The Leading Edge

John Nogatch narrated a stack of pictures taken during a recent long cross-country flight, from California to Pennsylvania, and back again.

Living on the West Coast, people with sail boats have always told me that going south along the California coast is down hill and easy. But returning north is an uphill fight against wind and waves. I never had the pleasure of experiencing it myself, but always wanted to.

Then last August I had a very similar experience ferrying a new ultralight north from Camarillo, near LA, to San Jose. Northbound aircraft suffer the same problem as boats with a head wind to decrease the ground speed and with waves in the form of bumpy air turbulence. The best approach is to fly at night or start at dawn while it is calm. Then there is another factor that enters the equation, marine layer fog. It rolls in at night and lingers in the morning. As it is burning off, the winds are increasing. Then there is a third factor of limited fuel in an ultralight. Ten gallons at a 4 to 5 GPH rate does not go far in a head wind. We were lucky in that the day dawned nearly clear of fog for an early departure. But not that lucky, as we were delayed a few hours from our planned 9:00 AM start. As the trip progressed, the head winds grew. We refueled in San Ysidro and then made it to Oceano's beach runway with difficulty and missed lunch to press on. By mid afternoon, we were more than half way and departing Paso Robles on our way to King City for more fuel, then home to Marina. The airspeed was 60, but the ground speed from the GPS was now only 42! We were flying right up the valley into the onshore afternoon flow. The cars on 101 were passing us. At King City the wind was blowing stronger and showed no signs of easing up and we were forced to tie down at King City for the night.

This past weekend, June 15, we had the opportunity to repeat this round trip to Paso Robles for an airshow, but with plans to improve over Mother Nature. The distance is about 95 miles, near the limit of our 10 gallons of fuel and two hours at 60 MPH. With any adverse wind, we would be forced to refuel at King City, the only fuel stop alternative. Our solution was to fly down in the early morning calm and return early morning the next day.

In preparation and planning, we discussed headwind strategies at the Flying Aces meeting on June 08. Doug Groom led the discussion that became critical for balancing head wind efficiency losses and engine power settings. The conclusion is that especially in an ultralight with their slow airspeed is more affected by head wind ground speed losses as a percentage. It is best to power through the head wind at a higher speed and higher fuel consumption.

On Saturday morning we departed Hollister at 8:45 in clear cool calm air for our trip south or downhill. We were delighted to discover we had a small tail wind and were on a calm ocean of air in our open cockpit with a view of the ocean air depths like a glass bottom boat. We were cruising the remote San Benito Valley skimming along the backside of the Pinnacles National Park's ridgeline. We popped out of the Valley East of King City knowing we did not need to stop for fuel. We were averaging about 65 MPH and continued on across the wild desolate foothills with only occasional cows. We arrived in Paso Robles about 10:15 having only used 7 gallons of fuel. Tony, the doctor who had sold us our Challenger, greeted us and directed us to a premium parking place. Vaughn, our EAA Field Marshall, had his RV on site loaded with food and drinks. More of our chapter continued to arrive. Brian Vickery flew his Challenger, Russell Green flew his Challenger, and John Coyle flew a C172 with Paul Anderson. Mike Arndt drove with his wife Pam, George Nicholson drove and Chuck Drone towed his aircraft for display.

The airshow was great with Competition: Spot Landings, Torpedo Run, Message Drop, Plane Judging, EAA Young Eagle's Free plane rides for kids. The food was outdoors BBQ: Breakfast, BBQ lunch, Chicken/Tri-tip BBQ dinner, and dance to Country Music by Rod Norris's "HATS OFF" band. At sundown was a no limit ice cream social with all flavors possible. By 10:30 we were in the RV snoring to keep away wild animals.

We snoozed in until 7:00 when breakfast was to be served. As we crawled out, we were very surprised to see over half of the aircraft had departed at sunrise, between 5:00 and 6:00 AM. Heck, they missed a great breakfast and the ambiance of remaining friends sitting along the runway at tables savoring the early morning. But all good things must end and I needed to be in the air by 9:00 AM. Remember the plan to improve on our planning over Mother Nature. Lou had hitchhiked back Saturday for other plans, so Vaughn helped me load and pre-flight. He even started the engine for me at 8:50. I was airborne at 9:00 AM and with only one person on board, she leaped to cruising level and leveled out with 70 MPH indicated. The GPS blinked back that we were only making 60 MPH. Darn a 10-MPH head wind this early! No wonder the others had skipped breakfast. Oh well, I only need to average about 48 MPH to make 96 miles with 2 hours of fuel. And with less weight, more range, right? And there is King City half way if there is any fuel question.

What a beautiful day again. And as I sailed across this ocean of air there were no waves yet, just a current to move upstream against. I stayed tuned to Paso Robles for the next hour and listened to the others departing radio calls. And even one with an engine problem that required he return to the field. During that hour my speed had continued to diminish and the ocean now had waves. As I approached the canyons updrafts ballooned me high with a decrease in ground speed to under 50 while the airspeed said 70 indicated! I wanted to fly as low as possible to hope for less head wind and the downdrafts obliged.

Just the previous week we had a review of tactics for up-wind travel then down wind returning. Our Flying Aces instructor's calculations proved that into the wind it is better to carry as much power as possible, consuming fuel faster but with less penalty time and head wind efficiency loss. So I continued with the higher power setting at 70 MPH and 5600 RPM that also increased the discomfort from the turbulence. Right? I continued to check my fuel calculations and still felt I was able to complete it in one leg with an adequate margin. And I did not want to divert to King City with its notorious winds. And that diversion would cost an hour with the additional increase in wind in the afternoon. Maybe I would have to leave the airplane in King City again. I pressed on. My constant companion was my GPS blinking miles and time to go. It confirmed that I was on the most direct and shortest path. Just ahead was that remote San Benito valley for skimming along the backside of the Pinnacles National Park. I was expecting and planning on a wind drop with shelter from the waves.

Now a few bumps were to the limits of the controls or more. Do I smell Gasoline? Do I? Gremlins? Nope that is gas. No Fire. Need a rear view mirror. Great, I am going to be low on gas and I am sloshing it out the top of the tank? With no fuel gauge and no access it is a guess as to status. My thoughts re-visited 35 years of flying experience remembering those other times I had questioned my judgement vowing not to repeat some. Would this be another lucky day or would the adventure have darker outcomes? I could still turn tail and flee to King City. It would be an exciting landing and I probably would need to wait until Monday to continue. What about the forecasted fog in the morning? I reviewed in my mind the flight path down and the returning alternatives to land. I remembered the friendly valley ahead with a few private strips and mostly pasture land. I can burn tractor gas. Highway 25 has no telephone or power lines, making it a very long runway. Nuts, GPS indicates 35 MPH, but the sheltering valley is just ahead. Entering the valley was bumpy. The GPS says 30 more miles and 45 minutes that will be a total of 2 hours plus the 10 minutes initial taxi time. That puts it at the limit with my reserve at now only 5 or 10 minutes? Did you ever wonder where empty really is on your car's fuel gauge? Wish I had a fuel gauge. Just plan on every next minute to be the end of the engine's pleasant noise. But hey, the wind will drop as I reach the wider end of the valley. As I listened to the others in the pattern at Hollister, I mentally practiced my gliding radio transmission.

After I had flown past all of the remote runways, I could now see Hollister at 20 miles. I watched the skydivers drifting into Tres Pinos. With my increased altitude, I could glide there to land with the skydivers and hang gliders. I continued on with alternate fields in site and lined up for a direct approach to runway 31. I listened to the other aircraft circling to land and depart. I called to the skydiving King air for his location? " On the fuel ramp". Good. At 6 miles I called a long final as number three behind a Cessna.

OK, I can make it and it feels good to be too high. I cut to idle and could have landed on the numbers but there were two aircraft blocking both taxiways. I extended my glide towards mid field runway exit. Now the glider tow plane declares take-off from 24 crossing 31 at midfield. No problem, I land short of mid field and turn off toward that fuel island. At the fuel island is a beautiful Beaver on floats to stare at. And the sun is warm and the breeze soft again. Life is very good. Nice to be sitting here.

I fed my craft and she sucked 9.35 gallons. With .65 gallons, I still had 10 minutes, not the 5 I had estimated at 30 miles out. Wonder if it is really all usable?

At the hangar I walked to the refrigerator for a cold cold bottle of water. Really in no hurry. It isn't even lunchtime yet. It has only been half a day of fun at 60 knots. And those sailboats are still pounding north at only 6 knots and will be all night. Just now a P51 does a fly-by at 300 knots. The comparison of my challenger is like a sailboat to him. Something about journey not destination in all of this.

- John Gould, June-2002

[An excellent description of "The Working Speeds of an Airplane" is found in Wolfgang Langewiesche's book "Stick and Rudder".]