Crossing the desert in August

[RocketAviator]

Looks like several beat me to it... I WOULD STRONGLY NOT RECOMMEND YOU FLY FAST AND LOW ALONG THE BORDER... I will bet money on it since my nephew is a border patrol agent in that area and he has told me they do track and intercept low flying aircraft (remember the tethered radar balloon TFR, your flying right beside it... hmmm) !!!  In addition to that there are some big hills... some call them mountains that raise up to 12K between Phoenix and El Paso!  This is not exactly a flat desert... more like a high desert  5T6 & KELP = 4200' and in the center of El Paso a 8000' mountain!

 

Ok lets not make this a mountain out of a mole hill... in my Mooney it is a 1:45 min to 2:00 hr flight from Phoenix to 5T6!  No big deal, the scenery is great lots of variability!

 

I would personally say no need for almost anything on your list if you are thinking of only this portion of the flight....

 

Last thought relax this is no big deal, FLY HIGH & EARLY or LATE & enjoy the ride and USE ATC.... I almost never fly VFR and therefor always in contact with ATC but when I do fly VFR I always use flight following!!! Great folks very helpful and someone always has you in their sights!

 

If I don't see you at Oshkosh let me know when to expect you and we will take good care of you!

[jetdriven]

Among all the good advice it had never crossed my mind to fly close to the deck to avoid the thermals. Does anybody else use this technique? , how about the other advice fly high and near a road?. How about ATC, any issues there?.

Some of you maybe familiar with this list of emergency/survival equipment listed on the FAA desert flying guide. Are all these items really necessary?.

As to 5T6, Dave has already suggested to stop at Dona Ana so you are on.

Adhesive tape (waterproof)

Antibiotic ointment (e.g., 3 in 1 First Aid OintmentTM) Antiseptic swabs (8) should contain Iodine Band-Aids

Blood stopper bandages

Electrolyte tabs (20) (rehydration mix)

Gauze pads (10)

Gauze rolls

Heat bar

Insect repellent

Latex tourniquet

Lip balm/Sun screen

Liquid soap

Moleskin

Snake bite kit

Space blanket

Steri-Strip wound closures

Sun screen

Tongue blades

Triangular bandages (2)

Un-AspirinTM (25 pkgs.) (acetaminophen)

VisineTM or equivalent (e.g., Liquid TearsTM)

Water purification tabs

Water container

Waterproof matches

SIGNALING EQUIPMENT—MAF REQUIREMENT

Dye marker

Orange signal flag

Signaling mirror

VHF portable radio, with spare alkaline battery pack Whistle

REQUIRED MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

Compass

Disposable lighter

First Aid Book

Flashlight

Immediate Action Card

Swiss knife or pocket knife

USAF Survival Manual

NOTE: Some of the above items will have a shelf life.

SURVIVAL EQUIPMENT

Can Openers

Cook Stoves

Compass Crash/Fire/Rescue Book Emergency Blankets

You can skip all that with a 406 PLB for 200$, and a copy of "Airplane trader" for your next mount.

[kmyfm20s]

What can I say, 99% of the time I'm a 747 pilot, 1% of the time I'm a Warthog pilot in my Mooney of course. When I'm a Warthog pilot I avoid free standing mountains in the desert, balloons with long strings and have yet to be intercepted or greeted by the Border patrol after flying on the California border. When I'm a 747 pilot I'm flying high over the mountains in the cool air with precious cargo on board, much safer. It's great having the option:)

[MB65E]

I Second 5t6. Stopped there a while back in a c140 just for gas from PHX to STL over the 4th of July. My wife and I made it to Plainville Tx before we had to knock it off for the day. Fun trip. Gnargly terrain in eastern AZ Give yourself at least a chance...I-10!

[FloridaMan]

Two things I picked up in my October trip.

 

Wear your seatbelt at all times and keep it tight. My flight was smooth until I hit about 15 seconds of severe clear air turbulence. 

 

Carry chapstick and use it liberally or you will have severe chapped lips from the dry air + altitude. 

[N201MKTurbo]

Back in '90 I was returning from the Super Bowl in NOLA with a TV crew and we couldn't get out of the airport for 6 hours because my plane was parked behind about a hundred business jets.

 

Anyway we got a late start, and were bucking a head wind. I flew from El Paso to Phoenix at low level at night through the mountains to get better winds. We landed at Sky Harbor (KPHX - the big one) to drop off a few of the passengers. As soon as I got out of the plane I was surrounded by about 10 guys with M16s. They were accusing me of crossing from Mexico and avoiding radar. They said that I was flying in southern Arizona without a flight plan (is that illegal?). I told them they were full of it, that I was talking to El Paso approach for 60 miles. They finally left me alone after i showed them a fuel receipt from Ft Stockton Texas with a time stamp on it.