killbilly
Vocals, Lyrics, Triangle, Washboard, Kittens
I'd posted a while back about doing a long XC from AUS to AWM for a short weekend vacation with friends. Well, the time is coming and I'm hoping for a Friday morning departure.
I've never done a flight like this before, although a long flight is really just a series of shorter ones back to back. It's summertime, and weather will definitely be a factor. Here's some of the things I'm planning on, but I'd sure appreciate any advice on this...
Some of this may sound overly conservative, but at 71.9 hours TT, I'd like to err on the side of caution.
Anything else I'm missing? Suggestions?
I've never done a flight like this before, although a long flight is really just a series of shorter ones back to back. It's summertime, and weather will definitely be a factor. Here's some of the things I'm planning on, but I'd sure appreciate any advice on this...
- Flying the route in such a way that the en-route portion is basically airport to airport, so that I'm always pointed relatively near a field if I need to get down in a hurry, or turn back in a hurry.
- Getting flight following from center the whole way if radar coverage is available and I have the altitude
- Taking advantage of weather services from FSS, plus using the XM-Wx feature on my GPS. Getting PIREPS.
- Figuring on two fuel/rest stops along the way, each way, plus getting updated weather info at each stop.
- Carrying a few tools in the plane with me (AOPA Pilot has a good article on that this month)
- Filing flight plans
- Taking a good, thick book to read if I have to land somewhere to wait out weather and deviating around it isn't possible.
- Planning legs with at least an hour of fuel in the tanks when I land somewhere.
- Making sure I've got plenty of room on the emergency credit card.
- Setting minimums - 2500 ceiling, 5mi visibility, no rain.
- Doing fuel burn/groundspeed checks all along the way and doing them manually. The GPS handles a lot of that, but I'd like to do it and crosscheck. Might as well sharpen the pilotage skills while I'm at it.
Some of this may sound overly conservative, but at 71.9 hours TT, I'd like to err on the side of caution.
Anything else I'm missing? Suggestions?