Longest XC to date scheduled

momalley

momalley

Line Up and Wait
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Floral Park, NY (FRG)
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momalley
I have reserved a plane for my longest XC to date. I received my certificate back in January and since then have just done some short XC flights and some other sightseeing type flights.
I am now scheduled to fly from Republic Airport on Long Island (KFRG) to Wheeling - Ohio County Airport in WV (KHLG) on Sunday for a family reunion. Flight is 332nm if flying direct and slightly more if I have to skirt around the NYC Bravo.

As of now the forecast is looking favorable. I intend to leave FRG in the morning (7-8am) and arrive at HLG about 3 hours later. I'll visit family and friends for the day and then head down to Clarksburg, WV (KCKB ) the next morning to meat up with a buddy for lunch. After that I'll be heading back home and probably do another flight up the Hudson Corridor and then back to FRG.

I'm excited as this is exactly the type of trip that made me want to pursue getting my certificate in the first place :)
 
Don't skirt the space, pick up some flight following and bust right through it.

Is that 332 straight or it sounds like your going to puddle jump? You should have about a 4 hour endurance so it's double straight through.
 
Unit74 said:
Don't skirt the space, pick up some flight following and bust right through it.

Is that 332 straight or it sounds like your going to puddle jump? You should have about a 4 hour endurance so it's double straight through.
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I intend to get flight following and a Class Bravo transition but if not I'll need to skirt the Bravo

332nm is direct KFRG -> KHLG
 
There's been a bit of rain off and on lately out this way which can leave the hills pretty foggy in the morning. Fortunately you'll be flying away from the sun which will improve vis as you fly westbound. Sounds like a fun trip planned and a nice plane to do it in.
 
momalley said:
I intend to get flight following and a Class Bravo transition but if not I'll need to skirt the Bravo

332nm is direct KFRG -> KHLG
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No need to skirt it! Make a scenic flight out of it. FRG -> South Stanchion of Throgs Neck -> Tower Cab -> North Tip of Roosevelt Island -> East River south -> Over the (active) numbers at EWR -> be on your way. Or go over Central Park then Hudson River southbound before a westbound turn over Newark. Only adds 4nm. Barring a Mets game at Citi Field, LGA will give it to you, and once you're in the Class B, EWR won't boot you out until you're clear to the west.
 

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...the longs one are a blast! Did my first long one at about ~300nm just a few months after I got my PPL. So much fun! Hope the weather stays nice for you - and as others said...get into the Bravo! Ideally stay above it if possible. When I fly through the Houston Bravo they inevitably turn me and make me drop with the route I always take through there...but it's easier than going all the way around it.

Have fun!
 
Have fun. I know my first long XC with family aboard really boosted my confidence (W00-KRDU). Great flight. IIRC that was the flight we got a tailwind on the way home that pushed us (in the Skyhawk SP) to 191 Kts max GS.:thumbsup:
 
This thread had me going thru my log book. Looks like about 80% of my flights the first year after getting pp were short cross country's. Just enough to log as cross country. At about a year did a 600 mile cross country with 2 stops. Just figured it was couple short cross country's. 2 months later did 1000 mile cross country with same thinking. 5 stops that time. Never looked back after that. Would jump in plane tomorrow and think nothing about it. Did notice that after I got my pp didn't fly for 3 weeks. Had flown bunch before so maybe little burned out. Then looked like I just started flying every week and started flying little more all the time every week. (Owned my own plane). Checked my log for hours in past week now and flew 21.7 hours. Guess I fly more now.
 
Cloudy, low winds and vfr over this way tomorrow. Enjoy your flight.
 
Enjoy the trip. I'm envious of all these log trips people are taking that I'm reading about on these forums.

Make sure you come back and let us know how the adventure goes!
 
I made the trip down yesterday. I was wheels up at about 8:15am as I was waiting for some indications that weather would clear up around the Altoona, PA area. Flew direct and got transitioned through the NY Bravo and arrived at 11:30am. Uneventful trip at 6,500' MSL but there was some haze in PA which cleared about 45nm from my destination.

I was hoping to be able to spend the night and return home today but weather was iffy. I decided to make 6pm my decision time. As 6pm rolled around I made the decision to leave last night. Got to the airport, preflighted the plane and was wheels up at about 6:30pm. This got me through the less populated areas during daylight and then finished the 2nd half of the trip at night with the "super moon". Cloud bases were at about 5,000' so I made the trip back at 4,500'.

After reaching Allentown you could see the NY/NJ area off on the horizon which was pretty cool. Coming back into the NY/NJ area NY Approach had me climb back up to 5,500' to transition the Bravo directly above Newark and then direct to FRG.

This was the 1st flight that I had used Flight Following and was very happy with the service and was cleard to fly direct the entire route. It was also the 1st time I used the Bluetooth feature of my Zulu.2 headset. Being able to listen to music was a godsend on this solo trip. Once I was handed off from NY App to Allentown App I began using it and used it the entire trip back.

Overall a vey good trip even though it was short. Here is a link to a few pics that I took along the way.

Flight from NY to Wheeling, WV
 
Glad you enjoyed it.

d->...A vfr advantage and I most always get FF. Been dropped twice in almost 300 hrs. Great ATC service we pay for, so may as well use it.
 
momalley said:
Probably start late winter/early spring. Gonna get 40 or so XC PIC hours in this summer/fall and then see what my year end bonus looks like.
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Bonus check made out to Mr. "HOBBS":goofy::goofy::goofy:

Hope your year ends $trong!!!
 
Wow, nice job! I fly a Tiger from Fl-NC a lot, and NC-NY, so I can relate to the fun and the planning involved. Cool!!
 
Congrats! good luck!

I'm doing something similar. I'm leaving Milwaukee (MWC) heading to South Haven, MI (going south around the lake and under the ORD Bravo) on Wednesday night for one night, then Mackinac Island for a night, to Madeline Island for a night, then Surfside for a pig roast, then Door County WI for the night, then home Sunday!
 
I did a flight from Seattle to San Diego (Brown field actually) once. 20 something hours round trip. You will have fun. Just don't get too bored at times and neglect your piloting duties. If you have aux input, be sure to have enough battery life to get you there and back or to at least get you there if you are going to charge it when you get there.
 
mattg said:
Congrats! good luck!

I'm doing something similar. I'm leaving Milwaukee (MWC) heading to South Haven, MI (going south around the lake and under the ORD Bravo) on Wednesday night for one night, then Mackinac Island for a night, to Madeline Island for a night, then Surfside for a pig roast, then Door County WI for the night, then home Sunday!
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Sounds like an awesome trip, let us know how it goes
 
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