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XC Again this Year
Afternoon All: Sorry it has been so long inbetween posts. I have just now(seemingly) regained my ability to log on to the forum.

An Early Merry Christmas/Holiday greeting to all, Nancy and I went to San Diego, to spent Thanksgiving with Nancy's family, from home in Pensacola, Fl, again this year and we had a great time. We left hoping to get to San Angelo, TX the first day. Naw, stronger than forecast headwinds 50 to 65 kts on the nose from 45 to 85 feet altitide--we landed in Georgetown, TX for the night. Next day we got to Lordsburg, NM, rather than Phoenix as planned. Then to Phoenix to stay with friends and we left the next day for Boulder City, NV by way of the Grand Canyon (northern part and legal to fly under 14,500) and the Hoover Dam. Next day we went to San Diego. We planned to leave the Saturday after Thanksgiving, weather said no, and we left on the tuesday after. We went to Benson, AZ and spent the night as low clouds forced us to delay departure untio 11 am. From Benson we went to Ft. Stockton and again weather caused us to stay overnight. We left FT Stockton for Eagle Lake, TX, we landed to refuel and found noone there and had to takeoff again and go Houston Executive to get gas. Then we went to Louisiana to stay with our son and see the grandchildren. Then next day we snuck out and had to do a bit of scud running to get home. -- Oh yes, just a quick note: I had an article published in the Dec issue of EAA's "Sport Pilot and Light-Sport Aircraft," that details how we decided on a CT.

Details of the Trip: While this was the second time we made the trip to San Diego, it also highlighted the CT's XC capabilities. Weather made this year's trip more challenging, so I would like to highlight some of what it takes to do it successfully. Despite having more that 7000 hours, including 2000 GA, I still subscribe to the following: Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance (from flight shcool) and it is as true today as it was in 1960/61 when I went to USAF Aviation Cadets.

First, Nancy and I decided what we wanted to do or see along the way and we planned the route. With a general outline I got all the charts necessary: sectionals, VFR Terminals, and instrument (these to give a better over view of routes and alternatives as required). I also printed out a DUATs no-wind flight plan for every leg of the trip. I find this a very helpful exercise as it forces me to look , in detail, at each leg and note possible problem areas: evevations, emergency landing fields, over night stops etc. So when the day came to depart I (we) were prepared, particularly by watching weather trends for a week or.

In our case, the head winds were far more that forcast and we decided to stop at Georgetown (GTU) TX, Self-serve gas and a the Georgetown Jet Center gave great service, including a ride to a motel. We now had to plan for the next day - we could not get to Phoenix indaylight, so we had to go elsewhare, so we went to Pecos Municipal (PEQ)--this was great refueling stop, the FBO is really nice. We stayed the night in Lordsburg, NM--(LSB) another winner FBO, gave us a ride to the motel and picked us up in the morning. Then to Glendale (GEU) in the Phoenix area-FBO was fins self-serve. The neat feature here was as we apporached Phoenix, I told APC my destination and I could go VFR under Class B, they said okay and we we went direct. On leaving, we called Phoenix APC, told them we were VFR to exit Class B to the north, again OK and so we went to Peach Springs VOR to fly the northern half of the Grand Canyon. We flew at rim level and it was a spectacular experience, I should note we were going NW and we counted 19 helicopters goinf on the other side going SE. We exied the canyon and flew around lake Mead and then the Hoover dam, to land at Boulder City (BVU)-Stars and Stripes Air is about as good as it gets for FBO service: car, motel, help with baggage just great, also we met another CTer, Russ Roberts who landed just after we did. We had dinner in Las Vegas with an old friend from RF-4 days in the UK--The Strip has changed, just a bit, in the 40 years since I had last visited. We next went to Sandiego, Montromery Field (MYF) FBO Gibbs Flight Service is another superior FBO and while there we flew four times.

When we left San Diego we were delayed for several hours due to low ceilings--the unforecast clouds and a change in forcecast caused us to change destination to Benson (E95) for the next night, we had planned to go to Demming, NM, but a snow outlook forced me to look father south. As it was the temps were really colc and the next day the best we could do was Fort Stockton, TX. Benson was another gem of a stop and they let us have a loaner car for the night--before we left, we had to clean off a 1/4 inch of frost slush off the plane. Ft. Stockton (FST) has a really good FBO, we got a loaner and they let us hanger the CT that night-great. We left FTS an d leveled at 5500, the temp was 22 and the bases of the undercast about 6500--we were past Austin (300 or so miles) before the temp rose to 33 degrees and to overcast started to breakup.

I have to stop here as I have a dinner engagement and my wife is insistant. Tomorrow I will finish. See ya, Ken