Long cross country flights

[Dude~]

Just wondering what people considor to be a long cross country and what kind of really long cros countries any one has done? I did 4.6 hours the other day (a 1.9 and a 2.7) covering 437nm. I was hoping it would qualify for the 300nm CPL requirement flight but then I checked and it has to have two stops away, ie three flights, i presume (anybody care to clarify?!)

What's it like doing say, a four or five hour flight? I would have a job driving for that long, besides I'd have to stop for the loo!

regrds

the dude.

[A and C]

I did over 5 hours non stop in a TB20 ,no real problem just keep a good eye on the fuel management and take a wide mouthed bottle.

[Flyswift]

Dude,

Must of cost you a few bob? Did you hire or do you own/share a plane?

Where did you go?

Must do something like that myself oneday.

[jayemm]

couple of weeks ago I flew to Carlisle from Blackbushe and back in a day at approx 5 hours. Used a brief relief bag on the way!

A few days later I flew to the scilly Isles with stops at Bristol, Perranporth and Lands End. This totalled nearly just over 6 hours.

I prefer the long cross country flights because I feel like I'm really going somewhere and I am covering distances I definitely couldn't by car in the time.

My dream is to fly to S Africa one day!

[Sensible]

Five hours is a bit of a marathon, need to stop for a P, in the USA that's free!!! (I'm a poet and I don't know it) in the UK, the landing probably costs more than than the wide neck bottle! Word of warning to UK pilots, don't carry orange juice in a wide neck bottle!!!! If turbulence is a factor, five hours can be too much!

[IFollowRoads]

I tend to consider anything over a couple of hours as fairly long - I used to do Bristol-Edinburgh fairly frequently (just over two hours), and since have done several London-Switzeland trips. As has alrady been pointed out though, these aren't 'cross country' in the sense of qualifying for a rating

I used to do the drive to Edinburgh in one hit on the road (about 5 to 6 hours), where the speed was regulated by the range of the car (much over the legal limit would require a fuel stop), and not sure if its to do with the flying or age, but find that a pee about half an hour before departure, followed by another immediately before gets around the bladder problem (your mileage may vary :) ) I have yet to declare a pan due to to a hydraulic system overpressure warning, but it's been mighty close a few times :)

[Sensible]

Do you mean bedpan?

[jayemm]

I find bladder pressure just as critical as air pressure. If the bladder pressure gets high, the concentration begins to go....they don't tell you that in 'Human factors'!

Did you read the story in one of last month's mags about the guy who had to take an in-flight dump?; with two others in the plane. Must've been horrific!

[Sensible]

I find that my concentration improves - on landing quickly!!

[Genghis the Engineer]

I'd say anything over 3 hrs is long.

Mind you I got stuck for 90 minutes at 6,500ft in an open cockpit over some mountains once, that was very very long.

G

[skua]

I did several 4-5 hour sectors recently Muscat - Karachi - Delhi - Calcutta, and on. I have to say peeing was not a prob. But after Karachi there were more serious concerns to worry about! The Delhi cuisine only made it worse. I break out in a cold sweat just thinking about it!

[Echo Oscar]

Being 6'4" and in command of C152 - two and a half hours is max for me! Even then I'm almost in need of assistance to exit the cockpit. Hip and knee joints DO NOT like it at all.

EO

[Vfrpilotpb]

Good morning to you all, I have read thru this thread and can see that, wee( sorry) all suffer from one thing, lack of personal performance, something to do with the way God made us, I once shared a flight with my brother P1 and a rather large passenger, who without warning lost control of most of his bodily functsion all at the same point, ( he explained later , that he had been on the booze the night before, followed by a brilliant yellowish curry) this happened over Lancaster, in a Cherokee, to get back to EGNH took us about 10/12 mins, and I can tell you all, IT WAS NOT NICE!! I was contaminated, with an Aura which even my wife picked up some 2 hours later, and my bro got a rather large bill for sorting out the A/c which stayed out of service for about 2 days, so now when I fly RW , I always ask the Pax if they need to do anything before we go!

Whilst on the subject of long flights, Class 1,2 and 3 HGV drivers are forced by law to rest for 45 mins, away from the controlls of their vehicle after 4.5 hours of driving, now I know most of us fly for pleasure, but does that not tire us as well, to the point were you may miss something or not be sharp enough to react quickly, Just a thought! stay safe

[This message has been edited by Vfrpilotpb (edited 17 May 2001).]

[Shanwick Shanwick]

I did an 11h35 to SFO last year, if that counts?

Otherwise it was 7h10 in a B58 from Reykjavik to Newcastle with xxstrong headwinds and no in-flight relief. Needless to say I ran to the nearest on arrival.

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hhhiiisssssccrrrraaaacckkkllesssshhhhhh

[Legalapproach]

Norwich to San Sepolcro in Tuscany in a Pitts S1S
10 hours 35 airborne with 6 refueling stops!

[Dude~]

Flyswift, I was out in America lat week and flew aroud arizona in an arrow. to even contemplate a 5hr flight at UK prices makes me shudder!!

It is good doing a long flight or two. I must admit last year I did a few too many 'pleasure' flights and though I got good at landing and low alt handling, I forgot how to use the radio and navigate!

I guess the only way to do long flights in a decent plane in the UK is to buy a share but even that requires 3 or 4 grand.

[arrow2]

Well all, it seems like Shanwick Shanwick is the leading contestor so far in the "PPRuNe bladder strength competition" for his Newcastle epic!

5 hours or more in a 4 seater?? Nah, don't think so! I have done many 2.5 or 3 hour legs in my Arrow - key to a successful flight? Forget planning, fuel loads etc, just make sure you have "pointed Percy at the Porcelain" at least twice in the half hour before departure! Did 2.5 hours Nantes to Blackbushe w/e before last - no problem due to aforementioned precautions and limited intake of non-solids! However Deauville - Quiberon 2 days before, only 1.5 hours had all 3 on board looking at each other and saying "are we nearly there yet??", "How much further?", " I need to go". Followed by a rapid taxi in, engine off and evacuate aircraft for the clubhouse khazis!!!

All good fun!

a2

[RATBOY]

Could this limitation on human range/endurance be a safety benefit? A Cherokee is 48 US Gal usable, gets 7.5 US Gal/hr at cruise for a little over 6 hours flying time. By the careful use of liquid consumption you can set the human element flight time at a point less than the time for fuel exhaustion. I always found starting empty consumption of a 12oz cafinated soda beverage product produced a 3.5hr human element endurance factor. This provides a very effective reminder and check on overambitious/insane endurance trials.

[Todge]

So how do people get on in America if they go hours building? I worked it out that if I took three weeks off work, allowing three days for travelling there and back, that would require nearly six hours flying a day for 18 continuous days for a hundred hour block. Is this possible, tolerable and is it allowed?

[Dude~]

todge, i'm not sure if 100 hrs in 18 days is poss, but it is allowed. for it to work it would have to be very stress free otherwise most people would collapse after5 days of planning, decision making, turbulence, etc!

the arrow i was flying had a 70USG tank giving 7.5hrs endurance @9usg/hr!! i still considor 3 hrs to be a long flight. besides, even in the states, a 6 hour flight is going to be expensive!!

[You Aint Seen Me. Roit!]

I recently flew from Middle Wallop to Aldergrove and then flew back the next day in a Tomohawk. 10.2 hours in all(I went the long way round via West Freugh)

I didn't find much of a problem with the human endurance problem on that particular occasion, but I have done on much shorter flights. I find that I tend to "prepare myself" a little better for the longer trips!