Edge of the Playa

Drainages and erosion in the desert often produce unique patterns best appreciated from the air. The larger patterns are frequently found along arroyos where their intricate design is a function of water flow and soil composition, but interesting patterns also emerge around the edges of playas. The playas are the lowest areas in these enclosed drainage basins and where the dip is the shallowest. One would not expect unusual patterns where the water flow rate is the lowest but contrary to this expectation a myriad of branched patterns exist along the edge of this water filled playa. Resembling capillary beds these small drainage features can be found all around the edge of the playa and are best visualized in a water filled playa.






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The Monsoons are Over

The monsoons season was late this year. It traditionally begins on July 4th but this year was late. There were periods of rain and the playas of the bootheel filled. Below is a low level aerial photograph of the playa in Playas Valley filled with monsoon runoff.


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Flight to the Playa

Above, Looking West towards Animas New Mexico
Below, Student on Cross Country, Headed South

Flew east past Animas New Mexcio and over to the Playa yesterday morning to take video and still photographs. A student was also on their cross country and I found them in Playas Valley. I captured several photographs of the student in transit but only 1 was acceptable, above. The other photographs from the flight are in the sidebar aerial pictures or just go straight to the photograph hosting site.

After I had returned and finished my post flight, a border patrol agent drove up. I had seen him on my way back from the playa driving along highway 9. Apparently someone had called the Lordsburg office to say there was a light aircraft flying east and he had been dispatched to drive around the countryside looking for me or the student, he finally found me. Apparently there had been another incursion up Animas Valley from Mexico the previous night, so he was sent out to see if this were part of that event. I gave the usual indoctrination spiel about registered aircraft, pilot’s license, CFIs, DPEs, student training, and recreational aviation. Then invited him and his coworkers to come out and take an introductory lesson. Well, we had a nice chat and he departed with a little more information about weight shift control light sport aircraft. At some point they will pop for the introductory lesson and then we can show them how training and experience results in competent pilots.

As I noted in the previous post Smugglers in Trikes weight shift control aircraft are being used to smuggle drugs into the US. Photographs of the recovered aircraft show pretty rickety aircraft which did not look airworthy, missing nose cones and home made front forks, overall pretty scary looking aircraft. It is surprising they made it as far as they did.