Kiddo's Driver
Pattern Altitude
- Joined
- Oct 5, 2013
- Messages
- 1,526
- Location
- Somewhere in the Southeast
- Display Name
Display name:
Jim
The straight line route between middle Tennessee to middle Oklahoma, every other week is 555 nm.
I currently flying a 1993 Socata Tampico (TB9). Top end cruise is 105 kts. at that speed I am blowing through 8.5 gph. It has two KX155s, one with glideslope and one without. VFR GPS. No autopilot. It is built for comfort, not for speed. (For those who don't know, 160 HP Lycoming O-320-D2A, Sensenich fixed pitch propeller pitched midway between climb and cruise, & fixed landing gear.) By the time I add wheel pants, constant speed propeller, GPS, and an autopilot I could have bought a much faster aircraft.
As it is the trip is about 6 hours of flight time. That means a mandatory fuel & relief break along the way.
I would REALLY like to do this on one tank and in 4.5 hours or less. Yes, I can hold it that long if need be. I also know how to use a Gatoraide bottle.
That means that I am looking at a 135 kt or higher cruise aircraft. I really would like to have an approach certified GPS, but you look hard enough you can find something with a Garmin 430 in it.
I'm a big boy. I'm 6'1" and big. Like over 300 big. I should weigh about 220-240, but I don't. I love the comfort of my Tampico, but don't think I can afford a Trinidad (80K with a run out engine. 125K for a well equipped and lots of time left on the engine.)
I'm a CSEL with my instrument and a bit under 500 hours. More than half cross country. 77 hours of night. I'm not instrument Proficient right now, per the FAA, and even when I was I was not prepared for hard IFR. Bust through a layer to start a trip, no problems. Hand fly for a couple of hours in the clouds by choice for practice, no problems. Approaches to minimums? Need lots of practice. 49 simulated instrument. 23 actual instrument. A little under a hundred hours of complex. A handful of hours of high performance. Zero multi. Zero tail dragger.
First thoughts are Comanche & Arrow. I flew LOTS of high wing Cessna aircraft for the first 250 hours or so. I like the idea of being able to camp under the wing at fly ins. I flown a couple of early Arrows, a T-34, an Arrow IV, an Aero Commander 112, a Saratoga, and a 300 HP 182. I LIKE two doors, but it is not the end of the world.
I can do the owner maintenance. I have my LSRM-A and have a strong power industry maintenance background, but cannot sign off anything other than owner maintenance.
Anyway, you now know too much about me. Any ideas?
I currently flying a 1993 Socata Tampico (TB9). Top end cruise is 105 kts. at that speed I am blowing through 8.5 gph. It has two KX155s, one with glideslope and one without. VFR GPS. No autopilot. It is built for comfort, not for speed. (For those who don't know, 160 HP Lycoming O-320-D2A, Sensenich fixed pitch propeller pitched midway between climb and cruise, & fixed landing gear.) By the time I add wheel pants, constant speed propeller, GPS, and an autopilot I could have bought a much faster aircraft.
As it is the trip is about 6 hours of flight time. That means a mandatory fuel & relief break along the way.
I would REALLY like to do this on one tank and in 4.5 hours or less. Yes, I can hold it that long if need be. I also know how to use a Gatoraide bottle.
That means that I am looking at a 135 kt or higher cruise aircraft. I really would like to have an approach certified GPS, but you look hard enough you can find something with a Garmin 430 in it. I'm a big boy. I'm 6'1" and big. Like over 300 big. I should weigh about 220-240, but I don't. I love the comfort of my Tampico, but don't think I can afford a Trinidad (80K with a run out engine. 125K for a well equipped and lots of time left on the engine.)
I'm a CSEL with my instrument and a bit under 500 hours. More than half cross country. 77 hours of night. I'm not instrument Proficient right now, per the FAA, and even when I was I was not prepared for hard IFR. Bust through a layer to start a trip, no problems. Hand fly for a couple of hours in the clouds by choice for practice, no problems. Approaches to minimums? Need lots of practice. 49 simulated instrument. 23 actual instrument. A little under a hundred hours of complex. A handful of hours of high performance. Zero multi. Zero tail dragger.
First thoughts are Comanche & Arrow. I flew LOTS of high wing Cessna aircraft for the first 250 hours or so. I like the idea of being able to camp under the wing at fly ins. I flown a couple of early Arrows, a T-34, an Arrow IV, an Aero Commander 112, a Saratoga, and a 300 HP 182. I LIKE two doors, but it is not the end of the world.
I can do the owner maintenance. I have my LSRM-A and have a strong power industry maintenance background, but cannot sign off anything other than owner maintenance.
Anyway, you now know too much about me. Any ideas?
