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I flew my RV-6 all the way around the USA

Arlen

Arlen

Well Known Member
It was FUN, exciting, a way to really get away.

DATES: June 28 - July 10, 2014
PLANE: RV-6, N4AS, Lycoming 0-360, Hartzell C/S prop, GRT EFIS / autopilot / SV / HITS / with ADS-B in, etc.
PILOT: me....2200 total hours, Commercial/Instrument, ASEL, ASES.
FLIGHT: to the four corners of the continental USA from my home field on the east coast of central Florida; flight time 47.5 hours; 22 flight legs.
FUEL: 416.48 gallons, $2400.40 (average $5.76/gal, and average 8.77 gph overall)
DISTANCE: ~ 7,240 nm.
WEATHER: 6.0 hours in IMC, 41.5 in VMC; 19 of the 22 flight legs involved a headwind! Three instrument approaches, one instrument take-off.

My daughter joined me from corner # 2 (Seattle) down to San Francisco.

I feel very blessed....what a great time!

Here are the 13 days condensed to 5 minutes....with some Santana:

http://youtu.be/6RpOKcqly1M

.
 
Would like to do that

Where did you stay? Did you camp most of the time?
Why did you pick those particular airports?
What would you change if doing it again?
 
csgj said:
Where did you stay? Did you camp most of the time?
Why did you pick those particular airports?
What would you change if doing it again?
Click to expand...

Craig,

I camped a few nights, and stayed in hotels the other nights.

One of the fun parts of this was that each evening I spent about an hour looking ahead to the next morning: checking weather forecasts, fuel prices, lodging possibilities, etc. I tried to stay mostly in small towns....I just like the atmosphere in the small towns rather than larger ones.

If I was doing it again, I would try to have more than just the 2 weeks off work, and perhaps spend more time exploring along the way...
 
Great flight

What a great flight in the RV-6! I am envious. Some thing I have always wanted to do. Congrats! Let me know if you want to do it again
 
Great trip report

Arien that trip report was incredible. Outstanding! It's posts like yours that keeps me going. Thanks :)
 
Inspiring!

Arlen,

Your video found me as I await final inspection of my RV-6, in preparation for first flight hopefully in August. Having an RV has been a dream of mine since I saw Van arrive in the first RV-4 at Oshkosh many years ago. I can't think of a more inspiring video. Thanks for posting.

Rob Erdos
RV-6 C-FSPB...soon to fly
Ottawa
 
Impressive is the first thing that comes to mind. I know first hand doing a trip across the country is no small task, but going to all 4 corners like you did is very impressive. It's been said often that we have amazing machines that give us the freedom to do some amazing things that others only dream of doing.
Congrats Arlen.
 
Trip around the lower 48

Wonderful, Arlen. That is what RV's are best for. It is a good travelling machine, fast and fairly economical. So glad you had the opportunity to make the trip and all went very well. What's next? :D
 
gclark said:
Wonderful, Arlen. That is what RV's are best for. It is a good travelling machine, fast and fairly economical. So glad you had the opportunity to make the trip and all went very well. What's next? :D
Click to expand...

Hi Giles. Well, I'm back home and back to work now. This plane really is a great travelling machine. I'll just be doing some Florida flying the next few weeks, then I'll get the itch again and....who knows....
 
Nice report and video, Arlen. Twenty-two legs at just over 100 bucks per leg. Pretty economical for the ground you covered, especially considering the headwind. I think the majority of us say that we would like to do just what you did.
 
Darnit, my bucket list just got longer. Thanks.:D:D

What an awesome trip, thanks for sharing. I grew up a few miles from KPLU.
 
Very nice Arlen ! Glad to see the plane is treating you well.

I miss that panel, need to get off my butt and do it again on the new plane. :D
 
walkman said:
Very nice Arlen ! Glad to see the plane is treating you well.

I miss that panel, need to get off my butt and do it again on the new plane. :D
Click to expand...

Hi Martin.

Yes, the plane is absolutely great!

I added ADS-B IN a couple months ago, and it works great for weather and for some of the traffic.

The GRT HXr - GNS430W - iFly720 panel is fabulous, especially with all the features of the do-everything autopilot and Synthetic Vision.
 
Wow! Awesome flight!

Now I know why Vlad isn't flying a straight line! You were trying to set a big net around the country to catch him :D

Nice youtube too.
 
trip info!

Arlin,
Could I see the picture of the map of the trip again? I am planning a trip from PA. to lake Tahoe for Sept. and I have concerns about where to cross the Rockies. I like the idea of cruising the CA coast and crossing through TX on the way back home as your trip went. Any assistance or warnings about this trip will be greatly appreciated! Where to spend the night, etc. Ifly 720 driving a Trio Pro pilot in a 6A, o-360, C/S is the ship. I want to fly 4-two hour legs the first day and the rest of the way on the second day, but no big rush! Anyone have hanger space at TVL for a few days, while I have the mic?
Thanks,
Stan N113SJ
724-344-0560
 
Excellent video of an excellent trip! Thanks for sharing.

Loved the shot of the plane taken through the tent netting.

Now it's time for me to get back to drilling holes in aluminum. :D
 
swordtail said:
Arlin,
Could I see the picture of the map of the trip again? I am planning a trip from PA. to lake Tahoe for Sept. and I have concerns about where to cross the Rockies.
Click to expand...

Stan,

I don't have the photo here with me on my work computer.

The route I took across the north Rockies on my way to Seattle was:
Great Falls GTF - Lincoln S69 - Pullman PUW - Pierce County (Seattle) PLU

Not all of these are on my official map, as I didn't land at all of them..

I was lucky and had a nice VFR not-windy day and it was an easy crossover at 10,500.

From Southern California, I flew east --> VFR at 11,500 south of Phoenix and then north of El Paso and into Texas...

As you know, you must pick the right days without obscured mountains, without significant winds up at the peaks, etc.
 
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