…getting this weekend’s thread started. Hope you’re having a nice one.
v/r,dr
v/r,dr
Van's Air Force
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WDYDWYRTW? (7/27-28/2024)
- Thread starter DeltaRomeo
- Start date
PilotjohnS
Well Known Member
Returned from airventure.
Left friday morning at 9:15 amCDT off of 36 L. Did my runup in the congo line, which was only about 7 planes. I must say, both incoming and out going, OSH had a very efficient system to handle the traffic.
Could not pick up flight following right away. Just as I did w Milwalkee Center, they warned me about a restricted area 9 miles ahead. Who would have thought there is a little restricted area in the middle of nowhere?
Instead of going southwest to the west coast, I decided to go due west to mt rushmore (rapid city) then down. This was due to the predicted thunderstorms over the rockies; w 14.5k ground and 17.5k max altitude, I thought weaving thru the thunderstorms would not be doable. ( I did this on way to, but that was early with no real build up. Mynreturn would have been much later in day.)
Had a constant 15 to 20 knot headwind all the way west. Flight plan said I could make rapid city, but ran short of fuel. Using the database on the G3x ( or is it adsb in?), found Philips City muni airport with reported fuel. Descended from 16.5k; Landed and tanked up. I want to thank these small airports for providing fuel, what a life saver.
On takeoff from Philips, tried for a cruise over mt rushmore, but it was buried in t storms and haze.
Cruised on down to Roosevelt Muni 74V for the next fuel stop. I tried to stay at 16.5k burning 6.6 gph at 143kts, but it was too much dancing between the tstorms towers, so I drop down to 14.5k and 12.5 k. A little bumpier, but later in the day, most storms were deciding if they would dissipate, or continue to wreck havoc on my little plane, so the turbulence was mild.
Roosevelt was another of those small town airports with self serve fuel. But they had a very nice runway, looked brand new. Tanked up and headed out. By this time it was hot, so the density altitude was high, took a lot of runway to get airborne. Managing chts produced a slow climb out with G3x constantly asking me to pull up for terrain. Once I got into cooler air, climb returned to normal.
I gave up on 16.5k cruising since it was later in afternoon some areas had a solid cloud deck. So I stayed at between 12.5k and 14.5 k to get best fuel economy and range. Turned out with the strong headwind, best range was not lean of peak, but somewhere close to best power. Using adsb weather, i was able to see predicted winds aloft, do some math, adjust power to trade groundspeed for fuel burn, and get best range. G3x said I could make it home, but with only 3 gals left in tank. So I decided to stop in Vegas for fuel.
Vegas, 105F at sunset, about 7:15 local. I swore I would never fly into vegas in august, but here I am. As expected takeoff was lethargic, but there was only one other plane in the pattern, a 172. That shows you where all the smart people were, ( not out here) . Controller was very helpful and asked me if I wanted a strip tour on departure. ( did i mention there were few planes in the air, I think I count 3 in all of the valley). I did not think buzzing the strip at 100 feet while trying to climb out was a good idea, so I decided to buzz all the rich folk in Summerlin instead on red rock departure. I ask and was approved for a eastern edge climb out on red rock transition, thru class bravo. I eventually made it to 10.5k and the rest of the way home was uneventful. ( by this time, i think my spaceship knows which way to go.. )
14.5 hours home 13.3 hrs hobbs time.
What a fun time.
Addition: picked up a fly at osh.it would go to sleep at altitude but wake up and buzz me during final for the fuel stops.
The eaa volunteers and control tower were phenomenal.
Left friday morning at 9:15 amCDT off of 36 L. Did my runup in the congo line, which was only about 7 planes. I must say, both incoming and out going, OSH had a very efficient system to handle the traffic.
Could not pick up flight following right away. Just as I did w Milwalkee Center, they warned me about a restricted area 9 miles ahead. Who would have thought there is a little restricted area in the middle of nowhere?
Instead of going southwest to the west coast, I decided to go due west to mt rushmore (rapid city) then down. This was due to the predicted thunderstorms over the rockies; w 14.5k ground and 17.5k max altitude, I thought weaving thru the thunderstorms would not be doable. ( I did this on way to, but that was early with no real build up. Mynreturn would have been much later in day.)
Had a constant 15 to 20 knot headwind all the way west. Flight plan said I could make rapid city, but ran short of fuel. Using the database on the G3x ( or is it adsb in?), found Philips City muni airport with reported fuel. Descended from 16.5k; Landed and tanked up. I want to thank these small airports for providing fuel, what a life saver.
On takeoff from Philips, tried for a cruise over mt rushmore, but it was buried in t storms and haze.
Cruised on down to Roosevelt Muni 74V for the next fuel stop. I tried to stay at 16.5k burning 6.6 gph at 143kts, but it was too much dancing between the tstorms towers, so I drop down to 14.5k and 12.5 k. A little bumpier, but later in the day, most storms were deciding if they would dissipate, or continue to wreck havoc on my little plane, so the turbulence was mild.
Roosevelt was another of those small town airports with self serve fuel. But they had a very nice runway, looked brand new. Tanked up and headed out. By this time it was hot, so the density altitude was high, took a lot of runway to get airborne. Managing chts produced a slow climb out with G3x constantly asking me to pull up for terrain. Once I got into cooler air, climb returned to normal.
I gave up on 16.5k cruising since it was later in afternoon some areas had a solid cloud deck. So I stayed at between 12.5k and 14.5 k to get best fuel economy and range. Turned out with the strong headwind, best range was not lean of peak, but somewhere close to best power. Using adsb weather, i was able to see predicted winds aloft, do some math, adjust power to trade groundspeed for fuel burn, and get best range. G3x said I could make it home, but with only 3 gals left in tank. So I decided to stop in Vegas for fuel.
Vegas, 105F at sunset, about 7:15 local. I swore I would never fly into vegas in august, but here I am. As expected takeoff was lethargic, but there was only one other plane in the pattern, a 172. That shows you where all the smart people were, ( not out here) . Controller was very helpful and asked me if I wanted a strip tour on departure. ( did i mention there were few planes in the air, I think I count 3 in all of the valley). I did not think buzzing the strip at 100 feet while trying to climb out was a good idea, so I decided to buzz all the rich folk in Summerlin instead on red rock departure. I ask and was approved for a eastern edge climb out on red rock transition, thru class bravo. I eventually made it to 10.5k and the rest of the way home was uneventful. ( by this time, i think my spaceship knows which way to go.. )
14.5 hours home 13.3 hrs hobbs time.
What a fun time.
Addition: picked up a fly at osh.it would go to sleep at altitude but wake up and buzz me during final for the fuel stops.
The eaa volunteers and control tower were phenomenal.
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Went for a 1.4 hour flight along our stunning coast. This is from Mossel Bay in South Africa to Plettenberg Bay and back. Managed to shoot an ILS at George on the way back. Lovely weather and saw a number of paragliders and also a lot of whales.
Attachments
Wow
What an epic trip you have had. Do you use O2 on those high flight levels? And your ride? Looks like a slider 7 or 7A? Your home base?PilotjohnS
Well Known Member
Yes O2 from mountain high. Get about 20 hours per tank. RV9a, g3x suite, io320. Great little plane. Mountain high filled the bottle for me for free at Osh. It puffs pretty good at 16.5kWow
Lkitson
Well Known Member
Flew my Son from my home base near Philly and dropped him off in Poughkeepsie NY where his wife picked him up for a family gathering. He couldn’t go with her when she drove up yesterday and what would have been a three-hour trip for him by car this morning was only 45 minutes by RV-8, and way more fun. Plus now they can drive home together tomorrow rather than driving two cars. I love my time machine!
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Foghorn
Well Known Member
Finished our western US trip yesterday.
Stats:
12 days
11 States
9 Cities (Amarillo, Santa Fe, Bryce Canyon, Big Bear Lake, Camarillo, Paso Robles, Healdsburg, Sandpoint, Bozeman)
31:24 hours (taxi to shutdown)
3977 NM
This was a great way to see the sights around our country, visit friends, make new friends and enjoy our love of aviation. Thanks Vans!
Lake Sonoma
Mount Shasta (We kept our distance from this bad boy)
Crater Lake
Best ground speed (KSTS to KSZT)
Sandpoint, ID music festival (Blues Traveler)
The only WX we encountered was on the last leg home.
Home and exhausted!
Stats:
12 days
11 States
9 Cities (Amarillo, Santa Fe, Bryce Canyon, Big Bear Lake, Camarillo, Paso Robles, Healdsburg, Sandpoint, Bozeman)
31:24 hours (taxi to shutdown)
3977 NM
This was a great way to see the sights around our country, visit friends, make new friends and enjoy our love of aviation. Thanks Vans!
Lake Sonoma
Mount Shasta (We kept our distance from this bad boy)
Crater Lake
Best ground speed (KSTS to KSZT)
Sandpoint, ID music festival (Blues Traveler)
The only WX we encountered was on the last leg home.
Home and exhausted!
Departed KOSH about 7am on Saturday. Once I hit northern Missouri on my trek back home to NE Texas I had to pick my way around building storm in Central Missouri/Northern Arkansas. Divert across Missouri and pit stop in Oklahoma for fuel/rest and the last leg home….. ahhhhh. MVFR at KTXK, hangered, tent unpacked to dry and drive home for a nap after 6.1 hours of flight. Long day, good trip, good to be home. See y’all at Petit Jean!
Attachments
jeffreyuh60
Active Member
Love the North Shore. I know it well.
In your last picture you captured my Dad’s house where he lived for 20+ years until he sold it just a few years ago. It is in the middle of the picture just below the road and has the blue tin roof. He owned 22 acres with 1/4 mile of shore line including most of the beach area in the bay.
Got night tailwheel current.
Do I need to be night current in a tailwheel? Not really. Just another excuse to go flying. And I love operating at night, especially with the G3X panel. Everything is turned down to minimum brightness, the Kroger sun shade is open, and the stars are overhead. I'm not sweating, the air is smooth, it's easy to spot traffic, climb rate is better, and the engine runs cool(er).
Launched out of Corona around 9:30 pm and flew down to Dana Point Harbor off the Orange County coast. I took a few minutes for some night time loops and rolls in an aerobatic practice area -- first time I've done that at night -- and then up the coast to John Wayne Airport for some full stop landings. I swear the digital ATIS didn't say anything about "no pattern work" before I took off, but by the time I got to SNA it was on the ATIS. It's like 10 pm and there's not much traffic around, so I ask as nicely as I can and the tower grants my request. Flew some parallel landings with a Gulfstream, a 757, and even a GA bird or two arriving on 20R before heading back to Corona.
Do I need to be night current in a tailwheel? Not really. Just another excuse to go flying. And I love operating at night, especially with the G3X panel. Everything is turned down to minimum brightness, the Kroger sun shade is open, and the stars are overhead. I'm not sweating, the air is smooth, it's easy to spot traffic, climb rate is better, and the engine runs cool(er).
Launched out of Corona around 9:30 pm and flew down to Dana Point Harbor off the Orange County coast. I took a few minutes for some night time loops and rolls in an aerobatic practice area -- first time I've done that at night -- and then up the coast to John Wayne Airport for some full stop landings. I swear the digital ATIS didn't say anything about "no pattern work" before I took off, but by the time I got to SNA it was on the ATIS. It's like 10 pm and there's not much traffic around, so I ask as nicely as I can and the tower grants my request. Flew some parallel landings with a Gulfstream, a 757, and even a GA bird or two arriving on 20R before heading back to Corona.
Since I worked on Sunday I’m counting Monday as part of the weekend <grin>.
Flew the RV up to Gainesville (first RV flight in 21 days) for gas. Hot and bumpy, but it still counts. An RV on the ramp and bumped into a friend at the pump, so got to spend a few minutes visiting. A good morning.
v/r,dr
Company on the ramp...
Bumpier than it looks...
Plane enjoys a post-flight cooldown while I curse the treadmill....
Flew the RV up to Gainesville (first RV flight in 21 days) for gas. Hot and bumpy, but it still counts. An RV on the ramp and bumped into a friend at the pump, so got to spend a few minutes visiting. A good morning.
v/r,dr
Company on the ramp...
Bumpier than it looks...
Plane enjoys a post-flight cooldown while I curse the treadmill....
