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Brokedownclimber
Trad climber
Douglas, WY
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Topic Author's Original Post - Mar 3, 2012 - 05:32pm PT
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Gotcha!
I finally took the plunge on a new means of transportation to my favorite Western States climbing destinations:
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Since I live in a fairly central location to a lot of climbing, I'm not really that close to any of my favorite areas. I hate to waste valuable time driving to...say...Joshua Tree, The Ditch, City of Rocks, etc. This bird has the reputation as a "heavy load hauler" due to the 235 hp. engine and robust airframe.
The Piper Dakota has an enviable weight carrying capacity of better than 1,100 pounds; deduct 432 pounds for full fuel, and that translates to me, a partner or 3, and all our gear for a radius of 700 nautical miles (800 statute miles).
I sold my trusty Jeep Commander in order to buy this as a replacement.
My first act, after flying it home, will be the Todd Gordon festival in April... Then the CoR in either late May or early June.
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Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
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YOU FINALLY DID IT!
Congrats!
Now stay out of the "Cumulo-Granite" clouds.
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johntp
Trad climber
socal
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Sweet! When did Gordo put in the landing strip?
Edit: On a serious note, watch out for the winds in JT. They can hammer pretty hard. But, if your from WY that is probably a moot point.
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Pretty sure you could land that thing by the nautilus....
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Brokedownclimber
Trad climber
Douglas, WY
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 3, 2012 - 05:54pm PT
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Twentynine Palms has a decent small airport, KTNP. My route home to Wyoming crosses Joshua Tree National Park from South to North, then overflies Lake Mead, a fuel stop in Mesquite, NV, overfly Zion, Bryce Canyon, and Dinosaur National Parks before heading into Casper where the airplane will be hangared and based. This will be an exciting trip.
Edit: I've landed a Cessna 172 in 35 knot winds in Casper (that's 40 mph).
The wind was almost straight down the runway, and taxiing was no fun at all. I kept worrying about the airplane tipping over from a wind gust that got up under the high wing!
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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Congrats Rodger,
yeah I heard of a guy landing like a helicopter in a strong headwind, just slowly descended onto the runway without rolling forward or back.
Then he made the mistake of trying to turn to taxi.
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klk
Trad climber
cali
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awesome.
raleigh used to fly out of that high desert airport.
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Rick A
climber
Boulder, Colorado
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Awesome Roger. I have two brothers who are professional pilots, but I never got the itch.
Giant Rock Airport is the only appropriate place to land near JT. See various past threads...
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Ezra Ellis
Trad climber
WA, & NC & Idaho
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Awesome broken, looks like a sweet ride,
One of my climbing partners just bought a 2 seater Mooney, I think!
-e
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SCseagoat
Trad climber
Santa Cruz
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I wanna ride I wanna ride!
Beautiful!,,,,
Susan
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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So we're agreed that Rodger - for modest donations to the Gordons home repair fund - will be taking passengers up at GordonPalooza? No wing walking, mind you, but maybe a bit of barnstorming?
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Grampa
Trad climber
OC in So Cal
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Sweet Ride! Lemme know if you need a So Cal Belayer....
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hoipolloi
climber
A friends backyard with the neighbors wifi
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Whats it cost to fill that thing full? and MPG?
Maybe Ill sell the van and buy a plane too...pretty easy to learn to fly? Ill learn as I go, I guess..
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Brokedownclimber
Trad climber
Douglas, WY
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 3, 2012 - 09:07pm PT
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Re: cost to fly this thing...it has a fuel capacity of 72 gallons, and aviation fuel is anywhere from $5.65 a gallon upwards to $6.80 for full service at the field. It burns about 11 gallons an hour at a cruising speed of 137 kias (knots indicated airspeed), which is about 158 mph. So...figure around 15 miles per gallon on aviation fuel. In calm air conditions, i.e. no turbulence, it can be cranked up to 146 kias (168 mph). It will take me a little over 5 1/2 hours to fly to Joshua Tree from Casper (821 nautical miles by my route).
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Brokedownclimber
Trad climber
Douglas, WY
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 3, 2012 - 09:10pm PT
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Enjoy your passions, broke!
"Broke" is really the case for most pilots! About that money pit in the sky--it's actually a black hole. Money goes in and never comes out past the event horizon...
Kath...the Commander had a monthly payment almost equal to the payments on the airplane. Just a money management strategy...
I sure wish it HAD been gold plated.
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Brokedownclimber
Trad climber
Douglas, WY
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 3, 2012 - 09:48pm PT
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Curt-
The condition of the runway is awful. It's a short runway with rocks and loose sand on asphalt in poor condition. Last April at the Flanders fund raiser, I stopped and looked at it. It was "closed" at that time, due to conditions.
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Gilroy
Social climber
Boulderado
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Congratulations on the spanking cool ride, Rodger! No low-riding for you, eh?
Are you looking for folx to share funding for a ride to the Rancho Gordon affair in April? I wasn't going but this may make it interesting. I'll shoot you a PM and see if it works.
KG
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Brokedownclimber
Trad climber
Douglas, WY
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 3, 2012 - 11:01pm PT
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It would always be good to share fuel costs, and to have a climbing partner at the other end!
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Curt
Boulder climber
Gilbert, AZ
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Sorry--I was unaware. I flew in and out of that place several times years ago and it was fine. That was in the 80s though.
Curt
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