Hi Eric,
First, welcome to CA and Region 7 of the EOC !
My Ercoupe is based at Chino in Southern California, and have been flying
various portions of that route regularly.
While I would recommend against crossing over the Sierra's, I agree with Ed,
Wayne, & Maynard; and Ed & Wayne made some excellent suggestions. Crossing at
Tehachapi should work fine for you.
I would be a little cautious, but certainly not afraid of the trip in your
Coupe. I'd first ensure that your plane can comfortably can climb to 8,500',
follow the route that Wayne suggested, and launch at first light with a good
weather forecast. Then enjoy the trip!
As I'm sure you already know having been based in Las Vegas, the high desert
can be quite bumpy and unpleasant in the afternoons. As Wayne said, follow
the I-15 to (KDAG) Barstow / Daggett.
Route -
KVGT, K0L7, KDAG, KTCP, KMIT or KDLO (I prefer DLO), KC80, KWVI
Be sure to remain clear of restricted airspace between Barstow / Daggett and
Tehachapi.
The pass west of Tehachapi (KTSP) can be quite bumpy and rough if the wind is
blowing, which it often is (I've seen ground speeds as low as 49 knots over
Tehachapi). Still it's very do-able, and Tehachapi generally has good fuel
prices and makes a reasonable stop if the wind & weather cooperate (watch
density altitude).
Once past Tehachapi the flight is a piece of cake, just follow the highway down
the hill toward Bakersfield.
Depending upon the winds, either Shafter-Minter Field (KMIT) or Delano (KDLO)
should make a reasonable stop, just past Bakersfield. Shafter Minter Field is
a bit more direct however; Delano generally has better fuel prices and has a
Mexican Restaurant on field.
>From either Tehachapi, Shafter-Minter, or Delano you could fly more or less
>direct to Watsonville, or follow roads if you prefer. Depending upon the
>winds, temp, & ride, I'd probably drop down and enjoy some low & slow flying
>over the flat central valley.
If there is fog in (WVI) Watsonville, then just land a few miles short in
Hollister (KCVH, formerly K3O7), and that's another place you may want to
consider basing your Coupe, just because the weather is a bit better and you'll
keep the Coupe a little further from the moisture & salt air.
If you chose to base your Coupe at Watsonville, talk to 'Couper Dan Kelsey - he
has a beautiful white & red Coupe, and a nice guy.
Here's my experience;
I've been flying my Coupe regularly for 10 years over the San Bernardino
Mountains, across the high desert, over or past Tehachapi or Gorman, past
Bakersfield, on my way to Watsonville (WVI) or more often, Petaluma (O69) which
is north of San Francisco to visit family and friends. I often depart between
2:30 or 4:00 in the afternoon, and fly across Tehachapi or Gorman about an hour
or so later.
I've also flown my Coupe from SoCal to (0L7) Jean, NV quite a number of times,
landed my coupe @ (KLAS) Las Vegas McCarran International, and (1G4) Grand
Canyon West. I've flown my coupe from Davis in NorCal along I-80 over the
Sierra's out to OSH & back. I've flown up to McMinnville OR & back a couple of
times, flown up as far north as Arlington WA (1 time), and Sequim WA (2 times).
I've also taken off from Big Bear, Rock Springs WY, and Evanston, WY - all at
density altitudes over 8,000'.
Density altitude is a BIG factor for low powered planes like the Coupe, and
care must be exercised. Personally, I'd only cross the Sierra's EARLY in the
day, and in near perfect weather, with light winds.
When do you plan to make the flight out...?
Best regards,
Dan Hall
N3968H
Acting Director, EOC Region 7 (CA)
----- Original Message -----
From: Wayne Woollard
To: 'r80gseric' ; ety ; Ed Burkhead
Sent: Friday, August 08, 2008 4:34 PM
Subject: Re: [ercoupe-tech] Cross Country Help
If I absolutely had to make it I would fly I-15 to Barstow, Barstow to
Bakersfield (fly over the ridge West of Tehachapi) and Bakersfield to
Watsonville Via Pacheco Pass. This way you would have highway under you all
the way, and no more that 200 miles between fuel stops.
The tough spot is over the ridge west of Tehachapi, this is a dividing line
between desert air and coastal climate and is often severely windy and full of
downdrafts. This is a morning crossing.
Wayne Woollard
----- Original Message -----
From: Ed Burkhead
To: 'r80gseric' ; ety
Sent: Friday, August 08, 2008 3:12 PM
Subject: RE: [ercoupe-tech] Cross Country Help
Eric,
This is certainly tech related! Great question!
Before I went mountain flying the first time, I asked lots of people and
picked a good book on mountain flying.
Based on my minuscule experience and having read one whole book on the
subject, I'd make these observations:
1. Make sure you can climb high enough. I had an extreme climb prop, a
7146 McCauley on my C-85 powered Coupe. If your prop is a 7150, you might
have enough climb to be adequate if you keep your gross weight low. If you
have a 7152 cruise prop, I'd worry that you might not have enough climb even
if your gross weight is low. Go fly high and see how your climb is from,
say, 8,000' to 12,500.
2a. The book I read said it was important to fly early in the morning.
It's cooler so you have much lower density altitude. The thermals don't get
going till around 10:30 or so and that's important when the thermal
downdrafts can be well over 1,000'fpm.
2b. After one 10:30 takeoff, the downdraft hit me hard about 100' above the
runway and I just concentrated on flying level, keeping my airspeed high and
looking around for a hot spot. (My theory was that downdrafts can't go
THROUGH the ground.) The hot spot a mile or two away supported an updraft of
more than 1,000 fpm and I circled up to near cruising altitude. Don't leave
the thermal too soon because then you'll be trying to climb in a downdraft -
a non-productive thing to do.
3. The book recommended crossing the ridge lines 2,000' above the peaks.
That's how I did it and it was smooth, glassy, easy and pleasant. I had
enough altitude to have LOTS of choice on where to glide and land should I
have lost power.
4. Never fly UP a valley. Valleys climb faster than airplanes. Before you
enter the valley, be sure you are at or above the altitude you need to get
through it - as long as the wind is behind you. If the wind is in front of
you, it might follow the valley floor downward and give you a downdraft you
can't out climb. So, especially if it's a headwind try to be way high.
5. Don't mountain fly if the wind is over ?? mph. I seem to remember the
book saying 30 mph. Maybe it said 20. Don't trust my memory - check with
experts. Note that at dawn, the wind is usually the lightest of the day.
6. Personally, I felt much safer flying along and over, always within
gliding distance of those enormous airports known as Interstate Highways. I
had to follow primary highways a few times and stayed extra high to maximize
my options.
7. In the desert Southwest, the thermals really get going at 10:30 or so,
give or take, depending on local conditions. I found it to be VERY
UNpleasant to even be in the air after 10:30 due to the 1,000 fpm updrafts
and downdrafts. They were so vigorous, I slowed down to 75-80 mph so there
could be no g-load that could possibly damage the plane. That low speed
also made the ride a wallowing mush that felt way better than hard bumps and
bangs.
8. Get to the airport VERY early and try to take off during morning civil
twilight or at dawn. This can give you time for two flight legs of utmost
smoothness and beauty before the thermals start. Take a siesta somewhere
for mid-day or check into the motel and go touristing. If you need to
travel fast, then maybe you can get some more miles in the evening even
though it may still be pretty bumpy due to thermals.
9a. Based on my experience, if I were in your part of the country I'd see
about getting the prop re-twisted (or swapped) to have a climb prop either
the normal C-85 Coupe climb prop of 7148 or an extreme climb prop of 7146.
Neither give you amazing climb but at least you CAN climb and get out of
airports with decent safety. (Heck, I was very pleased with my 7146 here in
the flatlands of the Great Plains!)
9b. I've seen Coupes with C-85 and the 7152 cruise prop that couldn't climb
OR cruise decently because the engine couldn't spin the prop well enough at
their flying gross weight to get them up to decent cruise speeds. These
"cruise prop" planes could barely cruise at 90 mph while with my extreme
climb prop plane I cruised easily at 100 mph. (A normal climb prop 7148
often gets 104 mph cruise and a 7150 often gets 108 as long as it's not too
heavily loaded.)
There are some thoughts to contribute to your research.
Be it known that my one long trip to the West Coast from Iowa was the best
trip of my flying life. Approach it smartly and it can give you the
beautiful images you use to go to sleep by, just like my trip did for me.
Ed
Ed Burkhead
http://edburkhead.com/Ercoupe/index.htm East Peoria, Illinois
ed -at- edbur???khead.??com (remove the ? marks and change -at-
to @)
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
On
> Behalf Of r80gseric
> Sent: Friday, August 08, 2008 12:11 PM
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: [ercoupe-tech] Cross Country Help
>
> Hello,
>
> I am moving from Las Vegas, KVGT, to San Jose, California, and will
> probably base at Watsonville, California, KWVI.
>
> Thinking about crossing the Sierras is causing me to sharpen pencils in
> my you-know-where.
>
> Any advice about routes to fly my 415E, c85, cruise prop, while not
> purchasing high elevation real estate would really be great. I am a
> new pilot and a new 'coupe flyer.
>
> Has anyone flown the Sierras in Coupes? Any thoughts on mountain
> flying? Any know routes?
>
> Thanks in advance to all on this excellent group. If this is not a
> tech related article, sorry in advance.
>
> Eric Tarbox
> mobile email [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
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