Short Final: Turbo

A few years ago, my wife and I were scooting along in our 1973 Cessna 182 from Visalia, California (KVIS) back home to Hubbard, Oregon (7S9) at 10,500 in VFR conditions. We were enjoying the ride having passed Mount Lassen on our right and Shasta Lake on our left, when Center called:

Oakland Center: “November 230 traffic at your 7 o’clock.”

A minute later, Oakland Center: “230 the traffic is now at your 8 o’clock. It’s a Cessna 182 going 40 knots faster than you are.”

Me: “I’m a 182! How can he be 40 knots faster than me?”

Other aircraft (tail unknown to me): “I’m a turbo RG.”

Oakland Center: “Well, that explains that!”

Bruce Breckenridge

Mulino, OR