450nm solo cross-country little excited..

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MotoFlier

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MotoFlier
And nervous, I ordered the stratus 2s so I can take advantage of all the features in my foreflight with synthetic vision. I been doing some 50-70nm hops and they have been going well. I plan on heading to PA to visit a friend so I'm very nervous about weather and winds. I have a few airport options at my destination so I don't have to try and force a crosswind I'm not comfortable with. What are things you guys do to plan for a long trip? Plane can hold 50gal Cherokee 140 so I should be able to make it non stop but I have some halfway options jic I need a break. Not sure if I'm worried for nothing I would do a 70nm trip with no issues but I'm feeling some anxiety over this one.

I also plan on just driving if the weather don't look perfect. This is by no means a MUST make trip. I could just as easily go in a month or so, but I really do want to do a long trip I just wish I had a pilot buddy to join me. So anyone want to go for a long weekend trip!? Haha
 
Plan it just like you would a 100nm trip. Putting a break halfway may be a good idea, too. I've only done 2-3 trips 4 hours or more, that's a lot of sitting. But a 6-hr XC with a nice break in the middle is much more manageable.

Congrats on stretching your wings and using the plane for what it was designed for!
 
Sounds like a fun trip! I have yet to take one that long. My longest has been right around the 2 hr mark. Just enjoy the beautiful scenery!
Where abouts in PA are you headed to?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk
 
What Hank said, I've done a few long trips this year, its a lot of fun. Plan it out but be flexible, I usually write down all of my intended stops but rarely stop there. Unexpected bio breaks, weather, fuel issues, be prepared for all of them, one will usually happen. Or at least does to me! I always leave myself an out, making sure I can make another airport if the one I stop at fuel is broken or not working has saved me a couple of times. Have fun and take pics!
 
I do cross countries in an Archer quite a bit.... my last one was the farthest I've ever gone, from my home base near St Louis all the way to FL.

Your airplane doesn't really care if it's going 50 miles or 350, and you can get yourself into trouble just as easily 50 miles away from home. Biggest things are going to be airports you're not used to... which you've probably done before on your short hops and airspace you're not familiar with. Study your route... look for big towers, MOAs, restricted airspace, high terrain(hills/mountains), and any major airports/other airspace.

Foreflight is a great app, I only have the gen1 stratus and haven't tried synthetic vision. I use foreflight as a smart sectional and tuck it away in the map pocket or leave it in my lap, checking it every few minutes. Turning the ipad screen off when you don't really need it makes the batteries go a lot further. I usually carry a USB power bank and wall charger... as well as a cigarette lighter charger. Normally I don't need to recharge with the power off while not looking at the ipad method.... I navigate primarily by a panel mount GPS and only reference the ipad as I would a map YMMV.

Use flight following. If you're not used to doing this, start. They'll warn you about and help vector you around hazards along your route, warn you about nearby traffic, and give you generally helpful information. Also, if something does go wrong you're already on frequency with someone who may be able to help. Some controllers are more helpful/friendly than others... sometimes there's very little going on and they're quite bored and others you'll be watching minutes go by waiting for people to stop talking on the radio so you can check in. If you're not so good on the radio, practice just like you did when you learned how to land or anything else in the airplane. A notepad and pen helps if you're having trouble remembering the frequencies/squawk codes they give. Most of the time they don't mind repeating the information if you missed it the first time.

I personally limit legs of my trip to about 3hrs. If I find myself facing a trip where I can make it in 3.5, I might fudge that but I find around 3hrs of hand flying is where the body and bladder like to take a break. Also don't leave an airport without filling the gas tank if you can avoid it.

Speaking of body and bladder- bring a bottle of water and a bag of something to snack on. I like beef jerky... I don't always eat it but I don't go on a long trip without it. Sip your water to keep your throat from getting dry.
 
here is a hint,

the cruising part is easy.. plan it as two seperate normal flights.. YOu'll be fine, just factor in the bladder.
 
ja_user said:
here is a hint,

the cruising part is easy.. plan it as two seperate normal flights.. YOu'll be fine, just factor in the bladder.
Click to expand...

I did a non-stop 400 nm, 4+ hour trip in C-172 from 77S to KRHV and had no problems with the bladder staying empty. But on my return flight the bladder definitely gave me some serious pangs near the end. Very distracting!

Also, that was pushing the range of that plane. Next time I make a flight like that I'll split it into 2 legs.
 
450 nm? Plan a fuel stop. Call ahead to an fbo to make sure fuel will be available! Seriously, I learned that one the hard way (didn't land in a field or anything, but believe me, I was much closer than I wanted to be). My instance was 500+, but my planned stop didn't have fuel at the time I arrived. Found an alternative an hour or so later, but call ahead! Flying in the east may offer more alternatives than here in the rocky mountain west.

Otherwise, plan ahead, check and recheck the weather. Bring some snacks and water (or my preference for long flights Gatorade). Beef jerky is a good snack, or nuts. I like them both.

Also, I might get flamed for this, but plan using paper charts. Foreflight or whatever your favorite app might be is a suburb backup, but I find it quite enlightening to fly via paper charts day VFR. I'm only a VFR pilot, and have found that flying by paper is much more interesting and fun than flying by magenta line.
 
Check Notams at your possible stops. You should be cautious with the weather, post up when you get a few days prior if you want. Pay attention to earlier sunsets, always have an airport in your back pocket. Keep some margin with fuel, terrain/obstacles/weather, adjust route and takeoff times accordingly.
 
Think about what happens if the weather changes during the weekend, and delays your return.
 
Make sure you look at those winds aloft closely. You might have to plan a fuel stop. Other than that, just do what you do for every cross country.
 
I would suggest planning the physical bones of the trip first . Plan a rest and fuel stop along the way even if you do not stop. Take a look at the aerial shot of the new to you airport(s) on google earth so you are familiar. Overlay the weather and winds for planning purposes. I would suggest using flight following if this is a VFR flight. It can be useful to have a second set of eyes and it gives you something to do along the way. Once you finish your first trip you will open up a whole new world of freedom.

When I went to Oshkosh last year I rode on a bus with a couple of people that have been flying for years and had never left their own airport without a CFI. I know they enjoyed flying but I felt they were missing so much of what was possible with just a little extra practice and training.
 
Love long cross countries,you have to be flexible. The weather can always change,or not be as reported,plan a fuel stop about 3 hours out. Carry a large detergent bottle, and if you want to feel safer,get flight following. Always atay hydrated while flying. Remember flying is fun. Good luck.
 
I Have been on four trips over 4 hrs. The fist one was non stop. The next three I planned stops after about 3 hours. I was exhausted after the first one. The next three, not so much. It's good to get out, walk around, get circulation back in your legs. Plus getting fuel releaves any stress for go around saying or deviating. Call and get a weather brief about an hour before departure. And get flight following. Enjoy!
 
Your fuel plan is right at the edge of being dangerous. Winds aloft or any routing change and you may not have the legal reserves, or any reserves at all! I plan 10/gph in the cherokee 180 knowing actual is 8-9 gph, and one day, things went completely haywire. Head winds were vicious. When we landed for fuel, it was scary how much was left in the tanks....or wasn't......much less than I would have liked or expected.

Make a stop midway. Your body will appreciate it, too.
 
My cut off is about a 3.5 hour flight however that is solely bladder related! If i had a bathroom in my 182 I'd have no problem flying it as far as it would legally and safely go. Like everyone's said be prepared. A great way to get a lot of info (textual wx, notams, etc) on foreflight click file for your route then hit brief it'll give you a great briefing packet to view right in the app and it will also email it to you to print out and carry a paper briefing packet if you'd like.
 
Break it down into comfortable legs, along with plenty of "what if" scenarios. I've done so much crosswind work that no longer bothers me, in fact I rather enjoy it now for the extra practice - however what is always in my mind is unexpected engine failure. Thusly plan for a decent altitude and always pay attention to your flight plan - for me it's looking at foreflight every few minutes for the closest airstrip and keeping an eye out of the cockpit for impromptu landing strips.

Make sure you have plenty of battery backup for your navigation equipment - many of the older aircraft I rent can barely keep up with the draw rate, so extra battery packs are essential for longer trips.

I regularly fly 400 to 500nm round trip animal rescue missions, as someone else said, one of the biggest issues is just sitting for that length of time without being able to stretch. Keep your wits about you and run through emergency procedures in your head. I also over plan for fuel burn and don't take risks - running out of fuel is just not a good enough excuse, period. I'm no longer afraid of losing an engine mid flight - I've mentally practiced approaches to random landscapes I fly over enough times now that I know I won't panic if it happens.

And of course last but not least - let common sense be your guide, if something doesn't feel right don't do it.
 
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On a solo XC, consider Travel Johns if your plane has longer range than your bladder. I straight up heart these things.

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/pspages/traveljohn.php?clickkey=7720

Best with a wing leveler or autopilot, but manageable even without if trimmed decently.

Much better than those dumb pee bucket things that slosh around and can spill and must be cleaned and carried around. I had one. Hated it. These ones gel up (will not spill - at all) and you toss them in the trash.

Also great when traveling with kids. :yesnod:
 
Thank you for all the advice guys. I just checked Amazon for the travel John's they had them so I ordered some! So far weather seems ok but winds are ridicules 14g20 this afternoon with 14g22 and windshear for tonight that is a no brainer no go for me hopefully it looks better for Thursday.

Foreflight is predicting a 12kt tailwind for me right now 36.8 gallons and 3hr 41min. I can hold 50 gallons and plan for 10gph so I should be good for 4.5hrs to meet minimums. If it starts looking like I will cross the 4hr mark I will use my fuel stop.

We use auto gas in the plane so is there anything I would need to be concerned about if I stop and have them top it off with 100LL? I have mixed 110 race fuel and 93 in my dirtbikes and never had an issue so I wouldn't think it would cause a problem.
 
Just go, you'll be fine. Enjoy it.
 
Thursday may be your day. No, a little 100LL with the auto-fuel is not a problem.
 

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Even if the forecast is for CAVU, do not neglect the LockMart briefing. I flew a 460nm trip today from Grand Strand, SC to Morristown, NJ, stopping at Ackomack County, VA. Even though 90% of the trip was literally CAVU, the 10% in the middle that was BKN 050 did not catch me by surprise thanks to the pre-flight briefing.

I also happen to think that when you are planning a trip of this sort of length, you want to use as many aides as you are comfortable with. So I say, Foreflight the heck out of your primary plan, have a secondary, and absolutely use flight following. It will make the cruise parts a lot more enjoyable knowing that you already know what is coming. If you're not feeling comfortable with the radio, don't fret - I heard every kind of low-time pilot on freq today, and in every sector ATC was patient and got them squawking and talking.
 
I'm not familiar with a lockmart briefing? I definitely plan on using flight following. Looks like I'm going right through CVG Cincinnati airspace so I'm not sure how that's gonna play out? I planned two routes one straight through and one going around. Now that I type this I'm gonna check if they have a posted VFR FLYway?
 
MotoFlier said:
Thank you for all the advice guys. I just checked Amazon for the travel John's they had them so I ordered some! So far weather seems ok but winds are ridicules 14g20 this afternoon with 14g22 and windshear for tonight that is a no brainer no go for me hopefully it looks better for Thursday.

Foreflight is predicting a 12kt tailwind for me right now 36.8 gallons and 3hr 41min. I can hold 50 gallons and plan for 10gph so I should be good for 4.5hrs to meet minimums. If it starts looking like I will cross the 4hr mark I will use my fuel stop.

We use auto gas in the plane so is there anything I would need to be concerned about if I stop and have them top it off with 100LL? I have mixed 110 race fuel and 93 in my dirtbikes and never had an issue so I wouldn't think it would cause a problem.
Click to expand...

Good plan on winds, and mixing fuel will not be an issue.

A suggestion: plan your stop sooner than 4 hours! It's a good idea to be on the ground with an hours fuel in the tanks. If you have to go around for wind, or go somewhere else, you'll have fuel to do so.

Don't be like the guy who recently landed at his fuel stop, found no fuel and tried to fly 12 nm to another airport. He ran out of fuel and went down in a field. At night.

Plan on reserves. Plan an alternate fuel stop in case of stronger headwinds.

And have fun!
 
Although some might do it online, I prefer to call the 1-800-WX-BRIEF
They'll walk you through the synopsis, where highs and lows are, notams for each airport, winds aloft, TFR's, Airmets, sigmets, any pireps available, winds aloft, satellite picture, radar, tafs, area forecast, metars, etc. They can be pretty long winded but helpful. Also I'm the type of person where sometimes it's easier for me to hear the information instead of trying to sift through everything online (I'm only 20, but have been getting telephone briefs since I started my ppl training 3 years ago).
It's just your standard weather breifing :)

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk
 
MotoFlier said:
I'm not familiar with a lockmart briefing?
Click to expand...

Sorry... it's short for Lockheed-Martin, who are the providers for 1-800-WX-BRIEF. I tend to use the Next-Gen briefing online, but as others have said, it's not a bad idea to call as well.
 
https://www.1800wxbrief.com/ for the web version.

I like the web version because it gives me all the information visually and I have time to read and understand it at my own pace vs the rapid-fire info dump over the phone you get when you call.

On the flipside the person on the phone can interpret and help as you go along... it's really a matter of preference.
 
I'm gonna checkout that website right now. So far it's not looking good low ceiling and rain at my destination and rain forecast for my Sunday return trip home.
 
If you have an iphone there's also free app called aeroweather lite. Lets you view METARS data at a bunch of airports at a glance. I use it to make a quick go/no go decision then maybe pull up more details on other sources if it looks like a "go".
 
(pointing towards destination)
Just fly that way really fast.

If something gets in your way... turn.

(I'm an awesome coach)
 
StevieTimes said:
(pointing towards destination)
Just fly that way really fast.

If something gets in your way... turn.

(I'm an awesome coach)
Click to expand...

Hahaha, it's funny what advice sticks sometimes. I made a thread awhile back about getting freaked out by turbulence during training. Tons of people gave me great advice but the one thing that pops into my head every time it gets bumpy is Tighten up the seat belt and yell yee haw hahaha no **** I literally don't even blink at the bumps now.
 
I did two long cross-country flights this summer. From Tennessee to New Hampshire. There have been lots of great pointers given so about the only thing I would add is for you to split the trip into two legs. You said you were not in a hurry so why not stop half way for fuel and a leg stretch. Take all the pressure off and fly relaxed and with more than enough fuel. No need to add to the stress of flying in unfamiliar areas knowing you have "just enough" fuel to make it.

The last tip..Somebody mentioned looking at the airports you might be stopping at from aerial view or satellite view. I have an app that lists most airports from overhead sat view..very helpful. When you are looking for the "next airport" be sure to fly high enough to get a good look of the area. I had gotten into a bad habit of knowing I was supposed to be coming up on my next stop, I started to descend and start looking, well I was getting too low and hindering my ability to locate the field just because I was so low. Keep the altitude high and increase your ability to spot the airports in unfamiliar areas.

Have fun..Long cross country trips are where it's at. The best part of flying:wink2:
 
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