Well.. following my tragic death on Saturday, the NTSB has ruled it Manufacturing Failure on the part of the avionics, the family is suing the Avionics manufactuer headed by Gaston Beyers, and the town of San Louis Obispo California is as well for property damages at the crash site. Anyway, following the tragic accident of Saturday...
I engaged in what was going to be a some of the day fight from KSBP, San Louis Obispo CA, up to Seattle, WA (probably Renton airport). In AADX LFX8, MERX Bronze barbtat tail edition. The "mo" was just to burn a tank of gas drilling hole in the sky in the pursuit of ..... oh, any number of things. Full fuel 600lb, payload weight 470, myself plus luggage and stuff, dog and his stuff. and we're off. Wheels off by 90. auto-speed climb at 160 up to ~16.5 for the flight up to Seattle. Leveld out and set in for the nice slow ride.. burnin avgas. 180 ATHR, KIAS.. turning in about say.. 230KTAS.. a whole lot of not going really anywhere really fast. Departure out of San Loui was at pre-dawn 4am.. looking out for an all day flight ahead.
Come about oh.. about noon I guess, approaching Seattle area still up at altitude, still with more than ample fuel.. decided to redirect over to Great Falls International. Punched it in and queued it up on the GPS.. and we went thattaway.. on up to 17.5 for the eastbound direction. Passed over the western washington mountains and out over into the Columbia River Gorge area. On out over the expanse of eastern washington and then into the mountainous ranges of Idaho and western montana.. Arrival over Great Falls is always spectacular as the mountains between Helena and Great Falls have the most fascinating techtonic ripple effect. Reduced power, and let auto-speed regulate the glide down to 7.5.. then 5.5 for direct KGTF, left pattern for landing.
Total trip 1205nm, from 4am through at 4:41pm**
((** sim time begain at 4am for pre-dawn takeoff, real time was mid-morning ~10'ish I think. end time is real time noted))
Here's the flight log photos from the trip:
http://www.c74.net/xplane/px/thumbnails.php?album=46