First X country trip

Strutwipe

Strutwipe

Pre-takeoff checklist
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May 8, 2019
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Strutwipe
Hi All, I'm going for my first cross country flight tomorrow from Tucson to Yuma. Other than the regular flight training, any tips or suggestions.
 
Plenty of restricted airspace east of Yuma. Be on your game in close proximity to the border. Don't know what you're flying, take density altitude into consideration. I'm sure you and your CFI have a good plan in place. Enjoy the flight!
 
Try to relax ,enjoy the experience.
 
I am a big fan of pilotage. Pick out easily visible landmarks near your route, use dead-reckoning to figure course and time to each, correct as you go. Give the magenta line a rest and look outside. I know I enjoy that more.

edit Oh, and you can see what they might look like for the air in Google Maps or Earth. Skyvector used to give you that option but no more :-(

Also https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media...agazine/technique-pilotage-and-dead-reckoning
 
Thanks for the advice. I did forget to put the camera in my flight bags so thanks for that. We're flying out Marana Airport (AVQ) in a 172R to NYL. Looking at the aeronautical chart, there is A LOT of restricted airspace. Looks like the best way in is to follow I8.

edit: I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight ;-)
 
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So we did not end up going to Yuma but Scottsdale instead. My CFI wanted me to practice on the radio so we went from AVQ to FFZ and then SDL. Here is what a $656 burger looks like. I'm really glad that we did not go to NYL it would have been $1200 burger. Well, that's aviation boyz!2019-05-13 12.57.57.jpg IMG_1202.JPG IMG_1203.JPG IMG_1204.JPG IMG_1205.JPG IMG_1206.JPG
 

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Might have been a spendy burger buy looks like a priceless smile :)
 
Strutwipe said:
Hi All, I'm going for my first cross country flight tomorrow from Tucson to Yuma. Other than the regular flight training, any tips or suggestions.
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How did this guy escape my wide net I cast for all the Arizona folks in the other thread?

Strutwipe said:
We're flying out Marana Airport (AVQ) in a 172R to NYL
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Do you normally fly out of Marana because, not to pic nits, but it isn't Tucson.
 
Strutwipe said:
Here is what a $656 burger looks like. I'm really glad that we did not go to NYL it would have been $1200 burger. Well, that's aviation boyz!
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I guess I don’t understand that pricing. KAVQ -> KSDL is 81 nm direct. Maybe an hour of flight one way. (I know this flight). Include stop at KFFZ also for another 1/2 hour. So that is $262 per hour?
 
Timbeck2 said:
How did this guy escape my wide net I cast for all the Arizona folks in the other thread?



Do you normally fly out of Marana because, not to pic nits, but it isn't Tucson.
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Yeah, I have found that when I say Marana people ask where the hell is that! So to make life easier I just say Tucson.
 
So you fly out of Marana then. Okay, we could do the breakfast thing again up there if the restaurant is still open.
 
PeterNSteinmetz said:
I guess I don’t understand that pricing. KAVQ -> KSDL is 81 nm direct. Maybe an hour of flight one way. (I know this flight). Include stop at KFFZ also for another 1/2 hour. So that is $262 per hour?
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Yep. 2.9 total flight time. $150/hr acft and $65/hour for CFI. Plus we went over some ground school stuff. This is higher than I've paid before but I really click with this instructor.
 
My plane is in Tucson. I live in Vail. KRYN would be a 5 minute flight for both of us.
 
Timbeck2 said:
My plane is in Tucson. I live in Vail. KRYN would be a 5 minute flight for both of us.
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I'm just a student and not soloed yet. I can meet you at TUS and have breakfast/lunch. That would be a fun meet and greet.
 
I'll back up for you. A couple weeks ago, I started a thread requesting names of the Arizona/SW flyers so that I could include them on a list we have in order to try and get together. You may have joined the forum after the thread or you may not have seen it. Anyway, I'll send you an invite. My point is that not just me but possibly a few of us can get together for breakfast sometime.
 
Oh, BTW, I manufacture and sell Strutwipes to clean landing gear struts. It's how I'm paying for those burgers. www.strutwipe.com
upload_2019-5-13_18-45-47.pngupload_2019-5-13_18-46-23.png
 
Timbeck2 said:
I'll back up for you. A couple weeks ago, I started a thread requesting names of the Arizona/SW flyers so that I could include them on a list we have in order to try and get together. You may have joined the forum after the thread or you may not have seen it. Anyway, I'll send you an invite. My point is that not just me but possibly a few of us can get together for breakfast sometime.
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Gotch, yeah I just joined this past Wednesday.
 
I remember my first longer flight, x-country. It was only a month or so ago, but I realized I coulda flown to Cancun for the same price...but yeah, you couldn’t wipe that grin off my face. Cheap therapy I figure.
 
Looking great! Yes, the $100 burger run can be a bargain. Looks like you need a bug wash?
 
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