The Big Trip

[Kitch]

So next Thursday 9/8 we set of on the longest trip we have done so far PYM-BBG. I'm planning PYM-IDI-I42-BBG. The airplane has the endurance for longer legs but 3 hours at a whack is good for me. Doing this trip VFR as I'm not yet rated (working on it). Any advice, feedback, or must sees along the way is appreciated.

Very very excited to make this trip !!

 

[Rgbeard]

A thousand + mile trip is fabulous! I do a few every year, and wouldn't have it any other way.

Slow and steady does it.
Watch for the weather to change.

Here's a fun tip:
Separate out a little stupid-small overnight bag with BARE essentials (a deodorant stick, fresh undies and a fresh t-shirt?) so that if you find yourself overnighting somewhere before reaching your destination, you don't have to unpack the whole plane.

 

[WDD]

• Make sure and call to get a weather brief. Not only very helpful with weather, but also with anything else to keep an eye on (hot MOA, etc.)
• Get Flight Following

 

[frfly172]

Weather will be your biggest problem if going VFR. Be ready to alter your route around the weather if possible. Be prepared to have an overnight or two that you don’t have scheduled. Good luck and remember to enjoy the flying.

 

[geezer]

Fly the routes to instrument standards, and do the approach at each destination, in VFR conditions. That will develop your scan, and make the IFR training and check ride much easier. That scan habit will make your Instrument training go much faster, and with less stress

I had about 20,000 miles of Skyhawk speed long cross country, mostly flown to instrument standards. My Instrument instructor was amazed that he rarely called me for altitude or lateral deviations, even on approaches.

Remember, when flying approaches VFR, watch for traffic and give way to anyone in the normal pattern.

I spent a lot of time enjoying the scenery, and also returned on a different set of airways, either for weather advantage, or just a change. Have a great time!

 

[Kitch]

A thousand + mile trip is fabulous! I do a few every year, and wouldn't have it any other way.

Slow and steady does it.
Watch for the weather to change.

Here's a fun tip:
Separate out a little stupid-small overnight bag with BARE essentials (a deodorant stick, fresh undies and a fresh t-shirt?) so that if you find yourself overnighting somewhere before reaching your destination, you don't have to unpack the whole plane.

When we used to fly cattle class we did the small essentials bag, and planned too GA as well.

• Make sure and call to get a weather brief. Not only very helpful with weather, but also with anything else to keep an eye on (hot MOA, etc.)
• Get Flight Following

Good call. I rarely call and get a weather brief before we take a cross country. Just do my own weather research. On this trip A wx brief will be in order.

I always utilize flight following if I am leaving the local area.

@frfly172 I have several alternates planned along the way if we need to bail out and wait for weather. I was hoping to be rated by now but… life lol

@geezer I’m very thankful my primary instructor was a borderline pr!ck about heading and altitude. It’s definitely making instrument training much easier not having to learn to do that amongst everything else going on. Was back and forth on shooting approaches into each stop but definitely leaning towards do it that way.

 

[iamtheari]

For what it’s worth, the instrument rating just makes your weather decision making more complicated. It’s worth having but you spend more time trying to figure out if you can go or not. Have a great trip!

 

[mandm]

So next Thursday 9/8 we set of on the longest trip we have done so far PYM-BBG. I'm planning PYM-IDI-I42-BBG. The airplane has the endurance for longer legs but 3 hours at a whack is good for me. Doing this trip VFR as I'm not yet rated (working on it). Any advice, feedback, or must sees along the way is appreciated.

Very very excited to make this trip !!

I’ve flown out of PYM before. Suggestions will depend upon your experience and number of hours.

1) Bring extra oil & clothes
2) Make sure you have your tow bar, and anything needed to secure your airplane (tie downs, chocks, etc)
3) For newer to you airplanes I would stick to airports with controlled towers & use flight following
4) If you use foreflight with adsb-in you’ll get weather radar which is extremely helpful. Start your journey, avoid the storms, stay VFR.
5) Have a plan for inadvert IMC conditions, note your heading, make a 10deg bank turn 180deg to get out, and land at another airport to regroup and replan.
6) Be mindful of fuel, nearby airports for emergency landings, and be prepared to make decisions to go above or below cloud decks.
7) 3 hour flight plans can turn into 4 hours flight time easily especially for newer pilots. We do not fly perfect straight lines, we have to deviate for airspace’s, weather, traffic, etc.
8) It’s easier to fly in daylight, if flying at night, keep visual with ground lights. When it’s too rural with no ground lights, end your trip early and land. It’s difficult to know if you are VFR or IMC at night so only ground lights help.

Have fun!

 

[sourdough44]

I’m sure you have onboard weather of some flavor, mind it & adjust plans accordingly. Most any given day, part of that day will be flyable, VFR.

Be flexible, it’s almost that one should change plans or divert just to practice, be that flexible.

 

[Kitch]

So we made the big trip and to say it was PHENOMENAL would be an understatement !! The weather was great for the whole trip. The route ended up being PYM-IDI for an overnight IDI is a great GA friendly airport used the crew car for the night, and the airport manager has a deal arranged with the local hilton garden inn for $99. We left there and went to FRH via the YRK VOR choose that route because there was a TFR over Columbus for our "fearless" leader at the new intel plant. Landed FRH got fuel met the dogs it was a little bumpy so we grabbed the crew car there and went on a hunt for Larry Bird. We didn't find him but we found DQ for lunch. Launched out of there for BBG landed just a little before 6pm cst on Friday 9/9 the jet center treated us great for the 9 days we were there. On Monday we flew over to HUT for lunch with my wife's family. Coming home we left Saturday 9/17 in the morning HUF for lunch with my wife's nephew then back to IDI for the night. Sunday morning we finished the trip up back to PYM.

This was the kind of trip I bought an airplane for. We are already planning our next long trip back to HUT around Christmas time instead of driving like we usually do. I highly recommend anyone that has not done a trip like this in their own airplane to DO it. You have to plan a bit more, and use your head but the experience is amazing.

Thanks for all of the advice.



Just south of Williamsport PA



Home of the NIttany Lions

1st night in IDI

The Ohio river if my memory is correct





Final FRH

I'm spoiled at PYM...self serve fuel sucks lol

One of FRH security guards... beautiful canary dogs, and super friendly

@Jim K is that you ?

The Big Cedar golf courses just off of BBG

Final BBG

 

[1000RR]

Awesome pics and sounds like an amazing trip - nicely done! Great looking plane too!!

 

[NealRomeoGolf]

The last two years I've flown from Illinois to Idaho/Utah and back and they've been fun. This year I don't get to do it. Autopilot is broken anyway. Would be less fun.

 

[Jim K]

So we made the big trip and to say it was PHENOMENAL would be an understatement !! The weather was great for the whole trip. The route ended up being PYM-IDI for an overnight IDI is a great GA friendly airport used the crew car for the night, and the airport manager has a deal arranged with the local hilton garden inn for $99. We left there and went to FRH via the YRK VOR choose that route because there was a TFR over Columbus for our "fearless" leader at the new intel plant. Landed FRH got fuel met the dogs it was a little bumpy so we grabbed the crew car there and went on a hunt for Larry Bird. We didn't find him but we found DQ for lunch. Launched out of there for BBG landed just a little before 6pm cst on Friday 9/9 the jet center treated us great for the 9 days we were there. On Monday we flew over to HUT for lunch with my wife's family. Coming home we left Saturday 9/17 in the morning HUF for lunch with my wife's nephew then back to IDI for the night. Sunday morning we finished the trip up back to PYM.

This was the kind of trip I bought an airplane for. We are already planning our next long trip back to HUT around Christmas time instead of driving like we usually do. I highly recommend anyone that has not done a trip like this in their own airplane to DO it. You have to plan a bit more, and use your head but the experience is amazing.

Thanks for all of the advice.

View attachment 110794

Just south of Williamsport PA

View attachment 110796

Home of the NIttany LionsView attachment 110797

1st night in IDI View attachment 110799

The Ohio river if my memory is correct



View attachment 110801

Final FRHView attachment 110802

I'm spoiled at PYM...self serve fuel sucks lolView attachment 110803

One of FRH security guards... beautiful canary dogs, and super friendlyView attachment 110805

@Jim K is that you ?View attachment 110807

The Big Cedar golf courses just off of BBG View attachment 110809

Final BBG

You were too far south... we haven't started up here yet. That's kind of a neat picture though... notice how he's taking the ends off, but not the center portion? It's probably still too wet to take the whole field, but having the endrows done speeds things up considerably when he comes back for the rest.

I hope you stopped by the West Baden Springs hotel? FRH is a nice place. Cheap fuel and they even found me an empty t-hangar to stick my plane in when there was freezing rain in the forecast.

 

[Kitch]

You were too far south... we haven't started up here yet. That's kind of a neat picture though... notice how he's taking the ends off, but not the center portion? It's probably still too wet to take the whole field, but having the endrows done speeds things up considerably when he comes back for the rest.

I hope you stopped by the West Baden Springs hotel? FRH is a nice place. Cheap fuel and they even found me an empty t-hangar to stick my plane in when there was freezing rain in the forecast.

Interesting. My grandfather was a part time farmer in Maine so I’ve always been interested in the bigger farming operations out west. I usually spend a day driving around central Kansas every Christmas time to all the tractor dealers.

We did drive by West Baden but didn’t go inside. FRH was a great stop and a possible future long weekend trip.

 

[ahmad]

The last two years I've flown from Illinois to Idaho/Utah and back and they've been fun. This year I don't get to do it. Autopilot is broken anyway. Would be less fun.

I am training for my ppl. I flew a light sport for years so I have some flying experience. After I get my ppl I would love to fly from Illinois (KMVN) to Los Angeles in a 172. It is a bucket list item. Maybe some day when I am ready I will reach out to you and pick your brain.