XC - British Columbia to Sedona, Az. Advice req!

Your trip reports, airport experiences, etc. are welcome here.

Moderators: Rick, Lance Murray

Post Reply
User avatar
thefoxx
3 Diamonds Member
3 Diamonds Member
Posts: 94
Joined: Mon Feb 10, 2014 2:24 am
First Name: Arthur
Aircraft Type: DA20-C1
Aircraft Registration: GIIM
Airports: CYKA
Has thanked: 97 times
Been thanked: 24 times

XC - British Columbia to Sedona, Az. Advice req!

Post by thefoxx »

A big trip for me in my DA20, and a buddy in his Archer - flying through the interior route east of mountains.

First time for me flying through this area and we are so excited!

Wondering if anyone has any must see or must land places along this route through E. WA, Idaho,Utah, Nevada and Arizona?!

Launch date to be April 18!
User avatar
Wasco
2 Diamonds Member
2 Diamonds Member
Posts: 12
Joined: Sun Jun 02, 2013 6:26 pm
First Name: Ormand
Aircraft Type: DA40
Airports:
Has thanked: 1 time

Re: XC - British Columbia to Sedona, Az. Advice req!

Post by Wasco »

Come down to KALW - easy in and out. Great wine country and nice town. Let me know and may able to pick up from airport.
Ormand
User avatar
Colin
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 2006
Joined: Sat Aug 21, 2010 8:37 pm
First Name: Colin
Aircraft Type: DA42
Aircraft Registration: N972RD
Airports: KFHR
Has thanked: 319 times
Been thanked: 527 times

Re: XC - British Columbia to Sedona, Az. Advice req!

Post by Colin »

I would pop out toward the coast and visit Catalina Island and then head back inland for Sedona. Two amazing airports, one trip.

Flying down the coast of Oregon and California is amazing. I guess I might go KEUG KMFR KRDD so that I saw the Rogue Valley and Mount Shasta up close, but I'd head to Novato's little airport and do the Bay area tour. Coastal route is certainly more interesting than flying the Owens Valley.
Colin Summers, PP Multi-Engine IFR, ~3,000hrs
colin@mightycheese.com * send email rather than PM
http://www.flyingsummers.com
N972RD DA42 G1000 2.0 s/n 42.AC100 (sold!)
N971RD DA40 G1000 s/n 40.508 (traded)
User avatar
Colin
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 2006
Joined: Sat Aug 21, 2010 8:37 pm
First Name: Colin
Aircraft Type: DA42
Aircraft Registration: N972RD
Airports: KFHR
Has thanked: 319 times
Been thanked: 527 times

Re: XC - British Columbia to Sedona, Az. Advice req!

Post by Colin »

KPRB used to have the best restaurant on any field. Not sure what has taken its place, but I know it closed for a few years. KCMA has the Waypoint Cafe, which is the best breakfast and lunch you can get (and there's a nice 24hr FBO on the field). I know a ferry pilot who has flown all over the country and she said KCMA was the best milkshake she'd flown to. They chocolate dip the glasses.
Colin Summers, PP Multi-Engine IFR, ~3,000hrs
colin@mightycheese.com * send email rather than PM
http://www.flyingsummers.com
N972RD DA42 G1000 2.0 s/n 42.AC100 (sold!)
N971RD DA40 G1000 s/n 40.508 (traded)
User avatar
rwtucker
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 1283
Joined: Thu Feb 21, 2013 11:24 pm
First Name: Rob
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: N831BA
Airports: KFFZ KEUL
Has thanked: 100 times
Been thanked: 110 times

Re: XC - British Columbia to Sedona, Az. Advice req!

Post by rwtucker »

This sounds like a great trip. A few thoughts.

- Taking the coastal route is nice but out of your way. Wx can also be an little more of an issue along Washington and Oregon coast.

- Flying direct takes you over the Grand Canyon a must see. Be sure to get a Canyon chart.

- If you are flying direct, one of the most likely areas for Wx is over the Owhyee mountains (southern edge of Idaho/northern Nevada). There is a good chance that you will be clear all the way this time of year.

- St. George and to a lesser extent Sedona are well-known for clear air turbulence in the early spring. I had a near death experience in St. George several years back.

- Yakima, Lewiston, Reno (KRTS, not KRNO), and St. George are good fuel stops. Easy in/out. (St. George self-serve is hard to find. Cross the north threshold to the west side.) I often stop at Ely because it is convenient for me but it is a 7,000 ft. airport and fuel prices are a bit higher than most in the area.

- Lots of MOAs and Restricted Areas on your route. Check ahead to see if they are live. Often you can fly straight through.

Why not on to Phoenix while you are close? I can give you some easy in/routes there if you decide to extend.
User avatar
dgger
4 Diamonds Member
4 Diamonds Member
Posts: 217
Joined: Sun Feb 21, 2016 11:00 pm
First Name: Peter
Aircraft Type: DA62
Aircraft Registration: OEFGM
Airports: EDLN
Has thanked: 21 times
Been thanked: 39 times

Re: XC - British Columbia to Sedona, Az. Advice req!

Post by dgger »

rwtucker wrote:- Flying direct takes you over the Grand Canyon a must see. Be sure to get a Canyon chart.
This.

And I would consider stopping in Page, UT (KPGA?). Lake Powell is a great sight (and so are the Antelope Canyons & Horse-Shoe Bend from the Ground). Also, Monument Valley is close by and IMO well worth a fly-by.
User avatar
Chris B
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 843
Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2012 1:52 am
First Name: Chris
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: N171CB
Airports: KRHV
Has thanked: 210 times
Been thanked: 215 times

Re: XC - British Columbia to Sedona, Az. Advice req!

Post by Chris B »

Lots of good advice in this thread. :thumbsup:
rwtucker wrote:- St. George and to a lesser extent Sedona are well-known for clear air turbulence in the early spring. I had a near death experience in St. George several years back.
This may be common knowledge, but NOAA's Aviation Weather Center has an excellent turbulence forecast tool. I rarely fly without checking this site: http://www.aviationweather.gov/turbulence/gtg

IME it is quite accurate. Anything beyond light orange (at appropriate altitude) is a no-fly zone for me. For first-time fliers, generally nothing beyond light green.

Chris
User avatar
rwtucker
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 1283
Joined: Thu Feb 21, 2013 11:24 pm
First Name: Rob
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: N831BA
Airports: KFFZ KEUL
Has thanked: 100 times
Been thanked: 110 times

Re: XC - British Columbia to Sedona, Az. Advice req!

Post by rwtucker »

Chris -- What has your experience been with respect to the site predicting clear air? I know you will not always experience it when the chart is positive but have you experienced any when the chart indicated low probability?
User avatar
Chris B
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 843
Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2012 1:52 am
First Name: Chris
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: N171CB
Airports: KRHV
Has thanked: 210 times
Been thanked: 215 times

Re: XC - British Columbia to Sedona, Az. Advice req!

Post by Chris B »

rwtucker wrote:Chris -- What has your experience been with respect to the site predicting clear air? I know you will not always experience it when the chart is positive but have you experienced any when the chart indicated low probability?
Hi Robert -

So far (>500 hrs using this tool) I have not - yet - been unpleasantly surprised. IME the NOAA turbulence tool is actually a little conservative. It often highlights issues that were not obvious from reviewing winds aloft & soundings. Note that the site offers settings for CAT/Mtn Wave/Combined (default) if you want to see the different sources.

OTOH, turbulence is unpredictable (e.g., the recent harrowing A380/Challenger incident), so the NOAA tool certainly is fallible. But *way* better than nothing!

Chris
User avatar
rwtucker
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 1283
Joined: Thu Feb 21, 2013 11:24 pm
First Name: Rob
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: N831BA
Airports: KFFZ KEUL
Has thanked: 100 times
Been thanked: 110 times

Re: XC - British Columbia to Sedona, Az. Advice req!

Post by rwtucker »

Thanks Chris. I'm going to use the TT more. Thinking back to my near death experience in St. George, I did not check the tool but the entire flight was so smooth that I was lulled into complacency. I was descending 2-3 NM to the west of the old airport, lots of the rolling foothills not that far below me when the wings went near vertical and my steam gauge ROD pegged. You never know, but it felt like I might have had an unplanned flight into terrain had I not had a turbocharged engine to offset my descent. I pushed it to 42 inches and climbed back out as the turbulence disappeared as quickly as it came on. I wish I could go back to that day to see what the charts looked like.
Post Reply