Am I nuts?

[cgarr]

Thinking about a trip to Gulfport MS from Michigan in the spring to see my Son before he is deployed to who knows where next June. This is something I have always wanted to do is fly my home built plane cross country, something made out of wood and fabric, cruise about 75 to 80 with a 2.5 hour range. I would not be alone, the family would be driving the same route, most likely ahead of me The longest flight I have take in a day is about a 3 hour trip to Dayton with one stop for rest and fuel.

I think of it as just a bunch of small legs, one airport to another. Keep in mind I have about 600hrs in this plane, Instrument rating but the plane is not! duh....but do have 720 nav-com, gps and c-xpondr Weather is always a concern but without being on a rushed schedule this can be worked around without risk......I think it would be a blast!!!

[Seahawk]

You need to look no further than the "Cool Aerial Photo" thread...

I had the pleasure of many cross country flights the world over at 500ft agl and below...120kt cruise.

Remarkable seat for the parade.

Do it.

[Superman]

You're both crazy. Do it!

[red-beard]

[Tim Hancock]

I bought my 125 mph Pacer down that way (Foley Alabama) and flew it back as a very low time tailwheel pilot about 12 years ago. It was non eventful with no mountains to cross and nice weather.

I have also flown my scratch built 60-70 mph Minimax ultralight from NW Ohio to Oshkosh Wisconsin (6 hours total flying time vs 8 hrs in a car) twice. It was a bit more stressful, but it made for a fun adventure. I will probably never do it again (BTDT twice), but I look back on it fondly. I have also flown it out to Put in Bay island on Lake Erie.

My wife has flown to Sun and Fun in Florida in a 60 hp freshly restored cub with her first husband. She and I have flown my Pacer and my old Grumman there too (11 hours flying time IIRC). Provided you respect the weather, cross country flights in little airplanes provide a great sense of adventure for those of us who do not do it every day.

If I can swing it financially someday when I am retired, I would like travel all over the US in a small twin (restoring a late 50's Cessna 310 is my dream retirement project).

Go for it.... you could do that in one day if you wanted to as it is probably somewhere around 10 hours flying time in your bird.

[Moses]

How could you pass that up? Sounds like a fantastic adventure!

[968rz]

If you trust the worker that build the plane I think it would be a great trip and story.

[cgarr]

I think it is the "adventure" When I test flew the plane back in 1989 and got it back on the ground, it was one of the best feelings of accomplishment I have ever had. When I flew the plane to an island near the UP I landed and looked at the plane sitting there and thought, now this thing I built has to get me off this island! I guess its because I built it and know every nut and bolt in it and it is not that complicated, its just a bunch of wood, wires, metal and fabric!

[Laneco]

As someone who has taken a home built "kit" cars on 2,500 mile drives - I say DO IT!!!!

Prepare with care, plan well and have a GREAT adventure!!!

angela

[Tim Hancock]

Originally Posted by cgarr

I think it is the "adventure" When I test flew the plane back in 1989 and got it back on the ground, it was one of the best feelings of accomplishment I have ever had. When I flew the plane to an island near the UP I landed and looked at the plane sitting there and thought, now this thing I built has to get me off this island! I guess its because I built it and know every nut and bolt in it and it is not that complicated, its just a bunch of wood, wires, metal and fabric!

My test flight in my scratch built Minimax in '94 was my ultimate thrill in life thus far. I had maybe 50 hours of flight time having just received my private pilot ticket flying nosewheel C150's. A friend "kind of" let me land his cub 2-3 times a week before I launched in my tail wheel Minimax. I was a nervous puppy when I first pushed the throttle forward and let her rip.

A pic from the early spring day 16 1/2 years ago (I am in the leather jacket) after the last engine run-up prior to the test flight.

[Danny_Ocean]

They did it. You could do it.

[Dueller]

The Masdison MS airport is 3 blocks from my house. Which has a lot of empty space now that the dogs and the ferrets and stepdtrs and wife have moved out. Of course we'll have to go to a different restaurant this time

[tevake]

Sounds like big fun to me, Craig. This summer we were traveling South thru Germany on the autobahn , heading towards Munich. In company with a biplane and a high wing single engine plane. It was a day with lots of clouds, and they seemed to be following the motorway. It was fun watching them fly along maneuvering to stay in sight of the road.
Easy to imagine the view from their seat. then they peeled off heading towards who knows where. I kind of wished I was going with them.

Also I know when I am heading offshore going somewhere out of the ordinary with our sailboat. The level of preparation and focus goes way up.

Sounds like you want to make this happen, Go for it!!

Cheers Richard

[Zeke]

Jeez, if I had to choose between a 911 and some king of plane that went 80 MPH, I think I know which I'd be taking. Of all the stops I've made on road trips, non could be reached from the nearby airport w/o some good ground transportation.

I thought airplanes were invented to get from A to B in the quickest manner if there were landing sites at A and B.

[Rot 911]

Read one of my favorite books and you will definitely do it. "The Cannibal Queen" by Stephen Coonts. "Stephen Coonts, New York Times bestselling author of Flight of the Intruder, Under Siege, and Cuba, has been hailed as the best contemporary author writing about flying. In The Cannibal Queen, he turns his storytelling genius to nonfiction with an exultant account of the summer of '91 -- of three glorious months spent exploring America from the cockpit of a 1942 Stearman vintage biplane. Joining the ranks of John Steinbeck and Charles Kuralt, Coonts takes us on an extraordinary adventure, touching down in all forty-eight of the continental United States, from sea to shining sea. "

[944Larry]

Craig-great looking plane, wish it were a 2-holer, I'd love to ride. Only change I'd make to your plan is to let the family leave with you. That way you'd have some transportation behind you. I flew an S55 Sikorsky from Delaware to Mississippi and had a boy leave the same time I did and he still beat me back.
Have fun!!!

[crustychief]

Piece of cake, go for it! I "helped" my uncle ferry a J-3 from Canadaigua to San Diego Many years ago. I had the best time of my life, and would do it again in a hot minute.

[cgarr]

I am going to get something planned for early spring! I have been in some real crap before and not by accident, I had the "got to get home itis" coming back from Dayton one year and the weather really closed in on me, rain, 500 layer, still had 3 miles visibility, I could see a mile and a half to my left and to my right! Put down in a private field, had my ride picked me up and went back two weeks later to get the plane so I know what not to do, don't be in a hurry!!!

[crustychief]

[svandamme]

The question is, what will you do when you see that Mig-28 doing a negative 4 g dive on that trip..
Will you go inverted and flip him the bird, or will you chicken out?


Remember, you gotta have the need, the neeeeed, for speeed Aaaooww!