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RV7 USA Perimeter Flight

Boyd Birchler

Well Known Member
My wife and I will be flying our RV7 around the perimeter of America over the next 6 weeks. We are watching the weather and hope to depart KMQJ, Indianapolis, Indiana, Monday, 5/20/18. Our trip officially begins when we fly north and hit the southwest shore of Lake Erie at KTDZ, Toledo Executive Airport. We'll fly eastbound with our first overnight at Niagara Falls, KIAG. If you'd like a little company, we'll be looking for RV friendly places to land.

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Follow us at http://ladieslovetaildraggers.com

http://www.ladieslovetaildraggers.com/blog/u-s-a-perimeter-flight-planning-the-adventure-of-a-lifetime/
 
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You will have a blast!

Great plan perfect timing! Go for it. Watch for the thermal dangers and violent T-storms along Arizona border, try to talk your way via R-spaces. If you don't have a Russian accent they may let you fly through from Yuma.

Look for two unmarked aerostats hanging over Rio Grande passed Laredo. If you stay at least 10 mi from the border they are no factor. Remember they are not charted.

Talk to ATC within Corpus Christi airspace cluster. Tons of training flights. Mucho trafico.

North Carolina coast near Camp Lejeune and further north to Cherry Point NAS is saturated with always active ranges. Plan deviations from the shores.

Watch your navigator in VA off the Circle of Doom. A lot of restrictions.

Plan your gas/oil in eastern and northern Maine. A fuel pump at an unattended field will always be inop when you have 5 gallons left in your tank.

Enjoy we are waiting for a report.
 
DC Special Flight Rules Area - Mandatory Training

Vlad makes a good point: Any flights within 60 miles of the DC VOR, even transiting the airspace without landing, requires you take an online course and carry the paper certificate card, for the Special Flight Rules Area. Closer in, there are more intensive traffic control and even preclearance via the US Secret Service for the close-in "DC-3" airports. If you plan to circumnavigate at the 60+/- range, also beware the Camp David Area (R-4009 and P-40).

https://www.faasafety.gov/gslac/ALC/courseLanding.aspx?cID=405
 
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Great plan perfect timing! Go for it. Watch for the thermal dangers and violent T-storms along Arizona border, try to talk your way via R-spaces. If you don't have a Russian accent they may let you fly through from Yuma.

Look for two unmarked aerostats hanging over Rio Grande passed Laredo. If you stay at least 10 mi from the border they are no factor. Remember they are not charted.

......

Southern Arizona thunderstorm season - aka the monsoon - typically starts around July 4th, you should beat it. If not just plan on quitting your day flying around noon or so. :)

The two aerostats mentioned are in the middle of Restricted Areas so any navigation device you use should keep you well clear. :)

Sounds like a neat trip.
 
The two aerostats mentioned are in the middle of Restricted Areas so any navigation device you use should keep you well clear. :)

.

There are two more Gil without any P areas. Total four blimps along that frontier two of them not charted. Hanging around 5,000 feet.
 
Thanks for all of the suggestions. Kind of scary that there are tethered balloons out there that are not marked: Yikes!

Had no idea Arizona had a Monsoon season, but had looked for a way through the complicated airspace near Yuma. We plan to make many deviations for R and P airspace (spent hours looking at the maps).

Judy my wife will be sharing piloting duties. She will be flying left seat and I will be right. She is an accomplished pilot on her own. She started the Laidies Love Taildraggers organization that has several thousand members.
 
There are two more Gil without any P areas. Total four blimps along that frontier two of them not charted. Hanging around 5,000 feet.

Yes, but aren't they in marked R areas?

These are the three from El Paso to the Pacific with an approx. 5 mile diam Restricted area -
Yuma - R2309
Sierra Vista - R2312
Deming - R5115

Where did you find the others not marked or in existing R areas?
 
Had no idea Arizona had a Monsoon season, but had looked for a way through the complicated airspace near Yuma. We plan to make many deviations for R and P airspace (spent hours looking at the maps).

.

Yuma is easy, V66 from Gila Bend (cheap fuel) to El Centro...:)
 
Gil - I live in the area Vlad was referencing the unmarked balloons. These are not charted and are moved to different locations periodically. They usually fly them at less than 2500'. They have cameras and surveillance equipment on board to monitor traffic around the Rio Grande river and surrounding ranch land. There are actually more than two in the area from Laredo to Brownsville, TX there must be at least 5 or 6, however they rarely fly at the same time. During the daytime they are easily seen and avoided. I am sure there are more along the southern border all the way to California. There are also larger aerostat balloons that can go up to about 10,000' if I recall, and those are depicted on the charts. So if you are flying within 40 miles of the border better keep your eyes open.

Boyd - if you get to the Edinburg, TX KEBG area let me know as there is hanger space, cheapest fuel within 150 miles, the best Mexican food you ever ate and accommodations for you if the timing is right.
 
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Gil - I live in the area Vlad was referencing the unmarked balloons. These are not charted and are moved to different locations periodically. They usually fly them at less than 2500'. They have cameras and surveillance equipment on board to monitor traffic around the Rio Grande river and surrounding ranch land. There are actually more than two in the area from Laredo to Brownsville, TX there must be at least 5 or 6, however they rarely fly at the same time. During the daytime they are easily seen and avoided. I am sure there are more along the southern border all the way to California. There are also larger aerostat balloons that can go up to about 10,000' if I recall, and those are depicted on the charts. So if you are flying within 40 miles of the border better keep your eyes open.

Boyd - if you get to the Edinburg, TX KEBG area let me know as there is hanger space and accommodations for you if the timing is right.

Thanks for the info... this is where the CBP says the big ones are..

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Do the lower ones get NOTAMs?

The above pic came from here - https://www.cbp.gov/frontline/frontline-november-aerostats

Not sure how old the article is, but it said the smaller ones are used in your area.

"Tactical aerostats are proving very effective in southwest Texas," said Rob Brown. "Recently a Border Patrol agent was using a tactical aerostat camera to watch a pickup truck driving up and down a road several times. On its fifth pass, it stopped in the middle of the road and six people with bales ran out of the bushes, stuffed them in the back of the truck, and ran back into the bushes. The Border Patrol agent was watching all of this. The vehicle sped off with Border Patrol in pursuit. The tactical aerostat extends the Border Patrol's eyes and ears with these sensor and surveillance systems operating at altitude," Brown explained.
 
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Call me up. Im in SE Florida.

I?m near BCT. BOCA RATON FLA. north of Fort Lauderdale. Always welcome here. Also. An tell you about flying in Florida. Jerry.
 
Will enjoy watching your progress!

Lower Alabama (LA) has significant rain and thunder activity in mid afternoon for the next couple of months, or so. It can appear quickly and coverage can be wide.

There is a nice corridor along the Florida panhandle for east-west travel which can be enjoyable and keep you clear of all the restricted spaces throughout the area.

Have a wonderful time!

Mike
 
Hey, let us know if you show up at KHAF (just south of SF on the coast). My lady loves taildraggers, too! Have a great trip; looking forward to reading the pireps.
 
My wife and I will be flying our RV7 around the perimeter of America over the next 6 weeks. lifetime/"]http://www.ladieslovetaildraggers.com/blog/u-s-a-perimeter-flight-planning-the-adventure-of-a-lifetime/[/URL]

Near Outer Banks suggestion - - Boyd / Judy, You might try a stop in Elizabeth City, NC (KECG) - convenient to the outer banks and reasonable fuel etc. Wonderful Airbnb as well - - https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/6142353
 
Gil - the smaller ones are not NOTAM'ed. You never know where or when they will be up. They are hard to miss tho as they are pretty big and easily seen. The surveillance camera onboard is amazing. You can see what color of shirt someone is wearing 15 miles into Mexico.
 
Gil - the smaller ones are not NOTAM'ed. You never know where or when they will be up. They are hard to miss tho as they are pretty big and easily seen. The surveillance camera onboard is amazing. You can see what color of shirt someone is wearing 15 miles into Mexico.

Good job we usually have good visibilities in our neck of the woods isn't it? :D
 
Today we departed KIAG Niagara Falls, flew the Lake Ontario shoreline, across the top of Vermont & New Hampshire, across the mountains to 59B, Jackman, Maine. We were late departing so suffered through a whole lot of very bumpy air. It was gusting 30 when we landed but at least down the runway.
A bumpy flight. Note to self: next time cross the rough stuff EARLY in the day!
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Absolutely beautiful view flying the southern shore of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence Seaway.
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Approach to 59B, Newton Airport, Moose River/Jackman, Maine. Luckily those 30 mph gusts were down the runway. Many thanks to our new friend at Jackman, Jim Schoenmann, for taking us to town and helping us find a cabin for overnight.
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Sally Mountain Cabins. $38 bucks pp x 2 with 5 beds to spare! 3 in the loft.
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Our choices; a double, 3 singles in the loft and a set of bunk beds too. I was thinking ‘maybe’ till Boyd hollered a loud NO! to my bunk beds idea. ��
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Snug as a bug tonight in this real-deal cabin.
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The full LadiesLoveTaildraggers post at http://www.ladieslovetaildraggers.com/blog/niagara-falls-new-york-to-jackman-maine/
 
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Wx from the gulf tropical depression "Alberto" has kept us in Newport News/Norfolk area. No use to go from here until reasonable VFR is available to the south, which may take most of a week. I know we could do it IFR but that defeats the idea of flying the perimeter and viewing the same...
 
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