Spring trip to the Southwestern US

[Ned Gravel]

My wife and I are planning a trip to the Southwest USA from Ottawa, Canada to include the following stops.

• Airforce museum in Dayton
• Alamo in San Antonio
• 7th Cavalry Museum in Fort Hood (Killeen, TX) [i am going to buy a hat]
• Kerrville (Mooney International)
• Las Vegas (as our dispatch point for our Grand Canyon tours

We have a sort of route planned, but it is far from final.  Start date is around the 26th of March.  Return by the 14th of April.
 
Ottawa - Buffalo (clear customs) - Dayton (1 day flying and 1 day stop) - Memphis - Killeen (1 day flying and 1 day stop) - El Paso - Las Vegas (1 day flying and 3 day stop) - El Paso - Kerrville (1 day flying and 1 day stop) - San Antonio (1 day flying with same day to visit the Alamo) - Memphis - Louisville (KY) (one day flying) - Windsor (to clear customs) - Ottawa (1 day flying)
 
Weather will be the big factor anyway. I have an instrument rating but spring weather still contains some icing conditions and I won't fly in that. Total time = 12 days within a 19-day window of time (to avert "gethereitis").  32 hours of flying over the entire trip.
 
Highest point (9000') is between El Paso and Las Vegas so down around 5000 to 9000 depending on winds over the flatlands and up to 11,000 to 12,000 over the hump.
 
Suggestions from Mooneyspace would be appreciated regarding:

• route
• stopovers
• sights to see
• things to avoid
• timings
• MOAs
• anything else your little heart wishes to express (Timmy?)

I forgot to mention.  This is a Bucket List trip.

[Hank]

KOWB, Owensboro, KY, has two long runways with tower & ILS. MAPA PPP is there every few years. They are known for barbeque mutton, which I've never had elsewhere. Moonlight is a good restaurant. Easy in, easy out.

Have a great time!!

[kerry]

Temple Bar U30 is a landing strip on Lake Mead where the Colorado River enters the lake.  Very scenic and close to Vegas.  The Marina will pick you up if you call them on unicom.  They rent jet skis and boats with a restaurant and motel rooms.  If you like the outdoors it might be worth checking out.  A lot of big horn sheep and coyotes.

[RocketAviator]

Flander recommend 5T6 VS KELP fuel usually over $1 cheaper. PM me I have some travel scheduled & one formation clinic in Yuma during that time.

If I'm in town you and your wife have a place to stay in El Paso. You might want to check with Yvesg first.... lol. You won't need a snow shovel!

[Danb]

Hank  what is barbecue Mutton

[carusoam]

Similar to roasted Big Horn Sheep...?

[bonal]

^{For Vegas I would recommend Boulder city as desination. easy in and out has lots of Grand Canyon heli tours and is right next to Lake Mead and Hoover dam. Also Vegas is 25 min drive FBO there is good service and will not charge ramp fees if you gas up. they got us rental car at a discount as well. since your so close I recommend going a bit farther to Santa Barbara or Palomar and Catching the Pacific.  Good luck and have a great trip.}

[Cruiser]

Ned,

Make your customs entry at KPCW and I will buy lunch/dinner at the airport diner. 

 

It would be nice to see you again.

[yvesg]

If it is on your route, I recommend KBGD, Borger Texas for fuel or stopover. This was the best FBO we had for our California trip a year ago. If you go please say hi to Tracy!

But this place has not much tourist appeal except for those who like oil wells!

Sorry Elton but we still need the snow shovels here. Was -27 C this morning early. I am fed-up!

Yves

[mooneyman]

I'm based at DAY in Dayton. My M20R is hangared at Aviation Sales, inc (ASI). DAY is class C with multiple runway options and approaches. It is a designated point of entry with customs agents available if you wanted to go direct from Ottawa. Controllers are GA friendly. There are 3 FBOs on the field. I would recommend either Wright Bros Aero or ASI. It's about a 15-20 minute drive to museum. There are multiple hotel option nearby. Let me know when your coming. I would be happy to show you around!

Patrick

[Hank]

Hank  what is barbecue Mutton

Cook a sheep like it was a pig. Chop meat and add sauce. Serve with fries, bread and slaw. Tasty! Unique! I wanna go back.

[Ned Gravel]

KOWB, Owensboro, KY, has two long runways with tower & ILS. MAPA PPP is there every few years. They are known for barbeque mutton, which I've never had elsewhere. Moonlight is a good restaurant. Easy in, easy out.

Have a great time!!

 

Thanks Hank.  This would be an overnight stop without any sightseeing, and I appreciate the recommendation.  It will be after about 5 hours of flying with one stop for gas.  Owensboro looks good and the Holiday Inn Express at the junction of 81 and 60 seems close by. 

[Ned Gravel]

Temple Bar U30 is a landing strip on Lake Mead where the Colorado River enters the lake.  Very scenic and close to Vegas.  The Marina will pick you up if you call them on unicom.  They rent jet skis and boats with a restaurant and motel rooms.  If you like the outdoors it might be worth checking out.  A lot of big horn sheep and coyotes.

 

Thanks Kerry.  Haven't figured out all the options for the LV / Grand Canyon days yet, but I will keep this one in mind.

[Ned Gravel]

Flander recommend 5T6 VS KELP fuel usually over $1 cheaper. PM me I have some travel scheduled & one formation clinic in Yuma during that time.

If I'm in town you and your wife have a place to stay in El Paso. You might want to check with Yvesg first.... lol. You won't need a snow shovel!

 

Elton:  Thanks for this.  We were not planning on making a stop in El Paso for more than gas on the way to Las Vegas from Killeen on the way west, and only for gas on the way from Los Vegas to Kerrville on the way east.  As we get closer to the days, we may be able to simply take an extra day in El Paso, if you are around.  

[Ned Gravel]

^{For Vegas I would recommend Boulder city as desination. easy in and out has lots of Grand Canyon heli tours and is right next to Lake Mead and Hoover dam. Also Vegas is 25 min drive FBO there is good service and will not charge ramp fees if you gas up. they got us rental car at a discount as well. since your so close I recommend going a bit farther to Santa Barbara or Palomar and Catching the Pacific.  Good luck and have a great trip.}

 

Bonal:

 

Thanks for this.  Good idea on going as far as the Pacific.  It is only another 90 Mooney minutes away from Vegas.  

 

I have looked at the Boulder City airport and there does not appear to be any published approaches - so if things are VFR - OK.  If not then HND or VGT?

[Ned Gravel]

Ned,

Make your customs entry at KPCW and I will buy lunch/dinner at the airport diner. 

 

It would be nice to see you again.

 

Tom:

 

Done.  Around noon on the day we fly.  Clear customs and lunch.   Thanks for the invitation.

[Ned Gravel]

If it is on your route, I recommend KBGD, Borger Texas for fuel or stopover. This was the best FBO we had for our California trip a year ago. If you go please say hi to Tracy!

But this place has not much tourist appeal except for those who like oil wells!

Sorry Elton but we still need the snow shovels here. Was -27 C this morning early. I am fed-up!

Yves

 

Thanks Yves:

 

Borger is a bit north of my route (by about 70 miles) and has me facing 13,000 peaks to Las Vegas.  (love the profile facility in Foreflight)

[Ned Gravel]

I'm based at DAY in Dayton. My M20R is hangared at Aviation Sales, inc (ASI). DAY is class C with multiple runway options and approaches. It is a designated point of entry with customs agents available if you wanted to go direct from Ottawa. Controllers are GA friendly. There are 3 FBOs on the field. I would recommend either Wright Bros Aero or ASI. It's about a 15-20 minute drive to museum. There are multiple hotel option nearby. Let me know when your coming. I would be happy to show you around!

Patrick

 

Patrick:

 

Thanks for this.  I will take your advice on the FBOs at KDAY.  We will probably clear customs in Port Clinton because I can time the arrival to meet the promise I make on EAPIS better.  

 

We are looking for a hotel probably close to Wright Patterson to make it easy on the day we spend in town.  This sound reasonable?  

[mooneyman]

Patrick:

 

Thanks for this.  I will take your advice on the FBOs at KDAY.  We will probably clear customs in Port Clinton because I can time the arrival to meet the promise I make on EAPIS better.  

 

We are looking for a hotel probably close to Wright Patterson to make it easy on the day we spend in town.  This sound reasonable?

Sound reasonable. There's Comfort Suites Wright-Patterson directly across from the museum. There's a Super 8 close to the airport. Dayton's not that big. You'd be fine either way.

[bonal]

Bonal:

 

Thanks for this.  Good idea on going as far as the Pacific.  It is only another 90 Mooney minutes away from Vegas.  

 

I have looked at the Boulder City airport and there does not appear to be any published approaches - so if things are VFR - OK.  If not then HND or VGT?

I don't know has Vegas ever been IFR?

[Dave Marten]

Flanders,

Stop here in Wichita (KICT) for lunch/gas. Pepper, Phil, Wojo, and I will host. If schedule permits I've got room to put you guys up for the night and we'll take you out to sample some local brew.

[Dave Marten]

Flanders,

If you push on to the coast you might as well fly the Mooney to Catalina Island (KAVX) and spend the night. http://www.airnav.com/airport/KAVX

Stop in on Suds and Joker in LA (KVNY). Whitey did Catalina last spring and can give you a PIREP.

[carqwik]

There are two ways to go from ELP to Vegas...high or low.  Going direct is the "high" route and requires a minimum alt of 10k although 12k would be better...much better.  The low route is to follow Interstate 10 mostly (skirt around Phoenix however) and then cut north to Vegas following the Colorado River at Blythe.  This is doable at 6k or so.

 

Not a lot of IFR out this way but when it is IFR, it is often not single engine piston flyable, mostly due to icing.  But the good news is that such IFR conditions rarely last more than a day or two at most...and always followed by blue skies.

 

The scenery is much different here than anything you'll see from Ottawa to El Paso.

[Bob - S50]

You know you can fly your Mooney over the Grand Canyon correct?  While I have not done it yet (based in WA state) you just have to meet certain minimum altitudes and fly across the canyon itself through specified corridors.

 

One of my planned trips will eventually take me from the Las Vegas area (probably BVU) by Hoover Dam, over the Grand Canyon twice (up one corridor and down another) then over Meteor Crater and then to the Phoenix area.

 

I'm sure you'll have fun.

 

Bob

[RocketAviator]

You know you can fly your Mooney over the Grand Canyon correct?  While I have not done it yet (based in WA state) you just have to meet certain minimum altitudes and fly across the canyon itself through specified corridors.

 

One of my planned trips will eventually take me from the Las Vegas area (probably BVU) by Hoover Dam, over the Grand Canyon twice (up one corridor and down another) then over Meteor Crater and then to the Phoenix area.

 

I'm sure you'll have fun.

 

Bob

Ned I have flown the Grand Canyon and it was great, an oppertunity to see the Grand Canyon like no other way. If we get together on your trip we can discuss. There is a fair amount to it, losts of restrictions, not to worry with proper planning it is a walk in the park!