ETLB Squawk Forums — Archive

I have a question for this board. Have any of you flew a long cross country with the 'max (hi and/or mini)? I'm not talking about flying from Chandler to Coolidge for pancakes. I'm talking about fly for 150+ miles and camp then get up and do it again. I know the 'max was designed more for "punching holes in the sky" then cross country flying but looking at doing that some day and want to know if anyone else has thought the same thing. There's not a lot of room or weight allowance so baggage would have to be compact and light weight. But, my feeling is the 'max is slow and low enough that a person could actually SEE the country they were flying over. And the trek would be the same as biking across the state or hiking a portion of the Appalachian trail. Share your thoughts. Lyle

I've done a few longer trips in the Airbike. Your right, it is more of a contact sport than flying somewhere in a 182. I'd expect it to be slightly less rugged in a Max, since you not quite as exposed. You're also right about getting to see the scenery. In the Airbike I get a good long view of everything I'm flying over. More so with a headwind. At the end of the second day, it starts to feel more like work, but still fun and worth the adventure.

However, I'm a piker when it comes to long distance Airbiking. Paul is the one with the real miles in the saddle. The farthest I've gone in a day is about 400 miles. Round trip about 800 miles.

Pack light.

Ian

AS i said earlier I have 100nm and 134 nm trip planned that I will fly straight through.  I also have a 202nm trip planned to Lemars Ia.    I plan on doing them all pretty soon definitely before summer is over.  all you have to worry about is the wind factor aloft.  To much wind and its like you are going backwards, not an exaggeration.

If you have confidence in your engine then with a good weather outlook you can fly as far as you want.

Dave

Lyle, as others have said, keep it light.  However there are those necessary  items for the plane  and yourself:

  2-stroke engine  oil (airports don't have the stuff we need)
  Tool kit, spare spark plugs and fuel filter
  Water, nutrition bars, sunscreen
  Light folded blanket used as a sleeping  bag
  Cheapie air  mattress (swimming pool variety)
  Children's tent (sleep diagonaly or let your head stick out for night critters to pee on)
  Change  of clothes and minimal toiliteries (ie. dental floss  instead of a toothbrush)
  And of course your regular  navigation and radio equipment.

Riding in your  enclosed cockpit won't be nearly as fatiguing as us guys in our  open cockpit AirBikes.  

My longest one-day flight was 375 miles, longest trip flights were two journeys to Oshkosh at 1500 miles each. Make it fun,  visit people  enroute.  They may even buy you a meal  or better yet let you use a shower (or at least sun-heated  water from  a long garden hose---thanks Ron Franck).

Cross-countries are an experience.  Ones you  won't forget.  You will meet the nicest  and most helpful people along theway.   All  will wish they could do  what  you are doing.

Good Luck

Paul Fiebich
A.k.A. AirBike Ace

  

I think the major factor is weather, for the rest there is Eurocard...
Met should be pretty confident in forecast for days ahead, since you want to make the trip back as well. Anyhow, dont stick to your schedule and make sure you have days available for delays on the way back.

WELL...no ones mentioned to take your wallet..!! or plastic Card..LOL

and in Summer time

and if you get away at DAWN...your cross country miles work well when down low..as usually the winds are less before lunch...sometime even as early as 9am....fly low below the inversion unless you end up with a tailwind...so goodluck...and Paul will tell you tailwinds are rare...but so GOOD..when it happens..the GPS is critical for good fun..as it gives you your ground speed...which gives you your fuel stops...!

Plan everything and have fun

regards Arthur

I tried to fly saturday morning but two different aviation weather sources were completely wrong, flightcentral.net; and AOPA weather were both off.  They said wind would be 4knts, well it was a good twenty to twenty five once you got off the ground,  I noticed the flags were straight out and said to myself that is a 20knt wind, so I thought well I will give it a try if Idon't like it I will land.  I went up got thrown around like a rag doll, so I circled the pattern and landed, said I don't have to do that and I am not going to not in my plane.

Dayflyer



well I didn't quite qualify for cross country yesterday but I did get 70 nm continuous flying in yesterday in the blue bird, and it was quite fun.


I flew  cross country to a neighboring airport which was 32nm and flew around a little came back and landed.  It was later on the way back and as you know just kept getting better the latter it got.  Went from being tossed around to be quite enjoyable and the view was fantastic.  The headwind at 2000' was fluctuating from 12-20mph and on the way back it was later and much calmer, but I got to enjoy 65-67mph without a canopy.  Wide open flying, it was so refreshing.