I just completed a flight from Arlington WA to Southern California, AZ, TX, OK, IL, OH and to my home in eastern PA. It took about 12 days. Weather and a few mechanicals delayed the trip in places. First time I ever tried something like this. It was fun, challenging, frustrating and exhilarating. The people I met along the way were some of the best people I’ve ever encountered. It was a once in a lifetime experience. The only real criticism I could think of is the self fueling system at many airports. I don’t know why so many are in such bad shape and why the pumps can’t be as easy to use as the ones at your local gas station. Put a credit or debit card in turn the handle and start pumping. None of this nonsense of whats your tail number and do you want gallons or dollars. Putting gas in an airplane is complicated enough without all the questions at a screen you can hardly see. Just my opinion
Cross Country
- Thread starter Jim B
- Start date
Yeah I concur with you that it's a hassle. The tail number requirement was explained to me as a quick means of tracking others in the event a bad batch of fuel was discovered.
I go into one place that requires the entries you described and has the added bonus of the system crashing when it's hot out.
I go into one place that requires the entries you described and has the added bonus of the system crashing when it's hot out.
MauleSkinner
Touchdown! Greaser!
What kind of airplane were you fueling?!?
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Long cross countries are great. I did CA to VA in three days and I think I learned more in those three days of flying than I did in the ten years prior. Mountain-wave is no joke!
Sounds like a nice haul! I do that same stretch each year (ex California, my end is normally AZ). And I love it. Hopefully it was memorable for you!
100% on the gas pumps. I've been to some places where it was not at all intuitive how the gas pump worked. I'm sure it's expensive for airports to upgrade - but getting somewhere near the 21st century would be good. Not sure why they prompt for tail#... Unless you need that on your receipt for some reason.
Mileage
Pre-takeoff checklist
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Would love to hear more details (e.g., equipment and routing, what kind of mechanical problems etc)
FPK1
Line Up and Wait
What tail # so we can see your flights and perhaps learn a little about routing?
Vashon Ranger
I can answer a couple of those:
1) The dollars/gallons is a preapproval thing. Filling a plane is going to vary tremendously in cost depending on the plane. Auto gas stations place a hold of $50-200 on your card when you swipe it and don't allow you to pump unless the cards network says you're good for it. A very small plane might take as little as $100 in a fill-up, but it's really going to be between $100 and many thousands. So the work around is that you tell it how much of a hold to put on and it does it for that amount. The good news is that you don't really have to think about it. It has no real impact on your card if you just default to the capacity of your tanks (e.g. 42 gallons in my c172M) instead of stopping and thinking about what you actually expect it will take to top you off.
2) Agreed the quality generally stinks on the fit and finish of the systems out there. That's just the cost of serving a very small market. These are not mass produced systems and FBOs have no incentive to replace them unless they break. Pilots don't make a buying decision based on the UX of the pump at the FBO. They pick pretty much entirely based on either price or location. If you need fuel, you need fuel. It's not like you're going to skip getting a load and instead make an additional stop somewhere else because the pumps are much better.
Again, a couple reasons:
1) They prompt for the tail so they can try and track you down if they become aware of a fuel issue.
2) Some fuel networks or incentives, and some FBOs give discounts for volume. This is like exchanging your phone number for a rewards program at Walmart.
As with the gallons/dollars above, you can simplify by just hitting a few numbers repeatedly and hitting enter. Less thinking and saves a few seconds if you don't have a reasons to share the info.
Interesting! I'm totally the opposite. I hate the occasions when I pull up to a pump with an auto-style handle that seems to take forever.
AA5Bman
Line Up and Wait
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My standards for gas pumps have dropped to the point where I’m just thrilled when I can get a pump to work.
Taxied over to self-serve this weekend and it was broken AGAIN. Called for fuel, told it would be a 30 minute wait, so I taxied all the way across our Class C airport TO the gas truck to expedite. I haven’t looked at the receipt, too frustrating - I’m sure I’ll still be charged for the callout.
Taxied over to self-serve this weekend and it was broken AGAIN. Called for fuel, told it would be a 30 minute wait, so I taxied all the way across our Class C airport TO the gas truck to expedite. I haven’t looked at the receipt, too frustrating - I’m sure I’ll still be charged for the callout.
Dana
Final Approach
My plane only holds 12 gallons. With a typical airport nozzle I have to slip a piece of hose onto the nozzle to fuel the plane without spilling (the fuel cap is under the top wing). Auto style nozzles make my life much easier.
That's wild. I'm not the most experienced pilot in the world, but I've flown probably seven or eight different types over the years. Never had that experience. If you happen to have a pic, I'd love to see the details.
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I agree about the gas pump, especially on a high-wing. May be it is easy for those who do it all the time. Swipe the credit card, find the handle to turn on the pump, find a ladder, pull the heavy nozzle and the hose up the ladder without tripping over the grounding wire, and then start pumping. Even after that, you can't relax your arm and let the nozzle rest against the inlet. The weight of it can deform the tank inlet and top skin. While pumping you have to carefully guess when to ease up on the nozzle. If you keep going at full speed, the fuel will splash on your face when it reaches full (ask me how I know).
I figured out a while back that I could insert the nozzle down to a "near full" level in the tank and listen for the change in noise when the fuel got to that level. Then I back out the nozzle and fill more slowly for the last 5-10% of the tank.
Dana
Final Approach
I don't have a close-up here, but if you zoom in you can see the fuel cap on the top of the fuselage under the top wing.
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FPK1
Line Up and Wait
What tail # so we can see your flights and perhaps learn a little about routing?
KirillMetrik
Filing Flight Plan
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That sounds like an awesome trip. WA to PA with the southern route through CA/AZ/TX/OK/etc. in a Vashon Ranger must have been a real adventure, especially with weather and a few mechanical delays mixed in.
I like how you described it as fun, challenging, frustrating and exhilarating. That seems like the perfect description of a real long cross-country. The flying is one part of it, but the airports, people, weather decisions, fuel stops, and little problems along the way are probably what make it memorable.
I also agree on the self-serve fuel pumps. I understand why they may ask for tail number or gallons/dollars, but the user experience at some airports feels like it was designed by people who never had to use it on a hot ramp with sun glare on the screen. It’s funny how something as basic as buying fuel can become one more aviation “procedure.”
Would be interesting to hear more about the route and what the mechanical issues were. Sounds like the kind of trip where you learn a lot more than on local flights around the home airport.
I like how you described it as fun, challenging, frustrating and exhilarating. That seems like the perfect description of a real long cross-country. The flying is one part of it, but the airports, people, weather decisions, fuel stops, and little problems along the way are probably what make it memorable.
I also agree on the self-serve fuel pumps. I understand why they may ask for tail number or gallons/dollars, but the user experience at some airports feels like it was designed by people who never had to use it on a hot ramp with sun glare on the screen. It’s funny how something as basic as buying fuel can become one more aviation “procedure.”
Would be interesting to hear more about the route and what the mechanical issues were. Sounds like the kind of trip where you learn a lot more than on local flights around the home airport.
EvilEagle
Pattern Altitude
What did you use to plan your routes? I used AdventurePilot for many years but it's no longer. It had nice features like things to see along the routes in addition to lunch spots, etc.
unsafervguy
En-Route
you will change your mind if you buy a plane that takes 100 or so gallons.......
Looks like a great trip, but Oh So Close!...
Why not add a bit and hit the most NW, SW, SE and NE airports in the US (that whatever plane you're flying can safely get in/out of). I have the NE, SE and an airport in the NW, but trying to figure out which one might be more NW that I can fly into. I also still need to get the SW, Death Valley and Leadville. And also AK and HI to check off my states (don't think I'll fly TO HI though).
Don't short change yourself on not checking out the coast of Maine while in the NE
pburger
Pre-takeoff checklist
I don't have any problem entering my N-number. I manage the fuel at our private airport in Texas. The aviation fuel is not taxed the same as automotive fuel. The state requires the N-number of all planes that the fuel is dispensed to, and that information is subject to audit. I think they don't want a bunch of guys filling up cans of "the blue fuel" for their hot rods.
I've been flying for close to 40 years now (), and for the most part, the self-serve fuel process has been pretty darned good. Every once in a while there will be one that is out of service, or has a dial-up connection that takes three tries to connect. Many years ago the self-serve pump was OOS at a NE Texas airport that shall remain nameless. I had to call someone out to fuel me. He couldn't come out for several hours, so I took a cab to town (pre-Uber days) had lunch & saw a movie. As you said, you met a lot of great people - ain't it the truth? Airplane people are generally good people. Add to that the experiences - that pot of gumbo that was shared with you, that museum that happened to be in that little town that you weren't even planning on stopping at, those hot girls that used to fuel the planes at Bay Minette (aka - "Babe" Minette), that lunch and movie in that small NE Texas town, the lady at Leadville that wouldn't sell you fuel in your Cherokee 140, etc. It's all part of a large tapestry that when seen as a whole is beautiful, despite a few wrinkles here and there.
I've been flying for close to 40 years now (), and for the most part, the self-serve fuel process has been pretty darned good. Every once in a while there will be one that is out of service, or has a dial-up connection that takes three tries to connect. Many years ago the self-serve pump was OOS at a NE Texas airport that shall remain nameless. I had to call someone out to fuel me. He couldn't come out for several hours, so I took a cab to town (pre-Uber days) had lunch & saw a movie. As you said, you met a lot of great people - ain't it the truth? Airplane people are generally good people. Add to that the experiences - that pot of gumbo that was shared with you, that museum that happened to be in that little town that you weren't even planning on stopping at, those hot girls that used to fuel the planes at Bay Minette (aka - "Babe" Minette), that lunch and movie in that small NE Texas town, the lady at Leadville that wouldn't sell you fuel in your Cherokee 140, etc. It's all part of a large tapestry that when seen as a whole is beautiful, despite a few wrinkles here and there.
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I have some time constraints, otherwise I would try to cover more places. I am targeting about a month, give or take, for this trip. Can always do it again! BTW, I fly an M20J.
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Yes, I am landing at KFFA. The map above is not high resolution. There are over 30 stops.
MooneyDriver78
En-Route
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I be ready to adjust plan based on the weather and would have alternate destinations
TooTall
Pre-Flight
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I agree 100%! Pain in the Ass and many don't work. Those 2" hoses and nozzles are overkill even for twins. And try reading some of those friggen screens in the sun or when aged. When at my home airport, I use auto fuel as I've got a tank in my truck with auto shutoff nozzle etc..
Attachments
RussR
Final Approach
I used to fly a Cessna 421. Piston twin with 100 gallon fuel capacity - per wing! I hated fueling the thing with anything other than the industrial-strength high pressure, high flow fuel nozzles. On lower-flow systems, my hand would start getting cramps before I was done.
RudyP
Cleared for Takeoff
RudyP
Cleared for Takeoff
Well that explains it - my tanks are literally 50x bigger than yours!
