I went on my first "real" cross country trip this week. I went from my home airport to a place that would have taken four hours to drive(my wife and two kids drove) for a family vacation with the wifes family.
I was scared to go because the clouds were low the day I left and I didn't like the idea of scud running the 200 air miles to get there but it didn't take long to get past the low clouds and I flew in clear skys half of the way. Landing was not a problem there.
The way back earlier today probably could deserve its own thread, try to beat a large thunderstorm, heavy winds, major turbulence, getting back to my little airport to find the runway shut down due to crack sealing workers, spending a half hour circling calling people on my cell to get them out of the way(they normally just get out of the way when they see a plane). Density altitude of 4000 (my airport is 1600 MSL), wind was 40 degrees off the runway at 17g26. I had my second go around today.
I am pretty low time pilot, but it was a great trip for me. Beautiful scenery, shaved about 6 hours drive time out of my life.
If you are just getting your license and hesitant to actually use it to go somewhere, my advice is........Do It!!!!
Happy flying.
I was scared to go because the clouds were low the day I left and I didn't like the idea of scud running the 200 air miles to get there but it didn't take long to get past the low clouds and I flew in clear skys half of the way. Landing was not a problem there.
The way back earlier today probably could deserve its own thread, try to beat a large thunderstorm, heavy winds, major turbulence, getting back to my little airport to find the runway shut down due to crack sealing workers, spending a half hour circling calling people on my cell to get them out of the way(they normally just get out of the way when they see a plane). Density altitude of 4000 (my airport is 1600 MSL), wind was 40 degrees off the runway at 17g26. I had my second go around today.
I am pretty low time pilot, but it was a great trip for me. Beautiful scenery, shaved about 6 hours drive time out of my life.
If you are just getting your license and hesitant to actually use it to go somewhere, my advice is........Do It!!!!
Happy flying.