by Mike McCann
APA Day Trip Coordinator
Our APA Day trip to Yuma International Airport and the Yuma Landing restaurant was a great success. Sunny weather (with cool temperatures in Yuma) made for an enjoyable flight. Interestingly, everyone who participated came from the various Phoenix metro airports (FFZ, DVT, 18AZ) with a nice variety of aircraft including a Cessna 120, a Piper M350, Cirrus SR22 and several RV aircraft.
Our restaurant destination was the Yuma Landing & Grill, located approximately 5 miles from the airport. Our host FBO, Million Air, was extremely helpful, providing two crew vans for APA ground transportation to the restaurant.
For those unfamiliar with this restaurant, its aviation history dates back to 1911. It was at the current site of the Yuma Landing restaurant where the first airplane landed in Arizona (a year before Arizona officially became a state).
The restaurant was established in the 1940’s and is still owned by the Peach family that first built the restaurant.
Our breakfast was very enjoyable and we spent almost two hours at the restaurant enjoying the great food and good conversation.
For those APA members participating in the AZ Passport program, the Yuma Landing restaurant has been on the list of “Attractions”, but has never officially agreed to participate in the program. Previously, APA members who visited the restaurant needed to take pictures in front of the airport to obtain credit in the Passport program.
After visiting with the owner during our breakfast, she was 100% supportive of the Passport program and hung the Passport QR code sign on the restaurant wall while we were eating our breakfast.
Just outside the restaurant, there is a statue of Robert (“Bob”) Hoover to commemorate his landing in Arizona. It made for a great group picture of the APA group after we finished breakfast. [Notice in the photo below the mural on the next-door building which also commemorates Hoover’s historic flight).
Thanks again to everyone that participated in the March Day trip. And a special thanks to APA member, Dan Sprague who lives in Yuma and helped with our ground transportation.
As always, feel free to contact me with any questions (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) and we'll look forward to seeing you.
Safe flying,
Mike