What Is Your Longest Cross Country?

I've done San Diego (see) to Houston (sgr) in one day. We stopped twice, once in Yuma I believe and in Ft. stockton. This was in a cherokee six. I've also done from Allentown PA to West Houston in a cherokee 160. We stopped for the night in Charleston, WV and landed at Memphis for fuel on the second day. Both seemed really long...


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Kritchlow said:
Good work, and thank you for your service!!
Do you recall how many hours of flying that was??
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15ish westbound, 17ish eastbound. A real treat :goofy::no:

teejayevans said:
And I assume you had a relief crew as that's SOP for commercial airlines, so you can't count that
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Augmented crew? Yeah put that in the already long list of things Uncle promised me I filled my right hand waiting for :D. My headset broke so I had to wear the helmet all the way there too. I had racoon eye imprints on the sides of my head for 2 days. We did have folding rudder pedals, so I did get to stretch my legs a little.

As opposed to our tanker brethren, we can't stand up all the way in the cockpit of a bomber. The experience is more akin to flying a German U-boat. Though it is true it's even more cramped in the trainers, and you're strapped in tight in the latter, I only have to do that 1.0 at a time, which I much prefer.
 
I did BNA to BJC for the first flight as PIC in the 'kota. That was about 10 hours and 1,000 miles. I've done numerous 6 to 8 hour trips. Haven't had to continue without the aircraft yet but came close once returning from EFD. Diverted for weather and boredom when necessary...
 
Ken Ibold said:
Jacksonville to Gastons, 660 nm, SEEMED like forever in a Pitts. (3 en route fuel stops.) I've flown more than twice as far/twice as long in one day in several other airplanes, but that was easily the most tiring flight I've ever done.

And then I went back the next day.
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I recall a reasonably memorable landing... :D
 
Miami to Johannesburg via Brasil, delivering Cessna 421's.
 
KGTU - MYAT in a PA28R
1092 miles over 2 days
 
Flew my Mooney between KCXO and KFUL several times (1,177nm). Usually 2 fuel stops, but going eastbound, I picked up some nice tailwinds and made it back to KCXO with only one fuel stop in KLSB.
 
Longest trip (Distance and time): Madison, WI to Oregon, down the west coast, and back in a 182. Including mountain flying course, giving family/friends rides, sightseeing, etc. it came to 5800nm and 63.9 hours in the logbook. :)

Longest day (Distance, 1490+nm): Bremerton, WA to West Bend, WI. 11.0 hours in the Mooney. This also included my second-longest leg, from Sheridan, WY to West Bend.

Longest day (Time, 11.6): Round trip: Milwaukee to Madison (to pick up two other club officers) to Baltimore, MD and return all in one day to take a look at the R182 that is now in our club. A fuel stop in Indiana each way too.

Longest leg (Distance, 868nm): Santa Fe, NM to Boscobel, WI 844nm direct, 868nm as flown (via V263 SAF->TBE). One of my favorite legs ever - In the Mooney, at 13,000 feet I was truing 172 KTAS on 10.1 gph. With a nice westerly wind, it took 4:37 in the air and 53 gallons of fuel total!

Longest leg (Time): I think I hit 6.0 once in the Mooney but now I can't remember when it was! Might have been the Sheridan-West Bend leg from above.
 
Saturday I flew Traverse City, MI (KTVC) -> Aberdeen, SD KABR (660 NM) -> Brigham City, UT KBMC (653 NM) -> Petaluma, CA O69 (526 NM). 1,839 NM total.

Departed at 7am east coast time. Landed 6 pm west coast time. 14 hours minus two quick turn fuel stops -- we'll call it 12 hours of flight time.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
I think currently it'd be the Cessna Citation CJ4. Single pilot capable and 2170nm range. That's why it's currently on top of my "lottery airplane list" - I could get to my hypothetical vacation home in Hawaii with it. ;)
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Not to spoil the dream, but better stick to the Caribbean home. Hawaii isn't exactly doable with CJ4. Not enough range, not to mention the critical fuel scenarios and wet foot print.

Citation X on the other hand... :)
 
Freight Dog said:
Not to spoil the dream, but better stick to the Caribbean home. Hawaii isn't exactly doable with CJ4. Not enough range, not to mention the critical fuel scenarios and wet foot print.

Citation X on the other hand... :)
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Bah! Citation X requires two pilots. Sure takes a lot of the "freedom" out of flying when you've gotta find a right seater!

So educate me. KLLR -> PHTO is 1,994nm. CJ4 has a stated range of 2170nm and a long-range cruise speed of 377 KTAS, so we're looking at about a 6-hour trip. (2170-1994)/6 is about 30, so if we can somehow manage an average headwind of 30 knots or less, we should be able to make it, right? No, not every day, but sometimes. (Yes, I know, no Jet-A at Little River. But them getting Jet-A is more likely than me winning the lottery anyway, and KMRY->PHTO is only 18nm further.)

If winds are unfavorable for a westerly run, maybe I'll have to go from Alaska instead. :D
 
Freight Dog said:
Not to spoil the dream, but better stick to the Caribbean home. Hawaii isn't exactly doable with CJ4. Not enough range, not to mention the critical fuel scenarios and wet foot print.

Citation X on the other hand... :)
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Pretty sure the C750 will still have a wet footprint. If you plan it without the wet footprint you may have Oxygen requirement issues.

Pick your poison.
 
Departure: North Eleuthera Bahamas (MYEH)
Destination: Tyler Texas (KTYR)
Flight Time: 11.5 hours (Large Head WIND)
Distance: 1105 NM
Aircraft: Piper Saratoga
 
I just got the green light for an XC from ATL area to Van Nuys, so once completed, that will be my longest. Single engine piston.
 
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