Flying a 172 from MI to CA

[turbojet28]

Hey everyone,

Doing some thinking here about how to build some hours for my commercial in a few months and myself and my current instructor are toying with the thought of taking a 172 on a journey from MI to California and back. I am estimating the total hobbs on the a/c to be about 40 hours give or take. I was just wondering if anyone else on here has ever done a similar large trip and if they had any insights to offer. I figure if I'm gonna be spending the money anyway, why not do something very cool and say that I've seen the country from a 172? Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks!

Joel

[jtrain609]

I went from Dallas, TX (Arlington, specifically) to southeast, Michigan (Ann Arbor, specifically). It took 26 hours all told by way of Memphis to drop off and pick up Kellwolf.

It was boring as hell, but it was also easily one of the coolest things I did to build time. Check the blog for details:

http://www.johnherreshoff.com/blog

[towhook]

Do it! Building time for my comm I flew from N. AZ to ND and back. One of the best experiences of my life. Leave the instructor at home.

[pilot754]

Hello,

I am in the Los Angeles, CA area. Currently based out of Van Nuys, CA airport (KVNY). I have taken a c-172 from here to Portland, OR and Seattle, WA and back. Went with a fellow friend of mine 1 yr older and same ratings I had. My thoughts are if your Private - Instrument already go alone. That is how you will learn to work the system on your own. However if not feel comfortable flying IFR (Solid IMC) single pilot then take a CFII. jetpilot@gmail.com
I am 24 and have 1262 TT and 125MEL tonight!.

[MusketeerMan]

I hope to do it soon just for kicks...take my plane somewhere farther than a flight from NorCal to SoCal..

Why the instructor?? Do you have to pay for him hourly as well?

[jrh]

Originally Posted by towhook

Leave the instructor at home.

Seriously. Why do you need an instructor to build time for your commercial ticket? Instrument rating I can see the need, but not for commercial.

Doing a trip like that solo or with a non-pilot friend will teach you ten times as much as the best instructor could ever teach you. It'll make you a much more competent commercial pilot, which is, after all, the point of building all that time.

[mtsu_av8er]

One of the best things I did, right after I passed my instrument checkride, was flew a trip from ISO to OLV in a 172, alone. Just about 600 miles, across some ruggest terrain, a bunch of it at night. It builds character.

[wrxpilot]

Anyone have some rules of thumb for time involved on these long trips? I'm flying from Colorado to south FL and back in a 172 RG this December for some comm time building. Using AOPA flight planner for some preliminary estimates, it looks like it'll take about 22 hrs R/T. I'm adding on 3-4 hrs just in case.

What I don't want to do is run into a get-there-itis situation. So I want to make sure I allow plenty of time... So far I'm thinking I'll make plans for 3 days travel time each way. The one thing that really concerns me is ice. Don't want to be messing with that stuff, and there will probably be some around in December.

[turbojet28]

Thanks for the replies, everyone. The reason I was going to take my instructor is because we are fairly good buddies and he was willing to pay for half the time if we do hood/safety pilot stuff. Still not planned in full yet, so we'll see.

[KLB]

My student just gave me the ok, a couple of days ago, to fly the skymaster and him to Las Vegas on the October 27-29, then a short hop over to California, and back to Dallas. I hope that I can stick around to do this trip. I estimated it will take between 5.5 to 6.5 hrs to get to Las Vegas with light winds and without a fuel stop. The aircraft has about 9 hrs of endurance. We'll probably be stopping in ABQ.

I want to go IFR. Any of you guys no some of the lower MEA's out that way? We've got a service ceiling of about 18,000ft, but I don't plan on going any higher than 12,500 or 13,000 at the most.

[TFaudree_ERAU]

I've got you all beat. I flew a 152 from Montgomery Field, San Diego, CA to Hummel Field, Topping, VA (over by the Chesapeake Bay). 24 hours flight time total, 3 1/2 days. I'm 6'2" by the way. It wasn't fun, but I after I had a few days to recover, I was ready to do it again.

I also flew an Ercoupe from Hummel to Sherman Field, north of DFW, TX, and back, and then again to Gainesville, FL.

Those kinds of trips make many memories. I'd highly suggest anyone who ever gets the opportunity to fly a small airplane across the country to jump on it like mold on old bread.

[tonyw]

We just had a guy fly from the DC area to Salt Lake. He's done this kind of trip before and loves it.

[wrxpilot]

Originally Posted by KLB

I want to go IFR. Any of you guys no some of the lower MEA's out that way? We've got a service ceiling of about 18,000ft, but I don't plan on going any higher than 12,500 or 13,000 at the most.

Here's a real easy way to handle that... You are an AOPA member right? Download their free flight planner, give your departure/destination, your highest cruise altitude, and choose airways. It'll route you based on airways available to you at your MEA/cruise altitude.

[ComplexHiAv8r]

Originally Posted by wrxpilot

Here's a real easy way to handle that... You are an AOPA member right? Download their free flight planner, give your departure/destination, your highest cruise altitude, and choose airways. It'll route you based on airways available to you at your MEA/cruise altitude.

I like the AOPA Flight planner!

[TFaudree_ERAU]

The AOPA planner is so good that it was approved as our flight planner and weather information source in our 135 ops specs.

[tinman]

172 from S. Utah to N. Iowa. 13 hrs out, 12 back. One of the coolest trips I've done. Took my wife and made a vacation out of it. You learn a lot about what you're able to do on a trip like that.

[wrxpilot]

Originally Posted by tinman

172 from S. Utah to N. Iowa. 13 hrs out, 12 back. One of the coolest trips I've done. Took my wife and made a vacation out of it. You learn a lot about what you're able to do on a trip like that.

I bet you do. The longest trip I've done so far was from south FL (LNA) to Atlanta (LZU) in a 172 last year. It was only about 500 nm, but wow did I learn a lot. Can't imagine what those longer trips are like, sure will be a confidence booster.

[pezpilot]

If your instructor is your buddy, he's offering to help pay, and you don't have to pay him...Awesome! You could keep current and fly an approach in VFR conditions at every airport w/ him being the safety pilot. Although, if you want a true experience, I'd go solo. I've flown from coast to coast (going west will seem forever!) in a 172. It's a great experience and the best way to see the Country.

[PanJet]

Originally Posted by wrxpilot

Anyone have some rules of thumb for time involved on these long trips?....What I don't want to do is run into a get-there-itis situation...

You already basically said the best rule of them there is. Give yourself a lot of time to play with, and don't be afraid to change plans. It may be as simple as an hour delay, or an entire route or destination change. If you're flexible, you'll get a lot more done and be safer doing it. If your plans give you three hours between your return and something like your wedding or some other time sensitive thing, I wouldn't bet on it.

This summer I went on two long trips in an Arrow. One from SE Washington to TX and back to central CA and back to WA, about 28 hours total, and another smaller one from SE Washington to north central Minnesota and back, about 18 hours round trip. For the most part everything went well, with a couple short delays, but that's why I planned with extra time, and it worked out just fine.

[Captain_Bob]

32 hours round trip from CRG in Jacskonville, Florida to IWA in Phoenix and back! Friggin' awesome time. 2000 miles in 4 days as an instructor with a student! Totally awesome way to build my dual given and gain experience as an instructor since I was just starting out instructing.

If the instructor is paying half, then go for it... if not... then, like others have said... leave him at home!

The flight planning, seeking alternates, understanding your fuel burn, flying into different weather patterns than you local ones, different airspaces, different terrain, and basically taking the chance to step outside your comfort zone and realize it's not really that bad... is priceless.

Bob

[vheissu]

Great advice everyone. I, too, am planning my first long XC since getting my PPL for this weekend. Palm Springs CA to Durango CO. Definetly not as far as some of the others, but it should be a great time

[wrxpilot]

Originally Posted by PanJet

Give yourself a lot of time to play with, and don't be afraid to change plans. It may be as simple as an hour delay, or an entire route or destination change. If you're flexible, you'll get a lot more done and be safer doing it.

Thanks PanJet,

That's exactly what I'm planning on doing. I'm even creating an alternate route that will take me along the gulf coast in case the mid-west gets iced up. Appreciate the advice.