover.  This is a nice flying 172!  The orange interior is a little bright, but it has a nice solid engine and the trim setup is perfect.  The more I think about it, I believe this is the nicest flying 172 I've ever flown.  Kevin says a new paint job is just over the horizon.  I predict when that happens, the former owner will try to buy it back.

Photo by Brian Baker

The '36 Jim Wilson Special had the primo parking spot. . .  Again!

Photo by Brian Baker

Is that a GPS?  Say it ain't so, Jim!

Triple Tree Mower

Pat Hartness (hands in pockets) gave us a brief tour before lunch.  Pat is the Big Kahuna at Triple Tree Aerodrome, and a super nice guy.  It takes about 30 minutes to cut the 7000' runway with the new floating-deck mower(s.)

Les Kanna, Joe & Brian Baker

. . . on the patio behind the big hangar.  A pair of RV's were overhead.  Or maybe it was a Cessna 195.

The Chilly Chili Chow Line---except it wasn't very chilly.  The day was warming up.

My view of the front of the line. . .

. . . and the stragglers.

The Triple Tree BT-13 was parked on the ramp---making way for tables and chairs inside the hangar.

After lunch it was time walk the flight line.  The Boswell family's 1949 Cessna 170A lives two doors down from Jellystone Air Park.  It's a cream puff!

Since the Jellystoners were using his 172, Kevin Accomazzo had to ride down with his father in the Great Lakes.

Everywhere you look, someone is having fun in a RV!

I was hoping to get a shot of a smokey engine start, but the Howard DGA-15 cranked-up without a single puff!  The only smoke I saw all day was from the two departing RV's.

Moon shot!

I call this one, Waco Moon.  No, that's not Jim Wilson.  He departed earlier.