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Kent's Lower 48

kentb

kentb

Well Known Member
Well the adventure is about to begin.
My plan is to fly the lower 48 states, including landings at Oshkosh, First Flight, Leadville, and Death Vally. I will be leaving tomorrow Thrusday around noon (9/2/10) and need to be back to work on Monday (9/13/10). I am also hoping to visit my daughter on Monday in Virgina.
Here is the planned route:
http://www.runwayfinder.com/?loc=7s...nt valley;kpga;kbvu;lo6;l72;l71;ktsp;kove;7s9

My friend Randy has loaned my his SPOT so you will be able to track me here:
http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0YNqU5MJq4xUCtlVn5KENzq4HMdqtWIW2

I'll try to update this link with information each night, if I have internet service and time.

Kent
 
Have a great flight Kent. We'll see you in WI.

Fair skies and tailwinds all the way!
 
Now at/near Oshkosh

He is making good time. I am using the Spot website but wish the tracks gave altitude and speed.

Then I checked flightaware and it was outdated.
 
I made it to WI

Tony Phillips, picked me up at the airport. He treated me to some Wisconsin fish fry. I really enjoyed the food and also the company of Tony and his friend Ken and both their wives.

I didn't have internet last night at Helena so I couldn't post my progress.

I need to stop in Spokane International for a couple of hours for the A&P to check out my strange # 2 cylinder behavior. I could get the engine to lean like I normally do. I can usually run 30 degree LOP and # 2 is the first to lean. It will peak about 1430 and then I bring it down to 1400. Now it just keeps going higher. I stopped leaning after it reached 1500. I richened until the EGT got back down to 1400. At this point #2 CHT is 50 degrees lower then the others and the EGT on the others are 100 to 150 lower than # 2.

Anyway they check everything out and declared the engine fit, just run it rich.

So on I go, but now burning about 1 gal more an hour.

Tony has an idea that I might have an intake leak and will help me tomorrow morning to check it out.

I lost my camera in Helena, so can post any pictures (sorry). I try to get another on so that I can take some pictures.

Hope the weather will let me continue east tomorrow.

Kent
 
Back on his way!

This is not a good thing when you are 1800 miles from home. I know a great A&P mechanic, too bad he wasn't around, so Kent had to rely on me instead. The engine had high EGT and Low CHT on #2. Some A&P in Helena, MT checked the injectors and it didn't help. By the time Kent got to OSH the #2 cylinder would only run on his Lightspeed and the Slick mag was dead. We swapped plugs, checked for the obvious, but no avail. I figured it must be a bad ignition lead, so we dug around our maintenance shop and found a brand new harness that we made fit even though not perfectly.

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Op Check Good!

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Looks like you're makign good time today Kent - good luck, and keep lookign at the weather!

(I just looked at your planned route - I can't beleive the Native Texans aren't up in arms - you seem to be taking great pains to avoid the state....:))
 
Thanks Tony...

I am so happy. My new best frind Tony has fixed my plane.
He may have done it so that he could get rid of me as I would bave been stuck at his place. :eek:
My EGT and CHT are now normal and I can lean the engine.
I got started late, but had great tailwinds. There were time that I saw 50 kts for a couple of seconds. But is was hard to see at times because of all the bumps someone put in the air. When I was sure that I could get down at my next stop I went on top 7500 to 9500 MSL. There were a number of time that the airport were close enough that going on top didn't make sense.
The last leg to Albany NY was down low (about 4000) and was as very turbant. At the end of that I decided to call it a night.

Tomorrow I should be able to conplete the journey into the DC area where I will take a break of a day.

Paul, I know that I am not going to make it to the Heart of Taxas. Just think that I am stopping at the Top of Taxas. Maybe my next adventure will be to fly around the state of Taxas.

I found my lost camera (it was in the bottom of my backpack - who put it there?). I need to get to sleep, so will not figure out uploading pictures tonight.

Kent
 
Kent, I was watching on both Spot and FlightAware. When I saw you turn due east near Albany I checked the METAR on Airnav and knew that you would most likely land on runway 28. Sure enough you turned around and landed west.

Flightware seemed to be wrong in that it said you landed about 13 minutes earlier than you did. Seems that they just use your projected landing time.

Earlier I saw you heading southeast in Ohio. Why are you doing that? Then I saw West Virginia ahead and assumed that you made a landing in that little strip at the north.

Then while looking at Flightaware, I noticed that it had radar and you were heading towards a rain shower in northeast PA. Checked ADDS and some of it looked heavy. Soon it looked liked you flew just to the northwest of the isolated heavy rain. Did your XM weather show that clearly?
 
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Kent,

You are really making the 9A's look good! Sounds like a great adventure and you may well be setting a new record for someone else to challenge later on. Good luck on the rest of your trip!

BTW, I see you really are going to TX but don't see a stop in Louisiana. Am I missing something, or is the map just off?

Bob Kelly
 
videobobk said:
Kent,

BTW, I see you really are going to TX but don't see a stop in Louisiana. Am I missing something, or is the map just off?

Bob Kelly
Click to expand...

Bob,
If you zoom in on the map you will see that Kent is planning to land in Vicksburg, MS and then hop accross the mighty Mississippi to land at Tallulah, LA. (KTVR)

Have fun Kent!

Mark
 
Kent visited NJ today. He is a great guy, the kind you'd expect from an RV owner/builder and was kind enough to take me up on a quick flight. Here are a few pics:
58512_1434414453466_1026082126_30962271_6525540_n.jpg

Very clean for flying across the entire country!!
47802_1434414573469_1026082126_30962272_4291893_n.jpg

Nice panel!!
58279_1434414653471_1026082126_30962273_5395278_n.jpg

And Leather too!!

And a short crappy video of his departure from 17N.....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U009kKqoaXs

Thanks Kent....Blue Skies!!!
 
Kent,

It appears that you left your SPOT powered up. It's still transmitting though there is no change in your coordinates.
 
Ron Lee said:
Kent, I was watching on both Spot and FlightAware. When I saw you turn due east near Albany I checked the METAR on Airnav and knew that you would most likely land on runway 28. Sure enough you turned around and landed west.

Flightware seemed to be wrong in that it said you landed about 13 minutes earlier than you did. Seems that they just use your projected landing time.
Click to expand...
I might have made that time, but they wanted a CJ or 757 to land ahead of me. He made one of the big Iron Landing patterns and I was supposed to follow him.
Ron Lee said:
Earlier I saw you heading southeast in Ohio. Why are you doing that? Then I saw West Virginia ahead and assumed that you made a landing in that little strip at the north.
Click to expand...
The stip was a real tuff one with the window coming in from the side. The approach was about 30 degrees from the side. This was the first time in a long time that I had to do a go-round. I did it correctly on my next time.
Ron Lee said:
Then while looking at Flightaware, I noticed that it had radar and you were heading towards a rain shower in northeast PA. Checked ADDS and some of it looked heavy. Soon it looked liked you flew just to the northwest of the isolated heavy rain. Did your XM weather show that clearly?
Click to expand...

The XM showed the shower, but not where it was. I was looking out the window and could see it clearly. I passed through the northwest corner of it, which was just fine mist and a rainbow. It helped clean some of the bugs off. You know like a car wash.:)

I am in Virgina now and at my daughters. I forgot to turn off the SPOT, so Tuesday morning I will need to change the batteries before proceeding.

TRF kept me from going through NY city.

There is more to tell and I haven't looked at my pictures yet. I hope tomorrow I'll have time to get them posted.

Going to sleep now.

Kent
 
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Kent, it looks like we may be out of the noontime thunderstorms building in the mountains. I will keep looking over the next few days. If this drier pattern remains, you should have more flexibility getting to Leadville and then further west.

I was in Leadville a few days ago and there is a lot of construction equipment in the ramp area by the FBO building. Not a big deal since it sloped down to the west and could be a problem getting out before it rolls.

Greg and I both parked to the south of the southernmost hangar.

If you land long to the north, there is a better ramp area to the north of the FBO building.
 
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I screwed up.

After having a late lunch with Tony Kelly (tkatc) I proceed with my plan, but using his airport 17N instead of KMJX
http://www.runwayfinder.com/?loc=17n;kged;kcge;krmn

Tony had setup to get me in the atc system after I took off and all went well.
I was handed off to Dove Aproach as Tony told that I would be. I told the control that I wanted to do touch-and-goes at KGED the KCGE and than on to my final stop at KRMN.
I was really glad to have ATC watching my back as I crossed over Deleware Bay. It is along way between the shore and I think the shore looked like mud flats.
All went well, but after the touch-and-go at KGED and about 10 miles out from KCGE the dropped me. I proceeded to do my last touch and go and than on to KRMN.
Now the part that I screwed. I had entered the airport ID's in my GPS and was following the lines that it drew. I was watching for airspace restriction to adjust my course and alt. if needed. I forgot about the SFRA not being marked like B airspace. I took the SFRA boundary as the mode C line around B airspace.
I have taken the online training about the DC SFRA and at the time knew that I would need to go south round it, but forgot when I was doing the flying.
I guess I'll let you know what the punishment is for this offence.

Kent
 
Looks like you may have just clipped the "speed restricted" zone of the SFRA. If that's the case. no harm, no foul. If you clipped the SFRA itself, I am sure you would have been notified by now.

Keeping my fingers crossed.
 
Kent,

Glad to hear that your trip is going well so far! The bed and bean in Tehachapi still await your arrival later this week.:)
 
Kent, I was educated on the SFRA last year. Today...not as much. My charts show a special ring around DC that is largely INSIDE the mode C veil in the east and south. If that is the SFRA that you need special clearance to enter then you were probably fine.

I tried to go through the FAA course again but it does not work well with dialup.
 
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I left out one thing last night...

I was still partly asleep, but I left out the part where the guys at the FBO meet me after landing and ask for my tail number. He later return with a phone number to call.
The guy I talked to on the phone was nice, but wanted all my information. I asked what was next and he said that I would be contacted in 2 to 4 weeks.:eek:

Miles I still thinks that I will be there Friday afternoon.

Kent

PS This Forum kind-of works like a theropy session. Last night after doing my update, I was able to go back to sleep and slept good.:D
 
Great example of why to stay away from WDC. I learned all about "zero tolerance" from the USNRC. The FAA & TSA have same culture. Like yellowjackets.. stay clear!!!
Wishing tailwinds for your return trip!!
 
looks like the spot died

The batteries finally died. It is interesting that as the plane was not moving the spot only seamed to move around about 15 feet.

Amazing.

Tomorrow I will replace the batteries and continue my trip.

Kent
 
At least you did not have BlackHawks escort you and I never heard about you on the national news.

Continue the trip and don't worry about it. Just be humble IF they ever contact you.

When you go to Kitty Hawk, be sure to walk to the area where they actually did the flights. It is NOT on the hill with the monument.

Here is my report from three years ago

http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=23118&highlight=kitty+hawk
 
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The batteries on the SPOT may be all right. SPOT tracking turns off automatically after 24 hours to stop doofuses like me from wasting batteries when I forget to turn it off.
The power light will flash red when you get down to 30% battery life.
 
He is airborne again. Looks like he did spend some time at Kitty Hawk.

As of 313 PM MDT, Spot position reports seem to be missing but he is on his way to Pensacola Florida per FlightAware.com
 
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The batteries were OK

I Couldn't report last night because the hotel didn't have Wifi.
I got a great deal at the casino in MI. Only $49 per night. I guess they don't want you to stay in your room typing on the computer.:rolleyes:

I did stop for 1.5 hours at Kittyhawk. From the plane parting you get to walk quite away, some of it up hill. I don't mind the walking, but with the heat and humidity, I was soaked by the time I got back to the plane.

No problems on the rest of the route to MI, but I did forget to turn the SPOT on after I left GA from my lunch break.

I was very concerned when I went to sleep about the weather that was coming up from TX. As it turned out my plan for the most part just went around it. I was forced to lower alt then I had planned to fly at and there was on airport in TN that was below minimum, so I diverted to one that was in TN about 20 miles out of my path.

I decided I had had enough by 2:30, so when I reached Omaha I call it quits for the day. I think that I turn off SPOT.

Tomorrow it will be on to CO and then the next day Leadville to death vally.

Kent

PS my AP quit working when I left the DC area.:(
It is a good thing the these plane can be trimed to fly hands off (for 20 seconds).:p
 
Kent,
I see you passing overhead L00 after Death Valley from Trona (gap) to VNY. You'll pass right over L71 (Cal City) which has $4.50/gal fuel: a real deal for California. 10nm further will put you at L00 where you are welcome to stop if able. Looks like you have a landing on the famous '16R' :D Rosie (661-256-8797 for free overnight if needed)
 
I was wondering how long you could keep up those long flying days.

Spot is good but your track on flightaware.com when using flight following is better.

Today had you made it to CO it looked like (memory here) that SW Kansas was ok, westernmost OK fine, some place in the general area of Dalhart adequate then ok to La Junta CO. You are seeing remnants of TS Hermine or something like that.

We had some possibly iffy weather over the Rockies around here today. Not sure why. Hopefully better tomorrow.
 
Thanks for the offer Rosie. I'll be staying with Miles your neighbor. I'll try to get my gas at L71.

Ron I'll give you a call tomorrow after I get to CO to see if you still want to go to Leadville together.

One more interesting thing on my trip was the approach to Pensacola.
I had be cursing at 6500 ft and had started my decent. Passing through 4500 at 175 knots and was handed off to the tower. The tower told me to mantain current speed and report 3 mile finial. So I did as I was told.:)
Sense I had alt to trade for speed I was able to keep it up and reported 3 mile finial at 175 kts. Needless to say I didn't use flaps on this landing. I was still going 130 kts across the numbers and was only able to touch-n-go on the last third of the runway. With 7000 ft of runway if was no problem.
I think the tower was a little suprised that I ask for a touch-n-go.

Kent
 
Kent,
KTSP lowered the 100LL price to $4.25 today. Also, land here and save yourself 1500 feet of climbing on your next departure.;) Should be a piece of cake after Leadville!

Paul,
I haven't yet made any firm dinner plans for Friday. Golden Cantina, maybe? Let's do it! Rosie
 
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I would have had to reply with "Unable" if requested to maintain 175 knots down to final. A fixed pitch (FP) prop needs a bit more time to slow down.

Leadville will be no problem for Kent. With his CS prop, he should do about the same as my 180 HP/FP setup. I first took off from Leadville with an instructor when the density altitude was about 12,500 feet and there was a 15 knot crosswind.
 
Stuck in Omaha

Ceiling are at 1300, to low for me. There are some towers around here that go up to 2000.:eek:

I'll hang out at the airport hopping for improving conditions.

I'll see if I can figure out how to upload some of my pictures in the mean time.

Kent
 
Pictures

I think I got it working.

This is my panel, is that enough glass?


This is the moutains between Spokane and Helena. Very rugged, but beautiful. I was a little nervous as my engine was not working normally (see early post). I went to 13,500 ft. There is a pass about 50 miles to the north that has a river going through it with a couple of airport. I though about going that way, but part of the adventure is to expand my confort zone.



Tony Phillips: my hero.



See how happy I am after he fixed my engine.

 
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After Waukesha

Leaving Waukesha heading south.


Of couse I had to take a picture flying by Chicago.


Some pretty contry on the way to Albany, NY.



Here is the rain shower that I flew next on the way to Albany.


Just headed for the north west corner and pass through a fine mist.
 
leaving Albany

The day started nice with scattered clouds over Albany. Winds had died down only 10 kts. The flight across NY had been low (4500 ft) and with a lot of turbulance and winds. I noted 50 kts tailwind at one point, but my reduced speed for turblance still gave me 185 kts ground speed.:D



Heading to Sanford, MA I made stops in VT and NH. Most of the trip could be made on top in the smooth air. I still had nice tailwinds.



Coming in to Sanford you can see the Altantic Ocean. Still had stronge winds but mostly down the runway (13-19 kts). I pushed into a nice spot and went into the FBO for a quick break. When I can out my plane had move all by itself. Note to self: Tie plane down when the winds are strong.



Coming into Bridgeport CT. I was ready for fuel and wanted to talk to someone about the NY hudson transition. I bought the TAC chart which has the procedure in detail on the back. I felt ready to go. I call Tony K. (tkatc) about meeting for a late lunch.



I took off and contacted atc hoping to do the skyline transition (you get to see NY from a little higher). ATC can't route me through because of a Yanky TFRl. I'll need to go around. I had to stay down low to stay under the class B airspace and could see the big building because of being so far away and the haze in the air.

I picked up Tony at Cross Key and we headed to Flying W airport for our lunch.



Flying W is a neat little airport. Note the airplane shaped swimming pool.

Lunch was great, but more then I could eat. There were some more small shops, but I didn't have time to check them out.

 
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Greetings from Whiskey Hill

Kent
sounds like the trip of a lifetime! Now I know why you were spending so many hours in the hangar in the last month!
I want to hear all about it when you get back.
Jim F
 
Rosamond Cantina Friday Night

longranger said:
Paul,
I haven't yet made any firm dinner plans for Friday. Golden Cantina, maybe? Let's do it! Rosie
Click to expand...


If you guys wind up making it to the Rosamond Cantina Friday night let me know and I'll see what I can do. I've been looking for an excuse to fly there to try what I hear is some good Mexican food for years. It's a short disntance long time wise hop over the hills from Santa Monica in my clubs 172.
 
Ran out of luck with the weather

I waited in Milard this morning for ceiling to get better. When I left Milard was reporting 2400 and to the west was reporting 1700 to 2900. To the south it was down to 900 in some places. So west I went.
I got as far York before I gave up. Unfortunatly the runway was closed for costruction, so I had to land on the grass runway with 10 kts crosswinds. I waited there for a couple of hours until the weather to the west was reporting good things. I didn't want to take off of the grass, as it was very rough, so I used the taxiway.

Again I had to give it up at Kearney.
Tomorrow is going to be better, but I don't think that I will be leaving until late morning or afternoon.

Kent
 
Still delayed in KEAR

May get out late morning to early afternoon.:(
Time to start changing my plan.
I am going to drop Leadville. I'll use Durango for my CO stop. I'll decide when I get there if I'll continue to SOCAL or head NW. I really want to get home Saturday evening.

Ron, I'll be back next year to do the Leadville to Death Vally run. That really looks like a great flight.

Kent
 
Thanks for the notice

Actually you could spend lots of time in this area. Between site-seeing at Death Valley, Monument Valley, Grand Canyon, multiple national parks in Utah, you could make another trip very memorable.
 
Bummer, Kent!

I've PM'd you my cell phone#, so when you know for sure what you're going to do, give me a call. I'll be out at KTSP after about 1pm for the rest of the day. If you do make it, I'm south of the runway at the west end:

jpeqls.jpg
 
Kent,

Looks like a great trip. It looks like you had a sectional chart displayed on your iPad. Could you give us a pirep on the iPad, commenting on such things as sunlight readability, mounting hardware to the panel, and the app you were using?

Thanks,

Mike
 
did you say your plane rotated 90 degrees into the wind when it was parked at cross key? thats kind of attention getting!
 
Looks like he made it to Page, AZ and overflew Monument Valley.

Hopefully he landed to the south at Page.
 
Washington SFRA

rv9av8tr said:
Great example of why to stay away from WDC. I learned all about "zero tolerance" from the USNRC. The FAA & TSA have same culture. Like yellowjackets.. stay clear!!!
Wishing tailwinds for your return trip!!
Click to expand...

The Washington SFRA is a pain and nuisance to deal with, but it is not difficult. The penalties for transgressions seem a bit stiff. I've flown into W00 on the NE ring of the Flight Restricted Zone on a monthly basis for the past 5 years without incident, mostly VFR.

If you fly into W00 or any of the nearby airports on an IFR clearance, it's like the red carpet's rolled out and the skies part to get you where your going, just do what the controller says and don't ever go to standby or turn your transponder off. The controller's remind you of that when you're cleared to "change to advisory frequency." I just leave my transponder on all the time, now.

I have no quarrel with the author. But this attitude of just giving up on going where you can go, if you follow a few annoying rules, drives home the point that so many act as if the terrorists won by giving up freedoms that they have. On this anniversary of 9/11, more vigilance is certainly necessary. But, to just give up isn't my style.

I rather enjoy the notion that I'm poking the TSA in the eye when I fly into W00. Hopefully, continued activity at this and other nearby airports will help keep the TSA at bay and preclude them from further overreaching their mandate.

Mike
 
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