Flying across Arizona and New Mexico?

J

Josh

Well-Known Member
Actually going much further than just that. But my question is in that area.

Taking a plane from Boonville, Missouri back out here to California, with my student who has purchased the plane. I've got a lot of options going across Missouri, and Oklahoma, and Texas, and when I make it to the California area. As it is right now, plan on a stop around the Tulsa area, and then on to Tucumcari (TCC) New Mexico.

So now the question. Any good places to stop across those two states?

Trying to keep the legs in the 250-350NM range as this will be in a Cherokee. Right now, I'm thinking:

(TCC) Tucumcari, NM spending the first night, then to
(P14) Holbrook, AZ to
(IFP) Laughlin-Bullhead and spend the night there, then back home

I'm looking as places between Tucumcari and Holbrook, and the only thing that looks ok, for fuel, and not too far off course, is Gallup (GUP) New Mexico. Doesn't allow for much though if weather is a hold up in that area, as there just isn't much out there.
And, between Holbrook and Laughlin, I'm looking at:
(SEZ) Sedona, AZ
(P52) Cottonwood, AZ
(PRC) Prescott, AZ
(IGM) Kingman, AZ

Only place I've been too in that is IGM, though I've flown over Laughlin so no problems with finding that, or HII, or anything along the river there.

I've also set up a more southern route, if weather becomes too much of an issue, but that just adds time flying across areas with really nothing around. As it is the route mostly follows along I40.

Any other suggestions on places to stop?

Starting the trip this weekend. Going to be at least 1400-1500NM as planned. Plane is not IFR
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Thanks,
Josh
 
Talk to MikeD and he'll suggest some dusty little airfields in Arizona with a lot of character!
 
Of the choices you listed I'd hit up Sedona... it's a beautiful flight and a nice airport. Another good option is Flagstaff... it's a nice airport with services. I'd skip prescott... it's an alright airport, but definitely not as fun as Sedona or Flagstaff.
 
Sedona is certainly a 'pilot's airport' but certainly review the AFD before arriving there and think about the topography of the area. It's a beautiful challenge at times, if there's such a thing.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Talk to MikeD and he'll suggest some dusty little airfields in Arizona with a lot of character!

[/ QUOTE ]

Just like we were talking about regards where we all picked to do our XCs during our flight training so long ago........

"Dude! I flew into Las Vegas on my last flight!"

"Cool! How was Nevada?"

"No, man....Las Vegas, New Mexico!"
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Heh, yeah, that would be the same. Thanks for pointing out the post there, I don't visit that site often.

This really is up to how much time he has. I've got time, but all my active students like to fly near the weekends, so I don't want to be away from the rest of them for two weeks.

I saw the Las Vegas, NM thing Mike. Thought that was cool. So we should visit Las Vegas, NM and Las Vegas, NV
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? Main problem isn't that there is a lack of fields (which there is yes) but that many of them do not have fuel. We may do a Grand Canyon thing, depending on time and weather I think mostly.

In the Tulsa area. I'm thinking that will mostly depend on weather. I'd opt for
RVS, as Roadhouse seems to be a nice place from the Airnav reviews, and cheap fuel.
 
I make the PHX STL flight once a year ... go the southern route. Springfield, mo to Abilene, TX, to Midland, TX to El Paso, Tx, up to PHX area then Laughlin etc. Coming in through ABQ is pretty but your MEAs are 12k and that's only giving you, on average, 3k or so of clearance. Not impossble but I like flat land ... flat land gives you choices.
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I would definately hit up Sedona. I used to fly in there every weekend with students to eat at the restaurant there. You could always land in Baghdad ( 35 west of Prescott) just to say you've landed there
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Bagdad was one of Kristie's design projects at her engineering firm!
 
Well, the trip is over. Lotsa info here from y'all, but not sure if I made it clear this plane was VFR only.

Anyhow, got stuck in El Reno, OK for 5 days thanks to visibility below 1 or 2 miles, and cig if around 400 at best until that 5th day. Then south was only way to go, as snow was still an issue across northern NM. So, ended up going down and around stuff. Got out to Sweetwater, TX on that day out after a late start when stuff got up to the 1000-2000 cig range around OK. Next day, rest of the way across TX, NM, and AZ. Stops in Van Horn, TX, Lordsberg, NM, Pinal, AZ (got some picts of the starship graveyard) but we were 10min late for fuel so on to Casa Grand, AZ. Then up to Bullhead, AZ. Overnight there, then back on home. I'd write more, but I'm tired from those last 2 days. I may post again if I get some of the pictures up we took.
 
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