Longest Solo Cross-Country to Date

Zack (March 27, 2019)

Pilots live by tracking time. The minute details matter – cross-country hours, solo hours, night flying hours, instrument conditions, and more. Every flight is logged meticulously due to the unpredictability of wind, capable of significantly altering the duration of a journey.

In March 2019, I had to fly Big Boy to Dayton, Ohio, for its annual inspection. As I logged the time in my logbook, it struck me: this would be my longest solo cross-country flight I'd ever undertaken [Zack's Note: This was true at the time of writing but was superceded in December 2020 with a solo flight from Manhattan, Kansas to Philadelphia - More later]. Typically, I'm accompanied – by a passenger, an instructor, or someone else. But this time, it was just me (KLOM > I73). Being a VFR pilot restricts me to Visual Flight Rules; hence, the cloud bases must be high enough for safe flying.

March 27th was an exquisite day! Heading over to Wing's Field (KLOM), I loaded Big Boy with all the baggage necessary for the inspection, airframe logbooks, and clothes for an upcoming conference in Atlanta, GA. After the pre-flight checks, I fired up the engine, ready to taxi out to the runway. However, a medical helicopter appeared, conducting an engine-out exercise above the runway, momentarily delaying my takeoff.

Finally, the runway was clear for departure, I embarked on my flight plan navigating VOR-to-VOR, intending to practice tracking VORs and victor airways. Despite being VFR, I chose this navigation method as part of my ongoing IFR test preparations (I earned my IFR rating in December 2020). Departing from KLOM to PTW VOR, I requested flight following from PHL approach, later handed off to Reading Approach. As I turned towards Lancaster (LPR VOR), Reading altered my course slightly for traffic avoidance, followed by a similar adjustment from Harrisburg. Nonetheless, I navigated successfully from VOR-to-VOR.

As I approached the Zanesville VOR, intending to proceed to the Yellow Bud VOR, Columbus Approach alerted me to 11 targets at my altitude. Given three options – ascend, descend, or deviate from course – I opted to descend, shifting from 6500' to 4500'. This change brought choppiness in the air, contrasting the previous smooth flight.

Reaching the Dayton area, I spotted Moraine (I73), recognizable by a factory with three smoke stacks, a tall antenna on a hill, and a river's distinctive curve. Upon landing, I taxied to Brad's hangar and concluded an uneventful but memorable journey (That's what good pilots like).

Trip Metrics
KLOM (Wings) > I73 (Moraine)	412 Nautical Miles (475 Statute)
Navigation	KLOM PTW LPR THS IHD AIR ZZV XUB I73