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Or Seth's Coast to Coast and back flight V2.0! In 2010 I flew my former 1967 M20F model from Maryland out to California and back. Now it's time for the second United States crossing, this time in my 1983 Mooney M20J Missle 300. For the "Mooney's Above America" - if you are going to be anywhere near my route at the dates indicated, let me know. The locations I plan to stop at this point are probable - the beauty of having your own decision making process to change a destination as you'd like. If you see or note any suggestions, please give them to me, as I may very well make the change. This is a basic schedule with flexible times/dates to an extent. I'm prone to get-there-itis and have learned some lessons along the way. If the go/no-go decision is a no, or a diversion is needed, so be it. Therefore, this is schedule is more like "guidlines." Thursday, May 16th -Depart home base, Gaitherburg, MD (GAI) around 10:00 AM -Lunch with colleague - Statesville, NC (SVH) -Overnight in Atlanta - Peachtree/Dekalb (PDK) - This is where I soloed and finished my flight training. Staying with a buddy from college. Friday, May 17th -Quick hop to RYY to meet up with colleage at 9:30, potential quick flight. He soloed but never finished his license and this may get another pilot back into aviation. -Lunch in Pell City, AL - St .Clair (PLR). Another colleage who is a pilot but hasn't flown in a few years. -Overnight in Dallas - (DAL with Landmark as the FBO - they waive ramp and parking with fuel purchase - whcih I'll need but it's expensive fuel - I'll tank what I can in - my friend lives very close to KDAL and I'm staying the night) Saturday, May 18th - Long Flyng Day (depdning on headwinds, the longest flying day of the trip - 3 hour and 4 hour leg flights) -Depart Dallas early for Roswell, NM (ROW) to visit the aliens (never been unelss someone else has a better idea) -After lunch/visiting Roswell, head to San Diego (MYF). Stay with my little bro. Mooney stays at MYF Sunday, May 19th - Spend time in San Diego with brother Monday, May 20th and Tuesday, May 21st - Commerical fligth from SAN to DEN and back for work. I will be availalbe potentially on Tuesday afternoon/evening. Wednesday, May 22nd - Thurday, May 23rd - Conference in San Diego Friday, May 24th - Fly from MYF to probably Santa Monica (SMO). I've been there once before, and I've always wanted to go to Van Nuys. I was not happy abou the landing fee, and I know it's been increased, but I also know the airport may be gone as soon as 2015. It's also closer to where I'm staying. I'm visiting my sister and her fiance, and my girlfriend is flying out the previous day from DC to visit her friend in Los Angles. We'll enjoy LA that evening. Saturday, May 25th - Fly my sister, her finance, and my girlfriend potentially (depending on many factors) to Catalina (AVX). I was there with my sister in 2010, but the others have not been to airport in the sky. This is stil up in the air (no pun intended) on if we're going to make the trip to Catalina. -Drop my sister and finance off, and head to wine country - Sonoma. Saturday, May 25th - Tuesday, May 28th - Sonoma with the girlfriend. Not quite sure which airport we'll be based at yet. I've got a few to chose from in the earlier thread I posted (O69, 0Q9, or 0Q3) . I'm also thinking about flying into SQL - San Carlos, just south of SFO on Saturday and renting a car for Sonoma. I have to drive my girlfriend back to SFO (because landing there is rediculous - not spending over $100 just to drop her off for less than an hour) and the SQL guys evidnetly do a great detail job (wash/wax) and I could have them do that over the few days I'd be in wine country. Otherwise, I'm driving down from Sonoma to drop her at SFO or Flying to SQL and putting her in a cab. Tuesday, May 28th -Drop the lady at SFO (by ground) -Fly to PDX (maybe) to see a friend or direct to Seattle - Paine (PAE). Tuesday, May 28th, Wednesday, May 29th, Thursday, May 30th, Friday, May 31st - Spend time in Seattle with family and friends. See Paul Allen's collection as well as Boeing Factory Tour. Friday, May 31st - 2nd longest flying day -Depart Seattle for Minnesota - long day of flying plus losing two hours to time zones. - Need to pick a fuel stop. Stopped at Boseman, MT, last time and also at Rapid City Falls to see Mt. Rushmore. Not stopping at Mt. Rushmore this time. -Arrive Minnesota/St. Paul Lake Elmo (21D) or South St. Paul / Flemming - visit with colleague for dinner Saturday, June 1st - visit with buddy and client in Minneapolis (he's closer to FCM, but I'll rent a car and drive). -Head to Chicago (MDW or Excecutive) and stay the night OR - fly home. Sunday, June 2nd - Pick up my older brother in Chicago and give him a free ride back to Maryland or simply fly home to GAI Saturday late afternoon/evenning. That's the trip! Suggestions: -RYY - Which FBO? I haven't reserached yet -ROW - is Roswell as good stop? Does anyone want to meet there on Saturday for lunch? -MYF - Which FBO? -Wine country - Which airport or leave the plane at SQL and rent a car, let plane get detailed, and drive into wine country -Fuel stop from Seatlle to Minneapolis/St. Paul. Let me know if any of these times/stops make sense for any meet ups. Last time I racked up around 40-44 hours of flight time. I expect to do this trip in under 29-33. I have O2 for a tailwind push on the way back and am in a faster plane with extended tanks and an autopilot. Last time I hand flew the whole thing. Recap: TH May 16 - GAI - SVH - PDK F May 17 - PDK - RYY - PLR - DAL S May 18 - DAL - ROW - MYF F May 24 - MYF - SMO/VNY S May 25 - SMO/VNY - AVX - SMO/VNY - Wine Country (O69/0Q9/0Q3 OR SQL and drive) T May 28 - Wine Country (O69/0Q9/0Q3 OR SQL) - PDX (mabye) - PAE F May 31 - PAE - REFUEL - 21D/SGS S June 1 - 21D/SGS - MDW/PWK (or right to GAI) S June 2 - MDW/PWK - GAI (unless I fly home the night before) On the flight back from Minnesota I can also plan to stop somewhere enroute for a bit or rest and meet up with anyone. I'll update this thread as part of the Mad Missile Dash. -Seth

I did do this flight today, the Stratus 2 worked even better then I expected, especially the ADS-B weather, both my destination's (KLOZ and KGKJ) textual METARS updated 9-10 minutes before XM Weather did, on most of the trip it was showing at least some traffic, most of it was jet traffic of course.

Never been ramp checked in 30+ years of logged flying. I recently attended a Wings seminar sponsored by a local flight school on the topic. One of the Bay Area FIDOs (I won't mention which one) sent a relatively young, enthusiastic, representative who took a rather positive approach, much like the materials shown at the start of this thread. He talked about correcting minor problems informally, and that the purpose of these ramp checks was to insure safety. About 15 minutes into the presentation, with a lot of relaxed, smiling pilots in the room, an older gentleman, obviously the younger man's superior at the FISDO, essentially, and to the embarrassment of all the attendees, both figuratively and literally, pushed the first presenter aside, and proceeded to tell us that the role of the FAA was regulatory, and that ramp checks were to enforce ALL the rules. Any deviance from a rule would would result in being "violated". Failure to provide this or that would be cause to be violated, and soon it sounded as though he was the master of a seventeenth century English frigate reading the Articles of War to the crew. The tone and temper of the meeting became quite somber, and at the end of the session, during the question and answer period, the remarks were all adversarial, and recounting old unpleasant FAA encounters. Perhaps it is a good thing that many of the older FAA folk will be retiring, and that a new generation of less crusty, and more idealistic personnel will take their place. I am sad that the mission statement of the FAA has dropped the Promote Aviation aspects. At least we have the Pilot's Bill of Rights, which will hopefully prove useful.

Keeping folks from slaming the door is always a challenge, even experienced Bo drivers.

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A few extra gallons is safer than departing right at gross with minimum fuel and running out of gas. Although the risk of a post-crash fire is greatly minimized when running out of gas.

Were you /G? If so, not needed.

From reading about fuel leak problems here, and some personal experience, I have concluded that there are 4 kinds of fuel tank leaks. 1. Leaking around screws on top (in wing walk), when tanks are full. Easy to fix and no real problem. 2. Leaking at the gaskets where the fuel level senders attach. A PITA to get to, but not too difficult to fix. 3. Leaking fuel sump valves. A pain to drain, or alternately, kinda messy to change with fuel in the tank, but otherwise not bad. 4. Leaking tank sealant. Ouch! Get out your checkbook and try to decide whether to patch, reseal or go with bladders.

Jim and I have been saying it for three years now, bladders are a permanent solution, and the cost is comparable.

It costs 20$ to overnight a letter with USPS. Fedex is 33$ . No it costs 33$, we the people make up the 13$ difference, the USPS is running in the red.

my plane looks like crap now. thanks a lot.

I've done the same thing, Lood. The Mooney is perfect except about twice per year when I am trying to fit 4 adults or 3 adults and ski gear in it, and I have to run with minimum fuel to make the useful load work. I hate running with minimum fuel. I spend the whole time staring at the gauges and wondering, "Am I sure there's 30 gallons in there?" I am always sure, by the way, but somehow it still bugs me the whole flight. But, to make those two trips per year easier, would I rather have a 182 that's 30 knots slower, or a Bonanza that burns 3 more GPH, for all the rest of my trips? So far my answer is no.

Bryan My recommendation would be to climb out at 100 until you are about 1000 feet above field elevation and then get to 120. But look at the cowl flaps and try to open them. They are fixed, but it does not mean that you can not adjust them. This is particularly important when the climate is hot. Let us know how it went. Oscar

Climbing at 120 mph is a good call, but forget 25 squared. Yes, I know, the POH recommends it, but keep full power throughout the climb.

The only reason I see to use a panel mounted GPS if your VFR only, is to drive a autopilot. Otherwise a portable is a fraction of the cost and has better features