Flying again!

Flying again!

Well Known Member
I am picking up an RV10 in Vancouver and flying back to North Fort Worth. This is my first trip across the country. Preliminary planning is as follows:

CYVR to KSFF for customs
KSFF to KBIL to SHR to KCPR for overnight
KCPR to IIP to GLD to 1K2 to 52F

Altitude 9500ft initially to 7500 as terrain permits.

Any other suggested routes or places to stay overnight?

Thanks -- TJ
 
Depending on when & what time you are traveling. Watch the afternoon winds and T-storms across MT. Your path will take you over HLN and 8u8. HLN has "mustang mickies" if you get stuck. Also I can find hangar space in 8u8 if need be.

If you want to cut a little time off, I'd go to 11500 leaving SFF, then HLN-GEY-CPR. should be a little over 3hrs and keep you off the big rocks.

don't forget your camera
 
I'm sure you're aware that YVR is the second busiest airport in Canada. If you're comfortable getting in the fray with big iron, then good on ya. But most pilots around here given the choice would choose Bounday Bay (CZBB) over YVR, as it is much more orientated towards GA, and is only a five minute flight from YVR. Still a lot of traffic, but not one of the largest international airports in Canada!

Just a head's up from a local...
 
Wave

If something changes enroute and you need a place to hold up, I can see the Missoula airport (KMSO) from my house and have extra rooms. Just give me a heads up - if you can.
 
KSFF has some great history and is where my RV is currently hangared (old EAA hangar) and has a large RV and EAA community, bound to see some about. It was the old ANG base and has a nice cafe, stop in to look around if nothing else.

In my trip down to Tx a few months ago I chose to cut straight through the rockies in Mt and then go south through the plains (VFR). As posted before Mustang Mickies has great gas prices and a nice place to stop in. Following I90 will give you the lowest passes (MLP is the highest, has VOR wx reporting) and plenty of emergency airfields along the way. I get weary about being single engine over the mtns for extended periods of time. Flight following will be patchy with Denver center, you'll have to stay up above 9-10k ft to keep radar contact. Might be more info than you were looking for but I wanted to share my experience. Safe travels.

Tyler
 
There are times I have lost radar coverage/flight following at 14,500' west of Pikes Peak.
 
Thanks to all fornthe response!!

Lots of good info here! I will do some more flight planning this weekend. I fly out Monday and head home Tuesday/Wednesday. Based on this I may take some of you up on your kind offers.

BTW, I am not sure what airport the -10 is based, just used YVR as a convenient start point. Also, IIP is a VOR waypoint to clear some high terrain.

TJ
 
Personally I would clear at KBLI (Bellingham) because once cleared you have lots of routing options. Across the hills you are often dealing with mountain obscuration (weather). Do you really want to file when you've had the plane for less than 15 minutes?
 
i agree with Mike Culver.

Plan to clear at Bellingham. From Bounday Bay, Langley or Abbotsford it's only a 10 minute flight.
That way your customs clearance time is easy to make.

Remember, you need to file an e-APIS with a border crossing time and location. Also, you have to arrange customs via phone at least 1 hour before you go and you have to file a crossborder flight plan with Nav Canada.
In Canada, your flight plan is opened automatically at your proposed time off.


If you are the new owner of the plane and are importing it to the US, it might be easier for you to have the old owner fly it to KBLI and transfer ownership there.

I'm based at CYNJ. If you need help there are a dozen RV's on the field.

Bryan Carr
[email protected]
 
Thanks for the tip Byran and Mike.

I will be flying with the A&E that put the new panel in. He can be PIC across the border to help clear the way through customs. Hope there aren't too many "gotcha's" but I am viewing this as an adventure ---
 
Home from Vancouver!

It was a great trip with fantastic weather the entire way. The hardest part was getting the RV10 into the US! US.customs said the airplane had to be de-registered from Canada before flying into the US and had to be inspected in the US and have US N numbers before continuing.....in other words, break the law by flying an unregistered a/c into the US and wait 2 to 3 weeks at the port of entry to wait for the FAA to approve my request for the N number, remove the C number, put the N numbermon and getmamDAR to sign off on all this and the aircraft! Finally got it sorted out and it turns out whatmI was trying tomdo was the correct way and Customs was off base. let a day though.

Departed KBLI at 0953 local, arrived in 46U (Alpine WY...beautiful airport and lake!) 3.6 hours later. That was an average GS of 193 mph at 11,500 ft.

Departed 46U for KSTK (Sterling, CO) arrived 2.4 hours later at 1629 MST. Decided to overnight at Sterling since they had a hanger for $10, a loaner "Blues Brothers" car and good food at a local restaurant (J&L Cafe...great home cooking and reasonable price).

Departed KSTK for KELK at 0737 arriving 2.3 hours later. Stopped to stretch legs, grab a coke and get cheap fuel ($4.79). This is where the first traffic call was received after using flight following for about 1100nm at that point...pretty quiet flight!

Took off at 1118 CST 52F via 92F to stay clear of Some restricted areas and after flying past it to circle my wife's school, arrived at Northwest Regional at 1236.

The direct routing Shows about 1518 nm, which took 9.5 hours (taking .1 off for overflying the airport to circle the school). This included some slight detours for terrain and turbulence, slowing down for turbulence, and generally light winds (single digit, mix of head and tail winds). Average GS was 160 knots (184 mph) at 9500 to 11500 feet and 2400 rpm and 18 to 19 inches MP. Love it!

This is my first plane and the RV 10 is fast and very comfortable. Can't wait to fly it more after it is registered in the US!

By the way, the Canadian tail number, C-FUXX took multiple repeats for each center before they got it right....in fact Denver handed us off every 2-3 minutes....was this to let each controller log this call sign? Lol
 
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