Best Route: KDTO (Denton, TX) to KBFI (Seattle)

AggieMike88

AggieMike88

Touchdown! Greaser!
Joined
Jan 13, 2010
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Denton, TX
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The original "I don't know it all" of aviation.
Home Airfield
KDTO (Denton Enterprise)
Starting to think about taking some vacation time and participating with this aviation event: https://adventure.learnthefinerpoints.com/islands-trip

What does this group suggest as a route?

Aircraft is 1975 C182P. I have gotten it up to 10,000 ft before, but it took a while to get that last 1000. Not sure what it's real world service ceiling is.
 
AggieMike88 said:
Starting to think about taking some vacation time and participating with this aviation event: https://adventure.learnthefinerpoints.com/islands-trip

What does this group suggest as a route?

Aircraft is 1975 C182P. I have gotten it up to 10,000 ft before, but it took a while to get that last 1000. Not sure what it's real world service ceiling is.
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I've been up to about 13 in my '66 J-model, but that last couple 1000' is painfully slow.

Incidentally, I was born and raised on one of the islands so let me know if you have any questions I can help with.
 
Mid-August ... I'd plan two or three alternate routes because that's the middle of monsoon season when moisture and convection flow up from the south into the western states. Sometimes it's only diurnal -- flying early in the day avoids it -- and sometimes it's all day long. Sometimes the southern routes might be clobbered and northern routes ok, sometimes the reverse, or both, or neither. It comes and goes.

Even absent convection, flying early in the day is a good idea, as thermal turbulence over the deserts kicks in by noon.

The lowest-elevation route would be basically I-10 to Southern California then north along I-5 all the way to Seattle. That's also the longest route.

A 182 shouldn't have any trouble getting to 12,500'. At that altitude you can do I-80 through Wyoming to SLC, then Burley, Idaho - Boise - Baker City, Oregon - Pendleton - The Dalles - through the Columbia Gorge to the Portland area, then north along I-5 to Seattle. We did that in our 180-hp 172 from Kansas City to Portland in July a few years ago, no issues. Rock Springs WY is a good fuel stop. In the summer the density altitude can be 9,000' or more, but the runway is plenty long. If you're a Cabela's fan, stop at their home base at Sidney, Nebraska. They'll pick you up at the airport.

Or you could go up to Rapid City and see Mount Rushmore, then I-90 west through Billings, Butte and Missoula to Spokane, all the way to Seattle.

If you do come by way of Arizona, give a shout.
 
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If the weather looks good, go direct. You might want to get an oxygen bottle.
 
With a 10000 foot limit you will need to go the South route.
El Paso to California up the coast to Seattle.
 
Pilawt said:
The lowest-elevation route would be basically I-10 to Southern California then north along I-5 all the way to Seattle. That's also the longest route.
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If you get to Phoenix and weather is good through Nevada and eastern Oregon, you can save an hour or so off the California route by going that way. Either western Nevada: PHX - Lake Havasu - Beatty - Reno - Klamath Falls (see Crater Lake) and Bend; or the more scenic but somewhat more remote eastern Nevada route: PHX - Cedar City (via the Tuckup Corridor through the Grand Canyon SFRA, and past Zion Nat. Park) - Ely - Elko - Burns.
 
I-80 route stays below 9K/10K depending on direction. If you file IFR, that's a different story. The 182 has no problems getting to 12/13K. We run the CAP 182s (no turbo) at that alt all the time in the hills, sometimes higher. Shucks, I can get my little 180hp cherokee to 14.5K. Had it to 15.5 once.

O2 wouldn't hurt - you're a flatlander.

Remember Density Altitude! Just because the altimeter says 9K, the engine doesn't read the altimeter. At this timestamp, ground at KAPA is 5800, but DA is 8170, and it's only early lunch time. The southern route will be lower but much warmer.
 
murphey said:
O2 wouldn't hurt - you're a flatlander.
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Agree. Fortunately the club has a portable kit I can use. Just bring my own cannula.
 
Taking the southern route KSAT to KLPC last month after picking up my Mooney I can say I really wished I had figured out a way to bring my oxygen on the airline(probably would have had to empty, disassemble and then re-fill in Texas). As it was I was picking my way under the clouds at 8500 and getting bounced around. There wasn't much vertical development so 12,500 would have been fine if I could have done it.
 
AggieMike88 said:
Haven't made the transition... Been very happy with the Skylane.
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Makes sense - I love the 182, the "One Plane to Have, When You Can Have Only One Plane (TM)."

But for a trip of that length? Vey!

At $130.00 vs $110.00/ hour, the Bonanza is likely to be cheaper to fly, or darned near it. Factor in the faster climb rate, better up-high performance (cruising 12,500 no problem), might be worth considering. I figure 135 for the 182, 160 for the Bo, and the $/mile works out pretty much as a push.

When you're at hour seven on a hot summer day, and realizing "I'd be in the pool if I'd flown the Bo," you might be thinking twice...

...still, it can feel kind of odd, being the coolest guy at the field because you arrived in a V-tail. And of course, there's no shame in flying slowly. It builds character.

Or (let's be honest) - is it just because the 182's primary colors are maroon and white (Whoop!)?
 
I could take you on the best route and 'splain it all...but I'm not certified....sorry.
 
SCCutler said:
Or (let's be honest) - is it just because the 182's primary colors are maroon and white (Whoop!)?
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That changed 2 yrs ago... and they still used the M for a W like Tim was teasing me at Gastons.

IMG_0943.JPG

It it's still fun to show it off to the public and they think it's a relatively new airplane.
 
Check the light blue line in the middle. Even though I was over 12,500 I had plenty of room under me. Be ready for the low ceiling/traffic pattern at BFI. It's under SeaTac.
 

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If stopping for fuel in the Reno area, try Yerington (O43) instead -- cheap fuel, and a McDonalds a block down the street. If overnighting, bite the bullet for the pricier avgas at Atlantic Aviation at RNO, and try to get it back in the casino at the Nugget, a short cab ride away. If Atlantic isn't busy sometimes they'll give you a ride. Nugget rooms are cheap, unless there's some kind of event in town.

In the Las Vegas area, try Jean (0L7), just under the south edge of the LAS Bravo. If you need to overnight, there's a nice -- but dated -- hotel/casino on the field.
 
I have had 55WB up to 12,500. I did it a while back just to do it. Slow climb after 8000. I cannot remember when, but the weather on the ground was not hot or cold.
 
AggieMike88 said:
Likely what I need to do is go flying and keep climbing until I find out just how up there she can get....
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Bring O2.

It should climb much higher than 10K unless something is wrong with it. Don't be afraid to transition to full RPM, prop all the way forward if you need it. Green arc on the tach is NOT a limitation on that 182. Just a "normal ops range". If you need the prop as flat as it'll go and WOT, use it.

Once you're high enough for less than 65% power, lean it for peak and look at the POH for speeds. Remember what happens to Vy as you climb...

You're just used to the climb rate when the engine is producing more than 65% power! That's why you think it's slow. :) :) :)

We get the 9000' DA climb rate for *takeoff* all summer long... 'round here. So we're more used to seeing less than 500'/min after departure. Y'all fancy people with all that extra O2 down there... you get 1000'+. (It weirds me out when I go to sea level how fast and hard our airplane will climb out. Ha.)

I've had ours up to about 13,800'. And I remember thinking... "There's still 53 mountains around here that I could hit at this altitude..."

Pattern altitude at KLXV is 10,727' MSL... been up there a number of times with the 182.

Crossing Hagerman Pass coming from KASE to the west of KLXV is my favorite way to get there when the weather is good. Need 12,500' to make that "comfortable". I've crossed it a bit lower wishing I had a little more altitude on a very calm but hot day for up there... Once. ;)

42a5fabf442c49fac493f9b41fca0f2c.jpg
 
For Leadville from Denver, I go a bit further south, between Buena Vista and Salida then turn north. A bit longer but the ridge isn't as bad. Never came in from the west.
 
Pilawt said:
In the Las Vegas area, try Jean (0L7), just under the south edge of the LAS Bravo. If you need to overnight, there's a nice -- but dated -- hotel/casino on the field.
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I went through 3 rooms there before getting a refund and staying at the southpoint.. they were dirty.
 
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