Yesterday, I flew my first cross-country in the Remos GX.  David and I flew from Triangle North (KLHZ) to Kinston (KISO) and back.  That is a distance of 54 nautical miles each way (about 62 statute miles).  During the flight, I practiced navigation with pilotage, which is looking out the window, actually big, gaping hole since we had the doors off, for landmarks, such as towers, highways, airports, and in this flight, a huge junkyard.  I also used VOR radio navigation and the GPS.

In addition, I was in radio communication with Raleigh Approach, Washington Center, Seymour Johnson AFB, and Kinston Tower.  It gets pretty hectic to control a light-sport airplane on a summer day, talk to different air traffic controllers and navigate, which is why it is required practice.

I am schedule to fly this same cross country solo next week.  When I do so, I am going to put the doors back on the Remos.  The sensation that your maps and radio frequencies were going to fly out the door made things too difficult for just one person.

After this next flight, I am planning a solo cross country to Cape Fear, then to Fayetteville, and back to North Triangle.  This is a distance of 268.5 nautical miles (309 statute miles), the requirements state that one leg must be at least 100 nautical miles.  At a little over 100 mph cruising speed, I will be in the air at least 3 hours by myself.  It doesn’t get boring, though, as you are constantly monitoring air traffic control, your position, looking for traffic, and watching the gauges/instruments.