The Joy of Flying a Small Plane
Howard Deevers
To the general public, any airplane that is not a jet with at least two engines is a small airplane. Even a King Air or Beech 1900 would be considered to be a "puddle jumper." To most of us single engine fliers, a King Air of any size is a "big plane."
So making a long cross country flight, solo, in a "small" airplane is totally foreign to most people. After a flight from Tucson to Pittsburgh, I stopped to visit as many old friends as possible. One of my old neighbors, in Monroeville, PA, seemed to be amazed that I had flown from Tucson to Monroeville in a single engine airplane all alone. He was my neighbor when I learned to fly 37 years ago.
He did ask how many stops I made and how many miles it was. I tried to tell him that nautical miles in a straight line would be less than statute miles on a highway, and that my ground speed would be about twice my driving speed. It didn't really matter. He still thinks I am crazy for flying a small airplane all that distance. There’s someone in your neighborhood that probably thinks you are crazy for flying at all!
Flying small airplanes does have limitations. Weather is always a factor. Planning this long cross country, I started checking weather several days in advance. I did file IFR on most legs of my trip. Kansas City was IFR as I approached from the southwest. After 6+ hours of flying, I was getting tired, and decided to stay overnight in a motel and continue the next morning. The next morning it was still IFR, but with help from Flight Service and ATC, I made a very nice IFR flight into Moline, IL. ATC kept me away from the really bad stuff, and there was no ice, no turbulence, and no thunderstorms.
After my visits in Iowa and Pennsylvania, I continued on to Jacksonville, FL, to attend my Navy ship association reunion and visit other friends in Florida, before returning to Tucson. During the whole roundtrip there was only one day that I would not fly due to heavy rain, low visibility, and low ceilings in Florida. I rented a car and made my visit anyway.
Leaving Sarasota, I did not cross the Gulf of Mexico, but went north and across the Pan Handle of Florida to get back to Tucson. Weather was good again, and I made it back in two days.
The 4108 nautical mile round trip was made easier in a small plane. If I had driven the trip, it would be over 5000 driving miles, and would have taken much longer. Small plane flying has its advantages, and you just can't beat the views of this wonderful country from 5000 feet above the ground! I hope small plane flying never goes away.
Fly safe, and stay current. Look for the next Arizona Pilots Association Safety Seminar in your area, and remember to Bring Your Wingman.
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