More Photos

Photos are displayed in the order taken.

On takeoff from Tampico. Airport at upper right.

Scattered clouds became an overcast as we approached the mountains. We saw this on the return flight as well.

We encountered the first mountains near Tlapacoyan, Veracruz.

Settlements perched on top of the mountains.

More of the same.

More mountains.

Approaching Orizaba.

Pico de Orizaba at 18,400', 200 NM into the flight, markes the halfway point. I'll get a better photo on the return flight when I can use the pilot's window. Orizaba is the tallest mountain in Mexico and the 3rd tallest in North America. Even though it is in a tropical location, its peak is normally capped in snow. It's size dwarfs the other mountains and it is plainly visible even from jetliners. The city of Orizaba is in the foreground. The photo was taken from 30 miles away from the volcano. Orizaba is dormant but not extinct. There have been 7 eruptions in recorded history, the last in 1687.

City of Orizaba with Pico de Orizaba in the background.

It's a bit hazy.

Foothills of the Sierra Madre.

Río Santo Domingo and switchback road. Town of Chiquihuitlán de Benito Juárez at right.

Another view.

Closeup of Río Santo Domingo.

Small town of Chiquihuitlán de Benito Juárez above the river.

Another view of town.

More mountains.

I'm taking most of these photos out of the small pilot's side window, the edge of which can be seen in this photo. This is a tributary of the Río Grande located about 12 miles east of San Juan Bautista Jayacatlán, Oaxaca. The switchback road crosses tne tributary and leads to the Zapotec village of Santa Ana Yareni (elevation 7500') perched on the hilltop above the center of the photo.

Cockpit of the Piper Arrow while in cruise flight using the autopilot.

Santa Catarina Ixtepeji, Oaxaca, 16 miles northeast of Oaxaca City in the Sierra Norte, GPS 17°16'N 96°34'W, altitude 6300' (1920 meters).

Oaxaca City, with airport at left. Monte Albán is on the dark hilltop above center of photo. Monte Albán was strategically located at the junction of three large valleys in an attempt to unite the different groups of people living there. Highway 175 threads down the valley in foreground. We passed 10 miles east.

A hazy view of Oaxaca City. We passed about 10 miles to the east.

The towns of Teotitlán del Valle (GPS 17°2'N 96°28'W, altitude 5249'/1600m) at left and Macuilxochitl de Artigas Carranza at lower right, 30 km east of Oaxaca City.

Closeup of Macuilxochitl de Artigas Carranza.

Yaxe, Oaxaca, a town southeast of the city of Oaxaca.

The wing.

Badlands.

Farms.

Climbing the last ridge before the descent to Huatulco.

Nice clouds.

Approaching the last ridge 23 nautical miles (43 km) north of Huatulco airport. The peak at left is 12,300' (3749 meters). The direct route took us over this ridge. It would be better to deviate to the east to avoid the steep descent into Huatulco.

After crossing the ridge we had to lose a lot of altitude.
My passengers were not pleased with the rate of descent..

Crossing the Huatulco airport to enter the traffic pattern.

In the traffic pattern at the Huatulco airport. Click Airlines on final in center of photo.

Landing at the Huatulco airport.

Taxiing to parking at the Huatulco airport.

We followed this airplane to a landing at Huatulco.

On the ground in Huatulco.

Return to Tampico to Huatulco