From: hanlon@ariel.lerc.nasa.gov (Casey Hanlon (SVER))
Subject: Number of US pilots
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Organization: NASA Lewis Research Center
Date:  3 Sep 1992 15:49 EST  

Rob Strand writes:
>...go on flying vacations.

Well put Rob.  I've been flying for 7 years now and thats the approact
I've always taken.  Yeah the local hops are fun but give me a long cross
country any day.  The first thing I did after earning my PPSEL was begin
looking for a plane.  My first purchase was a 54 Bonanza.  My first vacation
in it was from Phoenix to Salt Lake.  This past Aug. was our most ambitious
excursion yet.  Of course I now fly a 59 Cessna 310, but the joy of 
vacationing in the plane is just as great.  Any how, back to our latest
adventure.  

The plan was to fly from Cleveland to Albuquerque and spend the night. 
Then on to San Diego where we would spend a week.  Well bad weather
in Cleveland delayed our start by 24 hours, and air sickness on the
part of my wife and daughter forced us to spend the night in Tuccumcari
N.M.  Wrist bands were purchased for my wife and daughter and off we
went the next day, destination San Diego.  Well now quite.  The engine
driven fuel pump on the right engine failed over the mountains on the
way to Phoenix.  No problem, the electric backup worked flawlessly and
we proceeded to Casa Grande Az., a small town south of Phoenix.  The
mechanic there looked at it and informed me that I wouldn't be flying
until the pump was replaced or rebuilt.  Well this was on a Sunday
morning and I had to be in San Diego for a presentation on monday.
So we rented a car and drove to San Diego.  Since I was already planning
to rent a car in San Diego this didn't cost me anything except the 6 hour
drive.  Actually, if you subtract the 1.5 hours the flight would have
taken it only cost me 4.5 hours.  If you also take into account that the
rental car in Az. was for $141./week instead of the $30/day I would have
paid and the 25 gal/hr times 3 hours, (there and back you know), times
$1.91 gal. I ended up saving approximately $150. after deducting the cost
of the gas to drive there and back.  Anyway, we had a great time in
San Diego.

Upon our return to Casa Grande the mechanic had the plane ready to go.
He had located a used pump in servicable contition for $125.00, a rebuilt
one cost $475.  Total cost to me was $333.00.  Flew up to Phoenix and spent
a week visiting friends and relatives.  Next destination was Salt Lake City.
Glen Canyon and Lake Powell are quite beautiful from the air.  We flew
that course since I was navigating via a WAC and it didn't indicate
the VFR routing over the Grand Canyon. 

After visiting in Salt Lake our next destination was Jackson Hole Wy.
This was undoubledly the most beautiful leg of the trip.  Quite majestic
scenery in that part of the country.  We dodged thunder storms over
Bear Lake Idaho, but only had to divert 20-30 miles off course.  
Landing at Jackson Hole was a new experience for me.  The airport is an
uncontrolled field, but it has scheduled airline service.  It was
quite interesting to watch the big boys making 45 entries to the downwind.

Departing Jackson Hole we headed for Denver.  Those high elevation field
departures at near gross don't yield the climb rates I'm used to.  Anyway,
we spent the night with an Aunt in Denver and then headed for home.
Total flying time on the trip was 24 hours and the 310 averaged 25 gph 
while averaging right at 200 mph including take off and climb.  Oil
comsumption was at 1 quart every 10 hours on the left and a quart every
4 hours on the right.  Total fuel cost for the trip was right at $1100.
Fuel cost were high in Salt Lake and Jackson, $2.20/gal, and between 
$1.80 and $1.90 every where else.  

It was a great trip spanning 3 weeks and I would do it again if I had
the time.  The entire trip was flown VFR and I was only delayed by
weather the day were trying to depart cleveland.  $1100 in gas, can
you imagine how much it would have cost to fly 6 people via comercial
carrier to the same destinations we made? 

Casey (vacations are where its at) Hanlon 
From: myshatyn@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM (Mike Myshatyn)
Date: Tue, 25 Aug 1992 15:13:54 GMT
Subject: Re: STS Rework instructions?
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Fort Collins, CO, USA