Page 30 - Sept23T

Editor’s Pics
Photos & Story by Lance Phillips
Our last article, Industry Insights with Jim Irwin of Aircraft Spruce, delved into some of the Irwin family history. Jim’s dad, Bob, had a Navion Rangemaster for many years, which Jim co-owned for a while before mov- ing on to the Cessna brand.
Navions have always been compelling to me for a few reasons: I never really saw them at airports, so they held some mystery; I don’t remember any articles about them in magazines; and, lastly, my friends never talked about them.
So, when I see one, I usually try to get a photo of it with one of my unique cameras. In May 2021, I was on a road trip from Vail, Colo. back to Dallas on the back roads that go south through Colorado to New Mexico. It’s a beautiful drive and highly recommended if you’ve never done it.
After living in Wichita and Tulsa for a while, I got to know about the Arkansas River, which flows through both. You see where the Arkansas River begins while driving
28 • TWIN & TURBINE / September 2023