Need Advice Flying PA11 from WA to FL Next Couple weeks

[TGoth]

Have to fly my cub from Fort Lewis Washington to Tampa Florida soon, looking for advice on best routes, getting through passes, etc.
Tedd

[qmdv]

What is your range. If you end up comming south, you can stay at our place in Nor Cal. Just off I-5 a few miles south of Oregon, Cal border

Tim

[mr scout]

Then the next day you can stay here at 1NV1

[piperpainter]

I'd say to follow I-90 through the pass towards Yakima. Then from there head down till you hit I-84 in N.E. Oregon. Follow I-84 till in SE ID then cross over and join I-80 till you get near FT. Collinns, CO. From there cut across the great plains and start heaing down to Tampa....see the map!

[WWhunter]

Not related to your question but the FIRST thing I would get is a temper foam seat cushion!!!
WW

[z3skybolt]

Have to fly my cub from Fort Lewis Washington to Tampa Florida soon, looking for advice on best routes, getting through passes, etc.
Tedd

Piperpainter has it exactly right....assuming prevailing weather is good. I ferried a Maule from S/E Missouri to near Bellingham, WA in Feb. of last year, following almost exactly the same route in reverse. Hopefully you won't have the 35 kt. average headwind that I experienced on that trip. Also had to file IFR from Idaho to Seattle area. Good luck. The trip should be fun.

Bob

[glaciercub]

Ted, If I was headed that way I would head south, then east.... end up in Texas, San Antonio, Houston then Coastal all the way to Tampa, some time back flew that and really enjoyed the view! I'd check forecast and choose I-5/99 or 84/15 to southwest?

Watch fog between Sacramento and Bakersfield, some days even the smog is really thick... (clear and 5 miles!)
Should you go that way.... Montague, Great folks and Room @ FBO, Car and all.... @ Willows Great Food ! Fuel,
Los Banos...Motel and Food right across street, Tehachapi...fuel-food, Barstow ( watch Edwards Airspace), Needles....nice Guy/Fuel, Lake Havasu, Follow River to 10 Blythe ..... head east Not fastest route ? but nice weather most of the time and great views..... When are you leaving? I'll be down again next week I think? we still need to go the the Point for Boobs and Jos !

paul

[mtv]

Listen to Paul. That more or less direct route might work fine in the summer, or in an airplane with a heater, but....a PA-11?? You'll freeze your keester off.

Assuming you've got some time to make this trip (and if you don't have the time off, you're fooling yourself--get someone else to ferry it), I'd go south first, THEN east. The other issue is going through that direct route, you're going through a LOT of really high altitude country, for many miles.

I'd duck south, then east. It might add a couple days, but I'm betting you'll wind up saving that much time due to less weather delays, compared with going through the middle of the country.

MTV

[gbflyer]

I'm envious Tedd.

gb

[whitehusky]

Ted,

I've flown my PA-11 C90-8F the Northern Route from San Jose, Ca to OSH and and the Southern Route from Dallas to San Jose.

First lesson, things don't go by very quickly when you use a WAC Chart, when flying a PA-11, so be patient and hydrate and keep a pee bottle with you for the trip.

Things do get pretty high cutting across the Rockies but it is the most direct route and the most lonely

I've flown my Husky up and down the coast and makes for a nice ride if you take the PA-11 down towards Southern CA then cut across the Southern route.

I prefer the Southern Route.

Gary

[Stol]

This time of year with the winds blowing as they do and as slow as your plane cruises I would vote for the piperpainter route. Just wear heavy clothes for the first day till you clear Wyo and get into Kan..

Tailwinds are GOOD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. YMMV.


Have fun.


Ben

[piperpainter]

If we get a high pressure system like we do sometimes during the winter it'll be cold but will provide a great clear trip most of the way into CO. I know we have some not so bad weather coming this weekend I figure you could probably get at least to CO in 2 days!
It looks like a high pressure system is going to be moving in come sat/sun and then a low will of course follow!

[PA12_Pilot]

I have flown much of the route outlined by Piperpainter in the summer, and wouldn't hesitate to do it again. In the summer. But I think Paul's suggestion to head south is probably better because it gives you more options. More options in the sense that with warmer weather it's so much easier to deal with mechanical issues on the ground. On long flights I always find screws that vibrate loose, tires that need a little air, minor engine issues - all of which are caught during post- and pre-flight inspections. It's so much easier to do a good inspection when you're not 3/4 frozen, and it's so much faster addressing the squawks, too. Plus, you probably won't have to deal with pre-heating.

Paul is right on the money when he warns of fog in California's Central Valley. It's startling how much ground can be covered by fog when the conditions are right. The Salt Lake City basin also experiences dense winter fog due to temperature inversions, so you'll need to be alert for fog regardless of your route.

I'd consider PP's route if a monster high pressure moves in and creates favorable visibilities and tailwinds that would allow you to cross the mountain and plains states quickly. But if there's any doubt about the weather, and particularly if the temperatures are going to be very low, I think Paul's route is the better choice.

[glaciercub]

Ted, first two words in your post "Have to" You poor thing..... I bet there's several fellas here who would sign up !

Go south, Go slow and ENJOY the Trip, take the pop tent and sleeping bag.........

Or You taking the Oly Gal with you ??

[TGoth]

First, thanks for all the great advice, very much appreciated. Right now I'm closely watching the I90 cooridor through Montana, lowest points to cross the rockies from what the chart says and what I'm being told. The southern route initially looks appealing but the Mountains in Southern Oregon/Northern California aren't exactly inviting this time of year either and you still have to cross down south, and lets face it, weather down there has been in the crapper! I'm not worried about the cold, got plenty of cold weather gear since I'm an Alaskan by nature. More concerned about the weather to get through. I will keep a close eye on all three routes, I90 through Montana, I84 through Utah and the southern route.

Keep the news coming, my first day ready to launch is tuesday morning, each day next week I will be watching the weather waiting to launch. I have up to 14 days to make the trip once I head out.

Paul, Oly chick is flying down Comm Air to help me find a house on a lake and to work on her tan, then she's heading back to Oly till summer

Gb, that engine hasn't let me down yet!
Tedd

[RobBurson]

First, thanks for all the great advice, very much appreciated. Right now I'm closely watching the I90 cooridor through Montana, lowest points to cross the rockies from what the chart says and what I'm being told. The southern route initially looks appealing but the Mountains in Southern Oregon/Northern California aren't exactly inviting this time of year either and you still have to cross down south, and lets face it, weather down there has been in the crapper! I'm not worried about the cold, got plenty of cold weather gear since I'm an Alaskan by nature. More concerned about the weather to get through. I will keep a close eye on all three routes, I90 through Montana, I84 through Utah and the southern route.

Keep the news coming, my first day ready to launch is tuesday morning, each day next week I will be watching the weather waiting to launch. I have up to 14 days to make the trip once I head out.

Paul, Oly chick is flying down Comm Air to help me find a house on a lake and to work on her tan, then she's heading back to Oly till summer

Gb, that engine hasn't let me down yet!
Tedd

TGoth: I'm headed to Florida in my M7 Monday. Most likely route. Sedona, Az. Houston, Tx. I don't know, north Florida. North Palm Beach, Key West, Jensen Beach. Then the Daytona 500.

You have a good, safe trip...Rob

[glaciercub]

Ted, above all BE SAFE........ when you get settled let me know, maybe I'll come visit, go fishing?


Take Care

p

[shortfielder]

Tedd

My place is open if you are in the area on your trip, and need a place to stay or assistance with any issues.

Gary

[Green Hornet]

Due to the hostile weather lately I ditto the southwest along I-10. Going across any mountain ranges with all the moisture and cold is full of icing concerns. I have taken this route before and it offers plenty of fuel stops with friendly folks. Have a safe fun flight

[NineThreeKilo]

Hmm, Look into what airports have a 24hr pilots lounge and courtesy cars and call ahead, this can save you some bucks on hotels. I flew from the east coast to the west coast in my Stinson and did not stay in one hotel (stayed in a tent 2 nights though). I just followed the roads and a few rivers when I was planning my trip.

Aside from that, just look at the charts and scout your drip out, be sure to bring a GPS, fun times navigating over the nothing that is the midwest!

Check out fltplan.com for your planning, they have a good seamless chart viewer and info on what airports have lounges etc w/ phone numbers.