Considering flying cross county (OH to CA) VFR

XM also adds TFRs, although you might not want to rely on them 100%.
 
zaitcev said:
XM also adds TFRs, although you might not want to rely on them 100%.
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I just attended a WINGS seminar tonight where pilots complained the TFRs (even from FAA emails) are not "legal".

The ONLY place the FAA guy said that is authorized to give them - DUAT and DUATS.

(Though I think 800-WX-BRIEF as well?)

I was surprised to hear a guy yelling at the FAA / WINGS rep about something but he said the DUATS are text and not graphics, to which the FAA guy responded "well we all know how to use a plotter and a sectional and draw a 30 nm radius around a point . . . "

Or something. I guess Airnav and other sites show you TFR's on a map but there is legal jargon saying they are not "official".
 
steingar said:
Y'know, after dodging T-storms on the way to the show without it, I say a VFR pilot really doesn't need it. You have the Mark II eyeballs, and Flightwatch for the stuff you can't see over the horizon. Seriously. I had it, but now that I don't, I don't miss it anywhere near as much as I thought I would.
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I've had XM weather (on a 496) for years. As a VFR pilot, IMHO, on a cross-country flight of the O.P.'s magnitude, XM weather is the most important safety feature he can add.

XM has completely changed VFR cross country flying -- for the better.
 
kimberlyanne546 said:
I just attended a WINGS seminar tonight where pilots complained the TFRs (even from FAA emails) are not "legal".

The ONLY place the FAA guy said that is authorized to give them - DUAT and DUATS.

(Though I think 800-WX-BRIEF as well?)

I was surprised to hear a guy yelling at the FAA / WINGS rep about something but he said the DUATS are text and not graphics, to which the FAA guy responded "well we all know how to use a plotter and a sectional and draw a 30 nm radius around a point . . . "

Or something. I guess Airnav and other sites show you TFR's on a map but there is legal jargon saying they are not "official".
Click to expand...

Yes, 800-wx... is legit.

DUAT will draw you a picture. But not as part of the "Briefing". I always look at both.

DUAT will show you where stadiums are at. But there is no single source to know if the anti-banner tow TFR's are active. Rumor has it that your local ATC knows...
 
I like the challenge of snooping out weather from 500' AGL with nothing more than a windscreen, a sectional, and a whiskey compass, but when I have to be somewhere, it's IFR, XM, and 'spherics for me.
 
Add me to the xm for vrf crowd.

In 5 1000 odd mile trips I haven't "needed" it on one outboud leg and one return leg.

The long range strategic planning it allows has proven invaluable many times, some times even on local area flights where I see the pop up t-storm is parked over the airport, let's do a few more steep turns to kill a litte time before heading back kind of way.

I'd also wager I've saved enough in fuel avoiding long diversions to nearly cover the not insignificant cost of my GDL69. (Felt like an ass when garmin put xm on portables shortly after plunking down the coin for the onboard set up)
 
kimberlyanne546 said:
I just attended a WINGS seminar tonight where pilots complained the TFRs (even from FAA emails) are not "legal".

The ONLY place the FAA guy said that is authorized to give them - DUAT and DUATS.

(Though I think 800-WX-BRIEF as well?)

I was surprised to hear a guy yelling at the FAA / WINGS rep about something but he said the DUATS are text and not graphics, to which the FAA guy responded "well we all know how to use a plotter and a sectional and draw a 30 nm radius around a point . . . "

Or something. I guess Airnav and other sites show you TFR's on a map but there is legal jargon saying they are not "official".
Click to expand...

Now that is funny for an FAA guy to say that...considering the FAA has their own TFR page that includes graphics!
http://tfr.faa.gov/tfr2/list.html
 
Fearless Tower said:
Now that is funny for an FAA guy to say that...considering the FAA has their own TFR page that includes graphics!
http://tfr.faa.gov/tfr2/list.html
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"Depicted TFR data may not be a complete listing. Pilots should not use the information on this website for flight planning purposes. For the latest information, call your local Flight Service Station at 1-800-WX-BRIEF. "
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
"Depicted TFR data may not be a complete listing. Pilots should not use the information on this website for flight planning purposes. For the latest information, call your local Flight Service Station at 1-800-WX-BRIEF. "
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You know it is bad when the FAA doesn't trust itself......
 
The IR does add a lot more flexibility, but it also depends on the mission and equipment. In a normally aspirated piston single the gain, especially in something that goes less than 150k, may not be so much. It can still get you through a deck to true VFR on top, or an approach through a few thousand foot layer without much added risk. Enroute, between layers with no ice also becomes easier.

Over Lake Michigan at night in IMC, perhaps not so wise- summertime thunderstorms, winter ice, etc, then a low powered single may not be the best idea.

Otherwise, it becomes a combination of sferics, NEXRAD, on board radar, de-ice, and another engine, or some combination of these.
 
First draft of flight plan:

Tuesday 11/1:
Home airport - KALN (about 3.25 hours)
KALN - 9K8 (about 3.25 hours)
9K8 - KDHT (about 2.0 hours)

Wednesday 11/2:
KDHT - KGNT (about 2.2 hours)
KGNT - KEED (about 2.9 hours)
KEED - KVCV (about 1.2 hours)
KVCV - LHS (VOR) - KOXR (about 1.0 hours)

Thursday 11/3:
Available as extra travel day in case things change.

I have a CFII (the guy who I did my primary training with) coming along in the right seat. That way we can do some instrument work along the way. Plus, it never hurts to have a co-pilot in case of fatigue. That, and I don't want my first flight over mountains to be solo!

As you can tell from my initial plan, I got more conservative as I got towards the rocks. Looking at the charts, your options to divert seem limited. Thus, my preference for a series of shorter hops.

I'd appreciate any comments/critiques/criticisms of the plan.
 
Sounds awesome. If you end up doing it, post a blog for everyone to follow!
 
Update - looking at the winds aloft forecast for 9,000' it seems that heading towards northern Louisiana first and then shooting straight across Texas might be better (at least on Tuesday). Wednesday we're gonna have a headwind and there's just nothing for it.

Any of the real weather gurus on here care to comment?

I'll post a revised draft of a flight plan after my son goes to bed (he's currently hogging my iPad...).:nono:
 
Camarillo is closer than Oxnard. Santa Monica is even closer to your destination of Malibu. If you are hesitant of flying in the LA basin you needn't. SoCal controllers are among the best. If you want to avoid any perceived hassle of SMO, CMA is very GA friendly.

Instead of EED you should consider HII for a fuel stop and on-field BBQ ribs or light meal. Instead of VCV, go to APV. Lake Hughes VOR also has a colocated AWOS. Flying in that area may bring some strong up/downdrafts or other adverse sky conditions.
 
Revised flight plan:

Tuesday:
Home airport - KHVC
KHVC - KOSA
KOSA - KBFE

Wednesday:
KBFE - KGNT
KGNT - KHII
KHII - LHS (VOR) - KSMO
 
Morne said:
Tuesday:
Home airport - KHVC
KHVC - KOSA
KOSA - KBFE

Wednesday:
KBFE - KGNT
KGNT - KHII
KHII - LHS (VOR) - KSMO
Click to expand...

That looks like you lost your marbles, unless you want to meet someone in Brownfield. KBFE is much too far south. KDHT was reasonable.
 
sba55 said:
IFR, it's easily doable in a day. Done it many times - granted, in a plane faster than a 182, but it won't make more than 4-5 hrs difference.

VFR, it's also easily doable in a day if the weather cooperates. If it doesn't cooperate - and it's likely that at some point it won't - you'll have to plan for 1-2 extra days to wait out the weather. This is especially true as a new pilot since you are better off waiting for the wx to clear than to push it.
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Um ... I'm IFR with a little over 5000 hours and I have yet to make Oshkosh from the Sacramento area in a 182 in any less than 2 days .. I plan for four days and hope to make it in two, and that is in the height of summer with very long days.

I think 14 hours from Ohio to SoCal is very doubtful ... 20 is more like it westbound and a couple less eastbound.

The pic on my address is the 182 at Iowa City that we barely got to in daylight after leaving at daybreak a few years ago.

Jim
 
zaitcev said:
That looks like you lost your marbles, unless you want to meet someone in Brownfield. KBFE is much too far south. KDHT was reasonable.
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There's a bunch of forecasted strong headwinds at 9,000' that I'm trying to detour around. North Texas/Oklahoma and northeast of there.

My CFII wanted to go all the way down to Louisiana to dodge it - we compromised at Arkansas.
 
Richard said:
What do you know about flying pressure patterns?
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A whole lot, and I *STILL* wouldn't go that far south. Besides, it is WAY in the hell too early in the game to believe anything about the weatherguesser's opinions of what will happen next week.


Jim
 
weirdjim said:
A whole lot, and I *STILL* wouldn't go that far south. Besides, it is WAY in the hell too early in the game to believe anything about the weatherguesser's opinions of what will happen next week.


Jim
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I agree on both counts, it's too far south AND too early to guess.

I'm less inclined to say one lost their marbles for a certain routing.
 
Too early? Folks, I'm leaving for the airport right now...
 
I've done Philly to Denver, and back a few times and Denver to Kentucky and back a few times also.

Have fun!
 
Updating from Hot Springs, AR!

The weather this morning sucked. Freezing fog...
381455_10150352459968650_546033649_8307143_1899660928_n.jpg

First, I had to wait for the Citation to quit blocking my hangar (he stated taxiing when the camera came out):
388658_10150352457723650_546033649_8307121_2131773618_n.jpg

Looking down Hangar Row:
389671_10150352457428650_546033649_8307117_1352468342_n.jpg

I swear, it was even foggy inside my hangar:
378708_10150352458708650_546033649_8307133_337171172_n.jpg

In Arkansas, they picked today to burn the soybean fields:
308591_10150352459168650_546033649_8307135_145975127_n.jpg


390578_10150352459403650_546033649_8307138_1585240528_n.jpg


388805_10150352459663650_546033649_8307140_1849931770_n.jpg


Skipping Little Rock:
295738_10150352458058650_546033649_8307127_715870297_n.jpg
 
kimberlyanne546 said:
Keep the updates coming. It looks like an eventful trip so far.
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You asked for it...

BTW, cleared 100 hours today.

Took off from KHOT and flew VFR over the top to KONY. Halfway there I start getting carb ice. Made me a little nervous, glad my instructor was in the right seat.

KONY had some stiff winds, but closely aligned to a runway, 16G26 or somesuch. Gassed up and got gone ASAP.

Going from KONY to KROW we ran into "BLDU". For those who don't have all their METAR acronyms memorized, that's blowing dust. Had to go to 7000+' to get over it. Then the "moderate" turbulence kicked in near Lubbock. The turbulence hung in there the whole way to KROW, landing with winds 28G40 (20 degrees off of runway).

Will post pics later. Considering hitting KABQ instead of KGNT for the night. Less than 600 miles from KABQ to KSMO anyway...
 
Morne said:
You asked for it...

BTW, cleared 100 hours today.

Took off from KHOT and flew VFR over the top to KONY. Halfway there I start getting carb ice. Made me a little nervous, glad my instructor was in the right seat.

KONY had some stiff winds, but closely aligned to a runway, 16G26 or somesuch. Gassed up and got gone ASAP.

Going from KONY to KROW we ran into "BLDU". For those who don't have all their METAR acronyms memorized, that's blowing dust. Had to go to 7000+' to get over it. Then the "moderate" turbulence kicked in near Lubbock. The turbulence hung in there the whole way to KROW, landing with winds 28G40 (20 degrees off of runway).

Will post pics later. Considering hitting KABQ instead of KGNT for the night. Less than 600 miles from KABQ to KSMO anyway...
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Congratulations on breaking the 100 hour barrier. And what a cool way to do it.
 
It should be beUtiful behind the freight train cold front that caused those great 40 wind gusts.
Sounds like a good trip so far!
 
I was too lazy to drive to airport to check upon Morne, but I called a couple of FBO desks... He's nowhere around ABQ (unless he decided on Atlantic). Hopefuly made it to Grants. Let's not start worrying until tomorrow.
 
zaitcev said:
I was too lazy to drive to airport to check upon Morne, but I called a couple of FBO desks... He's nowhere around ABQ (unless he decided on Atlantic). Hopefuly made it to Grants. Let's not start worrying until tomorrow.
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You called multiple FBOs?

I'm sure he appreciates this.

I hope he posts an update soon and sees your concern, so that we know he is OK.

Kimberly
 
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