Hey All,

I have gotten a taste of cross country flight and loved it. With that said, as planning continues for my first real big solo adventure, I was hoping some might be able to help route or offer great stops on a trip from Maine to Colorado.

I intend to take my time to fly low and slow, just to take it all in. My intentions are to load the 7GCAA with supplies and gear to camp out along the route and grab a little more sense of nature. Maybe even feel what it is like to travel cross country strip to strip.

The idea is to gather great info from groups and people, to meet and maybe even fly with pilots from BCP to gather a greater sense of the GA Community. From what I continue to read, each region or area has so many great places to see and flying to be had that why not reach out to gain the local knowledge and expertise.

I am really looking forward to this next adventure and with your help I know it can be great. Any help is appreciated and maybe sometime I can return the favors.

Thanks,

Matt

Long cross country trips are epic. Have a loose plan and bring lots of maps, but every tank full is a different plan.
I've got a few ideas beyond the next gas stop but only concentrate on this next flight in detail.

Having just completed my second trip across the country and back (third if you count a 1 way ferry), I can say that weather is the biggest factor in route/stop decisions.

Remain flexible and willing to land "wherever the wind blows you" and you can't go wrong. Some of the best times I have had is a result of not being set on stopping points or a hard schedule. Give yourself enough time to make the destination and you will never be disappointed. I have always had camping gear with me, and been able to sleep on the floors and couches of many airports, or pull out the tent if necessary. I avoid delta and charlie airspaces as camping and overnight spots and have always had great luck. The smaller the airport, the better. Most have courtesy cars and if not, I have been able to bum rides from the locals when needed. Most of the time, I am self sufficient, so it doesn't matter!

Hot Springs, SD








Seeley Lake, MT








Whiteside County, IL

Nice, Evan!

If you make it out to CO, drop in and see our adult day care center at KFTGr. There is usually a skywagon project going and sometimes some other interesting stuff. Plus we always have a full fridge and a grill.

AftCG and CrazyIvan, I totally agree and plan on taking the better part of a week to explore on my way out to Colorado. Great tips for sure. Once in CO, I hope to get some great flying in while meeting great people.

Aeropod, Thanks for the invite, I will definitely look you up. That sounds amazing!

August is the set point right now but as I look at routes and hear of great strips, this trip may be extended once started to really explore.

Anyways, Thanks for the thoughts and tips.

Well received.

Matt

Since you're coming from relatively low land country, my guess is that you have little experience with high density altitudes. Around here in August, the DA can be over 8000' off of a 5000' MSL airstrip. What that does to your airplane's performance can be shocking, if you've never experienced it before. Here's an example:



Hard to believe, but both guys walked away from this. They'd tried to take off from old Downtown Fort Collins Airpark, which was 5300' long x 44' wide at just under 5000' MSL, in a newly purchased 150hp Citabria, which they'd bought in Oregon, if my memory is correct. My recollection is that they were not overloaded, but close to gross, failed to lean, and tried to pull it off too soon and too steeply.

So there are a couple of things you must do at high density altitudes.
You must, absolutely must, lean for best power. The way I do it is as a part of normal run-up, lean until the rpm just starts to go down, then enrich about half an inch with the mixture control. That has worked for every airplane I've ever flown (other than turbo'd airplanes, which are a different breed of cat). That includes Cessnas, Pipers, Beeches, Citabrias (both straight Citabrias and Decathlons). With or without an engine monitor, that seems to work as well as any other way you might have heard about.
You must pitch up much less aggressively than you're accustomed to. Think Vy, not Vx, and realize that your climb rate will be much less than you're accustomed to.

Also, don't judge your landing speed or take off speed by how it "seems", because at high density altitudes, the true airspeed and consequently the ground speed will be much increased. Rely on your airspeed indicator, because you'll use the same indicated airspeeds that you normally use--they'll just "feel" faster, because you'll be traveling over the ground faster.

There's lots to see across Middle America. It can be a really fun excursion. Just take it easy, and like has been said, weather will be the biggest issue, as it is with any cross country trip. Have fun!

Cary

X a bunch on what Cary says about Density Altitude.

Fly the indicated airspeed. Peripheral vision will make you FEEL too fast.
Peripheral vision "sees" speed close to the ground more than straight ahead vision.

First time you put your tires down on a hot high runway you may think you forgot to grease your wheel bearings.
Would be nice if runways expanded in length relative to heat.

The sad thing is, that should have been totally doable in a 150hp Citabria.

It can be hard to fight the reflex to pull back because things aren't going "up" well enough, but forcing the issue will put you in the trees.

Cary wrote:Since you're coming from relatively low land country, my guess is that you have little experience with high density altitudes. Around here in August, the DA can be over 8000' off of a 5000' MSL airstrip. What that does to your airplane's performance can be shocking, if you've never experienced it before. Here's an example:



Hard to believe, but both guys walked away from this. They'd tried to take off from old Downtown Fort Collins Airpark, which was 5300' long x 44' wide at just under 5000' MSL, in a newly purchased 150hp Citabria, which they'd bought in Oregon, if my memory is correct. My recollection is that they were not overloaded, but close to gross, failed to lean, and tried to pull it off too soon and too steeply.

So there are a couple of things you must do at high density altitudes.
You must, absolutely must, lean for best power. The way I do it is as a part of normal run-up, lean until the rpm just starts to go down, then enrich about half an inch with the mixture control. That has worked for every airplane I've ever flown (other than turbo'd airplanes, which are a different breed of cat). That includes Cessnas, Pipers, Beeches, Citabrias (both straight Citabrias and Decathlons). With or without an engine monitor, that seems to work as well as any other way you might have heard about.
You must pitch up much less aggressively than you're accustomed to. Think Vy, not Vx, and realize that your climb rate will be much less than you're accustomed to.

Also, don't judge your landing speed or take off speed by how it "seems", because at high density altitudes, the true airspeed and consequently the ground speed will be much increased. Rely on your airspeed indicator, because you'll use the same indicated airspeeds that you normally use--they'll just "feel" faster, because you'll be traveling over the ground faster.

There's lots to see across Middle America. It can be a really fun excursion. Just take it easy, and like has been said, weather will be the biggest issue, as it is with any cross country trip. Have fun!

Cary

Really great points. I am continuing to read up and talking with my buddy (flight Instructor) about this and how to identify hazards. I do not have alot of experience with high DA. My trip from California to Maine was quick to say the least and some effects were noticed but nothing to build experience on.

The insight from all is great and I hope you keep it coming.

Any info on great grass strips to park for the night? What is all this about Ohio Bush Planes? Figured I would make a stop there to get the skinny.

I've found that some of the best places to stop on long XC's if you plan on spending the night are city/county run airports without a big FBO business, but that have fuel. They will typically have a courtesy car and often a small lounge that is accessible by a key code (normally unicom). Said lounge typically has a couch in it to sleep on. Airport managers of those airports seem to go out of there way to make people want to stop there so they can sell fuel to support the airport. When there's an actual FBO, there seems to less free stuff, and less 24/7 access.

You will most likely be north of there, but if you make it to Kentucky, my parents have a downstairs apartment on the farm that they rent out on airbnb. I'm sure I could get them to them to lower the price very substantially for ya if you needed to stay for a night. It's about a half mile down the road from KGLW and they offer to pick people up at the airport who are staying there. Just an offer.

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/18632176?s=51

Have fun!

-asa