Pacific crossing LAX-Hawaii

[Highwaves]

Good afternoon,

Crossing between LAX and Hawaii next week for the first time. Have read a lot about procedures/pos reports etc.
Just want to profit from peoples experience to make sure I did not miss anything.
Therefore all usefull tips are more than welcome.
Thanks to all of you that might be able to do so.

HW

[chimbu warrior]

Just listen out on 123.45.

If there is lots of chatter, it will be rough at all levels. If it is quiet, the ride will be pretty smooth.

[galaxy flyer]

About the sleepiest ocean crossing imaginable. The "tracks" have all their waypoints begin with one letter, B, C, etc, so the chatter will talk about the B track. Honolulu is busy enough, but no delays usually. Maui can have some nasty winds in the winter, so keep an eye on your alternate. Hilo is good, if it is not raining. No oceanic clearance, if you are a NATS guy.

GF

[con-pilot]

I agree with GF, while the longest over-water leg, it is also the most boring. If you are real lucky on a night crossing you might see a cruise ship all lit up, I did once on a clear night, it was quite exciting.

Now the above is true if you don't have a marginal dry footprint and if you have any portion of the crossing with a wet footprint, you shouldn't be to start with.

Have a great trip and enjoy Hawaii. :ok:

[galaxy flyer]

Speaking of "dry" or "wet" footprints (have a dry one!), do not be surprised by the location of the ETPS. At cruise, you could this time of year have a strong headwind, but the depressurized ETP is pretty close to the geographic mid-point. At FL 100, the wind will change to a tail wind of 20 knots or more as you enter the tradewind latitudes, about 28N, which is about halfway.

GF

[Highwaves]

Thx guys for the info.
GF and con-pilot can you give me some more explanation on the wet/dry footprints and the particularities of the weather this time of the year.

HW

[galaxy flyer]

HW

Dry footprint means you can suffer a depressurization, descent to FL 100 and return to the west coast OR continue to an Hawaiian airport. Hilo is the closest on most tracks, but there isn't a whole lot of difference--80-100 nm. Wet footprint means there is a band in the middle that will mean swim time UNLESS you limit your descent to something above FL 100 and have sufficient oxygen to suck on a hose. FAR 121 and 135 require a dry footprint.

Your flight planner should be able to add ETPs for both the OEI and depressurization cases. I hope you have been to an international procedures course because I don't want to explain ETPs here.

GF