How long can you comfortably fly?

In training I did a 2 hour dual cross country, then turned right around after getting gas went for a 2 hour solo cross country. Bladder wasn't the issue, but sitting in a Cub for 4 hours makes your bottom a little numb.
 
A little over 16hrs from India to NYC is about the longest I've done. Of course it helps to have a couple extra pilots, a lav, catered meals, etc.. :)


Still, getting on that plane knowing the minute hand on your watch has to go around 16+ times takes some getting used to.
 
I've done 4.0 hour instrument training flights. You could have poured me out of the airplane afterwards I was so beat. Obviously training for instruments is more stressful than just flying along.

John
 
I'm usually ready to stop between 2 and 3 hours. Longer than that, and I get tired of sitting.
 
In my prime, 5 hours was no problem (OK, it was for my girlfriend). But now that I'm approaching {mumble} years, I have trouble walking after 2 hours. :(
 
DavidWhite said:
I've done 11 hours flying in a day. At the end of that day I was tired, hungry, and ready for bed. I still wasn't where I wanted to be, but was too tired to continue. Oddly enough I can't remember where I was trying to go, although now with the Mooney 11 hours of flying means I'm either headed to Alaska or Nova Scotia, because you can go a LOOOONG way in 11 hours in a mooney.
Click to expand...

Yes! My longest-distance day was bringing the Ovation home - Bremerton, WA to West Bend, WI (KPWT-KETB) with some sightseeing along the way. 11.0 in the logbook exactly!

I've got a few legs over 5 hours, but I think the one that was the most uncomfortable was taking the Citabria to Gaston's. A couple hours at a time on a 1967 seat with no adjustments... Ugh.

HerrGruyere said:
The 172's seats make my back hurt. But I also tend to lean forward a bit when flying. I'm really tall, too.
Click to expand...

Ah, yes, the tall-guy-lean. I had this a lot when I was working on my IR especially. As a tall guy, you've got to have the seat far enough back to keep your legs out of the yoke, but then you can't reach the panel without the lean. The most effective solution is to fly a Mooney - Much better legroom, and that allows you to sit closer to the panel. Second best solution: Fixed shoulder harnesses (as opposed to inertia reel) - You can lean forward against them.

Wingsofglass said:
About five hours in my DA40 with Oregon Aero cushions. 14 hours is my longest day but I made such a silly (fortunatley harmless) mistake at my final stop that I'm never doing that again.
Click to expand...

Wow, that's a long day! What was the mistake?
 
Hmmm.. I must be made differently.. I can go 6-8 hours between #1 pit stops.... :dunno:.

1- Trip to OSH a few years back in my experimental........... first leg was just under 8 hours. Landed, got fuel ,signed out the courtesy car, then made a pit stop and went to the hotel..... Next mornings leg was 4 hours,,

As for creature comfort... when I built the toy, I used Tempur Foam in the seats... That stuff is GREAT !!!:yes:
 
On average 3 to 4 hours. If the Bride is sleeping I can do four, then the plane will need a fuel stop.
 
My back will not let me do much more than about 3 hours. I have heard about a device you sit on called a Back Joy that is supposed to work wonders with the back pain associated with sitting a long time. Has anyone here tried one? Are they for real or just another gadget?
 
I've done 12 hrs at the airlines and 16 hrs with a bunk and a second crew.

GA, I've done 8 hrs as a CFI in the pattern. Yes, one touch and go at a time. I've flown my 140 at least 8 hrs in a day.
 
After 40 minutes I'm ready to get out. I'm serious. I have done a couple of 65 or 70 minute flights (solo) but after 40 minutes the fun wears off. As a student I once flew with 2 pilots in a Cardinal, one 1+hour leg followed by two 3+ hour legs. I flew the first 1 or 1.5 hrs; after that I slept in the back much of the time.

When I was younger I had no problem working all day, taking a quick nap, then driving 14 hours straight thru for a weekend getaway. Now I don't like to drive more than an hour, even though I drive luxury cars which supposedly are quiet, smooth, comfortable, etc.
 
Can I post as a passenger?

Routinely 12-18 hours via airline is already normal for me. Usually direct from ATL, although sometimes with connections. Frequently to Shanghai, Beijing, Dubai, Kuala Lumpor, etc.

I don't sleep well while flying so I'm usually awake about 80% of the time.

One of the worst I've ever done was a three leg trip to Vladivostok in a Russian TU. PIT-JFK, JFK-SVO (9.5 hours), SVO-VVO (11 hours).

General Aviation I've only done a few hours in a Cessna as a passenger, but it was a lot more fun than being cramped on an airliner with someone falling asleep on my shoulder, or spilling their drink in my lap.
 
Without looking in the log, I think about 3 hours is the longest flight I've made. In the 182, no problem. In the Arrow my knees are shot and it's all I can do to crawl out of the plane. Not sure why.

Now, riding as self loading cargo on a pressurized aluminum mailing tube I think about the longest single ride I've had was 14 hours, SFO to SYD. And in cattle class, that's plenty long.
 
Once managed a 5hr leg in my Cherokee (50gal). 65kt tailwinds at 11500, throttled back to 55% power.

Landed with 1.5hrs of fuel in the tanks, but didn't trust the gauges and my calcs to go further without a fuel stop. 5 hrs is normally dry tanks (no reserve).
 
4.5 Hr family trip from SE Ohio, PMH to S. Florida, SEF @ 13,500'. Started with 60 gal and ended with 11.5 gal remaining. We won't push it more than that...I like the reserve and even with Oregon Aero seats we were ready to deplane. No travel johns used on this flight, but have on shorter flights over Lake Michigan...all of that water I guess.
 
Ghery said:
In the Arrow my knees are shot and it's all I can do to crawl out of the plane. Not sure why.
Click to expand...

I know that after much more than two hours in my Arrow I am ready to get the heck out and move around. the back starts hurting pretty bad as well. I am having knee surgery in a few weeks and have also noticed that it is pretty hard getting in and out of the Arrow without feeling like my knee is going to explode. I am not looking forward to the recovery period because I know I will not be able to get in and out of the plane and therefore will not be flying much till healed up.

Sux getting old!!!!
 
I plan for stops about every 3 hours or so. I can go longer, but why? If it isn't fun, why do it?
 
flyingcheesehead said:
I've got a few legs over 5 hours, but I think the one that was the most uncomfortable was taking the Citabria to Gaston's. A couple hours at a time on a 1967 seat with no adjustments... Ugh.
Click to expand...
Yeah, my trip from Jacksonville to Gastons in the Pitts was one of the worst experiences of my life. That same trip in the Lance -- piece of cake.

I used to do 5+ in my Mooney routinely. No biggie.
 
I have gone over 6 hrs. I hope to never do that again. In my current plane unless I get new seats and have ox on board I keep it less than 3 hrs per sortie at 175 knots at 11,000'.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top