Advice needed for ferry flight from Corning, CA to Plymouth, MA

Hey All,

I have an offer to fly a friend's plane home from Corning, CA. It isn't an RV. It is a Varga. I couldn't think of a better group for the local knowledge than the collective wisdom of my fellow RVers!

It is the western region/mountain area that I have never flown in and would like suggestions with.

My plan is similar to Tony's technique when he flew his 7A home from OR. (see http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=70473 for that trip writeup)

Here is Tony's route:



I was thinking Corning, CA towards Bakersfield then down to Phoenix. From Phoenix I will then more or less take a direct course via Liberal towards home.

The Varga burns 9 gallons an hour and holds 35 gallons so it looks like 400 mile legs or so.

I am interested in hearing about good fuel stops along the way, places to stay and things to watch out for along that route.

I have 4 days to complete the trip and if I get a decent weather window it should be do-able.

Input? Advice? Comments?

(BTW, I am PP SEL & SES with Instrument TRAINING... not ticket and 700 hours total time... 150 of which is RV!)

CJ

I like interstates, you know VFR and IFR--I Follow Roads and Very Fine Roads. Every summer I fly "back East" to visit family and friends. My Southern route is Reno to Jean NV then I40 to M54 TN. I-40 goes to NC on the East Coast. Depending on weather, on the return leg, I inercept I-80 then direct to Reno. Interstates have towns and airports every 75 miles or so for the no notice pit stop and overnights or worst case scenero, couple thousand miles of parallel runways. Just a thought, Dan

RE: ?????? or two or three !!!!!

Before I could advise I would need to know 1. What engine Variant is on the Varga? 2. Am I comfortable with a bit of mountian flying? 3. Would the ferry process include some sight seeing if time were not a factor or cost were not a factor? 4. What is my time and capability in the Varga? 5. Can I come aong???? it sure sounds like fun.

I do like the idea of following I-80 through Cal-Nv-Ut-Wy-Ne...........

But the southern Route around the BIG HILLS has also got some beautiful and interesting things to see......

with a 4 day window, I'd go direct as possible.

No sense going south this time of year. Get a early morning start, Hop over the rocks into Nevada. 200nm stop at Winnemucca for a splash before the temp gets hot. Then a couple more hours you'll be to Logan UT for an easy in/out or even RON if needed. Crossing the mountains is better in the morning usually. UT, WY, SD, MT, ID, etc can be a bugger in the afternoons with T-storm build ups. But if you get an early start and make shorter days you can cover good ground. leave a 6am, 5 hrs later it's lunch time take a break and see if you want to continue across WY. or dash across the next morning.

Another 400nm and you'll be in SD. If you plan it correctly you can go to the Hot Springs RV weekend Sept 8th, although you might have to park in the back.

So something like:
0O4-KWMC-KLGU-KHSR...then what ever to get to KPYM.

I agree with the I-80 responses.

Just take a credit card with a large limit, a GPS, and lots of time. You need the time to sit out weather, put down early if you need to, etc. If you MUST deliver it by a certain date then let someone else do it.

Plan for certain airport stops but DO NOT depend on them. You may well have to land early and wait something out.

Crossing the west mtns

It's always really interesting to see how others approach crossing the western deserts. I've flown all over the western US (especially SoCal, NV & AZ) and there are many areas that leave a person with few "Plan B's", either due to typical weather, geography, or military interests (MOA's Restricted Areas), etc. Much of SoCal, NV & UT is just plain hard to get across east-west due to miliatry restrictions.

I personally would go this way for all the reasons mentioned above:
GMN KWJF HEC KIFP KFLG KINW KGUP KAEG KTCC KLBL. I've flown this route MANY times and it's easy.

It's a long trip regardless, but it keeps you out of the high mtns, near plenty of rest stops if needed and always within reach of civilization. I would definately get off the ground at 0'dark 30, plan on going high to keep in cool smooth air. This time of year don't count on traveling past noon else you'll get beat up pretty good.

rv9av8tr said:

I personally would go this way for all the reasons mentioned above:
GMN KWJF HEC KIFP KFLG KINW KGUP KAEG KTCC KLBL. I've flown this route MANY times and it's easy.

Click to expand...

I plugged the above into weathermeister to see what the route would look like. GMN, HEC don't seem to exist. Are they typos?

This is what I laid out from the above:
0O4 - KWJF - KIFP - KFLG - KINW - KGUP - KAEG - KTCC - KLBL - KPYM

rv9av8tr said:

...
I personally would go this way for all the reasons mentioned above:
GMN KWJF HEC KIFP KFLG KINW KGUP KAEG KTCC KLBL. I've flown this route MANY times and it's easy.....

Click to expand...

Substitute KTSP for GMN KWJF, and save about a dollar a gallon on fuel, and a couple thousand feet on the climbout. If you decide to RON, I know a place you could get a bed and a bean.

brian said:

I plugged the above into weathermeister to see what the route would look like. GMN, HEC don't seem to exist. Are they typos?

This is what I laid out from the above:
0O4 - KWJF - KIFP - KFLG - KINW - KGUP - KAEG - KTCC - KLBL - KPYM

Click to expand...

GMN and HEC are VOR's. Copy and paste rv9av8tr's route directly into skyvector and it works fine.

Call me

Hey John,

Give me call when you can. Your route is probably smart to avoid the BIG mountains, especially if it is the lower powered Varga.

If I'm around when you get here, you've got a place to stay!!!

Captain_John said:

Hey All,

I have an offer to fly a friend's plane home from Corning, CA. It isn't an RV. It is a Varga. I couldn't think of a better group for the local knowledge than the collective wisdom of my fellow RVers!

It is the western region/mountain area that I have never flown in and would like suggestions with.






Input? Comments?



CJ

Click to expand...

The Varga need ESCORT!!!

Cross Country Routing

You don't have to go all the way south to BFL before crossing the southern Sierra. Visalia or Porterville to Inyokern, contact Joshua Appch 133.65 for flight following through the Trona Corridor south of China Lake and clearance over or around the restricted areas - or do it VFR with a slight jog north after clearing China Lake.

Then use Cottonwood, AZ (P52), St. Johns, AZ (SJN) or Los Lunas, NM (E98, south of ABQ) for reasonably priced gas. I've had great experiences in Colorado Springs (COS (Cutter)), Sterling, CO (STK), Wellington, KS (EGT), Fairfield, IA (FFL), Greencastle, IN (4I7), Clermont Cty, OH (I69 - home of Sporty's), and Rostraver, PA (FWQ).

Thermal turbulence across the plains can be wicked when the big hot air domes are sitting there. Came back from CO the other day and 9500'was skirting the tops of the bumps across KS and MO; not unusual to need 11500' to get some relief. You may want to consider an O2 bottle or fly early and late and sit out the middle of the day.

My advice, other than what you have already heard, is get an iPad. I used SkyChartsPro, I minimalist GPS charting/planning app that will also act as a GPS if you have a 3G unit. I spent many hours looking at weather (weathermeister) and SkyCharts to determine the next days mission.

Paper charts would be an absolute pain these days. That iPad is an exceptional flight planning tool and good backup GPS.

Hey all,

Thanks for all your sage advice and the offers of a place to stay!!! I knew that I could rely on the hospitality of my fellow RV'ers for this type of thing.

Here is an update. My schedule will not permit ME to make the trip. I SOOOOO WISH that I could do it but need to be back at school and likely couldn't make it if the weather really cropped up.

However, the owner will be making the trip with another pilot and they are watching this thread and will use all the excellent advice you have already graciously offered!

Please keep the tips and advice coming in as they could use it!

Having summers off I will be making PLENTY of these trips when my -7 is done, so I will see you all then!

CJ

KWVI to KPYM

In May '06 I flew this route - No Mtn issues ... KWVI (KBFL thru Happy Valley around 29 Palms) - E25 (paint) - KABQ (WX)- KRVS - KSUS (WX) - KCMH (WX) - KLBE (WX) - KHPN (WX) - KPYM ..lots of stops for WX.. Along the way I saw one of the last four Beech Starships (KRVS) & a new V-22 (KHPN). Took six days due weather stops.