Thread: 48 States in a CT (or other Light Sport Aircraft)

I've recently planned (on paper) a 48-state trip, touching down at least once in every state. If I didn't have to worry about elevation, I could probably make the trip in about 6,000 miles, taking nearly 48 hours of flying time - perfect world, perfect weather. The highest elevation is about 10,700' msl.

In reality, I'd want to find the lowest possible elevations while minimizing the flight distance and time. So far, I've found a way to travel about 6,700 miles and taking about 54 hours of flying time - again, perfect world, perfect weather. These flying times are assuming averaging 125 mph, while staying under 8,550' msl. The highest elevation in the northern route is about 7,700' msl, while the highest elevation in the southern route is about 8,550' msl.

If anyone wants to know the waypoints (airports) I used, let me know. Basically, the trip looks like a sideways "U" with the open end in the West, starting in northeastern Oregon and finishing in southeastern California. Without having to touch CO and UT, I could have stayed under 7,000' msl in the southern route.

there is nothing to see below 9,000'

CharlieTango, what's the highest you've flown your CT? Have you gone to 12K or higher?

I have been up to 15k in mine although i have been a lot higher in a flexwing

Cheers Mike

Originally Posted by wlfpckrs

CharlieTango, what's the highest you've flown your CT? Have you gone to 12K or higher?

12k+ is easy, above 15k you need some help, we get local conditions that could get you well above 18k but the slsa wouldn't be legal even if the gliders get atc to open a window.

Originally Posted by micromike

I have been up to 15k in mine although i have been a lot higher in a flexwing

Cheers Mike

can you see coast to coast? got any pics?

Originally Posted by wlfpckrs

CharlieTango, what's the highest you've flown your CT? Have you gone to 12K or higher?

my first plane was a quad city challenger with a 53hp rotax 2-stroke. i could fly above mt whitney @ 15,000' even though i could not climb that high depending on the rotax alone.

i used to play a game, flying from big pine, ca @ 4,000' to mammoth lakes pattern altitude 8,000'. the game was to make the whole flight without configuring for climb ( set up for level flight and no pulling back on the stick. ) the object was to efficiently cruise 100 miles climbing 4,000' by finding lift enroute. i can do the same thing but to a lesser degree with my ctsw, the challenger weighed half as much and had more wing and the wing had a higher lift airfoil.

even on calm days there tends to be some wind aloft and where the wind encounters terrain lift ( and sink ) are produced. the windward side of a ridge or terrain feature will tend to have smooth lift where the leeward side will tend to have turbulent sink. with the speed of a ct it can be hard to stick around and milk lift but it can be easy to follow a route that has a lot of lift, this often means flying very close to terrain so experience is important. it is important to always have an escape route.

when planning flying in the western usa in my ctsw i think more in terms of winds then in the capability of the ct. i leave early if possible and try to cross in the mornings. i restrict more turbulent crossings to terrain with which i am very familiar.

I know of a CT, not mine, that has seen 17K. So long as the engine runs and the prop is enough left to climb who knows what the real ceiling might be.

I know a Canadian CT owner that has seen 20K +, still climbing at 300 fpm. He gave up when the windows were making noise, like they could possibly break from the cold. They get to have in flight adjustable props in Canada.

I've personally exceeded 13K', and once saw 14.5K density altitude and still climbing by the time I got bored.

i luv the thread creep,

lets have a ctsw high altitude lying contest

my entry isn't about altitude but penetration

I'm 8 miles from home on Victor 230 north west bound level at 10,000' indicating 101kts, true at 120kts and running out of gas due to making no forward progress. i'm low in mammoth pass with 120kts right on my nose and it is perfectly smooth. after thinking about the lee side rotor if i did manage to penetrate made reaize that i needed to turn back even though i was in sight of my home field.i turned around and got home by going 200 miles out of my way.