Route Crossing New Mexico

[bgpilot1]

Any suggestions on a good route and stopping points between Little Rock, AR and Scottsdale, AZ?  I'm particularly interested in getting across New Mexico with the resticted areas and mountains.  I plan to fly VFR on Friday in the non turbo M20F.  12,500 shouldn't be a problem.

Thanks,

Barry

[b65cuda]

I just flew from Mesa, AZ to Abilene, TX a couple of days ago.  Backwards, I would fly SFL - EWM - DMN - SSO - TFD. Keeps you just North of El Paso but away from restricted areas (close enough to look at some cool stuff though). The highest point between SSO - TFD is about 7700ft, you can follow the valley and stay much lower though. 

It was my first long cross country brigging my plane to Texas from Santa Rosa, CA.

Phoenix is brutal. Inbound from Cali I got the, pilot discretion decent, stay out of our airspace. Outbound I got instructed on a propper checkin. Oh, and use FULL call sign all the time.

Again, I'm a new pilot, but my high time comm co-pilot was shocked too. My whole trip went very well other than the phx area.

[Ron McBride]

Little Rock, OKC, Ama,  ABQ, SJN and SDL. I will be flying from Central CA to Poteau OK (RKR) using roughly this route in 2 weeks.

Ron with a 69F

[carqwik]

Crossing NM has two choices...high (via ABQ) or low (via EWM in El Paso).  If you can make it in one stop, I'd suggest Borger, TX (KBGD) due to relatively cheap fuel (compared to AMA), not crowded, great line service, and two runways one of which will usually be aligned with the wind.  That's on the high route...12,500 west bound should be plenty of altitude for the north crossing. 

[jax88]

Check turbulence PIREPS and surface wind forecasts.  I've done both the northern and southern routes and I have to say, Gallup is no easy task in gusty winds, especially if it was a last minute diversion.  Southern runways such as Dona Ana, Deming, and Las Cruces seem more accomodating on these windy days, and they may have a lower density altitude.

[jetdriven]

Check the winds aloft and the clouds.  I prefer the southern route as you don't have to fly as high therefore less headwind.   But since you are going from Little Rock,  El Paso is too far out of the way.  Tucamcari is a nice stop. Holbrook, AZ was an interesting little FBO and will give you a car to go into town.

[Mooney65E]

The balloon fiesta in Albuquerque is going on through next Sunday if you have the time. I just got back from there yesterday and had a great time. Double Eagle airport (AEG) is only 10 minutes from the balloon park. There is also an aerial tram on Sandia Peak which takes you to the highest restaurant in North America @ 10, 385'.

[thinwing]

hey Orofino...how come no cool balloons in pic???kpc

[jetdriven]

there is a restaurant on top of Pikes Peak    14,100'.   I was too tired to eat there though.

 

http://www.visitpikespeak.com/cafe.htm

[jlunseth]

Well, I posted a response and it appears it did not get through, trying again.

Best way to go if you are normally aspirated, or just don't want to fly over mountains, would be north of ABQ and the Sandia Mountains (immediately east of ABQ). and south of Las Vegas, NM and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains (southern toe of the Rockies).   The route is generally Dalhart, TX (DHT) to Las Vegas (LVS) or Santa Fe (SFE) to INW, and then southwest to Scottsdale/Pheonix.  If you pull the route up on a Sectional, or aopa flight planner with Terrain enabled for background, you will see what I am talking about.  Buff or tan is ok, light pink is ok, dark pink is high stuff.  The minimum vectoring altitude over the Sangre de Cristo's near Raton, just a little north of this route, is 16,000 as I recall.

This route does a number of things for you, especially if NA.  First, direct to ABQ would take you over the Sandias and you would then need to lose altitude fairly aggressively to get down to Double Eagle (KAEG) or ABQ Int'l, and I would be hesitant to do that right now, not just for passengers ears but because you will have alot of balloon traffic rising up from under you.  Yes, the Balloon Fiesta is underway through this coming weekend.

The route does a similar thing when you reach Pheonix, steepest mountains are to the east and you may need to aggressivly lose altitude on descent, whereas the mountains to the north, and INW, are much further out and lower.

Best way to fly this route if weather allows is VFR and not on airways, so you can fly the gap between the Sangre de Cristos and the Sandias on your own.   That allows you to stay lower and takes less time than Victor airways.  If you have to fly airways, it would be the 190 to LVS, then the V62 to GUP, then the V291 to INW, then the V95 south to Pheonix. 

Couple of things to know.  Turbulence over the mountains can be significant.  I fly minimum FL20000, not just for safety, but to get out of the turbulence.  Going over the Sangre de Cristos at the 16k MVA a couple of years ago, we got in some of the hardest turbulence I have experienced, in clear air.  The other thing is that afternoon thunderstorms are de riguer throughout the west, but especially around ABQ and the southern Rockies.  When I lived in ABQ some years ago, we got them every afternoon (or so it seemed) starting some time between 1 and 4 pm.

Reverse the route coming out.  But definitely take the route to the northwest when leaving Pheonix.  Another thing to know is that temps can be very hot AGL in Pheonix, to the point where your aircrafts performance will suffer, and if you go east you will need to gain altitude fairly quickly.  I have seen temps over 100 by 10 a.m.  The NW route gives you quite a bit more time to get up and helps to keep your cylinders from overheating. 

[DaV8or]

I have a particular interest in this thread because I will be flying to Kerrville later this month for the Homecoming, and based on the sectionals I looked at thought the southern route across New Mexico to be best for my trip from the SF Bay Area to Kerrville. I'm VFR and N/A. I was thinking down the San Jouquin Valley, then slight left to Mesa AZ. Then Las Crucez NM and on to Kerrville. It's my first trip to Texas where I fly myself. Seem like a good plan? What should I look for this time of year?

[Ron McBride]

Dave

I will be coming honme from MAPA to Central CA (MPI). I am planning my fuel stop at AVQ, just outside of Tuscon. It is just about 1/2 for me and the 2nd leg would be a little long for you. This gives me 2 legs of about 4:20.

Ron

[Ron McBride]

Dave

I will be coming honme from MAPA to Central CA (MPI). I am planning my fuel stop at AVQ, just outside of Tuscon. It is just about 1/2 for me and the 2nd leg would be a little long for you. This gives me 2 legs of about 4:20.

Ron

[orangemtl]

I just flew from Havasu KHII to Chicago KLOT and back.  Route was over Flagstaff and Taos.  There's a decent gap in the southern Rockies in the Taos area, though I stayed at 13.5-14.5 to give myself a decent margin and avoidance of turbulence.  Storms over the weekend scattered in NM and AZ, so those of us restricted to VFR were a bit hassled (cloudbase of 13000 vs a terrain of 9-10,000 makes for some slightly nervous flying). 

I found Albuquerque and Denver Centers to be very helpful (Flight Following is reassuring for lowtimers like me).

[jetdriven]

I second AVQ for a nice fuel stop.  I have flown that route in reverse, but my routing was cross that ridge by Gorman or Tehachapi,  then to Victorville,  TNP - AVQ -  TUS and onward.