The perfect flying?

AdamZ

AdamZ

Touchdown! Greaser!
Joined
Feb 24, 2005
Messages
14,872
Location
Montgomery County PA
Display Name
Adam Zucker
Home Airfield
KLOM
Where is or is there a perfect place in the US and time of year to fly. That has that combination of Standard or slightly cooler temps, with perfect visibility and smooth air?

Not so interested the landscape per se as I am of the belief that every area of the country offers beauty to fly over whether it be the majestic rockies, any one of the beautiful coasts, Farm lands and even city's have their own beauty.

Here in the east the fall and spring are beautiful but can bring some bumpy conditions. Summer can bring Haze so thick its really IMC. Winter can be clear and a million but it can be COLD and for sure we do get some perfect aviating days but I can't say there is a good stretch at any given time each year. I thought perhaps southern california but there is all the smog around LA.

What are your thoughts and favorites
 
AdamZ said:
Even in a thunder storm in July or in ice over the alleghneys in march? LOL I hear what your saying though Larry.
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I wouldn't be there! :mad3: I would be over there! :rofl::rofl::rofl:


Ya know it's funny. Some pilots like to fly the fastest highest, farthest, ect. I'm finding I like slower, lower, and going nowhere the best. Just to be in the air, just to fly, just to have air under my.......feet. :yesnod:

But to stick with the theme of the OP, I really enjoy seeing the erosion and canyons cause by erosion, badlands in SD, high plateaus in WY, NE, CO, fertile soil in IL, IA, KS, NE, OH. The mountains of CO, WY, AZ, WA, ID, TN, SC, NC, ..... I just like to see it all. We live in a beautiful country.
 
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Come on, most everyone thinks where they live is the best. I Love The Pacific NW. Seattle area. Even when it says rain, our rain is ussualy just an occasional drizzle, not mid-west rain, :frown2:(been there done that). so called 'rainy' days are often great flying days. You may dodge a light shower , never any thunderstorms, and the Sun keeps popping out. Even overcast days are good, it will be 4-5 thousand or more, light wind, & no thermal activity so glassy smooth. Adventure is with in 1/2 tank of gas away, Mt strips&backcountry. Rare is the day we need think of density alt. On a cold bright Jan day I can coax better than 1000 fpm out of an old C150.. Yes, CLIMB, not in a dive.:nono: ha ha. I know you were thinking that. Eleven good flying months according to my logs. In March I get wx out a lot... It is FLYING, it is good anytime, anywhere. How could a pilot NOT want to fly everywhere & anywhere?flying makes any location better. :smile: Dave
 
Ddayle said:
Come on, most everyone thinks where they live is the best. I Love The Pacific NW. Seattle area. Even when it says rain, our rain is ussualy just an occasional drizzle, not mid-west rain, :frown2:(been there done that). so called 'rainy' days are often great flying days. You may dodge a light shower , never any thunderstorms, and the Sun keeps popping out. Even overcast days are good, it will be 4-5 thousand or more, light wind, & no thermal activity so glassy smooth. Adventure is with in 1/2 tank of gas away, Mt strips&backcountry. Rare is the day we need think of density alt. On a cold bright Jan day I can coax better than 1000 fpm out of an old C150.. Yes, CLIMB, not in a dive.:nono: ha ha. I know you were thinking that. Eleven good flying months according to my logs. In March I get wx out a lot... It is FLYING, it is good anytime, anywhere. How could a pilot NOT want to fly everywhere & anywhere?flying makes any location better. :smile: Dave
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That does sound like heaven as does the North California coast. New England is awesome in the early summer as well.
 
San Diego may not be perfect, but there is one big advantage, it is year round flying. It does get bumpy, and it gets really hot. I've never seen snow on the runway though.

As far as the Los Angeles basin's famous smog goes, it is not all that big of a deal, you get used to it.

I don't think a local that had mostly perfect flying conditions all the time would be all that appealing. Perhaps at first, then it would become boring. I lived on my sailboat for twelve years in San Diego. Great sailing almost all the time, but it became so darn boring that the only time I would head out was when the small craft warning flags were up, then it was fun.

It does not matter though, nothing is ever perfect. I don't think we could be happy if it were.

John
 
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Everskyward said:
I'm going to vote for the central or northern California coast in the fall.
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That was my experience in the San Diego area, Sept/Oct... consistent sunny, dry, mild days with good to great vis and nice scenery to look at.
 
AdamZ said:
Where is or is there a perfect place in the US and time of year to fly. That has that combination of Standard or slightly cooler temps, with perfect visibility and smooth air?
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The fall morning flights in new england can offer really clear
smooth air. But the most perfect conditions I've ever flown
in was the summer day of my checkride for my instrument rating.
Visibility was unlimited, no thermals (glider pilots would have
hated it), smooth, cool. If I didn't hold altitude perfectly
on that flight I didn't deserve the rating.
 
Ddayle said:
Come on, most everyone thinks where they live is the best. I Love The Pacific NW. Seattle area. Even when it says rain, our rain is ussualy just an occasional drizzle, not mid-west rain, :frown2:(been there done that). so called 'rainy' days are often great flying days. You may dodge a light shower , never any thunderstorms, and the Sun keeps popping out. Even overcast days are good, it will be 4-5 thousand or more, light wind, & no thermal activity so glassy smooth. Adventure is with in 1/2 tank of gas away, Mt strips&backcountry. Rare is the day we need think of density alt. On a cold bright Jan day I can coax better than 1000 fpm out of an old C150.. Yes, CLIMB, not in a dive.:nono: ha ha. I know you were thinking that. Eleven good flying months according to my logs. In March I get wx out a lot... It is FLYING, it is good anytime, anywhere. How could a pilot NOT want to fly everywhere & anywhere?flying makes any location better. :smile: Dave
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And when it is clear here, viz is 100+ miles. Drops to 50 miles and I get claustrophobic. Mt. Rainier is 55 SM from my house. If I can't see it I check the weather carefully before heading for the airport. :D

Late July and August around here are about as perfect as a summer can get. Now, I saw close to 1500 fpm climb in the 180 hp C-172N on Tuesday. Yeah, I was alone, but the tanks were full. Temps in the 30s. I love it here.
 
Ddayle said:
Come on, most everyone thinks where they live is the best. I Love The Pacific NW. Seattle area. Even when it says rain, our rain is ussualy just an occasional drizzle, not mid-west rain, :frown2:(been there done that). so called 'rainy' days are often great flying days. You may dodge a light shower , never any thunderstorms, and the Sun keeps popping out. Even overcast days are good, it will be 4-5 thousand or more, light wind, & no thermal activity so glassy smooth.
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I've been to Seattle once. Spent four days there.

They tell me there are mountains nearby. I never saw them. Not even a hint of them -- not even once. It was pea soup and/or solid rain for 96 straight hours. We rarely see that sort of persistent bad flying weather in Iowa.

The very best flying weather I've found is in the Texas Gulf Coastal region. Once you get South of that belt of crappy weather (that seems to live up on the Oklahoma border much of the time) the skies are blue and the temperatures are lovely.

If it gets too hot in the summer (and, boy, it will), keep going South to Mustang Island. The Gulf breezes will keep you cool, and Port Aransas has a great airport.
 
Jay Honeck said:
I've been to Seattle once. Spent four days there.

They tell me there are mountains nearby. I never saw them. Not even a hint of them -- not even once. It was pea soup and/or solid rain for 96 straight hours. We rarely see that sort of persistent bad flying weather in Iowa.

The very best flying weather I've found is in the Texas Gulf Coastal region. Once you get South of that belt of crappy weather (that seems to live up on the Oklahoma border much of the time) the skies are blue and the temperatures are lovely.

If it gets too hot in the summer (and, boy, it will), keep going South to Mustang Island. The Gulf breezes will keep you cool, and Port Aransas has a great airport.
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Well, yeah, but is there anytplace decent to stay there? I have never been there myself... need to make plans for a trip.
 
Jay Honeck said:
I've been to Seattle once. Spent four days there.

They tell me there are mountains nearby. I never saw them. Not even a hint of them -- not even once. It was pea soup and/or solid rain for 96 straight hours. We rarely see that sort of persistent bad flying weather in Iowa.

The very best flying weather I've found is in the Texas Gulf Coastal region. Once you get South of that belt of crappy weather (that seems to live up on the Oklahoma border much of the time) the skies are blue and the temperatures are lovely.

If it gets too hot in the summer (and, boy, it will), keep going South to Mustang Island. The Gulf breezes will keep you cool, and Port Aransas has a great airport.
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I grew up in So. Ill., O'Fallon Ill.. Hot in the summer, bitter cold in winter, & flat.Been there done that. So.Tex gets hurricanes. Ok 4 days in a row. Was it march? big deal. flying in the midwest KEPT me from becoming a pilot for 30 yrs. Bouncing from Ill to Kansas3-4 times a yrs, & puking my guts out was not my idea of fun. I rarely find the hot thermal activity here that was a daily thing in the mid west. If ya like the rough ride, then you are in the right place, for you. I know this is the right place , for me. Dave
 
Ddayle said:
What do you do the other 50 weeks a year? Dave
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Learn to love it for what it is.

Winter can bring low lying clouds. Spring is windy. Late summer has afternoon monsoons.

Hint: there is no such thing as perfect flying anywhere all the time. But the four corners come as close as anywhere.
 
AdamZ said:
Where is or is there a perfect place in the US and time of year to fly. That has that combination of Standard or slightly cooler temps, with perfect visibility and smooth air?

Not so interested the landscape per se as I am of the belief that every area of the country offers beauty to fly over whether it be the majestic rockies, any one of the beautiful coasts, Farm lands and even city's have their own beauty.

Here in the east the fall and spring are beautiful but can bring some bumpy conditions. Summer can bring Haze so thick its really IMC. Winter can be clear and a million but it can be COLD and for sure we do get some perfect aviating days but I can't say there is a good stretch at any given time each year. I thought perhaps southern california but there is all the smog around LA.

What are your thoughts and favorites
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The last two days down here would filled your bill. Dead calm.. smooth air... not a bump. Mid day temps in the mid 50s. No fun for gliders.. sled rides all around.
 
Fall flying around the San Juan Islands? I cannot imagine anything more beautiful.
 
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