"SeeAndAvoid" wrote in message
ink.net...
Hey all,
Like it says on Jays site I'm trying to land at all 50 states by age 40.
A few days ago I finished a 4,800nm trip that leaves me with just
4 to go. Logged 44.6 hours and 32 touch&go's/landings, maybe
you've been to or are familiar with some of them:
LRJ-Lemars, IA / MJQ-Jackson, MN / PDC-Prairie DuChien, WI /
ARR-Aurora, IL / GYY-Gary, IN / BEH-Benton Harbor, MI /
SKY-Sandusky, OH / FZY-Fulton, NY / MPV-Montpelier, VT /
BHB-Bar Harbor, ME / PSM-Portsmouth, NH / LWM-Lawrence, MA
/ WST-Westerly, RI / BDR-Bridgeport, CT / TEB-Teterboro, NJ /
ABE-Allentown, PA / EVY-Middletown, DE / DMN-Westminster, MD
/ MRB-Martinsburg, WV / IAD-Washington Dulles, VA / PBX-Pikeville,
KY / K22-Big Sandy, KY / GCY-Greeneville, TN / AVL-Ashville, NC /
AND-Anderson, SC / AHN-Athens, GA / ISM-Kissimmee, FL / MVC-
Monroeville, AL / HEZ-Natchez, MS / DTN-Shreveport, LA and
WWR-West Woodward, OK

A quarter of the trip was in IFR conditions, shot about 9 approaches.
Did it in 17 days as it was also a family vacation. Recently purchased
AnywhereWX which is an on demand weather download system using
a satphone. Used it alot, and made some changes to a few airports
based on the info it provided (metars, nexrad, cloud coverage and
lightning). Also had a new STec System 30 put in, made the trip a lot
more bearable. Surprisingly the ride was smooth all but the last
couple hours, figures. This trip was done when all those tornadoes
were in the Indiana area. It was a low with what seemed like about
4-5 fronts in it, it got us repeatedly from Colorado to Michigan to
Maine and New York City. The only place it didn't rain on us was in
Washington D.C. The ADIZ there was a breeze, even though I started
in Allentown, did 3 touch and go's, then went on to Dulles. I had
multiple IFR flight plans for that day and ATC was pretty helpful
throughout. That was the day of AOPA's fly-in. I also flew up the
Hudson River twice, in and then out of Teterboro. Fairly easy
operation as it turns out. Biggest weather problem was from
South Carolina to around Clearwater, FL as there was a line of
thunderstorms that wouldn't budge. The G8 Summit and it's airspace
also complicated that day and I had to fly right up to the Gulf of Mexico
then cut east to make Orlando via Gainesville/Ocala.

Next up is ID/OR/WA and Alaska in one trip. Trying to do it before
fall/winter.

If you ask 'why'? No reason, just something I always wanted to do.
This was done in a C182 with my wife and 2 sons, 8 and 10. Thank
God for portable DVD players. And yes, avgas prices were horrid
nearly everywhere. Way more than advertised on Airnav in a lot
of cases. Met lots of nice people though at all the FBO's I did
business with. Used a few courtesy cars, ate at a few local
hangouts. Had lots of interesting and occasionally odd things
happen throughout the trip. One we'll never forget.

Chris


Wow.... that sounds really great... wish I had the time for something like
that.

With all that experience, you should write a book.