Need Tri-Pacer Current CFI - Montana to California

[Subsonic]

Yes, my Tri-pacer is finally home in Monterey County, California. Hangared at Marina, KOAR. I'll elaborate. I flew it home yesterday, August 15, with my CFI. After arriving the afternoon before and inspecting the plane, installing shoulder harnesses, getting a quick bite to eat at a home cooked restaurant and doing a short overnight in a motel six, we left Ravalli field at 7:30 AM mountain time. We climbed out to 10,500 feet and flew a South southwest vector about 203 nautical miles to Mountain Home Idaho. Put 17.2 gallons of gas in it there. The Rocky Mountains in the early morning with fog in the valleys were just gorgeous, even as they were a little intimidating.The weather could not have been better. There was no wind. We landed in Mountainhome and my landing was pretty good but did a little swerve after I was well onto the pavement with the nose down. Direct steering is pretty sensitive. Didn't think much of it at the time but more in a second on that. Our only mishap of the entire flight was then taken care of. We lost a wing inspection port cover off the right side near the flap shortly after takeoff from Ravalli field. So I duck-taped the hole. I got my first real lesson on cross-country flying after suffering with bladder busting stress from the McDonald's coffee I drank two hours earlier. Never again. Next stop was Lovelock Nevada. My landing and subsequent take off were both Squirrley, mushy, with terrible feeling response. Gassed up again, 19.58 gallons of 100 LL. I forgot about the Squirrley ground handling very quickly since we were talking with some guy named Cowboy who owns an MOA in the middle of the desert who was telling us two F-18s were headed our way at 18,000 feet. My plane doesn't have a mode C transponder. When I told him who we were and our altitude, Cowboy said the F-18s we're leaving our area and he was losing radar contact with us. The Tri-pacer trimmed out at 9000 feet out across the Nevada desert and was a pure delight to fly. No hands or no feet either way it was rocksolid. The engine ran perfect. Reno on our right, Carson City next then did a climbing turn to the right at Minden Nevada and got to 12,600 feet over Granite domes and Valley's with Lake Tahoe shimmering in the sun below us. It was an awesome sight. Then I just sort of started a slow descent all the way across California into Marina. That was fun. Our indicated airspeed on the panel was 120 mph all the way from Tahoe because it was downhill. Up to that point we were averaging about 110 mph IAS. Approaching Marina I took a minute to do a couple laps around my house in Prunedale. I could see the fog rolling in off the bay and knew we had to hurry. My CFI was a little anxious when he saw the fog bank nearing the end of the runway. I announced my downwind leg 45 degree entry, to Marina traffic, turnEd to base and final and landed again with a big yaw left after the nosewheel touched down at 3:35 PM Pacific time. My wife was waiting and waving and grinning from ear to ear. So was I. 680 nautical miles in eight hours and five minutes, with two stops for gas. Filled up again in Marina, it took 23.04 gallons. 59.82 gallons total. 11.37 nautical miles per gallon at approximately 84 knots, including the stops. Today I measured air pressures in the tires, left main 15 psi, right main 18 1/2 psi, nose-wheel 10.5 psi. I figure that contributed to my Squirrley takeoffs and landings to some degree. What a great experience it was.

[drrandypepper]

Sounds fun. I been watchin to see what happens. I live in mt and just purchased myself a tri-pacer so I'm curious. I am also a student pilot! Good luck with you tri-pacer!

[Old3pacer]

fine story! Welcome to the adventure!!!