Long cross country in a 130kts plane?

Frogs97

Frogs97

Pre-takeoff checklist
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Frogs97
Been lurking a long time, but this is my first original thread here!

I am working on my PPL and doing some daydreaming along the way twht bout up a question. We live in Fort Worth, and my wife is a Disney travel agent. So we end up spending a lot of time going to both Anaheim and Orlando. Is it reasonable to plan make those trips in a 130kts plane like a 182 or Dakota? It looks like there would be at least two stops along the way. But, how does that play out from a comfort standpoint?
 
I've flown an extremely small cockpit experimental all over the country at 165 kts. You'll be plenty comfortable for a little while longer between fuel stops!
The country is wonderful to see from the air. Have fun!
 
IMO, that's a tough row to hoe.

My opinion is that once a trip grows to over 4 hours/500 NM, the challenges increase disproportionately. It is very likely that you are going to have to cross a frontal boundary to go that far. Frontal boundaries are (typically) where the weather is worst, so you're at the weather's mercy.

Once you're out past 4 hours, (IMO) you start getting into pilot fatigue, hunger, derrière' fatigue, etc.

Would I do it a time or two, just to "See the World"? Probably. Would I do it on a routine basis? No.
 
IMO yes, from TX to FL or TX to CA won't be unreasonable at all. But from CA to FL will be far better served by boeing/airbus.
 
Howdy neighbor!

No different than the journey in a car to Houston. The difference being that it is a bit less stressful in a well trimmed aircraft with an auto pilot since you can let GeePS and George do all the hard work while your cruising while your just monitoring and managing and periodically talking to a different controller.

Just plan some fuel, bio, and rest stops appropriately and enjoy the adventure!
 
Frogs97 said:
Been lurking a long time, but this is my first original thread here!

I am working on my PPL and doing some daydreaming along the way twht bout up a question. We live in Fort Worth, and my wife is a Disney travel agent. So we end up spending a lot of time going to both Anaheim and Orlando. Is it reasonable to plan make those trips in a 130kts plane like a 182 or Dakota? It looks like there would be at least two stops along the way. But, how does that play out from a comfort standpoint?
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I'm planning a 600NM trip in a 100kt plane. With two pit stops it shouldn't be bad.
 
FYI - heading to Calf. from Texas is a winter time trip. May to Sept. the desert heat will cause heat thermals and make for a rough ride!!!!!
 
Good planning for rest/fuel stops and all will be well. Stay hydrated and bring wet snacks like apples/oranges to help with hydration and nutrition. Enjoy the journey.
 
Been to every state flying low and slow. Its the journey, not the destination. Getting stuck to overnight due to weather? Too many times to count. Met some really good friends and saw some very interesting things. I can't wait for the next cc adventure.
 
Geico266 said:
Been to every state flying low and slow. Its the journey, not the destination. Getting stuck to overnight due to weather? Too many times to count. Met some really good friends and saw some very interesting things. I can't wait for the next cc adventure.
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:yeahthat: good attitude! Ignore the negative comments. You'll never know if you don't go!
 
Just tonight I was telling my wife that I want to fly from Houston to somewhere in Ca in a Cub (Does Gulf Coast to West Coast count as a coast to coast flight?). She smiles and says she has been planning to get me my tail wheel endorsement for fathers day. What a great wife and kids I have. Guess I know what I will be doing next week!
 
For that trip? You will also need your IR and a 200kt+ plane at least to do it regularly. Turbo so you can fly high because your wife won't enjoy the bouncing and heat down lower. Doing it once or twice both directions will be fun for exactly once or twice.
 
We frequently make 1000 nm trips (Vancouver WA - Phoenix) in a 125-knot airplane. Most of the time we split it up into two days, but have done it in one day if we get a very early start, weather is perfect and everything clicks.

A couple of years ago we took the airplane from Vancouver WA to Kansas City and back (~1400 nm each way). But that was not a rush trip, it was to see as much of America as we could in the time allotted (e.g., Custer Battlefield, Devils Tower, Mt. Rushmore) and friends along the way. We decided beforehand not to fly more than two 2-3-hour legs in a day, so each way was a three-day adventure.

About a dozen years ago when I was young and stupid (now I'm old and stupid) I flew a 120-knot Grumman Cheetah from Minneapolis to Vancouver WA, against headwinds, in one day. That was over 13 hours on the tach, from 6:20 am CDT to 8:20 pm PDT, and four fuel stops along the way. Never again.

Tex_Mike said:
Just tonight I was telling my wife that I want to fly from Houston to somewhere in Ca in a Cub (Does Gulf Coast to West Coast count as a coast to coast flight?).
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On the way home on that Kansas City trip we stopped in Sidney, Nebraska, due to gathering convection ahead. As we were tying down, a pretty J-3 made a textbook crosswind landing in the gusty wind. Figuring he was a local, I walked over to compliment the pilot and his airplane. Turned out he was from Medford, Oregon, and was on his way to Oshkosh for AirVenture.

Now that's a trip!
 
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I just flew from coastal Georgia to central Arkansas. Other than getting tossed around in the chop, it was not too bad. I averaged about 125kts. I stopped for fuel in AL and dinner, then pressed on.

I'd think if you flew early to SoCal, it wouldn't get too bad. Wheels up at first light and I'd say your good. Or maybe hold over in Phoenix for an afternoon and press on early evening.
 
I fly from Nebraska to Tampa regular. Fly 130kt. planes half the time. Not a big deal. Fun for me but passengers get little tired of trip sometimes. Depending on the plane I stop one to three times for fuel. I've flown a Grumman Yankee on the trip once. 1083nm.
 
Made a 450nm trip (each way) recently, from NE Georgia to south central Florida in the CTSW. I flight planned 110 knots and got about 120-125 knots true. The ride down was perfect, the ride back was tricky due to weather and I left a day late for the same reason. It can be done, but it's hard to keep to a tight timetable.
 
The Dakota is a nice hauler(as is the 182). Both can be good for the mission. I just find that anything longer than a 2-3 hour leg for me is too much, but that's just me.
 
Wife and I are making our 2nd trip out to the Bahamas in the 182 this year...'bout the same distance for you to Orlando. It's very doable and I agree about the journey weighing every bit as much as the destination. Four hours is about as long a leg we like, 3's ideal. She appears comfortable, but then she sleeps half the trip. You'll definitely want your IR to make it practical. And, don't underestimate the value of good music!
 
With a work schedule? Will your wife put up with being in a little plane that long?
 
Thanks all, for the input. I forgot to mention the to little ones (8 and 10) along for the ride. So a 2.5 leg is about as much as I'll get.

Lots of unknowns still on whether any of them can handle trips of any real length. But still gives me something to think about as I go through this. I was definitely planning to have my IR by the immense any of this could become a reality. Frankly, I'm kinda looking for a way to justify the cost of the rating and the plane to my wife when the time comes!!
 
brentee said:
Wife and I are making our 2nd trip out to the Bahamas in the 182 this year...'bout the same distance for you to Orlando. It's very doable and I agree about the journey weighing every bit as much as the destination. Four hours is about as long a leg we like, 3's ideal. She appears comfortable, but then she sleeps half the trip. You'll definitely want your IR to make it practical. And, don't underestimate the value of good music!
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How did you handle the Pensacola airspace? We have friends in Slidell and when I have flight planned for that, ASD was one of the stops I planned. Things get interesting going east from there.
 
I went from WI to CA and back in a 135+kt Da40. Be flexible and enjoy the trip. Getting there is most of the fun :)
 
Frogs97 said:
But, how does that play out from a comfort standpoint?
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Better than driving but a whole different ball game than flying commercial. Defiantly worth doing for the adventure and experience...but if your goal is the get there and the family units are not overly excited about flying, go commercial...especially if the kids have the perception that the flying time is taking away from the Disney time!

I flew from FL to CA last summer and it was a blast. We were on a mission to get back and did it in 2.5 days and 21 hrs on the hobbs in a 182. Form Dallas area, we were 1.5 days with a pit stop every 3-4 hours. You could make it one day, but with little ones, fuel stops and weather...plan for an overnight stay somewhere. It was one of the best learning experiences as a new pilot as well.

The best part about the trip was landing at a random po-dunk airport and being offered the beater mini van "crew car" with directions to some of the best hole in the wall food joints in the nation!

My cut off now is about 500 miles when I will fly commercial vs take the 182 unless I want a flying adventure.
 
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My cross country bird, I flight plan 125ktas. When going on a coast to coast trip I plan two legs a day, normally about 3.5 hrs each and occasionally a third leg if needed. Comfortable flying that way, good breakfast, nice lunch stop and weather check and done in time for dinner and a hotel. Not worn out when you get to the far coast.
 
DFW-SNA is a lot shorter than DFW-MCO because most people don't fly across the Gulf. . . .

DFW-SNA requires a lot more planning given the other way but you are gonna see more weather going east . . .
 
Frogs97 said:
...Frankly, I'm kinda looking for a way to justify the cost of the rating and the plane to my wife when the time comes!!
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You may as well give up on that idea and own up to the fact that there is no viable economic justification for this adventure of yours. I don't care how you crunch or fudge the numbers, it ain't ever gonna add up. ;)
 
There comes a distance in GA where the fuel costs no longer offset buying an airline ticket. So financially, that is something to consider.

I fly a slower plane but it is fairly roomy and I have about a 3 hour limit when flying with my family.

I could stay up all day but wife and 2 kids that are hungry and need to pee adds an extra layer of inconvenience.

The 182 would be a good bird to do that trip in. I got to ride in AggieMIke88's 182 and it is quite comfortable. Plenty of room in front and back for everyone to be comfortable.

Whomever above said it is about the journey hit the nail on the head. Whether it is slower or more costly to fly myself, I get a lot of satisfaction of being up there and knowing I am doing it myself and keeping in mind that is the reward for all the hard work I put in to get my PPL. And maybe it is an ego thing (I hope not) but I like that other people are willing to trust me and get in the plane with me. It means a lot when someone who knows little about flying trusts you with their life.

And I will echo Mike's "Howdy". I am in Denton as well.

Welcome.
 
Having made several transcontinental journeys in light planes (including Michigan-Montana and back in a Cessna 150 the day after I got my PPL in 1970 up to MD-TX and back last month in a Grumman Tiger), I would say you certainly can do it, but if you do, the journey will be as much a part of the adventure as the destination. You can't do this if you have hard arrival/return dates, especially if you don't have an instrument rating. You must be prepared for unforeseen stops (including possible overnights) at small towns you've never heard of and certainly never planned for. Obviously a C-182/Dakota will be more comfortable for such a trip than a Cessna 150, but it's not going to be luxurious, either. But every one of those trips was a lot of fun, and taught me something useful (a great deal on the first one).
 
Frogs97 said:
How did you handle the Pensacola airspace? We have friends in Slidell and when I have flight planned for that, ASD was one of the stops I planned. Things get interesting going east from there.
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I would definitely recommend reviewing the online course for a first timer, but it's really not a big deal. I almost always get flight following if not IFR and they just pass you along like anyone else. Just make sure you contact Eglin CD before you depart KDTS...there's a big sign at the runway entrance to remind you. ATC along the gulf coast is typically very friendly and helpful.

https://www.faasafety.gov/gslac/ALC/course_content.aspx?cID=47&sID=280&preview=true
 
comanchepilot said:
DFW-SNA is a lot shorter than DFW-MCO because most people don't fly across the Gulf. . . .
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:confused:

Doesn't take much of a dogleg to miss the Gulf (direct TLH direct) and even then it's still a couple hundred miles shorter.
 
To the OP, I regularly flew 500 to 750 mile cross county trips all over the Midwest and south when I had my business. I was back and forth to work almost every week in a 182 and had my instrument rating.

The weather dictated that I drive...ohhh...probably 33% of the time but I'm pretty conservative.

In your situation, the kids would cause me the greatest pause.
 
I fly a two seat aircraft with a 120 kt cruise up and down the coast twice a year. It's all what you get used to. The fun is in the flying ,so enjoy it.
 
I bought a 172 in Maine and flew it back home to Texas, does that count?

The trick there is to give yourself plenty of time, and be ready for "Plan B" for whatever reason. Don't get locked into a particular destination for a fuel stop or a meal, keep the big picture in mind. If weather pops up and you have to deviate, a hundred miles out of the way is not a big deal at all if you're crossing 4 state lines.

I spent the first night in Pittsburgh and the next morning after takeoff weather started popping up around Cincinnati which was my planned lunch spot. Talking with ATC about options, they asked what my final destination was and I said "Texas. I can deviate anywhere the weather doesn't go." That keeps a lot of options on the table...
 
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Some of my most favorite memories are of the ferry flights made from Lock Haven to Vancouver WA in Super Cubs. Mostly they were low and slow and against headwinds.

What radios........?
 
I've done:
Fayetteville, TN (KFYM) to the Washington DC area and back several times
KFYM to upstate New York and back once
KFYM to Orlando and back once
KFYM to upstate New York -> Waupaca Wisconsin -> Washington DC area and back to KFYM once
KFYM to Wichita once
Wichita to KFYM and back to Wichita once
All in a 105 knot plane with no autopilot.
It CAN be done.
I'm looking for something faster...

Jim
 
We did a lot of long CCs in our Maule which did 117knots fire walled (and fell to 113knots after 1700 hrs on the engine).

130kts in a roomy 182 with an AP would have felt like heaven.

Depends on your perspectives. Having a mission helps a lot. If it's right for you, you'll probably get an IR after a bit.
 
Kiddo's Driver said:
I've done:
Fayetteville, TN (KFYM) to the Washington DC area and back several times
KFYM to upstate New York and back once
KFYM to Orlando and back once
KFYM to upstate New York -> Waupaca Wisconsin -> Washington DC area and back to KFYM once
KFYM to Wichita once
Wichita to KFYM and back to Wichita once
All in a 105 knot plane with no autopilot.
It CAN be done.
I'm looking for something faster...

Jim
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Have you flown the Trinidad?
I got to ride in one a couple months back.
It was interesting to be in the "same plane" but going way faster.
 
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