I’m now officially checked out in a T-41C, which is basically a 210-hp version of a Cessna 172. This means I can rent one for $83/hour (an astonishingly good price) from the Air Force Academy Aero Club whenever I want. Or at least, whenever there’s a plane available. It was weird flying a high-wing with a yoke again. Cool to fly something with some real horsepower. It’s a 6-cylinder engine, so it’s smoother and makes cool gurgling noises. Amusingly, it’s ancient (1969) with an airspeed indicator in MPH. It cruises at about 110mph indicated, which really isn’t much faster than a 172. But it climbs at nearly 1,000fpm even at 6,500 ft, something a 172 very much does not do. And it’s got a max gross of 2500 lbs, so taking along two passengers is a piece of cake. Three passengers if they’re not too bulky. I got to fly into the Academy uncontrolled, which was simply weird.
Anyway, this is all so I can take Joanna flying. (And Nathan, if he gets over his fear that I’m going to kill him.) I scheduled the plane to take Joanna up next Sunday. So those of you who volunteered to chip in on an airplane ride for Joanna, now’s your chance!
I can even take it cross-country if I want. They ask if I take it overnight somewhere that I average 2 hours/day on the tach while it’s gone. So I can go somewhere 3 hours away, spend two nights, and fly back. That would be cool. If only I had $500 to toss around like that:)
How long does it take to fly to Mobile from Col. Spgs. in that plane?
Stephanie hated word problems when you home schooled her…
If it cruises at 110mph then I’d guess about 15 hours one way assuming cooperative weather and that he flew in a straight line. 15 hours at $83 an hour… $1,245 one way. Plus they’ve asked him to only put 2 hours a day. Which means it’d take him a week to get here.
Well, that’s actually 110mph airspeed, which is a little faster over the ground. Course, I’m not really sure how far it is straight-line. Google maps says 1550 miles, but that’s not very straight at all. Anyway, you’re right, it would be over $2,000 round trip:)
The only part you got wrong (because I didn’t say it very clearly in the post) is that they want me to put at LEAST 2 hours/day on the plane. No upper limit. The idea being that I don’t take it some place an hour away, stay a week, and then bring it back.
Ok, no upper limit. Doh.
“I” didn’t give her “word problems”…. the curriculum did! I couldn’t make them up! So…. you see me asking questions about how long, etc. So…. no accusation accepted.
In a straight line it’s just about 1150 miles