Plane for traveling between Houston and Telluride

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Dlion0721

Filing Flight Plan
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Feb 13, 2016
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Display name:
Doug
I'm looking to get into flying with the primary purpose of traveling between Houston, TX and Telluride, Co. It will be myself, my wife and two children primarily. Does anybody have any recommendations or experiences with different planes for this route.

Thanks!
 
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Something fast and pressurized if you want any hope of your wife and kids not hating you after the first few times.
 
Budget? Your ratings and experience?
 
Hank S said:
He's "looking to get into flying," which tells me none and none.
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Correct, budget for a plane would be $300-400k (used obviously). My goal is to get my pilots license and build up my experience to get an instrument rating and be able to safely fly in the mountains. I'd do this before every bringing my family with me. I guess the primary purpose of my question is whether a plane (Beechcraft Bonanza is what I've been looking at mostly) in my price range can actually comfortably do what I want to achieve.
 
We need more information. What's your budget for purchase and operating?
 
bikert said:
Something fast and pressurized if you want any hope of your wife and kids not hating you after the first few times.
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And when they get the experience of Rocky Mountain Turbulence, they will probably hate him anyway, unless he can afford something with a 50-75# wing load. But then, The Donald does quite well ...
 
CitationV and a contract pilot. 300-400k per year should cover that.
 
Alright, I'm going to take these responses to mean my idea was crazy (which is probably why I didn't find much googling it). Guess we will continue to do that United nonstop flight to Montrose (unless the lotto comes through)!
 
Dlion0721 said:
Alright, I'm going to take these responses to mean my idea was crazy (which is probably why I didn't find much googling it). Guess we will continue to do that United nonstop flight to Montrose (unless the lotto comes through)!
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Certainly not crazy! You can buy a lot of very nice aircraft in that price range. My favorite would be a Columbia 400 or similar Cessna. I thought those were pressurized based on a DVD video I have that Columbia put out some time ago but I'm not finding that to be the case.

Edit: I think I was thrown by the inflatable door seals into thinking it was pressurized.

Anyway, welcome to POA!
 
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How 'bouts a..........Stearman? Open cockpit should be fun! :D:yesnod::nonod:
 
Seems like something that could easily be done in a cessna 340.
 
Cirrus SR 22 turbo.. will easily make the flight. Sure its not pressurized but it has onboard oxygen and CAPS. You can pick up a clean one for 225-250k. Thats the way to go IMHO modern interior, moderin avionics, parachute, ramp appeal. That will also leave yoy a lot of money to get properly trained as well.
 
What do you, your wife and child(ren) think about wearing an oxygen hose? The main choices are a mask, a "mustache" cannula or a nasal cannula. These are required for the pilot above 12,500 for a half hour, or when passing through 14,000 feet, and must be available for all passengers.

Look at your route, check peaks, valleys and passes. Plan to be a minimum of 2000' higher when flying IFR, sometimes higher.

It's very doable, and a Bonanza should do fine. If Telluride is your main mission, look for something turbocharged. Mountain flying and winter weather can wait until you're through the PPL, then comes Instrument training.
 
Thomas R. said:
Cirrus SR 22 turbo.. will easily make the flight. Sure its not pressurized but it has onboard oxygen and CAPS. You can pick up a clean one for 225-250k. Thats the way to go IMHO modern interior, moderin avionics, parachute, ramp appeal. That will also leave you a lot of money to get properly trained as well.
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Not for a family of 4-kids grow and and take up space and weight. Looking for a 6 seater, pressurized. Why pressurized? For the altitude which translates into comfort.

Ramp appeal is only for the egotistical. I have a 45 yr old cherokee. I don't care about ramp appeal because I have something so very, very few people have - an airplane. Doesn't matter the color, style or age.

OP, also be aware that even with an airplane that can get to the altitude to deal with the hills, there will be times you'll still take the airlines for weather/safety reasons.

Another thought...lots of MOA and Restricted. Unless the airplane can comfortably criuise above 18K, which requires pressurization for comfort, it's gonna be a longer route.
 
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Pressurized 210 with known ice?
 
Let's just back up and slow down a little. Why not start with flight training at a nearby airport? Don't worry about the best plane for this trip yet, start with the basics.
 
sourdough44 said:
Let's just back up and slow down a little. Why not start with flight training at a nearby airport? Don't worry about the best plane for this trip yet, start with the basics.
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This trip is his primary purpose for learning to fly so I don't think he's out of line looking ahead.
 
Dlion0721 said:
Alright, I'm going to take these responses to mean my idea was crazy (which is probably why I didn't find much googling it). Guess we will continue to do that United nonstop flight to Montrose (unless the lotto comes through)!
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The reality is even with an instrument rating you are going to have days of no go. A small GA airplane after a while is going to be uncomfortable, you are going to be subjected to more turbulence and of course head winds. In the winter time with a low jet stream over the Rockies will make your flight interesting for sure.

Another reality is traveling via airlines for this route is going to be more cost effective than a privately owned airplane. Of course if you are doing it for the adventure then there is no price tag on that.

Slow down, go out and learn to fly. Make some local trips and then branch out into longer ones. By that time your opinion on what will suit your needs will change.

Best of luck with it!
 
Make sure you can pass a medical,take a few lessons ,to be sure you are going to like flying. After you have some hours go out and try a few different airplanes. Then we could probably give you better advise on this page. Good luck.
 
Always amazed at these kinds of threads!
And we wonder why GA isn't on the upswing.

Everybody either recommends an airplane that the OP has no chance of being proficient in or getting insured in as a new PPL holder, or they tell him he's being unrealistic.

To the OP:
Your mission is very doable! In fact, it mirrors my reasons for getting my PPL almost 4 years ago.
I wanted to fly my wife, kids and dogs anywhere and everywhere, but mainly to my ranch in the hill country.
Here's what u do: get your PPL then go straight into instrument training. U should be able to get your IR within 18 mos of starting on your PPL. Don't, I repeat, don't fly your wife or family until u have 100 hrs, minimum!
Once u have your IR, go buy a plane. I chose a T206 because they're dirt simple to fly and they'll haul everything u need to take.
U will not get insured in a pressurized aircraft nor a 210. (Why the guys on this board keep recommending them is a mystery to me)
A bonanza "might" work but useful load and cg issues concern me.
A Saratoga or a Cirrus would also be options.
Know that flying to Telluride with the family will probably not happen until yr 3 or 4 and when it does, it'll take a good 6 to 8 hrs. No big deal though right? You're fulfilling your dream and it's a great adventure!!
Once u get to 400 or 500 hrs u can then start looking at pressurized and or higher performance.

U can do this!! Just have your eyes open going into it, set your minimums, and fly, fly, fly!

Go sign up for lessons tomorrow.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Sierra Victor said:
Always amazed at these kinds of threads!
And we wonder why GA isn't on the upswing.

Everybody either recommends an airplane that the OP has no chance of being proficient in or getting insured in as a new PPL holder, or they tell him he's being unrealistic.

To the OP:
Your mission is very doable! In fact, it mirrors my reasons for getting my PPL almost 4 years ago.
I wanted to fly my wife, kids and dogs anywhere and everywhere, but mainly to my ranch in the hill country.
Here's what u do: get your PPL then go straight into instrument training. U should be able to get your IR within 18 mos of starting on your PPL. Don't, I repeat, don't fly your wife or family until u have 100 hrs, minimum!
Once u have your IR, go buy a plane. I chose a T206 because they're dirt simple to fly and they'll haul everything u need to take.
U will not get insured in a pressurized aircraft nor a 210. (Why the guys on this board keep recommending them is a mystery to me)
A bonanza "might" work but useful load and cg issues concern me.
A Saratoga or a Cirrus would also be options.
Know that flying to Telluride with the family will probably not happen until yr 3 or 4 and when it does, it'll take a good 6 to 8 hrs. No big deal though right? You're fulfilling your dream and it's a great adventure!!
Once u get to 400 or 500 hrs u can then start looking at pressurized and or higher performance.

U can do this!! Just have your eyes open going into it, set your minimums, and fly, fly, fly!

Go sign up for lessons tomorrow.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
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If I fail my check ride again next week I know where you can get a heck of a deal on a low hour T206!

But don't worry, not going to let that happen
 
Sierra Victor said:
Always amazed at these kinds of threads!
And we wonder why GA isn't on the upswing.

Everybody either recommends an airplane that the OP has no chance of being proficient in or getting insured in as a new PPL holder, or they tell him he's being unrealistic.

To the OP:
Your mission is very doable! In fact, it mirrors my reasons for getting my PPL almost 4 years ago.
I wanted to fly my wife, kids and dogs anywhere and everywhere, but mainly to my ranch in the hill country.
Here's what u do: get your PPL then go straight into instrument training. U should be able to get your IR within 18 mos of starting on your PPL. Don't, I repeat, don't fly your wife or family until u have 100 hrs, minimum!
Once u have your IR, go buy a plane. I chose a T206 because they're dirt simple to fly and they'll haul everything u need to take.
U will not get insured in a pressurized aircraft nor a 210. (Why the guys on this board keep recommending them is a mystery to me)
A bonanza "might" work but useful load and cg issues concern me.
A Saratoga or a Cirrus would also be options.
Know that flying to Telluride with the family will probably not happen until yr 3 or 4 and when it does, it'll take a good 6 to 8 hrs. No big deal though right? You're fulfilling your dream and it's a great adventure!!
Once u get to 400 or 500 hrs u can then start looking at pressurized and or higher performance.

U can do this!! Just have your eyes open going into it, set your minimums, and fly, fly, fly!

Go sign up for lessons tomorrow.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
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U R correct, sir! :yes:
 
kayoh190 said:
Pressurized 210 with known ice?
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Bingo, minus for his bank roll I'd also get a turbine conversion, way better and safer for this type of mission.

Turbine pressurized and FIKI C210

That said a fresh PPL + IFR would never be able to get a job flying this mission and there is a reason why. It's not like buying a larger car to take your family on
trips in.

You'll probably want to get your VFR PPL, get some VFR experience, take some mountain courses after a hundred or so hours, get your IFR from someone who actually knows IFR, not just a CFII who only has taught IFR yet never really flown it, build a couple hundred hours IFR in the flat lands, take a freight or 135 pilot with you and start combining all this stuff together.

Actually you'd be best hiring a pilot and SLOWLY transitioning from right seat to left seat.
 
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Before dropping a lot of money on this, make sure that the scenario is plausible. Will the wife and kids be willing to fly in a personal aircraft? Spend some $$$ ahead of time and charter a professional pilot in a plane similar to what we've been talking about and try the flight. Better to know what you might be facing. It seems doable, but know the obstacles you may face so you can plan appropriately.
 
That is a long trip ending in some very turbulent air more times then not. To do a trip this long, with 4, having a pressurized plane is a must. A P210 is the absolute minimum. Even with a 210 you will likely have to make a stop when the wind is in your face. 800nm is a long way for a single.
That trip also is a horrible idea for a newly minted pilot. High altitude in a pressurized single. And long distances can make that a 1 think wrong, bad time trip.
I'd say take commercial until you are very comfortable in and can afford a Cessna 340 or larger.
Considering that you don't even have your private yet, it will be a while


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I'd missed the $300-400k budget for purchase. This idea is not crazy at all, but yearly cost can vary hugely.

In that purchase price range you could buy an SR22T or Columbia. Those will do the job uncomfortably, but will do it. 175 kts roughly.

You could also buy a very nice Cessna 340, 414, or 421 with money left over. Your family will like these planes. Pressurization is nice. $550-700/hr to operate (340 cheapest, 421 most). 200 kts roughly.

You could also in that price range buy a Piper Cheyenne. Turboprops (no more pistons), pressurization, Jet A. Roughly $900-$1k/hr and 240 kts. It's easy to spend $100k/yr on these birds, so it depends on your budget.

If you're starting from nothing, you have learning to do. Every one of us, even the arrogant ones, had 0 hours at one point. The trip you mention is exactly why many start flying themselves.
 
It isn't crazy at all. But it will take some work. Certainly anybody trying to talk you down in this thread believes themselves to be capable of the mission. But because you have no experience some will always be doubters. We all started somewhere.
 
jason said:
FIKI Malibu
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A great plane for passenger comfort and efficiency. The absolute worst airplane I have ever flown in icing. I wouldn't pick this unless I made a personal limit of "no icing".
 
Sierra Victor said:
Always amazed at these kinds of threads!
And we wonder why GA isn't on the upswing.

Everybody either recommends an airplane that the OP has no chance of being proficient in or getting insured in as a new PPL holder, or they tell him he's being unrealistic.

To the OP:
Your mission is very doable! In fact, it mirrors my reasons for getting my PPL almost 4 years ago.
I wanted to fly my wife, kids and dogs anywhere and everywhere, but mainly to my ranch in the hill country.
Here's what u do: get your PPL then go straight into instrument training. U should be able to get your IR within 18 mos of starting on your PPL. Don't, I repeat, don't fly your wife or family until u have 100 hrs, minimum!
Once u have your IR, go buy a plane. I chose a T206 because they're dirt simple to fly and they'll haul everything u need to take.
U will not get insured in a pressurized aircraft nor a 210. (Why the guys on this board keep recommending them is a mystery to me)
A bonanza "might" work but useful load and cg issues concern me.
A Saratoga or a Cirrus would also be options.
Know that flying to Telluride with the family will probably not happen until yr 3 or 4 and when it does, it'll take a good 6 to 8 hrs. No big deal though right? You're fulfilling your dream and it's a great adventure!!
Once u get to 400 or 500 hrs u can then start looking at pressurized and or higher performance.

U can do this!! Just have your eyes open going into it, set your minimums, and fly, fly, fly!

Go sign up for lessons tomorrow.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

I would agree with almost all of this except for the required hours at the end. If he dedicates himself to learning and finds a capable instructor he should be able to make that trip reliably within 200 or 300 hours. If he just goes out to fly around the plains of Texas for 200 hours, certainly not. But if he uses those hours to expand his mission capabilities there shouldn't be any problems.
 
You could do this earlier if you base a car somewhere between Tulluride and Houston and just fly the majority of the way there and drive the rest of it. As you gain experience and get more ratings, you can sell the car and the plane, and buy a mor capable aircraft.

My purpose was to learn how to fly (always wanted to), but also to go visit family more often as they get elderly. Turning a 6-7 hr drive into 2.5 hrs, and a 13-17 hr drive for the inlaws into about 9, with 3 legs.
 
Thanks everybody for all the replies! As is apparent this is certainly a long term goal and I have a long ways to go before it could be a reality. I'm going to go for it though as obtaining my pilots license has always been a dream that I've put off. Worst case is I have a pilots license and a plane that we can use to scoot around Texas and to the Hill Country where we also spend a lot of time. Best case is when weather permitting we can have the freedom to get to Telluride and the mountains in a much more fun way than flying commercial.

Also, my wife and kids have all flown in small planes (a Piper Saratoga) multiple times but just for a short distance (Houston to Austin) and really enjoy it.
 
jason said:
FIKI Malibu
Click to expand...

:yes:

But for now if I were you, I'd rent to get the PPL, take a few flights with the wife and kids locally and get your hours up then figure out what you want to do.
 
Doug, I've flown over 850 nm with the family (four of us) in a Piper Arrow; normally aspirated 200 hp engine. And that was after doing one that was a little over 750 nm with with them in the same Arrow. Both over the flat lands though, or at worst over the Appalachians, which is nothing compared to going over the Rockies.

A lot shorter time than driving. And where we were going quicker than commercial too, even though we live in Atlanta. The destinations were not near hubs. Even from Atlanta it would been at least two legs and the last leg would have been on a puddle jumper.

The Houston-Telluride flight can be long in a GA plane, but the biggest issue isn't distance, it will be the mountains. You'll need turbo charged engine(s) and oxygen or pressurization. Pressurization will be nicer, but also more expensive. Winter trips mean any clouds once you get west are going to be ice risks too.

On a pretty day it would be wonderfully scenic though.
 
After looking at the actual route. A normally aspirating airplane could easily, Ifr no ice, make it to Durango on the airways. Something like a 182rg could make that with 1 to no stops. From Durango you could easily drive or if the weather is good, loop around the west side to telluride.
Something like a 182rg or a36 could do Houston to Durango with 2 adults, 2 kids and luggage comfortably and would take about 5.5 hours to get to Durango with a stop and light winds. Direct in about 4.5 coming back...
A 182RG is something a new pilot can be flying with fair insurance in less than a year.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
A T182RG will carry him through his training and to Telluride with gobs of $$$$ left over.

The turbo Stationair is another excellent suggestion but mucho dinero $$$$!

Pressurized C340 FIKI would be sweet for the family and more GO options.
 
sourdough44 said:
Let's just back up and slow down a little. Why not start with flight training at a nearby airport? Don't worry about the best plane for this trip yet, start with the basics.
Click to expand...

Oh stop! That's just crazy. Why can't he just buy the plane he needs for the trip (that he'll be making two years from now once he gets his ppl, ifr, high power, complex, and mountain experience...) and do his primary training in that? :rolleyes2:
 
JCranford said:
Oh stop! That's just crazy. Why can't he just buy the plane he needs for the trip (that he'll be making two years from now once he gets his ppl, ifr, high power, complex, and mountain experience...) and do his primary training in that? :rolleyes2:
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It took me 15 months from 0 TT to 225 hours and an Aztec.

I didn't train in my Aztec for private, etc., but I did know I was going to go for a de-iced twin from day 1. There's nothing wrong with figuring out a goal and heading for it. Better than many GA pilots who get their ratings and then wonder WTF to do with them.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
It took me 15 months from 0 TT to 225 hours and an Aztec.

I didn't train in my Aztec for private, etc., but I did know I was going to go for a de-iced twin from day 1. There's nothing wrong with figuring out a goal and heading for it. Better than many GA pilots who get their ratings and then wonder WTF to do with them.
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If you really want it, it can be done. I know someone who got into a King Air 90 at 300 hours just recently. He has to have someone right seat for a while for insurance but he did it.
 
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