Start out a new week with a new mini challenge- MPEJ to MPPA, daylight, VFR in a floatplane and travel directly over the canal. Depart from MPEJ and head to the canal southward. Enjoy the short jaunt over the cruise, freight and military ships transiting the canal. Check out the lowering water levels in Pago Gatun (Gatun Lake). Your flight path will lead south east, past Gamboa, and you will see Centennial Bridge.
Knowing the high caliber of our fellow pilots I won't need to remind anyone to never, ever fly UNDER the bridge, Or for that matter to never memorialize the passing in a photo. With that out of the way, there's no need to remind anyone that there will be a second bridge, Bridge of the Americas, where a second photo wouldn't be taken.
Now after the professional and courteous pilots have passed that point a quite unusual predicament occurs when you receive a phone call from your good buddy Max, next to the Flamenco Island Lighthouse. (Galivanting around in his sea kayak he bought in the late 1970s- his luck faltered) as he began to realize that he was taking in seawater faster than he could bail out. After a few frantic minutes attempting to make it to the harbor jetty next to the lighthouse he calls YOU!. Reduce speed and land next to Flamenco Island to retrieve Max.
Return to the air and fly to center of Panama City, loop west and pass to the north of Cerro Ancon (Ancon Hill). And my astute fellow pilots, don't forget to follow all airport restrictions as you fly over Marcos A Gelabert Intl on an approach to Panama Pacifico (MPPA).
Enjoy!
No Carrots or walruses were injured during this flight. All Rights Reserved.