Leisurely VFR XC to KFFA - logistics?

CRQFlier

CRQFlier

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CRQFlier
Looking for some tactical advice. Been flying 20+ years but have never gone coast to coast. Son and I are planning a 2 week round trip this summer - San Diego to Kitty Hawk and back.

Current plan is fly in the morning 5-6 hours - done by noon - then hangout wherever we are in the afternoon. The thinking is 5-6 days enroute each direction. This is all about sightseeing along the way so we're doing it VFR and hitting small fields every couple hours - Class D max.

Current thinking is look at the weather the night before then figure out where we go the next day and find a strip with a motel nearby. Is that the best? Or you think we'll hit no-vacancy during the summer? Do you map it all out now, make reservations and deal with cancel fees, etc? Should we only overnight at fields with FBO/mechanics on site or just deal with vagaries along the way?

Just trying to gather some thoughts, maybe some new perspectives and advice I haven't considered.



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4 hours/day would be a better number based on a 12 day 4400nm flight I did.

I changed my stops after the trip had already began. FBO/Maintenance as priority never crossed my mind.
 
I don't think I personally would book hotels too far out. plans most likely will change. bring a tent or two maybe?
 
Having some maintenance available is usually a priority for us. My Master switch plastic cracked in two in Corinth, MS one Saturday morning. Fortunately it was still operable to get to a place to fix it Monday morning. We've also replaced the o-rings on our primer while on the road.
 
Note, that there's no overnight at FFA (or any services for that matter). There are lots of good airports nearby however. KMQI is the closest but KONX has treated us nice and has really cheap fuel ($3.99)
 
We are finding hotel rooms pretty much available and cheap. (Covid?) Our stop in Carlsbad was great (KCNM) and you can spend a day in the caverns. We also pack a tent and air mattress & sleeping bags so we can camp on the ramp, or do a FBO hobo.
 
You can check the airport FBO reviews on airnav.com and you will know in advance the fuel prices.
 
CRQFlier said:
Current plan is fly in the morning 5-6 hours - done by noon - then hangout wherever we are in the afternoon. The thinking is 5-6 days enroute each direction. This is all about sightseeing along the way so we're doing it VFR and hitting small fields every couple hours - Class D max.

Current thinking is look at the weather the night before then figure out where we go the next day and find a strip with a motel nearby. Is that the best? Or you think we'll hit no-vacancy during the summer? Do you map it all out now, make reservations and deal with cancel fees, etc? Should we only overnight at fields with FBO/mechanics on site or just deal with vagaries along the way?
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One of the most enjoyable trips we took, back when our kids were small was the year we decided on a Friday night that we were going to take off for a few days without any real planning. It was decided that our first stop would be the Grand Canyon. The next day we were touching down at KGCN by about 12:30 in our Cherokee. (750 miles with a stop at KSKX for fuel) We spent the day at the Grand Canyon, got a motel and planned the next day’s adventure in the evening. It was exciting and fun just to “fly by the seat of your pants” so to speak, not knowing where we would be going until the night before. Each day brought something new, and often unexpected. The first day we were almost stranded at the airport because the car rental place was out of cars. We questioned our sense of adventure for about 30 minutes until someone just happened to turn a car in. We were off and running and never looked back. Each day was a truly a new adventure. All planning was done using paper charts and a pay phone to 1800-992-7433. When it was all said and done we had traveled nearly 2000 miles in 5 days. It was awesome! This was back around the turn of the century, so the tools that you have at your disposal information wise just on your phone are far superior than we had, so I would think it would be even easier to plan each day. It was on this trip that I solidified my belief that the journey is more often than not, the pinnacle of your trip, not necessarily the destination. Travel with an open mind and a positive attitude and it will be one of your most memorable trips! Good luck and have fun!
 
Sounds like winging it is the consensus so far. We'll probably pick out a couple dozen "targets" between here and there. Hit some if they fit into the upcoming day.

@piper180 That sounds about like what we hope for except we have a defined midpoint. We'll likely end up zig zagging around a bunch.

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Domenick said:
I did a 6600 nm, month-long, west coast to east coast trip some time back. You may find my planning, prep, and flight log informative.
http://www.demonick.com/flying/S43-DKX-SUA-S43/index.html
Hand-coded webpage so basically just photos and text--nothing fancy.
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Excellent. Super helpful. Your original flight day 8 looked to be brutal RAS-RYN. And your actual PEQ-DMN leg is exactly what I'm not looking forward to. That stretch is hot, windy, pretty desolate. Great adventure. Thanks for the link.

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flyingron said:
Note, that there's no overnight at FFA (or any services for that matter).
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Because I will be flying here next month I researched this statement. My plan was to spend the night nearby.

The FAA website (https://www.airport-data.com/airport/FFA/) says the following:
MAX OF 24 HRS PARKING PERMITTED. NO MORE THAN TWO OVERNIGHT STAYS PER MONTH.

I'm hoping this is correct. I'm going to call the park service on Monday and verify.
 
CRQFlier said:
Excellent. Super helpful. Your original flight day 8 looked to be brutal RAS-RYN. And your actual PEQ-DMN leg is exactly what I'm not looking forward to. ...
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I'm glad it was helpful. Day 18 was the planned route RAS to RYN.

The worst part about the Pecos,TX (PEQ)-DMN (Deming,NM) leg was the anxiety about making it into DMN before dark. The turn back to Hondo,TX and waiting out the weather had cost me some time. It had been a long time since I'd flown at night, and I never enjoyed it.
 
The best advice I can give is to be FLEXIBLE. You WILL have fun if you DONT ever get anxious about a decision to go, which can be done if you adopt the “no doubt if any doubt” philosophy, which encourages bringing non spoilable food and sleeping bags!

I have about a quarter of what you propose under my belt with my son in an open cockpit Pietenpol when he was 18. A cherished memory is a vast understatement! Enjoy!

Put KAPT on your route, take an evening on a old Chris Craft on the TN river.

Look up 4RNB (on here), he has a wonderful Air BnB about 45 minutes from Kitty Hawk.
 
While you might want to do it all VFR, don't be afraid to use your instrument rating to be safer and get where you need to be.

In general, as others have said, you should be flexible and ready to make changes to your plan. Cell reception isn't always bad in the air, so you may look at making reservations in the air or just prior to departure. Better than showing up and asking for a room.

When it comes to choosing airfields, give consideration to those that have shops on board.
 
N1120A said:
...In general, as others have said, you should be flexible and ready to make changes to your plan. ...
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Be VERY flexible. I once had a 3-day trip take 11 days. On another trip I was stuck at Klamath Falls,OR for 2 days waiting for weather to clear around Mt. Shasta after being stuck at home for a couple days waiting for fog to lift. Been stuck in Ellensburg,WA overnight, Medford,OR for 4-days, Hays,KS for a night or two, Grant,NE for a night ... I think you get the point.
 
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Understood. I might incorporate a bit of IFR to reposition out of low layers, haze, mvfr, etc. Not cross major fronts. So a bit of versatility. But I definitely want this to be a visual trip. So hopefully I'll have flexibility to adjust daily while still making forward progress (albeit perhaps diagonal vector progress).

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Keep things flexible. Land short if the weather is less than supportive or add a 'long day' if weather is moving in behind you. You can always hit some local wrestling tournament that sucks up all the motel rooms, but usually you can find something, even if its not at your usual level.
 
weilke said:
Keep things flexible. Land short if the weather is less than supportive or add a 'long day' if weather is moving in behind you. You can always hit some local wrestling tournament that sucks up all the motel rooms, but usually you can find something, even if its not at your usual level.
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Good point about looking behind to see what weather might be gaining on us.

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My rule on any long trip: Bring a cooler full of beer. If you ever find yourself uncertain about flying because of weather, mechanical, or any other questions, immediately crack one open and have a sip. A forced 8-hour break from complicated ADM can save your life.

Also, you never know when having a cold beer to offer could answer your other questions like ground transportation or lodging.
 
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