Crazy Idea

[E_Dawg]

Alright so Iain and I were thinking of going to N.C. in December for the centenial of flight... I was thinking of how to get there when I started wondering how it'd work if I just flew us there. I'd save up for it with summer job(s) so money won't be an issue, plus I could use the hours for the Commercial. I'll have my instrument rating inside of a month so the clouds won't be a problem. Plus I'd 'train' Iain to be able to help and turn what would be a single pilot IFR trip into a 1.5 pilot IFR trip ( ). I've got it all figured out (um in theory anyways) except for one thing: safety.

How smart would a trip like this be? It'll be around 4500nm round trip in a rental (leaving from Socal), and it'd take around 45 hours total in the 172. We'd fly it for around 6 hours a day, equating to about 5 days one way including one day for rest / wx avoidance. Assuming I can get the plane for that long (shouldn't be a problem), there'd obviously be other issues like preheat, maintaince (if needed) and most importantly adverse weather. Come to think of it, it'll probably never happen, but the more I consider it the more I'd like to acomplish it. Any thoughts on this? Have I finally lost it?

P.S. Ironically we'd still have NO access to rental cars once there (STILL too young )!

[flyitup]

Ed,

I'd say go for it! Hmmm.. Thinking back to my Vegas trip, I do believe you were the one that talked Braidkid and I into it and we had a blast! Sure flying across the country is a little longer trip, but with proper planning it can certainly be done safely.

Do it man! In fact, maybe I can rally ole' Braidkid, and we'll meet you there!

[I_Money]

Heck who I am I argue! I say start planning!

[E_Dawg]

LOL flyitup I guess what goes around comes around!

Mainly I'd appreciate any insight as to what route to take, cool airports along the way, common weather for the areas in December, icing considerations (we'll have to be at or above the MEA if in the clouds... and I wouldn't think that flying in clouds at MEA in December across the country is all that great of a plan unless I can get some routing advice and any additional thoughts from other JCers.

[Alchemy]

If you stay south across AZ and NM, and within a few hundred miles of the gulf coast then curve upward along the atlantic coast you'd probably have a decent chance of staying out of icing conditions. Just be flexible with your schedule so you won't be in trouble if you have to stay grounded somewhere for a few days and take lots of cash

As far as some nice airports to stop at in Texas......

San Angelo (SJT) - Class D airport that's GA friendly and has a good chinese restaurant on the field.

Austin (AUS) - Might as well plug my home town, some nice FBO's here and plenty of good eats/hotels if you can get a courtesy car.

Galveston (GLS) - Maybe too far south but I'm pretty sure it won't be freezing along the coast in december. They have museum filled with WWII vintage planes and a botanacal garden/IMAX within walking distance of the field.

[flyitup]

Ed,

While the weather could indeed be detrimental all along your route, I would be most worried about the mountainous terrain in Arizona and New Mexico. MEA's are around 11-12 thousand feet and if you’re in IMC it will most likely be below the freezing level in those areas. As long as you plan enough days into the trip to allow for the little weather deviations, you should be fine.

Also, Braidkid and I flew ten hours per day and it really wasn't too bad. I would say you guys could at least fly eight. Are you going in a newer or older model 172?

Stop at Double Eagle airport in Albuquerque and Francisco will be glad to make you a killer lunch at the upstairs cafe'!!

Have fun!

[E_Dawg]

Well I'd definately fly through those mountains in good VFR, I'm not looking to get killed! It will be an older 172 (I AM a poor college student after all), and yeah we probably could bust out a few more hours per day but I'm planning conservatively!

[Mavmb]

I'm in Phoenix. You can pick me up along the way if you want! The biggest thing about doing that long of a trip in a 172 is having a time frame big enough to wait out icing, thunderstorms, or winds in excess of 30 knots over the mountains.

[flyitup]

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I AM a poor college student after all

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I hear that...

So.. What type of festivities are they having at first flight?? I think it would be really neat to experience that!

[E_Dawg]

Funny thing is, I have no idea... I just want to be there! I DO know that they will be flying the Wright Flyer replica at the exact time 100 years from the first powered heavier than air flight ever.

[flyitup]

[ QUOTE ]
Funny thing is, I have no idea... I just want to be there! I DO know that they will be flying the Wright Flyer replica at the exact time 100 years from the first powered heavier than air flight ever.

[/ QUOTE ]

That would be awesome to see! I wonder what kind of attendance they are expecting?

Ian and Ed,
Screw NC, come on over to Dayton for our big Inventing Flight week in July, especially for the airshow, it's gonna be a pretty awesome sight. Blue Angels, Thunderbirds, and the Canadian equivelant to our Angels and Thunderbirds are gonna be ther. Plus the Air Force meuseum. Sorry but I had to put in a plug for my hometown since we're almost constantly battling with NC over the Wright Bros!

[av8sean]

Ed.. check you email


Funny you post this, I was tossing the idea myself of flying from San Diego to Sun 'n fun in Florida in April. It would be a pretty long and expensive trip though... and I'd probably want to fly something faster than a 172, if not just for safety purposes.


-Sean

[flyguy]

Iain and Ed,

I'll be up in northern California then, and I should have at least my private by then. If you guys want I may be able to fly down and meet you guys in socal, and we can split the bill 3 ways. Also, I'm old enough to rent a car. actually, If we get 1 or 2 more people we could rent something bigger and/or faster and split the bill 4 or 5 ways. Either of you guys have an ME rating? It will take carefull planning but I think its possible and would be a hell of a lot of fun. PM or email me if interrested, but keep in mind I may not be able to do this so we'll have to keep in touch.

[sbav8r]

Stop in at Chandler (CHD) as you go across PHX for some breakfast or lunch. There is a really great restraunt called the Hanger Cafe with awsome food. You won't have any problems getting VFR across the AZ mountains, that time of year is usually beautiful flying until late spring and early summer when the thunderstorms pick up. Just don't get a case of the get there itis, take your time, enjoy your trip and never tangle with mother nature.

[EDUC8-or]

I have access to a house in Nags Head. Real close to Kitty Hawk. Of course I would want to fly up there, but if I drove I could see some of my 'peeps' from NC along the way. That would mean we would have a car while in the OBX. It's beautiful there and you boys from Cali would just love girls from the south.

[ready2fly]

Ed - DO IT!! Man that sounds like the flight of a lifetime!!

You've got plenty of time to plan ahead and save. So - GO FOR IT!!

Good luck!!

If I could help you out in some way, let me know. (although I have no clue as to how )

R2F

[Mahesh]

As far as rental cars, is either one of you at least 21? Enterprise rents cars to people under 25 but over 21, at least they used to when I was in college and needed to rent.

Mahesh

[pilot602]

I've been tossing the idea around for about a year. I was planning on following the gulf coast to the Atlantic then heading north. Should keep ya out of a lot of the really bad stuff.

Getting across AZ and NM VFR will be no problem. If you stay south (go Palm Springs, Blythe, Buckeye, Gila Bend, San Simon, El Paso and once you hit ELP it's flat land - once you get past Gaudalupe Pass, which isn't too bad as long as you stay south) your MEAs will be around 8 or 9,000 (V67, 345 I think, check it out). But if you're VFR you can scoot across that area at 7,500 or so with little problem. Just follow the 10 into Phoenix then head southeast.

The biggest concern I have is KittyHawk itself. It's gonna be crammed full (it's only 3 - 5,000 feet long and its uncontrolled). So if you have to divert it's gonna mean a rental car and some pretty long drives.

I may head to Dayton instead.

Either way I wanna be somewhere of signifigance in Dec.

But I'd do it - it's literaly a once in a lifetime chance.

[jdflight]

Keep in touch about this one. I'll have my instrument multi rating next week, and by mid april my II and MEI. I'm only up in Fresno. I'll be 28 by then. It depends on money at that time of year and scheduling. I rarely schedule anything this far in advance.

Oh, and I would guess they'd put up some sort of temporary tower at Kitty Hawk for the event. Doesn't the airspace around Oshkosh change for the fly-in or something? Same concept.

[bumflip]

[EDUC8-or]

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Hotels are requiring 4-5 night minmum stays and have jacked their prices to $250/night and up during that event. If you stay in Raleigh (about an hour away) the prices are much much cheaper and their are availabilities!


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Raleigh is about a 3-4 hour drive from Kitty Hawk. That's if you're really going fast and you don't hit traffic. When you hit traffic it's BAD. Lots of 2 lane roads for the last 60 or so miles. I would say it's just over an hour flight from Raleigh, but then you throw in a transportation and tie down and things get complicated.

If I were flying in I would park my plane in Manteo. Of course you'd have to do the mandatory touch and go at First Flight, but it's only a 30-45 minute drive to Nags Head and Kitty Hawk from the airport in Manteo.

There's also the option of parking in the Virginia Beach area. There are more airports and you're looking at a 60-90 minute drive to the OBX.

If you guys are serious about the-coast-to coast trip I can make some calls and see about getting a house. It's accross the street from the beach and I can usually get it for free.

[pilot602]

[ QUOTE ]
Oh, and I would guess they'd put up some sort of temporary tower at Kitty Hawk for the event.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah they throw up a temporary tower at Kitty Hawk for other events and i'm sure they'll put one up for this.

But have you ever flown into a temproary tower?

NIGHTMARE!

I flew into the Copperstate (EAA) fly-in and unless it's a big time deal I probably won't mess with that kind of thing again. Damn near total Chaos.

[E_Dawg]

Hey thanks for the positive feedback

I was thinking about it yesterday and I've realized a couple of things:

- I reeeeeeeeealy want to do this!

- School will be an issue (it ends the friday before... if I schedule it right I should be able to leave Thursday afternoon, giving us 5 1/2 days to get there.

- it's gonna take a lot to be able to save the estimated $5G for the all inclusive cost (food, hotels, plane, expenses)... it should be fine once I speak to Iain (ahem)!

- It obviously can be done safely... the problem is if it can be done in 5.5 days. A couple of days of bad weather is all it'll take to prevent us from getting there and the last thing I want to do is feel that dreaded pressure of wanting to make the trip in wx that I otherwise wouldn't fly in. I consider myself a good pilot and one who isn't prone to make those stupid mistakes, but then again no one really thinks they are...

Here are some initial thoughts (this is more of an 'at the most' deal...):
- 50hrs

- $5000

- 6-8 hrs / day taking between 3-4 days to get there (I will only have 5.5 days to make the trip should I decide attempt it)

- I will definately go in with the mind set of just seeing what happens... if we make it to NC on time it's a bonus, if not, we'll still get there eventually and hey we'll miss the crowds!

[av8sean]

If other people in Socal are interested in going.. let me know. Perhaps we can have a convoy ... I'd be more interested in renting a bit more robust plane like a Mooney, or even a twin.

-Sean