Irish_Armada
Pre-takeoff checklist
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- Oct 8, 2011
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Irish Armada
So I'm in the early planning stages of a flight from Sacramento to Willcox, AZ (just east of Tuscon) to visit my cousin in our Cherokee 180. This would be my longest cross country yet as a new private pilot. I'm thinking the trip will most likely happen in June or mid-July. Initial flight plan is KSAC, KPOC, KCHD, KTUS, E95, P33. The trip calculates out to about 6.5 hours of flight time, + another hour I'd guess for 2 (?) fuel/bathroom breaks (the fiance is going with me). This means if we were wheels up by dawn (6am) we'd be getting to the AZ high(er) country by let's say 2pm MST. In the summer, our destination airport (Cochise County) is going to have a pretty high density altitude by then (~4,200 ft elevation). I will be getting some mountain flying instruction here soon so that will help.
So I'd value your feedback on a couple of items I've been thinking about:
- Is this early enough (2pm-ish) to be getting to my destination in AZ? I know it gets hot, and hear it can get windy by then. Trying to balance getting there in one day and keeping the lady comfortable, and of course safety.
- Does it make sense to come down to the LA basin via the Tejon pass or the Tehachapi route then into LA by Palmdale? Perhaps a bigger threshold question: should I go through LA in the first place? Assuming I do, my flight plan basically has me more or less following Interstate 10 all the way out to Cochise County Airport.
- Anyone ever flown east of Tuscon? Looks pretty mountainy but it looked like following I-10 from Tuscon would be the best way to get to Cochise County.
Anyways, if I feel uncomfortable pushing the final stretch I can always put 'er down in Tuscon as its only about an hour drive from there to Willcox.
Thanks for any thoughts/advice.
So I'd value your feedback on a couple of items I've been thinking about:
- Is this early enough (2pm-ish) to be getting to my destination in AZ? I know it gets hot, and hear it can get windy by then. Trying to balance getting there in one day and keeping the lady comfortable, and of course safety.
- Does it make sense to come down to the LA basin via the Tejon pass or the Tehachapi route then into LA by Palmdale? Perhaps a bigger threshold question: should I go through LA in the first place? Assuming I do, my flight plan basically has me more or less following Interstate 10 all the way out to Cochise County Airport.
- Anyone ever flown east of Tuscon? Looks pretty mountainy but it looked like following I-10 from Tuscon would be the best way to get to Cochise County.
Anyways, if I feel uncomfortable pushing the final stretch I can always put 'er down in Tuscon as its only about an hour drive from there to Willcox.
Thanks for any thoughts/advice.