MCAS Yuma , AZ, USA - 22/01/2009

With the sand having kicked up at NAF El Centro our decision to leave for an hour at MCAS Yuma on the way back to Phoenix was made all the easier.

As we got within 20 miles or so of the base, Shiggie noticed a C-17 that appeared to be in the decent, heading in the general direction of our destination. Sure enough, as we got to the city limits it could clearly be seen bashing the circuit. Our only problem was trying to negotiate the heavy rush-hour traffic.

We arrived with enough time to catch three approaches - two rollers and an overshoot, before it headed off elsewhere. It came from March AFB, where it serves with the 452nd AMW.

The C-17 wasn't all we caught though. We were also treated to two KC-130Js, one of which landed and one which performed a roller.

The lander was, I believe, the first example I've ever seen from VMGR-152 "The Sumos", tail code "QD" and based at MCAS Futenma, Japan.

Punctuating the other movements were a couple of resident singleton VMA-513 "Nightmares" AV-8B+ Harriers.

The second KC-130J to come our way was a brand new example from MCAS Miramar's VMGR-352 "Raiders", coded "QB". At the time I writing this report I can't find any details on the web about this particular airframe.

And then, with the light all but gone and the cameras put away, a set of lights appeared out of the dark and were seemingly flying straight at us. We all grabbed our cameras and ran back up the mound. It was an Ayres Corporation S2R-T34 crop sprayer, and what followed has to go down as some of the most impressive flying I've ever witnessed. Despite the fact that there were phonelines everywhere, this fella just popped up and over them before setting down again.

All in all that proved to be a really good hour for us and we left Yuma content.