I'm going to fly an Aeronca Champ all over the country. Where should I go? Who wants to meet up?

A150K said:
Let me know when you get to SAF and we can meet up. I'm based and instruct here (BTW, if your name is the same as your username, you sound familiar. Did you recently do your Commercial with M.S.?)
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Yep, that's me. Sorry, I'm forgetting your name.
 
I went and got checked out/flew it today! I was told it had a transponder by the dispatcher over the phone, but it doesn't, that'll make it a little tricky in some areas.

It also doesn't have an alternator, just a wind driven generator and a battery with a single comm radio. Doesn't have a starter. But it's in good enough shape and flies just fine, I'm picking it up on Wednesday and bringing it up closer to where I live to fly it around locally, and then depart. I have the airplane until the 29th!
 
I would definitely suggest Glenwood Springs, CO, but that's not an airport you want to fly into without doing your research first. Or possibly have someone who knows what they're doing on board.
 
KPAN (Payson AZ) has a on field restaurant and campground. Always makes for a neat trip.
 
Murdoughnut said:
If you swing down to Florida, stop off at Cedar Key and Albert Whitted in St. Petersburg (SPG) - two great Florida airport experiences. From there you could travel up north and hit Gainesville and go up the Georgia coast.
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Albert Whitted is an awesome airport. Plus, the on-field restaurant is amazing. I stuffed myself the last time I was there (December of last year).
 
You should look into flying for one of the pictometry vendors. You get paid pretty well to fly c172's and PA23's all over the country. Canada and Alaska happen too. They hire in august but sometimes an opening will pop up later in the season. Either way look into them next fall.
 
KKochan said:
A little bit about myself, I'm 25 and got my Commercial License about 2 months ago. I have 275TT. I don't want to become a CFI right now, I just want to fly. I'm going to rent an Aeronca Champ with a C65, and fly it all over the place, starting next week or so, from Socal. I'm getting checked out in the airplane on Sunday, I already have a T/W endorsement.

I'd appreciate suggestions on airports to go to, and if anyone would like to meet up that would be awesome! My goal is to build 90hrs in it, and then tow gliders if I do not find anything else. I'm currently between jobs, I left a "promising" career as a technician at a BMW dealership after getting my Commercial to pursue a career in Aviation. I'm fortunate enough to have some money saved up so that I can do this. So thanks in advance for any suggestions or advice!
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With great hope to avoid sounding like a crochety ol' bastage, let me say that Telluride and Leadville and Aspen in a 65hp aircraft could be, er...problematic. Make sure it's cold, use caution, plan to gyre to altitude.

Where you based out of? Whose plane (how maintained)? When (what month(s)) are you planning to fly?
I can give you a whole list of great airports and strips I've been into recently where that plane will feel right at home.
You could have tons of fun in the Northern Rockies and Upper Midwest... lots of little grass/dirt strips I'm sure you would enjoy, and great folks to meet. Trouble is, if you go in Winter, it could be very hard even to find these places, let alone land on 'em. Pretty much any Northern routes are going to be challenging in the winter (flight Wx and runway conditions). Not that you can't go North in the winter, just gotta plan ahead, have options and be very careful. There are some terrific grass strips in Wisconsin and Michigan as well with several on islands out in the the lakes. Again, likely best in the Summer, but brilliant on a crisp clear Winter day, too... if you can wait it out for those days.
The Northern Rockies can also present challenging Wx Winter or Summer. On the good days, there is little better than a mountain flight in the Winter. Just make sure the day stays good...Wx changes very fast, and you've got a very low performance aircraft with, I'm assuming, very limited avionics (emergency instrument options).
Advise time-frame and general area in which you want to fly and I'll give you a bunch of itinerary options.
 
Crop Duster said:
With great hope to avoid sounding like a crochety ol' bastage, let me say that Telluride and Leadville and Aspen in a 65hp aircraft could be, er...problematic. Make sure it's cold, use caution, plan to gyre to altitude.

Where you based out of? Whose plane (how maintained)? When (what month(s)) are you planning to fly?
I can give you a whole list of great airports and strips I've been into recently where that plane will feel right at home.
You could have tons of fun in the Northern Rockies and Upper Midwest... lots of little grass/dirt strips I'm sure you would enjoy, and great folks to meet. Trouble is, if you go in Winter, it could be very hard even to find these places, let alone land on 'em. Pretty much any Northern routes are going to be challenging in the winter (flight Wx and runway conditions). Not that you can't go North in the winter, just gotta plan ahead, have options and be very careful. There are some terrific grass strips in Wisconsin and Michigan as well with several on islands out in the the lakes. Again, likely best in the Summer, but brilliant on a crisp clear Winter day, too... if you can wait it out for those days.
The Northern Rockies can also present challenging Wx Winter or Summer. On the good days, there is little better than a mountain flight in the Winter. Just make sure the day stays good...Wx changes very fast, and you've got a very low performance aircraft with, I'm assuming, very limited avionics (emergency instrument options).
Advise time-frame and general area in which you want to fly and I'll give you a bunch of itinerary options.
Click to expand...

Thank you. I'm based in Socal, I'm picking up the plane on Wednesday and bringing it up to KFUL. It is owned and maintained by a flight school that is also a maintenance shop (First Flight Corp at Brown Field in San Diego). I'm planning on flying it around locally for a few days, and then heading east, first major stop will be Santa Fe, NM, then up to Colorado. So I'm looking at doing all of my flying this month.

The A/C is very basic. Hand prop only, it has a wind driven generator that produces enough just to keep the battery that runs the radio charged. Other than that it has basic instruments. No attitude indicator.
 
Is that champ: N3370E? If so, that's the one I got my tail wheel endorsement on in 2008.
 
KKochan said:
Thank you. I'm based in Socal, I'm picking up the plane on Wednesday and bringing it up to KFUL. It is owned and maintained by a flight school that is also a maintenance shop (First Flight Corp at Brown Field in San Diego). I'm planning on flying it around locally for a few days, and then heading east, first major stop will be Santa Fe, NM, then up to Colorado. So I'm looking at doing all of my flying this month.

The A/C is very basic. Hand prop only, it has a wind driven generator that produces enough just to keep the battery that runs the radio charged. Other than that it has basic instruments. No attitude indicator.
Click to expand...
Where you based out of? I think you mentioned you didn't have a transponder, you will need one to go to FUL.
I agree, go to Sedona, it is beautiful there. I am at SNA, let me know when your up here.
 
KKochan said:
A little bit about myself, I'm 25 and got my Commercial License about 2 months ago. I have 275TT. I don't want to become a CFI right now, I just want to fly. I'm going to rent an Aeronca Champ with a C65, and fly it all over the place, starting next week or so, from Socal. I'm getting checked out in the airplane on Sunday, I already have a T/W endorsement.
I'd appreciate suggestions on airports to go to, and if anyone would like to meet up that would be awesome! My goal is to build 90hrs in it, and then tow gliders if I do not find anything else. I'm currently between jobs, I left a "promising" career as a technician at a BMW dealership after getting my Commercial to pursue a career in Aviation. I'm fortunate enough to have some money saved up so that I can do this. So thanks in advance for any suggestions or advice!
Click to expand...


Hey, sorry, in my first post to you for some reason I missed your departure place and date.
Below is a list of a whole bunch of aiports/landing strips I've flown to that I chose for you based on availability of fun, beauty, grass/dirt strips, good restaurants, historic interest, not-too-crazy-mountain experience, airplane factories, routing, etc. At least some of these qualities will be found in all of these airports, but not every airport will have all qualities. I am not suggesting that you need to go to every airport. I've just thrown them in to give you options, and to kinda-sorta follow the route you indicated. I didn't include anything in Colorado.

I in no way endorse or recommend this route or any of the airports I have mentioned. They are all extremely dangerous, and even just thinking about them could cause you severe harm. Neither I nor my attorneys recommend flying an airplane whatsoever, and we certainly do not endorse, sanction, recommend, guarantee, or warrant anything stated in this message with the exception of this paragraph. Fly this or don't at your own level of comfort, weather tolerance, fuel requirement, bladder capacity, physical and mental capacity, RISK, etc, etc, caveat emptor, Dominus, ad nauseaum, et spiritus sancti, amen.

Have fun!!

ForeFlight: KSMO L52 1C9 KHAF KSTS KPVF KAUN KTRK O79 KRTS 1A8 KWMC KEKO KIDA U56 KDIJ KJAC 29S KLVM KRED KGEY KSHR 83V KCUT 6V4 5V8 7Q7 8D8 KVMR KFSD 2VA 2Y0 4D8 KEGQ KAXA 0Y6 5D2 KCCY 1Y5 Y16 7C3 Y01 Y51 KHBW 4D1 60C 93C KLNR KDLL KOSH 68C W34 KCLI KEZS KOCQ 3D2 2P2 Y04 5D5 KPTK O74 5E9 38I 2B6 I69 KBKW W91 4W4 KBUY 4W9 6N9 N22 N21 60J KGGE KHXD KSAV KMGR 83J KBFM 5R7 KNEW 6R1 KORG T00 KPKV KBEA 53T 74R KSSF T82 KERV KJCT 64F 7T7 N17 KSAF KGUP KINW KFLG KSEZ P52 KPRC P23 L37 KIGM KIFP 1L4 KDAG L70 KSMO 80kts 6gph N432SP 8000ft

From To Course Totals Leg
KSMO L52 290°M 125nm 9.4g 1h34m 125nm 9.4g 1h34m
L52 1C9 327°M 244nm 18.3g 3h03m 118nm 8.9g 1h29m
1C9 KHAF 291°M 304nm 22.8g 3h48m 60nm 4.5g 0h45m
KHAF KSTS 333°M 365nm 27.4g 4h34m 62nm 4.6g 0h46m
KSTS KPVF 68°M 463nm 34.7g 5h47m 97nm 7.3g 1h13m
KPVF KAUN 299°M 483nm 36.3g 6h03m 21nm 1.5g 0h15m
KAUN KTRK 49°M 532nm 39.9g 6h39m 49nm 3.7g 0h37m
KTRK O79 315°M 551nm 41.3g 6h53m 19nm 1.4g 0h14m
O79 KRTS 63°M 574nm 43.0g 7h10m 23nm 1.7g 0h17m
KRTS 1A8 11°M 633nm 47.5g 7h55m 60nm 4.5g 0h45m
1A8 KWMC 60°M 706nm 53.0g 8h50m 73nm 5.5g 0h55m
KWMC KEKO 79°M 798nm 59.8g 9h58m 91nm 6.9g 1h09m
KEKO KIDA 31°M 1,029nm 77.1g 12h51m 231nm 17.3g 2h53m
KIDA U56 26°M 1,039nm 77.9g 12h59m 10nm 0.7g 7m24s
U56 KDIJ 68°M 1,075nm 80.6g 13h26m 37nm 2.7g 0h27m
KDIJ KJAC 105°M 1,093nm 82.0g 13h40m 18nm 1.3g 0h13m
KJAC 29S 349°M 1,179nm 88.4g 14h44m 87nm 6.5g 1h05m
29S KLVM 6°M 1,220nm 91.5g 15h15m 41nm 3.1g 0h31m
KLVM KRED 109°M 1,279nm 95.9g 15h59m 58nm 4.4g 0h44m
KRED KGEY 117°M 1,343nm 101g 16h47m 64nm 4.8g 0h48m
KGEY KSHR 62°M 1,392nm 104g 17h24m 49nm 3.7g 0h37m
KSHR 83V 101°M 1,501nm 113g 18h46m 108nm 8.1g 1h21m
83V KCUT 108°M 1,550nm 116g 19h22m 49nm 3.7g 0h37m
KCUT 6V4 66°M 1,611nm 121g 20h08m 61nm 4.6g 0h46m
6V4 5V8 100°M 1,645nm 123g 20h34m 34nm 2.6g 0h26m
5V8 7Q7 110°M 1,682nm 126g 21h01m 37nm 2.7g 0h27m
7Q7 8D8 98°M 1,781nm 134g 22h16m 99nm 7.4g 1h14m
8D8 KVMR 103°M 1,855nm 139g 23h11m 74nm 5.6g 0h56m
KVMR KFSD 7°M 1,905nm 143g 23h49m 50nm 3.7g 0h37m
KFSD 2VA 115°M 1,921nm 144g 24h01m 17nm 1.2g 0h12m
2VA 2Y0 120°M 1,963nm 147g 24h32m 41nm 3.1g 0h31m
2Y0 4D8 50°M 1,988nm 149g 24h51m 25nm 1.9g 0h19m
4D8 KEGQ 123°M 2,012nm 151g 25h09m 24nm 1.8g 0h18m
KEGQ KAXA 93°M 2,031nm 152g 25h23m 19nm 1.4g 0h14m
KAXA 0Y6 58°M 2,070nm 155g 25h52m 39nm 2.9g 0h29m
0Y6 5D2 81°M 2,083nm 156g 26h03m 14nm 1.0g 0h10m
5D2 KCCY 131°M 2,118nm 159g 26h28m 34nm 2.6g 0h26m
KCCY 1Y5 86°M 2,129nm 160g 26h37m 12nm 0.9g 8m49s
1Y5 Y16 91°M 2,161nm 162g 27h01m 32nm 2.4g 0h24m
Y16 7C3 103°M 2,173nm 163g 27h10m 12nm 0.9g 9m04s
7C3 Y01 340°M 2,189nm 164g 27h22m 16nm 1.2g 0h12m
Y01 Y51 54°M 2,220nm 167g 27h45m 31nm 2.3g 0h23m
Y51 KHBW 80°M 2,245nm 168g 28h04m 25nm 1.9g 0h19m
KHBW 4D1 80°M 2,249nm 169g 28h07m 4nm 0.3g 3m10s
4D1 60C 335°M 2,252nm 169g 28h09m 2nm 0.2g 1m49s
60C 93C 185°M 2,277nm 171g 28h28m 25nm 1.9g 0h19m
93C KLNR 131°M 2,284nm 171g 28h33m 7nm 0.5g 5m02s
KLNR KDLL 45°M 2,310nm 173g 28h52m 26nm 1.9g 0h19m
KDLL KOSH 64°M 2,369nm 178g 29h37m 59nm 4.5g 0h45m
KOSH 68C 330°M 2,406nm 180g 30h05m 37nm 2.8g 0h28m
68C W34 102°M 2,426nm 182g 30h20m 20nm 1.5g 0h15m
W34 KCLI 326°M 2,438nm 183g 30h29m 12nm 0.9g 8m57s
KCLI KEZS 38°M 2,451nm 184g 30h38m 13nm 1.0g 9m32s
KEZS KOCQ 82°M 2,479nm 186g 30h59m 28nm 2.1g 0h21m
KOCQ 3D2 67°M 2,514nm 189g 31h25m 34nm 2.6g 0h26m
3D2 2P2 40°M 2,532nm 190g 31h39m 19nm 1.4g 0h14m
2P2 Y04 126°M 2,587nm 194g 32h21m 55nm 4.1g 0h41m
Y04 5D5 39°M 2,606nm 195g 32h34m 18nm 1.4g 0h14m
5D5 KPTK 153°M 2,782nm 209g 34h47m 176nm 13.2g 2h12m
KPTK O74 189°M 2,911nm 218g 36h23m 129nm 9.6g 1h36m
O74 5E9 124°M 2,926nm 219g 36h34m 15nm 1.1g 0h11m
5E9 38I 235°M 2,954nm 222g 36h56m 29nm 2.2g 0h22m
38I 2B6 187°M 2,994nm 225g 37h25m 39nm 2.9g 0h29m
2B6 I69 233°M 3,025nm 227g 37h49m 32nm 2.4g 0h24m
I69 KBKW 122°M 3,190nm 239g 39h52m 164nm 12.3g 2h03m
KBKW W91 126°M 3,273nm 245g 40h55m 84nm 6.3g 1h03m
W91 4W4 161°M 3,329nm 250g 41h36m 55nm 4.1g 0h41m
4W4 KBUY 242°M 3,352nm 251g 41h54m 24nm 1.8g 0h18m
KBUY 4W9 133°M 3,456nm 259g 43h12m 104nm 7.8g 1h18m
4W9 6N9 166°M 3,461nm 260g 43h15m 5nm 0.3g 3m24s
6N9 N22 170°M 3,477nm 261g 43h28m 17nm 1.3g 0h13m
N22 N21 176°M 3,491nm 262g 43h38m 14nm 1.0g 0h10m
N21 60J 241°M 3,548nm 266g 44h21m 57nm 4.3g 0h43m
60J KGGE 239°M 3,605nm 270g 45h04m 57nm 4.3g 0h43m
KGGE KHXD 235°M 3,700nm 278g 46h15m 95nm 7.1g 1h11m
KHXD KSAV 264°M 3,727nm 279g 46h35m 26nm 2.0g 0h20m
KSAV KMGR 251°M 3,873nm 291g 48h25m 147nm 11.0g 1h50m
KMGR 83J 265°M 4,061nm 305g 50h46m 188nm 14.1g 2h21m
83J KBFM 281°M 4,097nm 307g 51h13m 36nm 2.7g 0h27m
KBFM 5R7 217°M 4,109nm 308g 51h22m 13nm 1.0g 9m30s
5R7 KNEW 257°M 4,207nm 316g 52h35m 97nm 7.3g 1h13m
KNEW 6R1 275°M 4,353nm 326g 54h24m 146nm 10.9g 1h49m
6R1 KORG 258°M 4,404nm 330g 55h03m 52nm 3.9g 0h39m
KORG T00 246°M 4,452nm 334g 55h39m 48nm 3.6g 0h36m
T00 KPKV 236°M 4,578nm 343g 57h13m 125nm 9.4g 1h34m
KPKV KBEA 251°M 4,639nm 348g 57h59m 61nm 4.6g 0h46m
KBEA 53T 318°M 4,703nm 353g 58h48m 65nm 4.9g 0h49m
53T 74R 29°M 4,708nm 353g 58h51m 5nm 0.4g 3m40s
74R KSSF 20°M 4,712nm 353g 58h54m 3nm 0.3g 2m35s
KSSF T82 333°M 4,771nm 358g 59h38m 59nm 4.4g 0h44m
T82 KERV 206°M 4,789nm 359g 59h52m 18nm 1.4g 0h14m
KERV KJCT 308°M 4,837nm 363g 60h28m 48nm 3.6g 0h36m
KJCT 64F 313°M 4,929nm 370g 61h36m 92nm 6.9g 1h09m
64F 7T7 277°M 4,986nm 374g 62h20m 58nm 4.3g 0h43m
7T7 N17 311°M 5,214nm 391g 65h10m 227nm 17.1g 2h51m
N17 KSAF 316°M 5,289nm 397g 66h07m 75nm 5.6g 0h56m
KSAF KGUP 260°M 5,421nm 407g 67h46m 132nm 9.9g 1h39m
KGUP KINW 244°M 5,520nm 414g 69h00m 99nm 7.4g 1h14m
KINW KFLG 269°M 5,567nm 418g 69h35m 47nm 3.5g 0h35m
KFLG KSEZ 189°M 5,585nm 419g 69h49m 18nm 1.4g 0h14m
KSEZ P52 230°M 5,599nm 420g 70h00m 14nm 1.1g 0h11m
P52 KPRC 247°M 5,619nm 421g 70h14m 19nm 1.5g 0h15m
KPRC P23 320°M 5,666nm 425g 70h49m 47nm 3.5g 0h35m
P23 L37 292°M 5,687nm 427g 71h05m 21nm 1.6g 0h16m
L37 KIGM 234°M 5,724nm 429g 71h33m 37nm 2.8g 0h28m
KIGM KIFP 248°M 5,755nm 432g 71h56m 31nm 2.3g 0h23m
KIFP 1L4 289°M 5,774nm 433g 72h10m 18nm 1.4g 0h14m
1L4 KDAG 243°M 5,871nm 440g 73h23m 97nm 7.3g 1h13m
KDAG L70 243°M 5,949nm 446g 74h22m 78nm 5.9g 0h59m
L70 KSMO 181°M 5,979nm 448g 74h44m 30nm 2.2g 0h22m

foreflight.jpg
 
That's the bird I built my time in 2 years ago! It was exactly this time of year and I spent about a month with a sleeping bag and a tent. Best $$$ I ever spent. Met some amazingly people along the way.

She was really kind to me although that wind generator doesn't work that well so DEFINITELY bring a hand held because that radio starts buggin out when that batt gets low. Good luck to you...you'll have a blast!! You can PM me if you have any questions.
 
Crop Duster said:
Hey, sorry, in my first post to you for some reason I missed your departure place and date.
Below is a list of a whole bunch of aiports/landing strips I've flown to that I chose for you based on availability of fun, beauty, grass/dirt strips, good restaurants, historic interest, not-too-crazy-mountain experience, airplane factories, routing, etc. At least some of these qualities will be found in all of these airports, but not every airport will have all qualities. I am not suggesting that you need to go to every airport. I've just thrown them in to give you options, and to kinda-sorta follow the route you indicated. I didn't include anything in Colorado.

I in no way endorse or recommend this route or any of the airports I have mentioned. They are all extremely dangerous, and even just thinking about them could cause you severe harm. Neither I nor my attorneys recommend flying an airplane whatsoever, and we certainly do not endorse, sanction, recommend, guarantee, or warrant anything stated in this message with the exception of this paragraph. Fly this or don't at your own level of comfort, weather tolerance, fuel requirement, bladder capacity, physical and mental capacity, RISK, etc, etc, caveat emptor, Dominus, ad nauseaum, et spiritus sancti, amen.

Have fun!!

....
Click to expand...

Wow, thank you! I will definitely look that over and see what amends I can make to my plans. I am trying to keep it around 90hrs total time, +10-20 would be okay, but I can't afford to do much more.
 
Oh, and I'm trying to make a blog for the whole adventure, does anyone have suggestions on good blogging websites/programs? I've been messing with Google Blogger, and it seems buggy, uploads keep failing from my phone..
 
KKochan said:
Oh, and I'm trying to make a blog for the whole adventure, does anyone have suggestions on good blogging websites/programs? I've been messing with Google Blogger, and it seems buggy, uploads keep failing from my phone..
Click to expand...
Wordpress is pretty easy to configure and use.
 
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