Captain Avgas
Well Known Member
I've just clocked up 1520 hours of flying in my logbook. At an estimated average speed of 150 knots I reckon that's about 228,000 nautical miles. That distance is roughly equivalent to one orbit of the earth (21,639 NM) plus the distance between the earth and the moon (207,000 NM).
So given a preliminary single orbit of the earth before firing the booster I figure I've just theoretically arrived at the moon in my RV7A. It's taken me 1520 hours flying at 150 knots to get here (running lean of peak to conserve fuel). The view is totally spectacular but there's a problem. I'm 73 in October and I doubt that I have enough flying hours left in me to get back home.
But my predicament is of my own making....the moon shot was always ambitious. With 228,000 nautical miles up my sleeve I could have stayed at home and orbited the earth over 10 times.
I'm certainly glad I didn't opt for a circumnavigation of the sun...228,000 nautical miles wouldn't have even taken me 10% of my way around. It's a long long way around the sun.
So given a preliminary single orbit of the earth before firing the booster I figure I've just theoretically arrived at the moon in my RV7A. It's taken me 1520 hours flying at 150 knots to get here (running lean of peak to conserve fuel). The view is totally spectacular but there's a problem. I'm 73 in October and I doubt that I have enough flying hours left in me to get back home.
But my predicament is of my own making....the moon shot was always ambitious. With 228,000 nautical miles up my sleeve I could have stayed at home and orbited the earth over 10 times.
I'm certainly glad I didn't opt for a circumnavigation of the sun...228,000 nautical miles wouldn't have even taken me 10% of my way around. It's a long long way around the sun.
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