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Dec 2000/Jan 2001


Table of Contents
The Best of the Boneyard
Pima Air & Space Museum
The T-Cart
Taylorcraft Restored
A Family Blow Up
The 69th Battalion
The $100 Hamburger
Crosswinds Grill, Las Cruces, NM
Back To Basics
Operating at Icy Airports
Hangar Flying:
Midair Collision Avoidance
SWAV News Update



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SW Aviator Magazine
3909 Central NE
Albuquerque, NM 87108
Phone: 505.256.7031
Fax: 505.256.3172
publisher@swaviator.com
The Crosswinds Grill, Las Cruces, NM
story and photos by Kevin McKown

The Mesilla Valley is an oasis, both in agricultural terms and in terms of population. Like many cities throughout the Southwest, Las Cruces is an island in a sea of desert. Yet, the sunny weather and southern New Mexico lifestyle continue to draw visitors and transplants to the growing city.

One recent offspring of the city’s growth is Adventure Aviation’s Crosswinds Grill. Located inside this modern FBO, the restaurant offers sit down service with the casual atmosphere familiar to those who frequent airport restaurants.

Many SW Aviator readers know Adventure Aviation as the first PZL Aircraft dealership in the southwest. My visit was to view the arrival and unloading of the first two PZL aircraft, the Koliber 160-A, to arrive on American soil. During this visit I was fortunate enough to sample several dishes prepared by their locally infamous chef. For breakfast, I enjoyed a typical southwestern breakfast burrito: scrambled eggs rolled in a flour tortilla, choice of bacon, ham or sausage, smothered with a choice of red or green chili and served up with a large portion of sliced home potatoes. I always ask for both red and green chili to sample the cook's preparation techniques, an art that New Mexico natives or near-to-be natives understand. The green chili had a great flavor, and the red chili had a sweet, sugary taste unfamiliar to me, but very satisfying. After having my fill, I was off to watch the unloading of the new aircraft from a container truck.

PZL International of London commissioned an engineer from the PZL factory in Warsaw to be present and assist in the unloading and assembly of the planes. Communication with the Polish speaking engineer proved challenging, but in a few short hours, the containers were unloaded and the brand new aircraft, shining with new paint and smelling of new leather, stood awaiting assembly.

By that time, the engineer, those helping unload, and I were all ready for lunch at the Crosswinds Grill. This time I tried the enormous 7 oz. green chili Swiss cheese burger on a Kaiser roll, accompanied by about 1/4 ton of fries, all for $5.25. This is truly the last of the $5 burgers. Other options ordered at our lunch break were a very good smoked brisket served open face on grilld sourdough toast, and a hot turkey sandwich with green chile and swiss. A conscious effort by the wait staff insured we had everything we needed. Coffees were kept full, and the meals came quickly.

After a filling lunch, we all returned to the hangar to continue working with the airplanes. Prior obligations kept me from being present for final assembly, but what a great excuse to fly back and sample the dinner menu at the Crosswinds Grill.
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The material in this publication is for advisory information only and should not be relied upon for navigation, maintenance or flight techniques. SW Regional Publishing, Inc. and the staff neither assume any responsibilty for the accuracy of this publication's content nor any liability arising out of it. Fly safe.