Longest Streak

Jim K

Jim K

Final Approach
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Richard Digits
No, not Streaking

Longest streak of flying every day. One of the fun metrics MFB tracks.

My current PR is 8 days. I'm on day 3 today, and my next week's schedule is pretty clear, as is the weather, so I'm thinking about making an effort to extend that.

I'm guessing there's some old check fliers or bush pilots here who have done a month or better of daily flights...
 
A few years ago I flew 23 days in a row.
August and September 2023 I flew 58 days in row as we had beautiful weather all those days.
We had our RV camping at 64I and I flew back and forth for work while my wife and dog stayed there for 3 weeks. So that got me started on that streak.
 
Looks like 9 days is my longest streak. That was a long, hot summer :lol:
 
There was a few days I only flew the pattern but I flew that day.
You get tired after that many days and you become a safety hazard.
 
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Gary Ward said:
You get tired after that many days and you become a safety hazard.
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Summer in Alaska, also known as the 100 day war (because summer last an average of 100 days between break up and freeze up) can get busy. There was a number of summers where I flew 60 to 70 days straight.

And yes, it gets very tedious. There were times I didn't care about the weather, wind or visibility, I was going anyway. It was also one of the 2 times I fell asleep in the air. But it was what I was paid to do. And it still beat mucking out septic tanks...
 
Longest is 9 days,usually do four or five days a few times every year.
 
I had to go look. My longest was only 4 days.... I'm surprised, but considering I've always rented...yeah, maybe not such a surprise.
 
Zeldman said:
Summer in Alaska, also known as the 100 day war (because summer last an average of 100 days between break up and freeze up) can get busy. There was a number of summers where I flew 60 to 70 days straight.

And yes, it gets very tedious. There were times I didn't care about the weather, wind or visibility, I was going anyway. It was also one of the 2 times I fell asleep in the air. But it was what I was paid to do. And it still beat mucking out septic tanks...
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Yeah, I was thinking of you when I posted this. I figured you'd probably have the number to beat.
 
Now if you want to talk days on the road while flying, I did a five week trip to Germany during Covid. :)
 
With my former plane I was likely at three or four on a couple of different streaks. With this new one, it been either the WX or the danged VIP TFRs keeping me from a "streak" of even two days. I hope to change that next week. The president leaves our neighborhood at 5:00 pm on Monday. I plan to be taxiing toward the departure end of a runway about that same time. The WX looks VFR all of next week - and I've got the time available. So, I'll see how it goes. ;)
 
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Yes, same operator but different planes during weekends. Never had a total bad weather day.
 
Several years ago I read an article, might have been in one of the flying mags, about a guy who set the goal of flying every day that year (I think). I believe it was all recreational flying, Private Pilot stuff. He did own the airplane.

Although it started out like a fun challenge, it became somewhat tedious and even a little dangerous. Not feeling well? All you need is one lap around the pattern to count, you can tough it out. IMC? Wait for it to improve just enough to get in that one lap. Those kind of temptations.

Personally, I think those kinds of goals, where you're relying on things outside of your control, to not be good ones to set. Because depending on your personality, it can be very hard to "give up" on your goal. I know I am that type of person - if I set a goal, I am sure going to do everything I can to achieve it, and the temptation to take risks to do so will be strong.
 
Jim K said:
Yeah, I was thinking of you when I posted this. I figured you'd probably have the number to beat.
Click to expand...
I met a guy in Kotzebue that at the time had been flying in Alaska for 50 years. I never asked how much time he had but I would bet it was plenty. He was the go to guy when weather was...lets say, iffy. If he did not fly because of weather, we all stayed in. And he very seldomly cancelled due to weather.
 
RussR said:
Several years ago I read an article, might have been in one of the flying mags, about a guy who set the goal of flying every day that year (I think). I believe it was all recreational flying, Private Pilot stuff. He did own the airplane.

Although it started out like a fun challenge, it became somewhat tedious and even a little dangerous. Not feeling well? All you need is one lap around the pattern to count, you can tough it out. IMC? Wait for it to improve just enough to get in that one lap. Those kind of temptations.

Personally, I think those kinds of goals, where you're relying on things outside of your control, to not be good ones to set. Because depending on your personality, it can be very hard to "give up" on your goal. I know I am that type of person - if I set a goal, I am sure going to do everything I can to achieve it, and the temptation to take risks to do so will be strong.
Click to expand...
I read that story somewhere also. Probably why I started?

I got a bit ridiculous during my "streak", flying early in the morning before sunrise to beat the incoming rain or shoot out to the airport at lunch time because there was a break in the weather.
I dont recommend it. I wont do it anymore because I will never top 58 day's. It was a fun thing to do. No more.
I flew the last 2 nights after a long hot week of work and working on the plane at night.
Then today I was climbing all over the roof of the RV washing it and kinda tired. now I am at the hangar thinking do I want to fly tonight or should I scrub the bugs off and make it an early night?
I was here until 2 am last night after flying past dark the last 2 nights.
Not sure yet what I am going to do? It does appear to be a very nice evening.
 
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Looks like I come up with 26 days back in 1999.
flew 10 different aircraft model, one was a glider.
logged 59+ hours in that 26 days.
Most of it was providing instruction.

Brian
CFIIG/ASEL
 
I did both tonight,flew for a little while and then parked by the FBO because that is where the hose is.
Walked to the hangar and put the dog on the leash and grabbed my bucket pre soaped and small step ladder. Gave it a good soaking with car wash soap. Hand washed the whole thing except for the bottom. I will do it with mineral spirits.
Then I flew it again 2 laps in the pattern in the dark to hopefully blow dry it.
Only the second time since 2018 I used a hose and bucket of soap.
Rest of the time I use spray on glaze and a towel.
It needed a good bath.
 
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I did 210 hours in 30 days of flying back in 2014. That’s probably my longest stretch without a weather day.
 
Need to break it down between paying for the flights and getting paid for flights. I'm in a row out of my own pocket.
 
RussR said:
Several years ago I read an article, might have been in one of the flying mags, about a guy who set the goal of flying every day that year (I think). I believe it was all recreational flying, Private Pilot stuff. He did own the airplane.

Although it started out like a fun challenge, it became somewhat tedious and even a little dangerous. Not feeling well? All you need is one lap around the pattern to count, you can tough it out. IMC? Wait for it to improve just enough to get in that one lap. Those kind of temptations.

Personally, I think those kinds of goals, where you're relying on things outside of your control, to not be good ones to set. Because depending on your personality, it can be very hard to "give up" on your goal. I know I am that type of person - if I set a goal, I am sure going to do everything I can to achieve it, and the temptation to take risks to do so will be strong.
Click to expand...
I don't disagree with you. For me it's not intentional; I'll accidently have 3 or 4 days of flying and decide to extend it. Usually happens in August. My busiest time is sep/oct/Nov, so it's pretty self limiting. There's no way I could consider doing it in those months. In fact I schedule my annual for October because I know I won't have any time to fly.

I've got 4 reasons to make flights this week, and may pickup a Lifeline flight. I won't go to the trouble of pulling the plane out just to do a lap in the pattern to check the box; I need a reason to go fly. I do have the excuse of needing to practice the commercial maneuvers now, though.

So at least in my case is not so much setting a goal to do it as a curiosity to see how many days the weather, my work/ life schedule, and my "missions"align, maybe with just a little gentle nudging.
 
Longest i've done is 2 or 3 weeks in a row of being in an airplane daily.
Some working days, some commuting, and the rest at the aeroclub. So not every day a logged flight.
 
Mine is 5 days when I did my tailwheel training. I don't think I will ever see double digits. Just not in the cards.
 
I just did 7 days last week. I have been flying a lot, but usually 4 days on, 1 day off or so.
 
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