Flying New (to me) RV9A from Yakima to SC Home

[edclee]

Any advice on flying from YKYM to SC76 This coming weekend? My IFLY Real Plan has my first fuel stop at Billings then KVTN. This will be my first flying over the Rockies but I have 4000+ hours of flying experience. I figure 9500 feet at least over the mountains and the Real Plan has the route determined that will give me at least 2000ft ground clearance over the route. Of course WX is the joker in this affair and who knows what that will be yet.
Ed

[Zuldarin]

I've flown this route through Montana several times in my 9A. First advice would be to fly I-90 the majority of the way. Those are real mountains and you don't want to be doing an off field landing without a road nearby. Second, you are flying a 9...feel free to take advantage of that wing and go up into the teens (if you have oxygen). I prefer to fly at 13.5, 15.5, and rarely at 17.5 when going east due to the great tail winds that are usually available. I don't usually stop at the big airports for fuel...they tend to be much more expensive. 8U8 is a good stop as is Miles City.

[larryj]

+1 on following I-90

[iwannarv]

Enjoy the heck out of the trip and document it!

[Ed_Wischmeyer]

A few things:
* If you don?t have any RV time, get some. I?ll take you up in my -9A in Savanah for free (no LODA);
* Have you flown control sticks before? Left hand stick? Some folks have trouble, some don?t. No way to predict who will and who won?t;
* Like many planes, the -9A gets pitch sensitive in the flare;
* Flap speed in the -9A is low, and the -9A floats like mad if you?re too fast;
* And if you get real slow on final, you?ll get a high sink rate;
* With the big wing, the -9A will beat you up in turbulence, more than in most spam cans;
* With the Cascades already behind you, you?ll be past the highest of the mountains. Still, read up on mountain flying. The -9A should tolerate density altitude well, but it?s not summertime yet;
* For first flights in a new plane, make your first legs short till you learn your fuel consumption precisely;
* I always plan two hour legs in my -9A so that in case the fuel isn?t available at the planned stop, I?ve got an out. Had to use that twice so far;
* Glass cockpits can have steep learning curves. Don?t assume that all will be well.

Hope this helps!

Ed

PS. I've flown from Washington state to Oshkosh several times in a Cessna 175.

[Dugaru]

You're going to love the -9A. They are just amazing traveling airplanes, real time machines.

+1 on going higher if possible. The -9 wing is flat-out an aerodynamic marvel and likes to go high. Oxygen really opens up the abilities of these airplanes (I have a Mountain High Aero O2D2 and couldn't be happier with it). It also lets you find smoother altitudes, which is nice because the -9 can beat you up in turbulence.

If you're going IFR, keep in mind that holding an assigned altitude while hand-flying a -9 through cumulus, especially summer cumulus, can be a real workout. The -9's combination of fast and light gives it sort of a "butterfly on a windy day" effect. Up and down drafts in and around cumulus can also have very large effects on your airspeed. Having done the hand-flying-in-the-big-puffies bit in my -9A, I consider an autopilot with altitude hold required equipment for that task.

I didn't fly when I lived out in Seattle, but I remember everyone followed I-90. Locals will have a much better idea of icing potential, etc. I'm extremely paranoid about in-flight icing in my -9A, for all the obvious reasons and since I don't have the filter bypass.

Take lots of photos!! Not exactly on your way but feel free to stop by W96 sometime!

Originally Posted by edclee

Any advice on flying from YKYM to SC76 This coming weekend? My IFLY Real Plan has my first fuel stop at Billings then KVTN. This will be my first flying over the Rockies but I have 4000+ hours of flying experience. I figure 9500 feet at least over the mountains and the Real Plan has the route determined that will give me at least 2000ft ground clearance over the route. Of course WX is the joker in this affair and who knows what that will be yet.
Ed

[Tailwind/RVGuy]

+1 on following I-90. I have taken that route a number of times (both ways) in a Tripacer. I would consider KYKM- KMSO-38S-KBTM-KBIL as your route. No need to stop at each but a nice route through the mountains. A little zig zag but only 25 miles farther and you generally have that long runway underneath you. Try to resist the urge to "cut the pie" over the mountains unless really good conditions and no turbulence. I have quite a few hours in a 9A and it is a wonderful machine at altitude. Something to consider is that KYKM to KBIL (524 nm) is a fairly long leg even with expected tailwinds going east. Especially if it is a new plane and you are not as familiar with fuel consumption. You could stop in Deer Lodge or Butte and stretch your legs without such a long leg.

Keith

[Dugaru]

...since he did a better job. +1 on the low flap extension speed for the -9. It's one of very few gotchas of the airplane. It also lands just fine without flaps, FWIW.

[N941WR]

Welcome to SC!

As yo get close, remember the mountains out hear end just north of Atlanta.

When flying VFR with cloud cover, head for KJZP. That will keep you north of ATL and SW of the mountains.

Have a great flight!

[RickWoodall]

Fly safe, post some pics, and enjoy the big adventure.

Blue skies.