Cross Country out of CubCrafters/YKM - Route help/tips/advice

[Peter Cecil]

Route index:

• Post #2: YKM to east of Mississippi loosely using I-90 through the mountains (Spokane to Sheridan).
  
  • Post# 5: Priest River/Lake Pend Oreille/Clark Fork drainage north of Spokane through Sand Point and down to Missoula
  • Post# 6: Spokane to Clarke Fork to Missoula then past Lincoln and out Rogers Pass.
  • Post# 7: Clark Fork to St. Ignatius then Seeley Lake to Rogers Pass
  • Post #8: Clark Fork to Paradise, MT, then Flathead River east to St. Ignatius through Jocko Pass to Lincoln and out Rogers Pass
  
  
• Post #3: YKM through Boise and Salt Lake to I-80 and points east
• Post #10: YKM to LA via Columbia Gorge west then I-5 south
• Post# 10: YKM to Las Vegas via US97-Klamath Falls-Reno-Las Vegas. Also notes extending to Phoenix.
• Post #11: YKM south to east via KGCD KBNO REO KBAM KTPH 0L4 BTY 0L7 PGS FLG KINW(oil change) KAEG KDHT
• Post #12: YKM through Boise and Salt Lake on down to Tucumcari, NM and then points east
• Post #13: YKM-Ogden-Salt Lake-Cortez-KSAR
• Post #14: YKM east to Grangeville, ID; then Salmon River over to Salmon, ID; east then north to Ennis, MT and I-90 to Sheridan, WY; southeast thru Custer, SD to Thedford, NE to Beatrice, NE; east to Booneville, MO then Waverly, TN to Atlanta; South thru Valdosta, GA to Grass Roots in central FL.

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I've wanted to start a thread here for a while offering folks who are picking up a plane from CC tips and experiences regarding best routes. I would like to encourage participation from folks who have made the trip themselves and feel they have something to offer in the way of airport updates, new airport experiences, personal experiences/observations...etc. I'll offer up over time the routes that have worked best for me over the past few years that I have been around Cubcrafters. What I would not like for this thread to become is a descent into questioning someones choices or a banter about the best sightseeing along the way. To the best of our ability, I would prefer seeing this thread remain a concise chronicle of best routes out of Yakima headed to wherever. In this regard it will be easy for someone to read through and pick out the tidbits of information that aids them going forward. So pull out that Sectional or WAC and follow along, or consider using an online solution. I have found www.vfrmap.com very helpful while recounting these trips.

If you would like to share your trip please consider the following:

• Preferrably a trip out of YKM after picking up your plane
• Routing you took via airports and waypoints
• Experiences at airports/FBO's along the way
• Crew car availability at airports you visited
• Fuel prices if they are notable
• Good shops along the way if you had to have maintenance or an oil change enroute
• Bad shops you would avoid in future
• Particular and/or localized weather phenomenon that might make you consider a different route if you had to do it over

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If you are considering picking up your plane from YKM and flying it home I/We would like to help:

• Let us know where you are headed
• Any concerns or self-imposed limitations that might impact your routing choices

Thanks to all who have posted especially Clay Hammond.

I am planning to collect a PA18 Super Cub that I am purchasing through CC. I will be undertaking some tail wheel training during the week beginning the 23 April and, weather permitting, heading towards Kansas City on the 25th/26th.

My plan at this stage is KYKM - Sand Point - Clark Fork to join I-90 at Missoula. I will be taking my time with overnights at Missoula, Gillette and Rapid City with fuel stops in between.

Any thoughts? What sort of altitudes are people choosing?

Again, thanks for all the information so far.

Mr. Hammond, I have sent you a PM.

Peter Cecil

[Tahoe Cub]

If you have the time I would follow the Missouri River from Fort Benton, MT all the way to KC. Particularly the section from Fort Benton to Fort Peck Resevior or Glasgow, MT. This section is the Lewis & Clark route including the White Cliffs and a lot of other beautiful scenery. This is an historic and interesting route to fly.

[Centmont]

If you have the time I would follow the Missouri River from Fort Benton, MT all the way to KC. Particularly the section from Fort Benton to Fort Peck Resevior or Glasgow, MT. This section is the Lewis & Clark route including the White Cliffs and a lot of other beautiful scenery. This is an historic and interesting route to fly.

I would second that recommendation, if possible. These are the last 150 miles left unchanged since Lewis and Clark were through here on their way to the Pacific. Additionally, Stop in Winifred, MT (my town), we have a great open hangar, cheap gas, friendly folks, and we speak "CubCrafters and Cub" dialects fluently here. We are along the Missouri, in the breaks, just south of the river. If this happens anytime near the 7-9 June, we can feed you along with 30-40 other cub pilots at the Winifred/Breaks CubWorks flyin. Ralph

[Peter Cecil]

If you have the time I would follow the Missouri River from Fort Benton, MT all the way to KC. Particularly the section from Fort Benton to Fort Peck Resevior or Glasgow, MT. This section is the Lewis & Clark route including the White Cliffs and a lot of other beautiful scenery. This is an historic and interesting route to fly.

Thank you. That sound like a great idea.

[Peter Cecil]

I would second that recommendation, if possible. These are the last 150 miles left unchanged since Lewis and Clark were through here on their way to the Pacific. Additionally, Stop in Winifred, MT (my town), we have a great open hangar, cheap gas, friendly folks, and we speak "CubCrafters and Cub" dialects fluently here. We are along the Missouri, in the breaks, just south of the river. If this happens anytime near the 7-9 June, we can feed you along with 30-40 other cub pilots at the Winifred/Breaks CubWorks flyin. Ralph

I don't know if we will make it this time but we would love to come up for the gathering in June.

Peter

[Peter Cecil]

I am back home in St. Joseph, Missouri. A great trip. Departed Yakima Thursday morning and stopped Sand Point for fuel. From there we followed the Clark Fork River to Missoula for an overnight. Friday, fuel stop Bozeman and overnight Sheridan. Saturday, fuel stop Rapid City and overnight Yankton SD. Sunday, home. Tailwinds all the way until I turned south near Mitchell.

Wonderful weather all the way and great service from Minuteman in Missoula and Bighorn Airways in Sheridan. Especially, Bighorn. The boys and girls at Bighorn went out of their way to help and arrange accommodation and transport.

Little or no service at the other places. The controllers at Rapid City short on patience. The departure controller at Yakima had me vectored all over the place.

Overall a great trip and my Super Cub behaved beautifully.

To the folk at Cubcrafters, thanks. Courteous and professional.

I did discover that two hours in the saddle is all I can take at a time in a Cub, even with an Oregon Aero seat.

[Clay Hammond]

Picked up a Carbon Cub from the factory in the last few days and flew it down to Naples Florida. Factory pic here, love the paint schemes on these birds!

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Passing over Hanford Reach just east of Yakima. This was the sight of plutonium production during the Manhattan Project in WWII. It was an active nuclear power facility up through the 70's, but is now deactivated and in the process of being cleaned up. Not sure, but I believe it is a Superfund site. You can see the Columbia River bending through the very top of the pic.

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Eastern Washington in late afternoon:

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Left YKM headed east hoping to head for Spokane, weather in Mullen Pass was 200 over and that's enough to squeeze through, but more of a problem was winter precip in and around the Bitteroot Valley and further east toward Butte and Helena. Not wanting to get stuck for a few days and with Sat and Nexrad showing better skies to the southeast, I re-routed first to Pullman, WA for gas and then down to Lewiston for a hangar overnight. A couple hotels in town will send a shuttle out to pick you up. Hangar at Stout Aviation is heated if he has room, I called ahead and he did. In the winter it is worth every penny, it was was in the 20's that night. Final approach into Lewiston:

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Next morning from Lewiston headed southeast towards Salmon. First started out on top thinking the cloud deck would dissipate, but it ended up sealing up pretty good. Turned around and headed back west to get under it. Tried to make eastward travel but started getting into mountain obscuration and snow showers. Diverted south and followed a drainage down into McCall. Landed, got fuel, when to fire up and no power...hmmm.

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The aircraft is brand new. When I leaned the seat forward I could see very fine droplets of water on and around the battery. The terminals themselves were dirty as you can see, and it was a moist gunky build-up. Only thing I can surmise is condensation from being in warm hangar overnight and just the right ambient humidity and temp. This wasn't but about 1.5-2.0 hours since leaving Lewiston. Easy fix...Scotchbrite and some electrical spray cleaner. Reinstall. Cranked up like a boss. On my way.

North of Boise:
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Next stop was Jerome, ID, just north of Twin Falls. 20-25kts gusting close to 30 at the surface when I landed, but right down the runway. Problem was no one was there and I was afraid to leave airplane to go set up the self serve to pump. I taxied around into the lee of a hangar and parked it in the calmer conditions and set out looking for a five gallon can to portage fuel with, but had no luck. Climbed back in with eight gallons or so on board and head to next little airport southeast which was Burley, ID. That airport is hit or miss for me the couple times I've been there before, but lucked out this time. Winds were a little lighter, was able to tie down, and a phone call brought out the FBO owner who pulled the fuel truck around to fuel. no cost for the call out as it was during business hours too ;-)

Country / ag town airport. Reminded me of the farm implement dealership my great uncle and cousins run in Indiana. Talked to an old-timer ag pilot for awhile while waiting on the fuel, he said they fill those hoppers up with fuel and fly them across the pacific via Hawaii and the Marianas...not my cup of tea! This is the FBO lobby...I like it!

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Dropped south and little east from there down over the Great Salt Lake, skirted SLC class B, and landed at South Valley Airport for the night. Great experience once again. This is a great airport folks!

[Clay Hammond]

Continuing with more pics from in and around Salt Lake area:

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This was hanging in the FBO lobby at South Valley. Very cool.

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Most of the trip up to this point had been fairly low level. One to stay under the clouds first day, and then two to keep the break-in procedure working for me. After leaving Salt Lake City the airplane had roughly 15 hours on it at that point and the oil consumption had stabilized. Thats the tell-tale, at least for me, that the most critical phase of break-in is complete. Rings have seated and you are no longer getting the blow-by of the oil up into the combustion chamber. So leaving SLC area I elected to head up and start catching the wind. Headed out fairly direct down towards Moab and then over to Durango, CO for fuel.

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From Durango pretty much went direct towards Taos, NM and then into Tucumcari for fuel. At this point I was blazing along at 11,500 and making 175 mph or so. Does wonders for your mileage! East of the front range and dropping down into Tucumcari:

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This is the rock that crops up just south of town there. Been through here many times. Great little airport in the middle of nowhere.

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I still had a couple hours left in me so I headed out for Texas. The winds on this trip, once I crossed into the plains, had set up in a classic dip tracing the jet stream. I elected to run a pressure pattern route and get the best of it, so out of Tucumcari I headed southeast further and landed for the night in Lubbock, TX. I had managed ground speeds consistently over 165mph the entire day starting out in Salt Lake City.

Crossing the Mississippi River flood plain:

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Next day awoke cold and clear. Winds were going to be great. Headed out of Lubbock towards Alexandria, LA and southern Mississippi before I would plan on making the turn back to the northeast towards Atlanta for the night. Stopped first in Palestine, TX. Then crossed the big river for the upteenth time in my two decades of traveling. then dropped into Brookhaven, MS for my last fuel stop. Landed at our airstrip in Atlanta right at dark. A good four days flying. Its the quickest crossing I've had in the winter, and solely attributable to the wicked good tailwinds I had for the majority of the trip. Here's the highlight. Posting my personal best in a Carbon Cub to date, anyone been faster?

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I've had 180mph in a Sport Cub once several years ago. And I once saw 201mph in a widebody Supercub somewhere over Wyoming. But this one beats them both. I was able to sustain this ground speed for about an hour and a half. I was following the pressure pattern back up to the north at this point. Thats Meridian, MS just north of me, having left Brookhaven to the southwest 40 minutes prior. It was really neat because you could see the wind making the turn by watching the ground speed fall off. Every time it would drop off a couple mph I would make 5 degree correction or so to the north and it would come right back.

The rest of the trip was a simple matter. Left Atlanta direct for Naples. Stopped in Dunellon, FL for gas. Easy last leg with no gotchyas.

Fly safe out there!

[randylervold]

Great trip report Clay, thanks!

I've thought about starting a thread just on "highest ground speed" and requiring photo evidence. I start getting excited at about 175 mph but have never seen 200 mph myself, you might win right from the get go with that 205 mph!

[rv8pilotpaul]

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Me arriving home in Martinsburg, WV.

My recent trip East went like this:

Left Yakima on July 28. Stopped for fuel at LGD, MYL IDA and RIW the first day. Spent the night at RIW sleeping on the ground near the airport.

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On July 29 stopped for fuel at DGW, VTN, SUX, and IOW. Spent the night at IOW in the FBO on a couch.

On July 30 stopped for fuel at IWH and MGW. Made it to my home airport, MRB, around 4pm.

Was a wonderful trip, a great adventure with great weather the whole way East. Even taught myself to land in stiff crosswinds along the way! It took me 23 hours flight time averaging 5gph!