Telluride to Nashville: 1015NM Direct

Normally aspirated V35A Bonanza, 74 gallons usable fuel and loaded pretty heavy. We took off westbound (the only way you can depart KTEX ). Landed with a 30 min reserve. Didn't even pee during the flight (shockingly).

It was only 145 miles but I flew for 6 hours and 17 minutes in my hang glider.
Vince

630nm in my 182. TUP-IAD. Still had 35-40 gallons onboard

1300+no into stiff headwinds with a 7 month pregnant wife. 8.2hrs in the air. Malibu is an amazing bird for king flights.

Thanks VERY impressive Anthony! Not the mileage but convincing your pregnancy wife to spend 8 hrs in the airplane. Would never have happened in my house...

The back of the Malibu was a pretty pleasant place to be!
She won’t do car rides over 2 hours but has no problem on long planes rides! Definitely a keeper:-)

My longest is Palo Alto (KPAO) to Chicago (LL22), 1592 nm. We had nice tailwinds, and were in the air just about 9 hours. We landed in good VFR weather with about 15 gallons of fuel on board. I started offering a rest stop to SWMBO over Nebraska, but she decided she would rather get home earlier.

Regards,

Bob

1,400 nm in a day, with 680 nm the longest leg. IO520BB powered V35B with 74 US gal usable - landed with 45 min reserves.

I'm jealous of you guys with autopilots and younger bladders. My Lancair can easily fly for 7 hrs. with reserves, but after 3 hours of hand flying my twitchy little airplane, I'm beat. My personal best is 610 NM in 3.7 hrs. with 24.2 gallons burned (eat your hearts out!)

This thread makes me want to plan a monster cross country!

There is a direct correlation for me with length if flight and post flight satisfaction. It’s what makes me appreciate time machine aspect the most

My longest in a piston airplane:

KLVK to KICT, 1158 nm great circle.

Non stop, in a normally aspirated Piper Comanche, PA-24-260B, cruising at FL190.

Burned 58 gallons.

First time I ever flew in the flight levels. MAP was 14 inches, FF was ~7 GPH, flight time was ~6 hours, took 45 minutes to reach altitude.

My longest in turbine:

KHND to KEVV, 1328 nm, MU2, about 4 hours, FL270.

I think, in the right weather, KBFI to KEVV, 1622 nm, is doable non stop in the MU2, but the opportunity has not come up.

Mike C.

In the C182 I did Fort Pierce to Puerto Plata, roughly 720 nm.

In the Merlin IIIC I did 2210 nm from Martinique to Paraguay, I recall a net headwind.

My wife starts complaining after 2 hours in anything, car, boat, plane, bicycle. She is a real pain to travel with. I often think of sending her ahead commercial so I can enjoy the ride. She used to do great but now.....

My longest flight was in my C182...10.5 hours direct Flagstaff to Teterboro in mid December 2000. 1800nm. Two picnic lunches up there. Multiple pee bags (plane is plenty big enough to do #1). 17,500 for first 1200nm, then 17,000 after deciding to get an IFR clearance. Throttled back to 8.5 g/hr, my maximum-time-aloft speed. Landed with 12 of 102 gal usable still left. (I have 79 gal usable bladder mains and the 23 gal usable monarch in-tip aux)

The previous evening I had seen that the jet stream had dropped down low and was absolutely howling straight across the continent. Figured I might as well take advantage of it. I ended up with a 110 KTAS but for most of the flight a 200 KGS. My 415 liter O2 bottle was full to 2200 psi provided me with 92% oxygenation at about 100 psi drop per hour.

I had built good experience in fuel flow in the plane and so really did know my fuel status.

I spent two nights doing my business in NYC. In the morning departed back to Portland, OR. Just as Teterboro tower was handing me off to departure the normally high-speed nothing-but-business controller asked “Was that flight two-days ago direct from Flagstaff?” Very sweet. I responded, “Yes sir. I had a good tailwind.” And was back on my way home.

The rest of the story—the winds were still howling. It took me four bruising six-hour legs to beat my way back to KPDX. Trying to stay as low as possible. Had 60 knot head winds pretty much the whole way (in a 140 KTAS plane). And moderate turbulence for the whole trip. Argh. Passing MBW (eastern Wyoming) I was so disgusted at one point that I throttled back and was flying backwards. (GPS did not show a negative speed—just wrong direction) ATC asked if I was having a problem, I did not think about them, I throttle up again and moved on. Landing at KRWL the taxiway was icy. Solid sheet of slippery ice and I actually did not have enough traction to taxi. Well, they knew about the problem. Mega fire truck drove out, blocked the wind from hitting me and escorted me to the ramp.

Anyway, from KPDX, picked up my son and a friend and flew back down to Hayward (KHWD). Still more continuous moderate turbulence. Friend got sick—she still remembers the only time she has ever lost it. Flight was also slow.

So, it was an amazing week of flying. One way was heaven. The other, well, wonderful too, but in a different way.

-Bill