Flying to Florida

ScottM

ScottM

Taxi to Parking
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iBazinga!
For three years I have been wanting to fly my Cherokee down to Florida. But family, job, and other issues have always gotten in the way. But I am going to try again next month and I am looking for some advise.

The route is to be done in three legs. This is mostly related to bladder capacity issues!

The flight will be IFR but I understand that WX may affect some of those plans do to freezing conditions.

Attached are three .pdfs of my proposed route. I picked the intermediate stops based purely on convenience and a quick review of the airport data, but I would love some local input on good places to stop. Especially for lunch.

My destination is currently KCLW as that is close to my step-dad's apartment. But he cannot pick me up so I need car rental access. I have not yet called the people at CLW to see what is available but if it is not workable I am not opossed to going into St. Pete airport or Albert Whitted.

Looking for any input that anyone may have on routing or anything else.
 

Attachments

  • Florida-Leg1.pdf
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  • Florida-Leg2.pdf
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  • Florida-Leg3.pdf
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Well, you already know about the weather and to give yourself a little wiggle room. Plus it looks like you're staying west of the more mountainous parts this side of the Rockies, which is a good thing since it ought to give you more altitude to play with. Your route looks reasonably direct, plus good and fun. I'd say you should stop by KIPT on the way, but we're just a hair off your route. ;)

One thing that I am working on at this point for trips like what you're talking about is the idea of getting an oxygen system. I don't know what your plane's service ceiling is, so it may be of no benefit to you. I recall the Archer's ceiling is 14,000 ft, and the Mooney's is 16,000. In looking at some of the trips I've got planned in the Mooney over the next few months, it would be really nice to be able to get up high, both because of the advantageous tailwinds and also because of the potential of getting over some weather that may be problematic en route. Granted the other problem is that you still have to get back down through it, but if it's only en route it may improve your ability to get where you're going. Probably not helpful for you, but just a thought. I know that for my return trip from Tony's party I'd like to be able to climb up to 16,000 ft (FL180 would be even better), catch a tailwind, and probably make it back home without burning much fuel and at a rapid speed! :yes:

As to the rental car, that should be a non-issue. Enterprise picks you up, and I'm sure they've got a location nearby given your destination.

Make sure to take lots of pictures, it sounds like a fun trip! Hopefully the weather will cooperate with your plans.
 
That's all pretty far west, or east, of where I've flown down south... landed at Rome, GA once, that's about the closest to your route. Not much to say about that airport except that they have several runway options, and friendly staff.

FWIW, just in case you are forced to detour east because of weather (which you might; often there's a significant difference in conditions on either side of the Appalachian chain), I'd definitely recommend a stop at Hendersonville, NC (0A7). Just a nice little airport in a nice little town, a good place to get stuck. :D there's even a tiny air museum with its own strip practically next door (http://www.wncairmuseum.com/ )

If you're IFR, of course nearby Asheville would be better; not sure if there's even any kind of approach for 0A7. I stopped there once, too, just for fuel. Typical Class C, but with a lot of high terrain and very tall towers nearby.

But chances are good you won't have to veer east like that...

Whatever you do, plan and fly smart, and have fun!!:yesnod:
 
Scott, I'll lend you my Mountain High O2 system (Providing I can find both bags :rolleyes: )

You might just need to top off the tank.
 
Rob Schaffer said:
Ted,.. that would be the Appalachian Mountains :yesnod:
Click to expand...

You are correct! I just don't like referring to anything on this side of the Mississippi as "mountains." Having seen the Rockies and what Europe has to offer, I now realize that all we have over here is graduated hills. ;)

Which reminds me, I miss those places. I want to go back. :(
 
Landed at CSG for my brother's Airborne graduation in the spring. Nice big(ger) airport. Everything was closed when we arrived after 10pm local. If you're landing after dark and the tower is closed, have a nice airport diagram. I don't know why, but that airport was difficult to navigate in the dark. Friendly folks at the FBO desk. They seem to be used to catering to biz jets, so rental car, etc. shouldn't be a problem there if necessary. SS 100LL was cheap enough to offset the 'tie down fee' they charge for not buying fuel from their truck. Coming out, watch out for the C-130's pushing little green meen out the sides over Ft. Benning. ;)

Dad landed at MGR last week enroute to Orlando. He didn't mention anything negative about the area.
 
Scott, make the first stop KJWN and I'll host the visit and give you a place to sleep if interested. It's only about 35 minutes from your proposed first stop.
 
Scott,

One problem with CLW is it's closed an hour after sunset. This time of year you are probably better planning on St Pete or Whithed for a night arrival then pop the plane to CLW the next day.
 
RMCN172RG said:
Scott,

One problem with CLW is it's closed an hour after sunset. This time of year you are probably better planning on St Pete or Whithed for a night arrival then pop the plane to CLW the next day.
Click to expand...
I thought I would be ok landing there after dark based on what I saw on AirNAV
LNDGS PERMITTED 0700-2100, TKOFS PERMITTED 0700 UNTIL 1 HR AFTER SS WHICHEVER IS EARLIER.
Click to expand...
Are they really just closed?
 
i've done almost the exact same flight in a cherokee before on a ferry flight. for your 2nd stop may i recomend 2j9. it's a very very nice little strip. nice runway. no taxiways, so you taxi across the grass to the fuel pump which is VERY Cheap. the grass is in great condition, no worries.

You might also look at BGE. Very cheap FS gas there too.

Just a thought. have a great trip!
 
RMCN172RG said:
It could be just for takeoffs 1 hour after SS. It has been 17 months:mad2:
Click to expand...
I am starting to really toward PIE. It is not that much further and still convenient to my step dad place.There is an Avis rental on the field and the comments about the FBO are really good.

While I am sure that CLW can set me up with a rental car I am an 'ultra special, uber discount, free upgrade' level customer at Avis, I like using them a lot.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
You are correct! I just don't like referring to anything on this side of the Mississippi as "mountains." Having seen the Rockies and what Europe has to offer, I now realize that all we have over here is graduated hills. ;)

Which reminds me, I miss those places. I want to go back. :(
Click to expand...

Tha Appalacians can be as dangerous at the rockies as they manufacutre ice like nothing else.
 
smigaldi said:
I am starting to really toward PIE. It is not that much further and still convenient to my step dad place.There is an Avis rental on the field and the comments about the FBO are really good.

While I am sure that CLW can set me up with a rental car I am an 'ultra special, uber discount, free upgrade' level customer at Avis, I like using them a lot.
Click to expand...

I returned to Avis then Cabbed back to CLW when I picked up the plane. Other than no Cab's on Sunday morning AVIS at PIE was great.
 
Scott,

If you think about coming down the east side of Atlanta, The Flying Machine is a nice restaurant on my home field of LZU. Fuel is $$ there, though.

Better gas prices and another excellent restaurant can be found slightly to the east at WDR. And the best 100LL price in the area, slightly to the north, is at 19A. I have heard 47A has good gas prices too, but that is a little out of my usual way...

I might even be coaxed out to meet you for the proverbial $100 hamburger. :drink:
 
Some real good advise so far. I had hoped ATL Class B was similar to or better than ORD''s and would let me go by. But it looks like they sent Brent to Alabama to get around it.

Here is the revised flight path. Still two stops, now it is 10C to KJWN and then onto 2J9 with a final destination of KPIE
 

Attachments

  • P20081107221240.pdf
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Scott, can you go GPS direct? There's really no good route down the west side of ATL on the airways that you can count on. More than once I've been routed as far west as GAD when I wanted to go closer.

As to the dest, PIE is much nicer than CLW but probably pricier. The only times I've gone to PIE I parked in front of Larry Olson's hangar so the ramp fees were pretty reasonable. I do believe you can land at CLW at night. And it's been several years but the last time I landed at Whitted they were very GA friendly with no ramp fees etc.

If you're not adverse to overwater, you can fly V97 south from HEVVN (or SZW) but this does leave you 20+ nm offshore. At least the water is warm enough that life jackets would keep everyone alive long enough to get picked up.

What's your comfortable range? One of my favorite stops is KRNC but that's 420 nm from 10C. The have cheap gas and a nice terminal. The fuel is full service so you have to make sure you arrive when they are open though.

Closer alternatives for your first stop would be 0M4 (Camden, Tn) and 0M5 (Waverly TN). I've been to both and they were OK except I'm not certain you can get inside to a bathroom at either after they are closed (call and ask). I think that GLW has very expensive fuel.
 
lancefisher said:
Closer alternatives for your first stop would be 0M4 (Camden, Tn) and 0M5 (Waverly TN). I've been to both and they were OK except I'm not certain you can get inside to a bathroom at either after they are closed (call and ask). I think that GLW has very expensive fuel.
Click to expand...

0M5 had big temporary X's on the runway last weekend. Proceed with caution.
 
lancefisher said:
Scott, can you go GPS direct? There's really no good route down the west side of ATL on the airways that you can count on. More than once I've been routed as far west as GAD when I wanted to go closer.

As to the dest, PIE is much nicer than CLW but probably pricier. The only times I've gone to PIE I parked in front of Larry Olson's hangar so the ramp fees were pretty reasonable. I do believe you can land at CLW at night. And it's been several years but the last time I landed at Whitted they were very GA friendly with no ramp fees etc.

If you're not adverse to overwater, you can fly V97 south from HEVVN (or SZW) but this does leave you 20+ nm offshore. At least the water is warm enough that life jackets would keep everyone alive long enough to get picked up.

What's your comfortable range? One of my favorite stops is KRNC but that's 420 nm from 10C. The have cheap gas and a nice terminal. The fuel is full service so you have to make sure you arrive when they are open though.

Closer alternatives for your first stop would be 0M4 (Camden, Tn) and 0M5 (Waverly TN). I've been to both and they were OK except I'm not certain you can get inside to a bathroom at either after they are closed (call and ask). I think that GLW has very expensive fuel.
Click to expand...

I will be a /G aircraft, what is the route to which you refer? I do have life vests and rafts I prefer to stay over land unless I have a really good reason to be out that far over water. I have done the SRQ to Albany, GA run a a couple of time so I know that area pretty well.

For range, my plane can do the 420NM but my bladder and butt seem to prefer about 3.5 hours max
 
Hi,
Your route looks fine. Just make sure you know how to handle all the airspace such as C and B , you will be flying in or close to. If you have good WX, why are you going IFR? Do good flight planning and use flight following and enjoy. The FAA is currently on a rant about deviations!! Flying over the Appalacian Mts is no big deal unless you have ice or strong winds aloft. If there is ice in the forecast you shouldn't be flying anyway. Also, Fl can have strong surface winds in the winter after a front goes through which also would make for a long flight home. Above all, look for cheap 100LL.
Captain JC
Retired Airline Pilot
Cessna 182, Baron B55
 
Hi,
The FAA has advised their ATC controllers to report ALL deviations which exceed the FAA IFR regs. I don't know if they are all doing it but I would be very wary. This has been mentioned in several GA publications.
Until my recent retirement from a major airline, I served on the ALPA Air Saftey commitee. I had the pleasure of working directly with the FAA.
Fly safe,
Captain JC
 
I see you are currenly flying for an airline. How do you like your Cessna 337? Almost bought one last year but found a super deal on a 77 B55.
Have a good 1,
JC
 
jdcpilot said:
Hi,
The FAA has advised their ATC controllers to report ALL deviations which exceed the FAA IFR regs. I don't know if they are all doing it but I would be very wary. This has been mentioned in several GA publications.
Until my recent retirement from a major airline, I served on the ALPA Air Saftey commitee. I had the pleasure of working directly with the FAA.
Fly safe,
Captain JC
Click to expand...

OK, I misunderstood. I thought "deviations" was being used in another context.
 
smigaldi said:
I will be a /G aircraft, what is the route to which you refer? I do have life vests and rafts I prefer to stay over land unless I have a really good reason to be out that far over water. I have done the SRQ to Albany, GA run a a couple of time so I know that area pretty well.

For range, my plane can do the 420NM but my bladder and butt seem to prefer about 3.5 hours max
Click to expand...

The V97 runs pretty much straight from SZW (the VOR just north of Tallahasse) to PIE but as I said this puts you out in the Gulf 20-30nm, well beyond gliding distance. Including CTY in the route won't add more than 8nm and keeps you over land most of the way with one point where you get about 10nm offshore. Add another 7 if you want to stay entirely over land assuming Tampa approach doesn't send you offshore as they often do.

My recommendation is to try and make your first stop in TN not KY as I always find the fuel prices significantly higher in KY for some reason (taxes?). If you don't care about price, BWG has one of the nicest facilities in the state and they treat the little guys like they were flying big iron. Last time I was there the fuel was about $.50/gallon higher than the cheapest places in KY. 0M4 and 0M5 are less than 390 nm from 10C and baring a stiff headwind should be reachable within your 3.5hr bladder limit. 0M5 is almost 10 nm closer but requires that you deal with a MOA and a restricted area which may or may not be active.

From there I'd head for KEUF as my second stop. I can't recall ever landing there (my range and speed eliminate the need), but they seem to get rave reviews on Airnav and the fuel price is pretty good. It isn't SS so make sure they will be open when you arrive. I've found that many FBOs like them will stay open an extra hour if they know for sure you are coming (call from your first fuel stop and confirm your ETA).

As long as you are /G I'd forget the airways and simply file direct to dest. You could put one VOR in your plan that happens to be on the route for the first leg such as MTO or CMI. If you use EUF for the second stop ATC will know where that is since there's a VOR right there (same ID). I've flown along these routes many times and never had a problem with direct unless the radar was out.

To stay over land head directly to the GEF or CTY vor from EUF and then dogleg to the CTG airport on your way to CLW.

On a trip like this, I think that going IFR offers significant advantages and the only reason I'd consider it VFR is if that was the only way to avoid ice. Chances are on any trip of this length (and time) you will encounter IMC somewhere along the way. Also under IFR you don't have to worry about SUA and you get traffic advisories whether ATC is busy or not. I do recommend that you plan two routes in advance, one considerably east of the other. That way if there's serious weather along one of the routes the other may be much better and you won't be trying to find economical fuel stops at the last moment. Have a fun trip.

I checked NOTAMs and 0M5 has the northern 1000ft of their 4000 ft runway closed but I don't think that should be a problem for a Cherokee.
 
jdcpilot said:
Hi,
The FAA has advised their ATC controllers to report ALL deviations which exceed the FAA IFR regs. I don't know if they are all doing it but I would be very wary. This has been mentioned in several GA publications.
Until my recent retirement from a major airline, I served on the ALPA Air Saftey commitee. I had the pleasure of working directly with the FAA.
Fly safe,
Captain JC
Click to expand...

From what I've heard and experienced, I don't believe that many if any controllers are writing up every deviation they can, just the ones that seem important. I sure wouldn't let the threat of strict enforcement keep me from using the system.
 
We have two choices that we like going to FL from WI. Stop in JFX (had best fuel prices) or in GAD. Either keeps you away from ATL and you don't have to fly over the Gulf, no mountains either. We plan on three (3) hour legs most of the time, these stops may be pushing your time frame in a PA28, but check them out.
 
Reference my prior post,
Use the ATC system but be vigilant ,which you should be anyway.
Captain JC
 
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lancefisher said:
From what I've heard and experienced, I don't believe that many if any controllers are writing up every deviation they can, just the ones that seem important. I sure wouldn't let the threat of strict enforcement keep me from using the system.
Click to expand...


I agree, I wouldn't let the threat of enforcement keep me from going IFR. However, the info I have passed on came direct from the top. It seems this kind of action by the FAA( not ATC) runs in cycles.
Jc
 
ALL,
Lets have some fun. last month I ferried a 747-400 from JFK to PEK (Beijing).
Tell me my route.
JC
 
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