Coast to Coast in a small plane

StinkBug

StinkBug

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How many of you have actually flown a true cross country in a small plane? And by small I'm thinkin 6 seats or less, single piston. I know there are a bunch of professional pilots on here who probably fly coast to coast all the time, but I'm more curious about the private pilots.

Reason being, I'd like to do it. I live in San Diego, and have friends all across the country. Every year I take a trip to Cape Cod to visit my grandparents, and I got to thinking that it might be really cool to take a couple weeks off and fly there and back instead of going commercial. Of course it would take a lot longer, and would require a bunch of planning, but that would be part of the fun. I'd also plan the trip with a few stops to visit friends and other family along the way.

So who has done something like this? How long did you take, and what was the experience like?
 
My best friend and I flew from Orange County to New York (and Boston) last summer in a 182. Obviously best to do it with an open schedule because there will be days when you have to divert and/or wait out weather. It was easily one of the greatest trips I've taken, and the best part was the flight there and back (although the vacation part was cool too). Hope you're able to take the trip! The SD gang should all plan a fly in(out?) sometime soon.

ETA: It took 3 days there (could've made it in 2, but we wanted to spend the day in Michigan with my friends family) and 3 (2 of which were very long) days back. A total of 45 hours flight time.
 
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Yes, we do need to get together again.

I'd love to see what your route was, and where you stopped, since I'd be doing a flight quite similar. Probably do CRQ to Martha's Vineyard with a stop in Chicago for sure, not sure where else. What time of year did you do it? Also what's the cruise speed and range on that 182, just so I can compare numbers a little.
 
Many times, it's why I started flying. I do it for the same reason, I've got friends all over the place that I stop and see. In a 180kt plane it takes a long day to get across the country coast to coast, but normally with stops to see people it takes me 3 days to a week typically.
 
I'd probably be doing it in a 135kt plane, if that makes any difference to the discussion.
 
It's really not hard to cross the country at 135 knots fairly reliably (plus or minus a day) with you ending up on the right day the majority of the time in the warmer months. An instrument rating will make a huge difference. I would be comfortable planning FairlyImportantThings around my ability to do so.

In the colder months (even if you do have FIKI) I would not plan on making it to ReallyImportantThings reliably until you get to KingAir capability and up.

The more you do it the better you will get at it. You'll have to learn to get comfortable dealing with thunderstorms. There's almost always a way. Usually if I can't make it the airlines can't either (once again in the warmer months).
 
I'm planning on sometime next summer, and I'm about to start my IFR training, so if all goes as planned I should be instrument rated by then. Is there a preferred month to do this weather wise? I can usually be pretty flexible with my scheduling, so 2 weeks or so sometime in June, July, or August would be pretty easy for me to work out.
 
From the title of the thread, I thought you were talking about a SMALL plane.:) For a two place pilot you are talking about doing it in a rocket ship. Everything is relative.

To your point, making such a trip means that the trip is as much or more about the journey as about the destination.

The Cessna 120-140 club has their national convention every year that draws people from all over the US. For some of them it takes days, cruising at 85 or 90 knots. For us its definitely about the journey.

Plan and take that trip and you will have great memories that you will have with you the rest of your life. Enjoy.
 
jesse said:
In the colder months (even if you do have FIKI) I would not plan on making it to ReallyImportantThings reliably until you get to KingAir capability and up.
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Yeah, but with a naturally aspirated piston twin I've had >95% dispatch reliability year round. Only had once I needed a turbine and one or two other cancellations.

That said, the other night a friend canceled his flight in his naturally aspirated 310, and I would have, too. Or at least delayed 2 hours and maybe have gone then.

Going coast to coast, it ain't hard. I did it in the Aztec in 14 hours with stops 5 or so years ago.
 
I did Sandy Eggo to Fayetteville NC...stops in Durango, Wichita and Chattanooga...so not quite coast to coast...

19 hours. Stop to Stop.

Absolutely awesome experience!
 
Bend Oregon....to Bakersfield CA....to Albuquerque NM.....to Frederick, MD. in two full days of flying.

It was fun, but not something I'd want to do regularly.
 
StinkBug said:
I'd probably be doing it in a 135kt plane, if that makes any difference to the discussion.
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I did Minneapolis to Naples, FL in a 110 kt airplane two weeks ago. My little Mooney C model carried my family to both coasts, as well as to south Florida and south Texas. So, it's very possible and done more often than you probably realize. All you need is a little flexibility in your schedule.
 
Cape Cod is brilliant in a small plane. Flew VFR from Los Angeles in a (120kt) light sport this past summer. My trip was all about visiting friends along the way including at OSH on the way there and in Florida on the return. No reason at all you can't do it in a 135kt plane, though you'll likely pay more for fuel. I wouldn't do it without weather reporting in the plane so you can fly around it.
 
KSAN-2B1 2270.3nm (D->) Might allow extra for SUA & Wx. All x2, for the return trip.
Epic. Sounds like a trip I could sink my teeth into.
Biggest concerns would be weather delays (would you be happy airlining from middle of the country to Cape Cod if it goes in the sewer) and maintenance on such a long flight.
 
StinkBug said:
How many of you have actually flown a true cross country in a small plane?
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Me. Longest is Salisbury MD (within spitting distance of the Atlantic) 2300nm to Arlington WA (within sight of the Pacific) in a Grumman Tiger. Left after lunch on Thursday arrived for lunch on Sunday. On return, left noon on Sunday and arrived Tuesday for dinner. I've done several other nearly transcontinental flights in light planes including a Cessna 150 from Michigan to Montana starting the day after I got my Private.

Reason being, I'd like to do it. I live in San Diego, and have friends all across the country. Every year I take a trip to Cape Cod to visit my grandparents, and I got to thinking that it might be really cool to take a couple weeks off and fly there and back instead of going commercial. Of course it would take a lot longer, and would require a bunch of planning, but that would be part of the fun. I'd also plan the trip with a few stops to visit friends and other family along the way.
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Sounds like a great plan, and yes, it will be both a lot of fun and very educational as long as you allow enough time to handle any weather or other delays along the way without feeling pressured by the press of fixed dates for arrival anywhere along the route.
 
I flew to AK and back, starting from MS in a Cherokee 140, two of us. I flew 3 trips into Canada, two were semi-remote fishing trips.

I flew from the Upper Midwest to FL 3 times, then a bunch of smaller trips.

With a longer trip one has to break it down some. That means breaking it down to 3-4 hour legs, with weather, route and fuel planning. It's all just a series of 3 hour or so flights, divert and readjust as needed.
 
StinkBug said:
I'm planning on sometime next summer, and I'm about to start my IFR training, so if all goes as planned I should be instrument rated by then. Is there a preferred month to do this weather wise? I can usually be pretty flexible with my scheduling, so 2 weeks or so sometime in June, July, or August would be pretty easy for me to work out.
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FYI - from May to the end of September you will have a rough ride between San Diego to west Texas do to heat thermals over the desert.
 
Flew my Cessna 150 from Los Angeles, CA to Washington D.C. 3 days with overnight stops in Dallas and Atlanta. Had no issue getting to 11,500 to get over the mountains. Would recommend at least a handheld GPS.
 
Cessna 150
Attached shows the end points of cross-country flights, but not actual routes, that I flew in a Cessna 150. In 4 1/2 years, I put nearly 1,000 hours on that plane. During one year I flew from St. Louis to Oceanside and back, and then to Key West and back.

The most interesting flight was from St. Louis to the Canadian border, and then down the 99th Longitude line to Brady Texas. Along that line there are no MOAs, no restricted airspace, no large bodies of water, and the entire route is relatively free of terrain that would eat a low and slow airplane, so I flew low and slow and saw a lot of interesting sights. That flight took eight days -- and every night I was invited to stay in the FBO, and I did.
 

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last May we flew from Richmond VA to Lake FL to St Simons GA to Little Rock AR in my Archer in a day and a half, and we were in no big hurry, lots of coffee breaks and food stops.

I'll bet we would have averaged 120 knots.
 
I've done a fair number of long cross countries in light planes over the years, including many years ago Austin to KLAX followed by KLAX to KSFO and back to Austin. I'm less stupid these days, I no longer fly in to huge air carrier hubs just because I want to be a cool kid.

To me the most interesting cross countries in the last few years I've done are Austin to Oshkosh for The Show. Some years I fly a light plane, other years I drive. It's a dramatic difference, the flight from Austin to Oshkosh takes about the same amount of time as Austin to Oklahoma, and driving is way more tiring.

The downside of flying into to Oshkosh is not having a car when you get there.
 
I have done this as well. Awesome experience. I cant wait to do it again. Get your IR if you have a time frame to stick with. No guarantee, but I didn't have mine yet and was delayed a lot.
 
As a friend of mine once said, flying in your own small plane is a great way to travel if you are not in any hurry to get there...
 
StinkBug said:
How many of you have actually flown a true cross country in a small plane?
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San Diego to Boston in a Cessna 120 with a 27 channel transmitter and a coffee-grinder radio. VOR was accurate to +/- 30 degrees or so. Back in 1969 when I was really young and full of vinegar.

San Diego or Sacramento to Oshkosh about 40 times. Sometimes with good radios, sometimes not.

It is fun. Once.

Jim
 
Norwood mass to Alaska and back ,with stop in Osh. Two seat airplane,had a great time,a little limited on luggage. Can't wait to go cross country to the west coast next spring.
 
I got my license in my first plane, a Beech C23 -- good for at most 110kt. In Wisconsin. :D My first flight after getting the license was WI -> CA, in December. Weather pushed me down to Arkansas before I could go west. When I told my CFI I just scud-ran 1500miles south the moning after my PPL ride, he never returned my emails again.

Took it across the country twice after the return home.

Since then, I do a XC about 10x a year, ferrying other peoples' planes -- but I'm usually doing it in a Bonanza or Baron -- huge difference between 110kt and 170kt :D

My worst one this year was a ferry-for-repairs flight in a V-tail bonanza with the gear braced down from a gear-up landing... and due to time and daylight-only constraints, I was forced into the teeth of a crazy headwind in a plane burning 16gph to get 110kt tru, and with a service ceiling of ~8500'.

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Good times! :D
 
As soon as I got my PPL I ended up buying a 182 in Florida and flew it home to CA. I was obviously a low time pilot, but did my homework and research and did it with a buddy. The learning experience was incredible and gave me new level of confidence flying

We barged straight home in 2.5 days, (could have done 2 days but opted for a night in Vegas!) only a few hours of weather delays, 21.5 hours on the Hobbs.

Having now done it I would not fly my 182 cross country again unless I was palnning more of an adventure and leave time to make stops and see more of the country from the air and on the ground. It just does not make sense from time and money stand point for me vs commercial. I get enough time with my current x-country missions just sitting in the seat flying.

...but it is definitely worth doing if you can!
 
Me and a buddy flew a Grumman AA5 from Sandy Eggo to Orlando for a launch way back when. It was ok, but a lot of boring hours during flyover country.

The second time I went to Hilton Head from Orange county. I did more planning and made some interesting diverts along the way. Once you get to western CO, plan a fairly direct route and keep the hammer down. Flyover country is just that. Maybe take a divert over NYC or something.
 
schmookeeg said:
I got my license in my first plane, a Beech C23 -- good for at most 110kt. In Wisconsin. :D My first flight after getting the license was WI -> CA, in December. Weather pushed me down to Arkansas before I could go west. When I told my CFI I just scud-ran 1500miles south the moning after my PPL ride, he never returned my emails again.

Took it across the country twice after the return home.

Since then, I do a XC about 10x a year, ferrying other peoples' planes -- but I'm usually doing it in a Bonanza or Baron -- huge difference between 110kt and 170kt :D

My worst one this year was a ferry-for-repairs flight in a V-tail bonanza with the gear braced down from a gear-up landing... and due to time and daylight-only constraints, I was forced into the teeth of a crazy headwind in a plane burning 16gph to get 110kt tru, and with a service ceiling of ~8500'.



Good times! :D
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55 KGS? What a beat-down!
 
My longest so far is 830 nm Denver to Galveston, TX. That is a bit over 5 hours of actual in-the-air flying in my airplane, probably close to 7 hours if you count all the logistical crapola.

The thought I had about flying across the US was related to passengers. Some will find this fun, but many won't. At. All. My wife tolerates flying but derives little joy from the event. She loves the convenience it brings, but doesn't especially dig the journey. So what would be an epic sojourn for me would be a colossal ass-whip for her. And never mind my kids... they don't dig being cooped up that long.

If I were solo or if I had a SO who liked flying then that would make a huge difference. Speed also makes a big difference. IFR does too. It just gives you more options.

Maybe March timeframe for departure. Might pick up some nice tailwinds. Then return in May when the winds have died somewhat. :-D

Remember that it is winter in the mountains until mid-June.
 
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Did this one a few years ago in a 207, IFR/VFR day night, 5k something miles.

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This was a while ago too, 172 relocation, flew one over and brought another back

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As a PPL, I brought my Stinson home from IN back to WA via MT, WY etc, don't have a picture of that one.
 
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C140 NY to LA and return via Montreal

PA 18-135 Green Bay to Bahia de Los Angeles (Mexico) then 1V5

Experiences I wouldn't trade for anything! Do it!!!
 
Don't forget ."...flight of passage.." .... Ringer buck and brother , around fifteen years old in a PA 11, no gps , a few charts. That was it. I think it was New Jersey to Bakersfield?
 
Seattle to Atlanta in my own C-175. Numerous ferry flights from Vero Beach to Seattle.

Bob Gardner
 
If the weather is good it takes three days without beating yourself up too bad but doing a good bit of flying each day. My first was Key West Florida to San Francisco California. If the weather isn't so good then all bets are off, it took us seven days to go from San Francisco to Anchorage but only three days coming back home on the same route. You can make it from the west coast to Oshkosh in two days but again, it's a lot of flying, no long lunches or late starts. In the summertime in many areas it's not much fun flying into or later than mid afternoon so very early, like crack of dawn, starts are the way to go.
 
Flew solo from San Jose, CA (KSJC) to Rockwood, TN (KRKW) and back in May of this year in a Bellanca Super Viking.

Eastbound: 2 days, 12.4 hours flight time.
Westbound: 1 day 15.2 hours flight time.

Going East, I left in the afternoon and stopped overnight in Prescott, AZ. Going West, I did the whole trip in 1 day. Lots of fun.

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I was going to say didn't a couple of kids do it once.:yesnod: It is just a time off/money problem, everything else is easy and will take care of itself.
Jimmy cooper said:
Don't forget ."...flight of passage.." .... Ringer buck and brother , around fifteen years old in a PA 11, no gps , a few charts. That was it. I think it was New Jersey to Bakersfield?
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http://www.amazon.com/Flight-Passage-Memoir-Rinker-Buck/dp/0786883154
http://www.aopa.org/News-and-Video/All-News/2014/June/25/Retracing-Flight-of-Passage
 
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