Flight Planning Programs

[Mike]

Hi guys!

As you might already know, I just got back from Mexico. I was going to check on the program I use (skyvector.com) to see if this was my longest cross country ever in an aircraft that does around 90kts but found out skyvector only works for the states.

Do you know any flightplanning programs that would include Mexico and Canada to see how long your legs were?

[Gulfstream Driver]

AOPA?  Their flight planner is web-based now, so you don't need to download it.  I also use fltplan.com, but I don't know if it'll do foreign countries.

[Mike]

Thanks Gulf. Not sure about AOPA. I tried fltplan.com but they seem to cater to airplanes mostly.
My flight plan is quite simple, find an airport that's within 200 to 300nm and has Jet Fuel and fly to it preferrably as straight as possible.
We use small airports because of the fuel prices and because the Huey is a restricted aircraft and we need to stay away from big cities.
We check TFR's and some weather but we can always land if we don't like it.
Done!
It's easy! Ship flies at about 100kts which makes the flight planning even easier....

It's almost easier to do it on google earth or something.

Here is my route, check it out:

MMUN - MMCP - MMVA - MMVR - MMTM - KMFE - KUVA - KMRF - KDMN - E95 - KBLH - KVNY
I am guessing at least 1800nm.....

[TheSoccerMom]

 

 

WOW!!  I bet your butt hurts!!!!!!!!!!!!!     

 

Hey Welcome HOME!!  We've missed you!!   

 

[Rooster Cruiser]

FltPlan.com works in Mexico.  All you need is an N number and aircraft type that cruises around 100kts to come up with your flight times.  Any C152 will do.

Your straight-line distances were:

MMUM-MMCP:     217NM
MMCP-MMVA:     171NM
MMVA-MMVR:     204NM
MMVR-MMTM:     211NM
MMTM-KMFE:     234NM
KMFE-KUVA:     199NM
KUVA-KMRF:     233NM
KMRF-KDMN:     221NM
KDMN-E95:      135NM
E95-KBLH:       240NM
KBLH-KVNY:     191NM

TOTAL:           2256NM

As S-Mom said, a Butt-Numbing cross country flight!   

Welcome home, Mike!  How many days and how many flight hours did it take you to fly that?   

RC

[Mike]

Thanks Rooster!

I did see some of that and used a C-172, but I still had problems with E95, it wouldn't take it.
Thanks for the break-down!

Yeah, we spent 24.5hrs in the aircraft in 3 days (it wasn't all straight line).
Last day was only 6hrs but the first day we pushed it to get to the border and the second day we just wanted to get through Texas . . .
. . .  because once you're through Texas . . . you're more than halfwhere anywhere!! 

[Rooster Cruiser]

If you have a problem with those little airport ID's, try adding a K to the beginning of it, as in KE95.  Fltplan.com will accept that for US airport ID's.

I figured you had a bunch of zigs and zags to your flight!  Plenty of mountain ranges to avoid and you wouldn't want to go offshore.

Texas isn't that bad, but why on earth would you overnight in Deming NM instead of Las Cruces!?!?     There's some great food and nightlife in Las Cruces, dude.

Glad you're home safe.

RC

[Oddball]

should of said ealier but welcome back Mike 

[Mike]

Texas isn't that bad, but why on earth would you overnight in Deming NM instead of Las Cruces!?!?     There's some great food and nightlife in Las Cruces, dude.

Didn't see it on the map, really. We just tried to get one airport past El Paso. By the time we locked the ship up it was 9pm.
Nobody felt like nightlife after 9hrs in a Huey.... (could have gone for some good food though)