Val Westen, who just got her private pilot’s certificate in December 2017, is on the move. She and her partner, Dan, are planning a real cross-country flight this summer from their home in Northern California to see grandchildren in Massachusetts, children in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts, friends and other family in Illinois, Michigan and parts as yet unknown. The plannning part is great to consider and fun to think about. Dan is doing a lot of the plannning while Val is busy transitioning to a bigger and faster plane.
Val trained on a Cessna 172M and loved its cozy feel, its 6-pack instruments and its great additions, like GPS. It was 160 horsepower, and like baby bear’s porridge, it was just right. But she and Dan will be flying a Cessna T182T for the summer trip, and its 235 horse power and heftier weight means more time with a flight instructor. So far, so great, Val reports. She hopes to have her endorsement for the 182 within the month.
As her daughter always reminds her, the sky’s the limit. She’ll report in from the trip when she can. The amazing thing is she can’t stop smiling, except of course, when she’s sitting in the left seat (in this picture) and then she’s all business.
Marin County 99s 
Congratulations Valerie!! You are an inspiration:-). Looking forward to seeing photos from your cross country.