Pacific Northwest to upstate NY - upper peninsula or around the bottom of the lake?

I'm planning my first acorss the country trip from Seattle WA to
Rochester NY in a single engine Grumman. I have already figured out a
way to cross the Rockies (the northern route). Now the question is
which route to navigate through the summer storms in the midwest.

I'm instrument current, but I have no apppetite flying IFR near any
convective activities (neither in VFR). It seems during the last few
weeks there's always a line of storm sweeping across the mid-west on a
daily basis. I'll gladly accept a day or two weather delays during my
trip.

Would the route over the Michagan upper/lower peninsula, then acorss a
small stretch of Canada (Detroit area to Buffalo) gives me a better
chance of steering clear of the most intensive weather? Apart from
inflight concerns, I also want to avoid hail when my plane is on the
ground during my overnight stop.

I don't have XM weather on my GPS. It's very hard to justify in
Pacific NW weather where we hardly have any convective IMC throughout
the year.

Thanks!

M wrote:

Would the route over the Michagan upper/lower peninsula, then acorss a
small stretch of Canada (Detroit area to Buffalo) gives me a better
chance of steering clear of the most intensive weather? Apart from
inflight concerns, I also want to avoid hail when my plane is on the
ground during my overnight stop.

In my opinion and experience as a pilot based in upstate NY (Syracuse) I
honestly don't think the difference between crossing lower Canada to
Buffalo or rounding the bottom of Lake Erie will be significantly different
in terms of the intense weather.

Certainly southeast of the Great Lakes you have a greater chance of finding
lower ceilings and visibility, but with regards to the cold, Canadian air
clashing with the warm moist air of the south, this battleground could be
either location in late August and September. October tends to be a docile
month, FWIW.

If it were me, I would plan both with a preference for crossing Canada, as
it is more direct, then choose the specific route when the time comes.
Even if there is a strong cold front forecasted to move through, it should
be a relatively quick event and one you could easily wait out if you were
to encounter it ahead and on your route.

--
Peter

On 14 Aug 2006 12:35:22 -0700, "M" wrote:

I'm planning my first acorss the country trip from Seattle WA to
Rochester NY in a single engine Grumman. I have already figured out a
way to cross the Rockies (the northern route). Now the question is
which route to navigate through the summer storms in the midwest.

I'm instrument current, but I have no apppetite flying IFR near any
convective activities (neither in VFR). It seems during the last few
weeks there's always a line of storm sweeping across the mid-west on a
daily basis. I'll gladly accept a day or two weather delays during my
trip.

Would the route over the Michagan upper/lower peninsula, then acorss a
small stretch of Canada (Detroit area to Buffalo) gives me a better
chance of steering clear of the most intensive weather? Apart from
inflight concerns, I also want to avoid hail when my plane is on the
ground during my overnight stop.

I don't have XM weather on my GPS. It's very hard to justify in
Pacific NW weather where we hardly have any convective IMC throughout
the year.

Thanks!

I'd think the weather over Canada and the UP would be a little better
this time of year. What I know is that the beauty of the UP blows
away the southern route. If it were me I'd stay north and enjoy the
ride. If you do get weathered out there are all sorts of natural
sights to see up there.

z

I've flown those kinds ox XCs a number of times, and my advice is to
look at the maps but don't do any serious flight planning until a day
or two before the trip. If there's a front you may seriously deviate
from both of those routes to gain tailwinds or better weather.

There's lots of haze in the summertime, you may want to file IFR just
to avoid messing with marginal VFR conditions. For what it's worth,
when I lived in Massachusetts just about 25 percent of my flying
(mostly for business) was in IMC. If that's typical you'll be in the
clouds for part of your trip.

Good luck.
M wrote:
I'm planning my first acorss the country trip from Seattle WA to
Rochester NY in a single engine Grumman. I have already figured out a
way to cross the Rockies (the northern route). Now the question is
which route to navigate through the summer storms in the midwest.

I'm instrument current, but I have no apppetite flying IFR near any
convective activities (neither in VFR). It seems during the last few
weeks there's always a line of storm sweeping across the mid-west on a
daily basis. I'll gladly accept a day or two weather delays during my
trip.

Would the route over the Michagan upper/lower peninsula, then acorss a
small stretch of Canada (Detroit area to Buffalo) gives me a better
chance of steering clear of the most intensive weather? Apart from
inflight concerns, I also want to avoid hail when my plane is on the
ground during my overnight stop.

I don't have XM weather on my GPS. It's very hard to justify in
Pacific NW weather where we hardly have any convective IMC throughout
the year.

Thanks!

I've flown those kinds ox XCs a number of times, and my advice is to
look at the maps but don't do any serious flight planning until a day
or two before the trip. If there's a front you may seriously deviate
from both of those routes to gain tailwinds or better weather.

There's lots of haze in the summertime, you may want to file IFR just
to avoid messing with marginal VFR conditions. For what it's worth,
when I lived in Massachusetts just about 25 percent of my flying
(mostly for business) was in IMC. If that's typical you'll be in the
clouds for part of your trip.

Good luck.
M wrote:
I'm planning my first acorss the country trip from Seattle WA to
Rochester NY in a single engine Grumman. I have already figured out a
way to cross the Rockies (the northern route). Now the question is
which route to navigate through the summer storms in the midwest.

I'm instrument current, but I have no apppetite flying IFR near any
convective activities (neither in VFR). It seems during the last few
weeks there's always a line of storm sweeping across the mid-west on a
daily basis. I'll gladly accept a day or two weather delays during my
trip.

Would the route over the Michagan upper/lower peninsula, then acorss a
small stretch of Canada (Detroit area to Buffalo) gives me a better
chance of steering clear of the most intensive weather? Apart from
inflight concerns, I also want to avoid hail when my plane is on the
ground during my overnight stop.

I don't have XM weather on my GPS. It's very hard to justify in
Pacific NW weather where we hardly have any convective IMC throughout
the year.

Thanks!

On 14 Aug 2006 12:35:22 -0700, "M" wrote:


Would the route over the Michagan upper/lower peninsula, then acorss a
small stretch of Canada (Detroit area to Buffalo) gives me a better
chance of steering clear of the most intensive weather? Apart from
inflight concerns, I also want to avoid hail when my plane is on the
ground during my overnight stop.

From a somewhat more practical standpoint, you have a far greater
choice of useable contingency airports if you stay within landing
distance of the US. i.e you have to pick a port of entry airport in
Ontario...unless it's an actual emergency, of course.

Consider Detroit to Buffalo via the southern lakeshore.

Lets say your oil pressure is OK-ish, but flaky and you just want to
set down to check the erl level...or you need a drink or gotta stretch
or p. Lots easier to drop 'er down anywhere along that route if ya
need to with no customs. Every county in Ohio has a decent County
Airport, as well as many others along that route. Have a good look at
the Detroit Sectional and you'll see what I mean. At 5000' you'll
almost always be gliding distance from an airport!

And of course I think flying over the Lake Erie islands is
awesome...but I live here

Sandusky SKY has a nice snack bar for lunch. Just check NOTAMS
on Camp Perry activity before flying thru...or stay above it. You can
pick up CLE approach flight following on 126.35 in Sandusky if you
wish...and they'll take ya down the lakeshore about halfway to Erie
PA. (though not on the same freq

OK, I'll get off the soapbox now. Email me direct if you want more
info.

Best of luck with your flight...wish i had the time and resouces to do
dat...maybe in a few years.

--Don Byrer

--




Don Byrer KJ5KB
Radar Tech & Smilin' Commercial Pilot Guy
Glider student, CFI-SEL wannabe
kj5kb-at-hotmail.com

"I have slipped the surly bonds of earth; now if I can just land without bending the gear..."
"Watch out for those doves...smack-smack-smack-smack..."

I concur with Don... Stay USA... Go along the southern shoreline of the
Great Lakes... Lotsa airports, no customs...

denny

In article ,
Don Byrer wrote:

set down to check the erl level...or you need a drink or gotta stretch
or p. Lots easier to drop 'er down anywhere along that route if ya
need to with no customs. Every county in Ohio has a decent County
Airport, as well as many others along that route. Have a good look at
the Detroit Sectional and you'll see what I mean. At 5000' you'll
almost always be gliding distance from an airport!

But you are forgetting how flat southern Ontario is. There is a
patchwork grid of roads, plenty of farm fields, friendly people, no
hassles with the Cleveland Class B Airspace, and you get 15% more for
your US dollar.

The biggest weather factor to consider when flying the North Coast is
stationary fronts. They are unpredictable. They can move fast, they can
move slow, or they can stll out. They can even move backwards. One day
they will move through an area quickly, ahead of the forecast giving you
a false impression that the next day will be smooth sailing. The next
day you will learn that overnight it has stalled out and will be moving
back through the same area it went through the day before.

The Great Lakes states are the convergence zone for high pressure
dropping south out of the Canadian Plains and the low pressure systems
moving west from the Pacific or north from the Gulf of Mexico.

Study the winds aloft 500mb chart and forcast. Will it be north or south
of the Canadian border in the area you intend to fly through the next
day?
As you are doing a cross-country trip, think about pressure system
flying, using the west to east bound winds on the north side of a high
or south side of a low.