PeteMc

The little black lines. Note that N La Veta Pass has both a GPS Wpt and AWOS

Yes, following the Interstates is probably the obvious choice. But there are actually a lot of marked passes with their Altitudes out there. Problem is, you have to zoom way in on the Sectional and slowly go down the mountains to find them. And once you find one pass, you need to make sure it leads to lower terrain or some other pass so you can continue the way you need/want to go. Did really check to see if this was flyable, but real quickly a potential non Interstate route might be KGCK 4V1 VPVTP La Manga Pass (37.08367°N/106.38336°W) KFMN. Looks like you could do it at 12,500 for the max altitude for a bit, with most of the flight much lower. So if we document all the various routes people have taken, people going for the first time will not have to reinvent the wheel, as it were.

There's a post that many of you may have seen over on FB for a Mooney driver doing a X-US flight. And he's asking the same question a lot of people do on their first X-US flight, where to cross the mountains. So started over in the Pacific Northwest Grp and posting the following here for any help you may all have.... Send me your Mountain Routes! In one of the Mooney Grps there was yet another person looking for info on how best to get from one side of the Rockies to the other. I've seen lots of people share their stories, but I just looked again and I still didn't find a simple Map that shows All or Most of the options depending upon if you're going to the PNW, SF or down to LA. I'm not sure when I'll get a chance to create it, but I'd love to start compiling the various routes to show as potential options. then you don't have to go through the whole process of finding all the charted passes on the Sectional (and perfectly acceptable uncharted passes). Feel free to rate your Route for complexity or training. I'm open to suggestions, but for the first draft: 1 = Can be flown in a 150 5 = Can be flown by an experienced pilot with no REAL Mt training 10 = Must be an experienced Mt flyer!! Max Altitude Required would also be a good thing to put on the Route so they'd know if their plane can do it or if O2 is required. (You might not go that high, but you're up there for quite a while vs. just a climb for one short part of the route, etc.) And quite honestly, I've forgotten most of my Mt training from years ago. And the 20+ times I've crossed the Rockies I've always been well up in the teens and more concerned about what I could glide to Apt, road, house I could see, etc.) than dealing with really going THROUGH the mountains. So although it will not replace real Mt Flying Training. Add all notes you can think of for people doing their first real X-US flight. -

Glad you're zeroing in on the problem. Good Luck!!

A while ago there was an AD that modified the priming for the TSIO360, so you can now easily over prime. Originally you would use the Primer and the fuel went into one cylinder. Now when you use the Primer or Elec Fuel Pump (same thing now) you're putting fuel in all the cylinders. So you can easily over prime, so on a warm day, maybe only 3 seconds is all it takes. I think the manual says 3-4 seconds and I used to give it a little extra with the old primming method. Now you need to find the right amount for your plane. Also, where the throttle is makes a BIG difference. I used to do 3 turns, mechanic lubricated and adjusted the throttle cable a few years back. Took me a while to realize that now 4 twists is were I need to be.

I think it was a random selection. I don't think all of their users did or will get the email.

Yea, sorry but I don't mean to rag on you either, BUT... The engine won't start HOW??? You say you have gas... is it good 100LL? Does the prop spin? If so, at a similar speed to other K starting up? Does it partially start and then quit? What steps has the mechanic gone through so far? Did the plane get towed to the mechanic on your filed or did you fly it there for some sort of maintenance? If it was working and taken to the mechanic, what did they do? So many many more potential questions and we don't have a base line to start from. I'll make the assumption that your mechanic is pretty good. But for years my guys (in tech not engines) would give me a face when I asked "is it plugged in" which meant "did you already trace ALL the cabling and connections?" More then half the time it was something really stupid that fell into the "is it plugged in" category.

FF is always updating their Logbook. But I don't know of any major change that would make it "new" in the past year or so. Do you remember where you read/heard this?

I guess I'm one of the ones flying in from out of state. I missed VT because of an alternator issue, so they let me switch over to TX.

Down side is that those airports that ARE going to charge landing fees will do it without ADS-B if it is not an option. And when they push through the need to do it (if they have to go to any governing body), they will just up the fees to include the employee hours to do it. So instead of what could have been a $2or $3 charge for the Airport to make money, it will be a $10 charge for the staffing.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if Primary "learners" had some exercise to show how that worked. Maybe we should create some practice maneuver where they went and, I don't know, maybe kept turning around one point on the earth?

I need to follow up with them, I haven't heard back if I transferred over when I couldn't make it to BTV. And I guess if you just sent in your check it isn't full.

Get a K in? Or out? I've been into shorter runways, but I don't know what the surrounding trees and mountain issues are for climbing out. Obviously how hot it is and how loaded (or UNloaded) you are makes a huge difference.

I'd get whatever issue you have with your PayPal Account corrected before anything else. Obviously change the Password before you do anything else in case that "corruption" was actually something else. And although I haven't had to reach out to them in years, back when I had a minor issue the Support Team was very responsive.

Are you sure your engine is putting out what it should. You said you were WOT, so the MP gauge isn't the issue. but what about your Tach? Were you really at the required RPMs to get that 70.1% power you thought you were flying at? And I'm sure the engine folks here have other checks (compression, etc.) to confirm if you're really operating at the Power you think you are.

Yea, but I was originally going to VT... So I guess distance isn't really a consideration. But then let's see... If I go to Cheyenne I could knock Leadville off my list. Decisions, decisions...

Good to know there are new owners there.

I'd almost call that Central US, similar to the TX one in Oct. Is the spring PPP going to be in SoCal again?

So you work for CGS? You guys bailed me out earlier this year when the (new to me) shop sent my tank and regulator to the shop they had always used. Estimate came back WAY high and my regulator that was working perfectly and no unexpected loss/leakage suddenly had multiple leaks in both sages. He got it back and I had gotten recommendations (from here) and send it to you. Still wonder if the regulator parts you received were actually the original ones that came out of my regulator at the other shop. But we'll never know.

That's exactly my point. No need to do a test when you have a years worth of O2. And exactly what logic??? I do not believe there is an issue with a charged bottle suddenly going bad and it will explode. If anything, it will probably just leak out at a weld. What happens with the hydro test, as I understand it, is to overcharges the bottle to make sure there are no defects primarily from abuse. Think welding tanks dropping off a truck. But aging is also an issue. But maybe someone with more experience can jump in, but I've never heard of a full aviation tank suddenly going bad. More likely it would be the regulator or something in one of the lines. And I thought I had the documentation where it actually says it can be done at the next filling, but I can't find it right now. I'll do some more digging tomorrow if I get some time.

It depends upon which tank you have. Some have an end of life date, others don't. You just need to confirm which tank you have and find out what the story is for you. The other thing that gets people is when you have to do the hydrostatic test. If you have a full tank of O2 and someone tells you that you have to send in the tank. Have them show you the reg. I understand it to be at the NEXT FILLING. You don't have to pull the tank and send it in by date. Now it may just be easier if the plane is in for its Annual to send it in then. But that's your call.

But, as usual... Only this year. And if you're looking for a places for 2025... I'm still pushing the SFF/GEG area for June, Sept or Oct. (Still too much of a chance for ice in April.)

I was wondering the same thing since I ended up not making it back to VT. (Time to spare, go by air...) Maybe @kortopates can fill us in.

Look OUTSIDE?!?! Surely you jest!!!! That's why I have synthetic vision, Traffic on one screens, Wx on another screen. WHY?????? Would anyone look out the window these days?!

No different than a Cub (or other plane) with no electrical system and no hand-held. If I lost my hearing I'd probably only go with another pilot or someone I knew that could really work the radios. And this is only because I'm so use to working with the radios it cuts down how many planes you need to find only by scanning. But if I learned as a deaf pilot, I guess it would be totally different. More like those that learned in the NORDO Cubs. So my scanning skills would probably be a major grade above mine now, which I hope are pretty good.