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How many long distance (500NM+) VFR Pilots are there?

Just checked my log book and last one was mid UK to LFCZ (Mimizan) in southern France, 1150 miles round trip, perfect weather and great service from French military , who by the way sppoke really good English and had sense of humour.
Prior to that Scily Isles (600 round trip), Friedrichshafen 1100, Dusselldorf 700, Sligo 600, to list a few.

UK, United Kingdom

541nm in one day in cherokee, no autopilot. Just a refuel and pizza on the way. I am really happy there are such tools as skydemon etc, it makes flying so much easier. So count me in

EFHF

My farthest flight to the west has been Perranporth, to the south Dubrovnik, to the East Budaörs so I would consider myself as once of those VFR pilot who flies longer distances but that’s more the exception, not the rule – when I fly at weekends, it’s usually plus / minus 150 NM radius, the longer flights are usually for holidays or similar.

For info, we have around 60 active (GA, not UL, Glider or LAPL) pilots at the club and of those, around 20 fly at least two or three times a year longer distance flights (greater than 500NM in a day) so the number is perhaps higher than we think. Having said that maybe, it all comes down to club activities – if the club has a widely organised social life, then groups of pilots might tend to organise longer distance trips rather than the odd charterer who doesn’t really know anyone who would like to fly long(er) distances with?

EDL*, Germany

This is such a frustrating subject for me. When I first got my licence back in 2003 I was immediately invited to tag along on a European VFR tour. I found myself landing at Templehof with 16 hours P1 in my log book.
Since then I bought a half share in a Falco which I considered to be the ideal machine for more of the same. The trouble is, I’ve spent so much time on the ground “improving” the aeroplane that I’ve lost all momentum in planning and executing anything other than the ubiquitous burger run. In fact most of my flights seem to be test flights of some form or other.
I really hope that 2017 will see some significant improvement and I thank all those of you who bother to write up your VFR trips. They do help to keep me motivated.

Last Edited by Stickandrudderman at 15 Nov 23:31
Forever learning
EGTB

From Kos LGKO to Santarem LPSR in 3 days via Kerkyra-Salerno-Alghero-Menorca-Almeria-Gibraltar. About 2200 n.m.each way. Year 2008 in a C172. Being recently wingless due to EASA heavy burdens,plunging local economy and airports uncertainity.

LGGG

AeroPlus wrote:

in what kind of aircraft did you fly to Corfu?

A “Cirrus killer” : Lancair Columbia 300 – 106 gallons @ 170K TAS @ 12 Gal/H LOP = 1250NM range, no reserves

I had 2 hours reserve when I landed in Corfu

Last Edited by Michael at 16 Nov 10:12
FAA A&P/IA
LFPN

I plan to do that flight (Shoreham to Corfu) one day, but with a ~1300nm range against the 1150nm airway route (and no alternates with avgas) I would like to see plenty of tailwind – also to make it less than the very tedious 8.2hrs it would take in still air

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

Since then I bought a half share in a Falco which I considered to be the ideal machine for more of the same. The trouble is, I’ve spent so much time on the ground “improving” the aeroplane that I’ve lost all momentum in planning and executing anything other than the ubiquitous burger run. In fact most of my flights seem to be test flights of some form or other.

Stickandrudderman: You can’t blame someone who has a really lovely girlfriend for prefering to stay home, pampering her.
The Falco is such a beautiful piece of aviation art, I would probably do the same. Maybe you could start a thread and tell us how you improved the Falco? Very curious!

LSGG, LFEY, Switzerland

From Kos LGKO to Santarem LPSR in 3 days via Kerkyra-Salerno-Alghero-Menorca-Almeria-Gibraltar. About 2200 n.m.each way. Year 2008 in a C172. Being recently wingless due to EASA heavy burdens,plunging local economy and airports uncertainity.

@Medflyer: Wow, that’s a nice one.
Curious: how did you do it fuel-wise? There is no Avgas at Alghero and even in 2008 there wasn’t…

Last Edited by boscomantico at 16 Nov 17:20
Mainz (EDFZ) & Egelsbach (EDFE), Germany

This discussion should be in hours flight time rather than in NM distance.

I’d much rather fly a 500 NM trip in a 250 kts machine than 300 NM in my current 75 kts aircraft.

The same difference led someone here to declare LFAT is “on the doorstep” from my EBZH homebase whereas in fact it is so far as to require refuelling – not that there is a problem there, but it does illustrate the relativity of distances.

Last Edited by at 16 Nov 18:16
EBZH Kiewit, Belgium
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