Planning HPN to SAF

Tom Fleischman wrote:
route and an northerly route, with no leg longer than 3 hours. This
should also allow me to arrive at the high terrain east of Santa Fe
fairly early in the day.

High terrain can be overflown at 8500 ft VFR with no problems based
on your plan of LVS-TAFOY-SAF.

I do it frequently.

But then, living in Colorado, 8500 is the lower limit of my
regular cruising altitude.

Call me from HUT, I'll meet you in LVS and you can follow me. I'll
be in the white & green cherokee.

(*evil laugh*)

Tom Fleischman wrote:

I don't consider this overplanning, I'll be flying out IFR and I've got
to file something, right? Besides, it's fun, it's interesting, and I'm
enjoying it. I've found airports with both cheap fuel and good food
reports that fit the bill and allow for diversion and flexibility.

I can't wait.

It's not overplanning at all. And, splitting it into two days will make it a
whole lot more enjoyable. In one day that third leg into SAF would be
bothersome, perhaps even a bit irriating. But, fresh the second morning it
will be a delight. Plus, given decent weather a morning flight westbound over
the mountains into SAF is a lot prettier than in the afternoon.

Blanche writes:
Tom Fleischman wrote:
route and an northerly route, with no leg longer than 3 hours. This
should also allow me to arrive at the high terrain east of Santa Fe
fairly early in the day.

High terrain can be overflown at 8500 ft VFR with no problems based
on your plan of LVS-TAFOY-SAF.

I do it frequently.

But then, living in Colorado, 8500 is the lower limit of my
regular cruising altitude.

Call me from HUT, I'll meet you in LVS and you can follow me. I'll
be in the white & green cherokee.

(*evil laugh*)

A new aviation service: local native guide to lead the turista
through the jungle!

Everett M. Greene wrote:
Blanche writes:
Tom Fleischman wrote:
route and an northerly route, with no leg longer than 3 hours. This
should also allow me to arrive at the high terrain east of Santa Fe
fairly early in the day.

[some stuff that we've all read snipped]

Call me from HUT, I'll meet you in LVS and you can follow me. I'll
be in the white & green cherokee.

(*evil laugh*)

A new aviation service: local native guide to lead the turista
through the jungle!

Of course! I'll take Dove dark chocolate anyday! I'm not exactly
cheap, but I am cost-effective...

Tom Fleischman wrote:
I'm planning a trip for mid-May from WHite Plains, NY (KHPN) to Santa
Fe, NM (KSF). I'm wondering if anyone here has made a similar flight
and has any advice for me.

You already have lots of good advice from people who know more than I do.
Nevertheless, I can't resist saying that long days, long legs, and 10000 foot
altitude are kind of hard on my old body. I wouldn't rule out supplemental
oxygen if you're going to be high for long periods.

Oh, and... I'm jealous.

Have fun.

Dave Butler wrote:
I wouldn't rule out supplemental oxygen if you're going to be
high for long periods.

Perhaps it's just memories of mis-spent youth, but I'm wondering if
you really intended to mean what this appears to mean...

Roy Smith wrote:
Dave Butler wrote:

I wouldn't rule out supplemental oxygen if you're going to be
high for long periods.


Perhaps it's just memories of mis-spent youth, but I'm wondering if
you really intended to mean what this appears to mean...

I wondered which one of you reprobates would pick up on that. ;-)

Planning it to 3 digits is fine, but expect large variations vs. what
actually happens. It's a long trip and weather will likely be a factor
in at least one direction.

Having made similar trips many times in CD-939, I'd be surprised if
you would go west at 10K feet. That is seldom the optimum altitude
when going into a headwind. In fact, once in the mountains, it is
often
impractical to go IFR because they force you so high. You will also
find
that in many areas in the West that they make you fly well above the
MEAs even on victor airways. Complaining doesn't help.

So you experts: Can you demand to fly at the MEA? Often ice is
a determining factor. Really hoses up your planning.

And do use the O2. You are more goofy after some hours at 10,000
than you think. That's called euphoria.

Sante Fe is a great destination. It's over 6000 feet, so be sure to
check performance.

Bill Hale

In article . com, Bill
wrote:

Planning it to 3 digits is fine, but expect large variations vs. what
actually happens. It's a long trip and weather will likely be a factor
in at least one direction.

Having made similar trips many times in CD-939, I'd be surprised if
you would go west at 10K feet. That is seldom the optimum altitude
when going into a headwind. In fact, once in the mountains, it is
often
impractical to go IFR because they force you so high. You will also
find
that in many areas in the West that they make you fly well above the
MEAs even on victor airways. Complaining doesn't help.

So you experts: Can you demand to fly at the MEA? Often ice is
a determining factor. Really hoses up your planning.

And do use the O2. You are more goofy after some hours at 10,000
than you think. That's called euphoria.

Sante Fe is a great destination. It's over 6000 feet, so be sure to
check performance.

Bill Hale


Thanks Bill, these are all good points and I will certainly consider
them.

And thanks to all the other posters in this thread as well. You've
confirmed my own planning and given some very good food for thought.

"Tom Fleischman" wrote in message =
c.com...
In article . com, =
Bill
wrote:
=20
=20
=20
Sante Fe is a great destination. It's over 6000 feet, so be sure to
check performance.
=20
Bill Hale
=20
=20
Thanks Bill, these are all good points and I will certainly consider
them.
=20
And thanks to all the other posters in this thread as well. You've
confirmed my own planning and given some very good food for thought.

Adding another item -- The runways at the Santa Fe airport can be
fiendishly hard to see from a distance.
The pavement seems to blend in to the surrounding sand.
I'd suggest planning on an instrument approach regardless of weather.