300 mile cross country

[pa28biggles]

Can't wait to do this. Waiting for the weather. :{
Just looking for a few ideas from those that have already done this. Any suggested routes/airports? Anybody been to Isle of man? Also please let me know of any problems you encounted, any mis-haps, any stories, anything else...
I fly out of Leeds, so any feedback from pilots that fly around the north of England would be further appreciated.
Any general feedback also apprieciated. :ok:
Thank you.

[FlyingForFun]

I did mine by accident - didn't actually mean to do it when I did.

I was doing my hour-building in Phoenix, and decided, since I'd never been there before, to go to Las Vegas for the night. About 3 hours each way in a PA28R. An hour into the outbound flight, I realised I needed to use the toilet. Another hour into the flight, and it became clear that I wasn't going to be able to make it all the way to Las Vegas. So I stopped at Needles, just on the California side of the California/Nevada border. My 300nm flight is Chandler, Phoenix AZ -> Needles, CA -> North Las Vegas -> Chandler.

I landed at Needles, and taxied to the ramp. The place was deserted - all it needed was some tumbleweed blowing across the runway, and it could have been out of a cheap American road movie. I walked towards some building, to be met by an elderly gentleman who walked with a limp and had several missing teeth. He seemed friendly, and obviously worked at the airfield, so I asked him to point me towards the bathroom, and a telephone (to update my flight plan). "Don't you want any fuel?" he asked. No, I had enough fuel. "Hmph. Bathroom's that way, phone's that way" he said, all the friendliness having disappeared from his voice when he realised that I wasn't going to buy any fuel from him!

The rest of the flight was relatively uneventful (but only relatively!)

FFF
-------------

[pa28biggles]

FlyingForFun,
Always interested and entertained by your experiences!:D
Thank you for your reply.

[Jinkster]

I did mine out in Florida when hour building. Just wondering did anyone have anything signed just to prove it was completed? I didnt although I had to get my instructor to verify the route as I will still student pilot even though it was after my PPL checkride.

Jinkster

[Northern Highflyer]

Flying out of an airfield not too far from Leeds I have had several people suggest IOM / Newcastle as a good route and is the one I am considering doing next year.

[pa28biggles]

Northern Highflyer,
Where do you fly from?


Keep the info coming everybody.:ok:

[hkwannabe101]

I did mine in FL too, great fun. Sorry pa28biggles as this in no way relates to your Q, but;

Jinkster, how come you were still a student after your checkride? Oh, and to answer your q, I got the FBO at the destination to put a stamp in my log book.

[Jinkster]

Hk,

I was still a student because I was not able to send my PPL paperwork (to which I had done the checkride the week previously) to the CAA until I returned home to the UK.

Jinkster

[SpeedBird 001]

PA28 - I am in the same situation as you. PPL tied up now, night rating underway at Leeds Bradford (Multi-flight) and considering my cross country while the days are cold and clear. I have planned a provisional route from leeds bradford (southerly VFR departure) overhead Dewsbury, direct Gamston VOR then direct to Earls Cone on the South East coast. From here onto southend for aircraft refuel and pilot de-fuel then direct DET VOR and finally LYD VOR and into Lydd. I chose this route coz I did all my training at lydd and the south-east and want to take my girlfriend home for a family visit. Might even swindle some time off uni and go france for the weekend. Hmmmm Valentines day in france!!!! Two birds - one stone. Hope this helps. This route is only a provisional one but shouldn't be too far from the actual.Total distance = about 460 miles return (Just looking quickly, might be a bit less)

Hope this helps
Birdseed:ok:

[jarjam]

I must admit nobody ever checked my logbook or indeed even asked if I had flown a 300 mile x-country whilst I was doing my CPL. Is this till a requirement under the JAA?

Anyway I did a few long trips whilst hour building in florida but the best one started at Daytona beach then
up to St Augustine for fuel and fodder. From there
across past Jacksonville to a tiny airfiled next to a Maximum security prison (called John Wayne I think). More fuel uplifted then off again past Savanna and the big naval dockyards where I could clearly see some of those massive Nimitz class carriers,rejoined the coast and followed it into South Carolina to a gourgeous airport called Hilton Head. Took on yet more fuel and food whilst the window was cleaned and the aircraft towed round to the parking area.
Reluctantly set of back to Daytona beach with another fuel stop
at Fernandina Beach in Georgia before arriving back in time for some cold beers watching the sunset from the end of the pier at the beach.
the GPS logged just under 800miles round trip with just over 7hrs flying in one day and all in a C152!

[pa28biggles]

SpeedBird 001,
Sounds like an interesting route. Check your PM.

jarjam,
What I would do to be able to spend all day flying 800 miles. :D

[FlyingForFun]

Jarjam,I must admit nobody ever checked my logbook or indeed even asked if I had flown a 300 mile x-countryOne of the questions on the CPL application form is the date of your 300nm cross country, so I assume the CAA would open your logbook to the appropriate date and check that the flight is in there before sending your license to you?

FFF

[LowhoursUK]

Hi pa28biggles!

I waited ages to do my 300 miler too due to rubbish weather - when I finally got to do it, it was somewhat of an adventure!

Firstly, couldn't see first airfield due inversion layer and MATZ service told me to report field in site, so after much orbiting and frustration owing to the fact that when I saw the airfield I couldn't transmit "field in site" as other traffic was sharing their life history with the controller! Anyway finally changed frequency and called final, only to discover near touchdown that I had a huge crosswind (aircraft maximum) and touched down in such a manner that I wondered if I had left the runway intact! (In retrospect I should have gone around and trundled home to a runway into wind - but it's one of those things that you log for future use!). Before leaving I did a transit check (giving particular attention to the undercarriage which was fine!) and set off for the second field. Which I found relatively easily and once I remembered to set the QFE landed quite nicely.... that is until I taxied off the runway and heard a wonderful thumping noise... the oleo had "deflated" obviously due to the prior hard landing. After consultation I decided to fly home with a duff oleo :uhoh: and after a couple of go-arounds landed safely on a low and slow approach.

So, all in all it was a successful but stressful cross country in that I got back safely but one that I would not voluntarily repeat!

Things that I learned:

Always double/triple check the weather.
Request a wind check on approach.
Don't forget standard stuff like setting the QFE for the airfield.
Know the limit of your ability (I shouldn't have flown back with no oleo).

Hope you found this helpful if not amusing!

LH.

[carbonfibre]

Did mine in FL too, i did not have it signed off though, i landed at at least 3 airports that had control towers and kept logs so they could check.


My route was Titusville, key west, naples, just for fun then went to lakeland then back down to venice to sharkys for some food then back to Titusville.

Next day i went titusville,venice (for breakfast), ceder key,cross city,ormand beach, titusville

Flyingforfun, you must have had the same people or relatives in needles as cross city, scared the hell outta me!!!!:ooh:

[Snigs]

Mine was Trollhättan (near Gothenburg, Sweden), Malmö Sturup,
Berlin Schönefeld, Munich Oberschleissheim, and then back again (but not all in one day).

Tight cheeks whilst crossing the Baltic at 1500' due to low cloud though!!!

[YYZ]

Diggin up an old thread here but, Do you have to get your log book stamped or anything, or do you just fill your book out as usual?

YYZ

[silverknapper]

I did mine in Africa, Jo'burg to the coast with stop for fuel. 600nm I think.
From Leeds I would go North, say leeds-oban-inverness. Or even Leeds-perth-wick. You'll see some cracking scenery, meet great people and drink a lot of beer at your destination!!

SK

[Frank Furillo]

Did mine both at Night in Florida.
One out of Naples then Venice, Winter Haven (for fuel) Accross to Sebastian Down to Vero Beech and Stuart, over to Okeechobee (Fuel again) and back to Naples via Immokalee. 357Nm and 5:42 Hrs.
The Second was:
Naples up to Venice accross to Arcadia, up to Winter Haven (fuel), Inverness, Crystal River Back to winter Haven (fuel) down to Immokalee and Back to Naples. 407Nm and 6:06Hrs
No one signed my logbook although the flight school have stamped it.

They were great times, cannot wait to go back in less than a fortnight.
FF

[YYZ]

That sound great and ill be doing mine in Canada next month, but, the original question still needs the answer:

Do you have to get your log book stamped or anything, or do you just fill your book out as usual?

Cheers
YYZ

[rotatrim]

No you don't have to have your logbook signed or stamped - well, the CAA accepted mine without any signatures or stamps.

In the remarks column, I entered the mileages and bracketed together the three lines:-

A to B 100nm )
B to C 110nm ) CPL QXC 320nm
C to A 110nm )

[TheOddOne]

I did Denham-Land's End (St Just) & return, all in one day, in a Rallye, 40 kt easterly @ 2,000'. Took 7 1/2 hrs! all in one day. A few fuel stops along the way back. Numb bum at the finish, then off to a night shift! Ah, the folly of youth...

Seemed to have satisfied the CAA. Kept the landing fee reciepts for a while, was never asked for them.

Cheers,
TheOddOne

[Dynamic Apathy]

Well guys, I happily completed my 300nm at the back end of Feb, but like many other intrepid aviators on a 'long haul', it didn't go according to plan.

Objective No 1: Fly 300nm. No problem

Objective No 2: Achieve the first objective as cheaply as possible.

That was it really. I achieved No1 but fell short of 2!

And the lessons to be learned when flying on a micro-budget.

Well, I planned to use the Free landings in Flyer magazine: So Coventry, Cardiff, Sheffield and back with a convenient planned dogleg to stretch 292nm to 300+nm. Good idea eh!

I bought the Flyer magazine as soon as it appeared in the shop window, around the 6th Feb. I did think that it was late getting to the shelves, but at least I had it. On the day of the great flight, I planned, I checked, I rechecked, and with Flyer under arm I set off.

Oh, the flight to Cardiff was a breeze, and I was so relaxed as I checked in at The Cardiff Flying Academy. I told them of my bold plan, and offered the free landing fee slip, only to be told that the free landings at Cardiff were for March.

WHAAAT!!! I checked my Flyer, and sure enough I'd bought the March edition. I must apologise to Flyer now because no doubt many of you will have clicked you tongues, knowing how early Flyer appears on the shelves.........and I didn't. What a giveaway. I'll buy it more often now, honestly Mr Seager.

Ok said I. I paid up (what choice did I have). I replanned, and decided to do 312nm back to Coventry via Caernarfon. That shouldn't be too expensive!

I made Caernarfon without bother or fuss, but the little old 150 needed some juice, so I filled up and 'I still had to pay the landing fee'.

I made it back to Cov, and on cross examination with my peers found out that had I gone to Sheffield as planned I would have saved the landing fee by filling up, and it would probably have been cheaper fuel at Sheffield as well.

So there it is. A wonderful flight, totally not as originally planned, and costing more.

We all learn don't we! All the time!!!

[ScotsRocket]

Did mine last week in Oklahoma. Riverside - Ardmore - Fort Smith. Had a Citation holding short for me landing in Fort Smith then as I was taxiing to the FBO for refuelling the nice woman in the tower had an F-18 Hornet wait for me, had to taxi all the way up to him then turn off right in front of him. Pretty intimidating looking down the nose of an F-18 when you're sat in a C152! The pilot actually saluted me as he taxied past - only in America!!!! Then to put the tin lid on it I was guided to parking by a marshaller!! Kind of wish I could do it over and over again, stuck in the Sim for the next 20 hours. Ah well, I guess it's all part of the learning curve!

[Mosspigs]

Not wishing to hijack another thread but......

I read one of the routes from VOR to VOR to VOR etc. Isn't the idea to VFR nav and apply the clock/map/ground and correction techniques? :\

Secondly, I'm always interested to hear peoples views about flying over large expanse of water in a single engine aircraft, especially in something like a PA28 where the door is on the other side of the plane.