Vanessa Jump Nelson and her J3 flight!

Jul 2011 Vanessa Jump Nelson and her J3 flight!

This was sent in by our very own, and totally cool, Vanessa Jump Nelson for your viewing & reading pleasure. Vanessa says, “I just have to share!”

Vanessa with her friend Linda M and her beautiful Cub “Tumbleweed”.

Independence in the truest sense of the word!  Since my first Cub solo several weeks ago I’ve been flying several times a week.  I took my Cub in to Aurora airport when “Nine o’ Nines” the B-17 was visiting, and I got to park next to it and get a photo.  My Cub ended up becoming, for a few hours at least, part of a display that included not just the B-17, but also a PT-22, and a P-51 Mustang.  My “Tumbleweed” fit right in.

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I gave Linda a ride back to her home airport afterward, and she became my second passenger that I have ever given a ride to.  She and her husband are restoring a Waco biplane, and she soloed in a Cub many years ago, with her mother as her CFI.

Tumbleweed with the B-17, the P-5

That was a couple weeks ago.  I followed that adventure up with being able to say that “On Independence Day, I flew to Independence, Oregon, independently!”  Attached is a photo I took on the way back to Twin Oaks.

4th of July

I know it’s only a little more than 70 miles round trip when you use the AirNav calculator, but it felt like a big step for me, as it was the first time I’d been to Independence by myself.

Independence Day trip – on the way back flying with the door open, and Cascade mountain tops showing off their snow covered peaks.

I thought it was kind of fun to do it on Independence Day!  :0)

Vanessa Jump Nelson

Tumbleweed’s pilot