Fast Eddie & Kool Karen's Excellent (planned) Page Adventure

[FastEddieB]

Well, Kool Karen and I are now committed (or should be!)

We have reservations and plan to attend the CT Page flyin in our Sky Arrow.

This would be the longest crosscountry we’ve attempted in the Sky Arrow. Many years ago I flew to both Page and Bullfrog Basin in my Tiger (from Florida).

The plan is to leave Copperhill, TN on or about Sunday, Oct. 14. That gives us four days to get there. The Sky Arrow does about 100k, so we have a total of 14 hours or so of flying time. This will be my first crosscountry since repitching my prop flatter, so until I get a handle on fuel consumption we’ll probably plan about 200 nm legs assuming 6 gph and my 18 gal capacity.

Here’s the proposed route (more or less):



So...

Open to suggestions on...

1) Where to stop for the night

2) Places with MOGAS or stops where we might get MOGAS conveniently (91 octane or higher)

3) Other routing suggestions

4) Anyone wanting to hook up to fly together part way (if you can fly that slowly!)

In addition, if anyone has slightly out of date sectionals, I’m going to need:

Memphis, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Albuquerque, Phoenix, Las Vegas and Denver. I'll pay for postage or buy you a beer or something down the road.

I don’t need current ones, since we’ll have two iPads with WingX7Pro and a current db in our 496 - so these are just for planning and emergency backup.

Thanks guys - I’m sure I’ll have other questions/request and I’m open to suggestions!

Hope to see you guys soon!

[FastEddieB]

A Cirrus owner just advised me he had all the charts I needed!

[roger lee]

Hi Eddie,

Do you have an Ipad? All the Ipad charts plus your GPS should be fine. I don't carry anymore paper charts.

[FastEddieB]

Actually TWO iPads - my wife's "2" and my first gen. Both loaded with WingXPro7.

Still, I like the idea of paper backups. Eventually I may get over it.

And thanks to some friends at the Cirrus Owner's group, I have both the sectionals and a bound VFR book enroute, so I'll have a lot of options.

[Bill]

Having a backup option never hurts. I don't fly very far from "home" and do rely on the charts on my iPad (w/ iPhone as backup) using ForeFlight - but I also have the local and nearby charts on board. That paper may be out of date, but can be a great backup for the VFR flying I do.

I envy you your trip, Eddie, it seems like a cool adventure. Bon Voyage.

[designrs]

Have a safe and most excellent adventure Eddie!!

[ka7eej]

Fast Eddie

You might want to look at World Aeronautical Chart 19 & 20... Two charts might cover your trip as backup and save a lot of space and weight....LOL.... Just saying...Nice for planning as well... Hope to see you in Page .. This will be my 5th trip there!!! You will lots of fun!

[Jack Tyler]

We just finished a trip from FL out to Montana and back (also in a Tiger). Here are a few thoughts for you to consider:
-- our lowest fuel price (for 100LL) was at KMAW: $4.79/gal. Another stop provided 100LL at $5.10. My point is that, if you are willing to use 100LL, then Mogas isn't your only affordable option provided you plan your fuel stops. FWIW I consistently find the fuel prices in Foreflight to not be current, but have never been surprised when checking fuel prices at 100ll.com and paying attention to the date of the last fuel price posted.
-- you will be making a basically straight-west (and then reverse) flight. The comma-shaped fronts to the south of the LP cells that cross the continent, W to E, will be one of the two major factors that affect your trips. As Fall arrives, the cell progression increases a bit in frequency and intensity (and so does the associated frontal conditions). The other major factor, because heat has not yet left the Southwest and South, is significant convection & related TS activity (which ATC is unable to report, altho' their precip reports are quite good). If you've watched the weather progression over just the past 2-3 days, you've seen excellent examples of both fronts and convection, and you've no doubt noticed that the slag associated with the fronts - MVFR, IMC conditions, rain and associated high-intensity localized winds and some convection - have moved quite slowly this time of year. (This is unlike wintertime when the cells move quite fast and the fronts are well defined, strong but move thru quickly). Given all the above, which you may already have considered thoroughly, is to amend your sked to fit the wx patten that is progressing rather than shaping it to fit the Page event's calendar. E.g. better to have arrived in Page and do some sightseeing before the event than being held up somewhere along the way and miss part of the event. (We made our 1700 NM runs, both W and E, without significant schedule changes but it meant we had to accept some hard IFR flying in both directions).
-- given the vagaries of traveling by small plane in a large airspace full of weather variables, I think it's pretty common to not know with certainty where you will want to stay for the night until you get pretty close. That's certainly been true for us. Unless you are packing camping gear and hope to camp on each small airport you stop at for the night (fairly easy to arrange, it turns out...), the method we found worked best, on arrival and with no lodging reservations, was iPad- plus FBO-based. When arriving, we ask the FBO what special local lodging rates they have negotiated and whether they can loan us a crew car for the night or do we need a shuttle to/from the hotel/motel (or a cab). Once we know those details, we go on-line (Orbitz, Kayak or whatever) and shop for the best on-line rates locally. This only takes a few minutes, after which we know if a call is need to the preferred hotel/motel if we need a lift there and back, or perhaps to learn what places to eat are nearby the preferred lodging. Small fields with little traffic are usually inclined to let one use the crew car for the night if we arrive late in the day, which helps a lot. Botton line: Doing some on-line shopping after arrival takes little time and allows one to avoid most of the logistical issues.
-- taking paper charts despite multiple electronic versions is certainly a personal choice but I disagree it's without a downside. It forces unnecessary weight and bulk on small a/c like yours, it puts another criterion into play on what must be stored where for which leg of the flight and - for VFR flights like you are making - what disaster do the paper charts actually avoid? If everything goes suddenly blank, you will know where you are in the airspace, you'll have a general idea of which airports lie ahead on that leg, and you'll see one and land to sort out the problem. Even out west, where fields are more widely scattered, this is not what I would describe as an emergency for which one has to have a plan. Besides, every flight accepts some level of risk that something unexpected will occur. Actual flight stats might support the claim that there is a better chance your engine will have an issue than that 2 iPads will fail on the same trip. But yes, it's your flight and so your call.

Good luck on the trip. Doing something like what you plan is an adventure every pilot should have a chance to enjoy once in a while, as it reintroduces us to the fact that our country is truly magnificent, very diverse and generally quite welcoming.

[dstclair]

The key through this thread is flexibility when traveling longer distances VFR, regardless of the class of aircraft. But that's also part of the enjoyment -- the trip itself is part of your vacation. If you want a small aircraft to be just another form of transportation, then go for your instrument ticket and fly high-end complex aircraft. This has limits as well but that discussion is for another forum.

. If you've watched the weather progression over just the past 2-3 days, you've seen excellent examples of both fronts and convection, and you've no doubt noticed that the slag associated with the fronts - MVFR, IMC conditions, rain and associated high-intensity localized winds and some convection - have moved quite slowly this time of year.

Had this very thing happen on my TN trip a couple weeks back. Direct route to Memphis took me through the thick of the front (heavy rain, embedded t-storms, MVFR and lower). East-south-east route followed by a nearly due north turn would keep me in good weather but clouds would linger for the first 150nm or so. Forecast said they'd raise to 1500' by 10am and continue to be even better through-out the day. The other side was 8k or better. 10am comes and goes with too much of the route at 1000'. Things started clearing fast locally and the middle finally got to acceptable levels by noon.

Original plan called for two days in Memphis, which we changed to 3 once the front we flew around hit us 1.5 days later. Then we chased/waited out the same front going to Nashville.

Had a great trip but ended up changing the route and our order of destinations due to various weather occurrences. Stay flexible and you'll have a great time!

[drseti]

The key through this thread is flexibility when traveling longer distances VFR, regardless of the class of aircraft.

Flexibility is absolutely the key to safe use of GA aircraft, over long and short distances alike. This is why the FARs are very emphatic about the prohibition against business flying (even air commuting) by Sport Pilots -- job related schedules and pressures limit one's flexibility. Whether profit is a factor or not, pressures are incompatible with safety. So, if you're exercising Sport Pilot privileges, it should be to fly solely for fun (skirting weather on a schedule is just no fun anyway!)

[zaitcev]

2) Places with MOGAS or stops where we might get MOGAS conveniently (91 octane or higher)

The nmsportaviation.com is based at SAF and fuels a Rotax 912ULS from Holstein. Unfortunately, although the station is "right across the fence", it actually is a significant walk for a guy carrying a 15 gallon jerry can. If you really want to, I suggest you e-mail Michael (there's an address at the website).

There is also a mogas station near 0E0, but I do not know exactly where. I know that local pilots fuel there, including some of the owners of conventional low-rev engines (such as 90 hp Continental). It is good gas. Unfortunatley, I have no references.

The third and the worst option for ethanol-free gas is the station at Hatch. It's 3.5 miles away from the E05, so you must borrow a crew car (if available). It is also far south from your proposed course.

I am not aware of anyone else selling useful mogas within 300 nm from ABQ. We definitely have no FBOs doing it yet.

P.S. If you fail to contact Michael, don't go to SAF. Prices on 100LL there are insane. I would rather stop at ABQ. There's also a little airpark E98 that has a self-serve. It is often overlooked by transient pilots who tend to stop at AEG.

P.P.S. Don't go through the pass east of ABQ if cloud bases are 8k or lower.

[FastEddieB]

Thanks to all for the input!

We were supposed to leave this morning.

Oh, well. Best laid plans and all that:



Called my friend SE of Memphis and he said that front had "teeth" - quite a bit of wind and rain.

I don't mind a little weather, but kinda draw the line at tornados! Even ahead of the front winds at 3,000' were around 40k, which could make for a bumpy ride in a Sky Arrow.

Now we go from hoping the front slowed down to hoping it speeds up and gets through our neighborhood (where GA/TN/NC come together) ASAP!

This is CONUS for tomorrow at 8A, so it should be a go around then:

[Jack Tyler]

NOAA's sig wx f'cast said it all, Eddie - and this is an excellent illustration of what happens when one is flying essentially due W or E, while the LP cells drag their frontal tails across the nation in a sweeping NE/SW line. One simply has to wait out a frontal passage. The good news is that, going in the opposite direction of the front, you can leave in acceptable but not enjoyable flying weather and quickly clear the dregs for some beautiful CAVU flying. Of course, the not so great news is that you'll be heading W while the next front will be heading E...so the time to stop along the way and smell the roses might need to be on the return trip. Hope you have a great time and please share a post-trip pirep.

[FastEddieB]

Left Copperhill this AM and made it safely to North Little Rock. Pretty much perfect weather except for a bit of a headwind.

Hoping for Amarillo tomorrow.

Too tired to post more, but will try for at least daily updates.

[ka7eej]

Eddie... If Taylor Az looks good to you (KTYL) ( 30 miles S of Holbrook Az that is on I 40) For Wednesday night..I will get you 91 oct and give you a nice place to sleep... meals and transportation... This is about 1:45 to 2:00 hours South East of Page.. I will be leaving Thursday AM to fly to Flagstaff to pick up my son then on to Page.....

Brian 928-205-8300