Practicalities of long distance travel in a home-built aircraft

Who needs the airlines when you own a Sonex?  Well, I have to admit I often do, but if I had flown Qantas or Virgin Blue I wouldn't have had this great photo opportunity.

Except for the chance to take a photo of my Sonex with an aircraft that my father once flew, this was a pretty arduous trip, one during which I thought several times that I had made the wrong call. I have flown (and written about) doing the flight from Kyneton to Rockhampton a couple of times before, but doing a long flight is always a bit of an adventure and sometimes it can be a bit more adventurous than you wanted. Here's a link to my blog: http://www.ansoneng.com/sample-page/sonex-trips/who-needs-an-airline-when-you-have-a-sonex/

Peter

Wouldn't open for me. Nev

Hmmm, won't let me edit the post but here's the link:  Try this link

Went pretty well didn't it? Direct is a bit more time than I like to spend flying alone. Good effort   How does she like the HOT take offs? Nev.

$144 to park the plane inside for a week! Nobody tells you about those charges when they extol the virtues of flying away in your own plane. Is it little wonder that "private flying" in Australia means that you buy your airline ticket and not the company you work for?

Went pretty well didn't it? Direct is a bit more time than I like to spend flying alone. Good effort   How does she like the HOT take offs? Nev.

 

Big engine, little plane, so hot take-offs are no problem.  I was a bit surprised on one take off to notice one CHT go to 150°C so just eased the climb rate.

$144 to park the plane inside for a week! Nobody tells you about those charges when they extol the virtues of flying away in your own plane.

 

Well, that was for 12 days and I did know in advance that I would be paying to park there.  I have parked in the open there a couple of times in the past for $5 per day but was happy to get the undercover parking.  If it comes to that, I effectively pay about $40 per week to hangar my aircraft all year round so $12 per day on a casual basis didn't seem too bad.  The other aspect of this is that when you are talking to people about hangar costs they are imagining a Cessna sized aircraft, not something with a 22ft wingspan.

Excellent report Peter. I needed to use “Try this link” and it worked fine.

Great "flying" read, I did enjoy it.

I too used the, "try this link.

spacesailor

Thanks Peter, always enjoy seeing you in the air.

I would have no problem at all paying $144 for a week or so hangarage while enroute.(In fact, I would seek it out)

VERY light, empty aircraft with high lift wings in any sort of mild wind actively want to become kites.

Money well spend for piece of mind and aircraft security. ..

Great writeup Peths, thanks.

Bex you're burning the candle. Do you ever sleep?