Not going (part 1.)

The evening before I get a text from LE outlining the route for my cross country. Basically the examiner assigns you a route and payload* and you are expected to plan everything out as if you were actually going to do the flight at the time you take off. The navigation planning, the weight and balance and a flight plan. The first part of your actual flight test is flying the examiner to your first checkpoint and showing him how you’d determine your revised ETA and correct your course if needed.

I look at the texts, basically I am to plan a flight for me and 3 female passengers plus 30lb of luggage from City to Lindsay to North Bay.

The first bit can be done the night before, you get out your charts, you draw the routes in and pick out your check points. Basic measuring of angles etc can also be done. Anything else needs to be done the next day, as it is weather dependent.

First hurdle, I have no idea where North Bay (CYYB) is. I know it’s up north but other than that I’m stumped. Google to the rescue.

The reason I’m finding it so tricky to find is that It’s on the other side of my chart, literally uncharted territory for me. Bob is keen to find out my assigned route. I inform him, wailing that “it goes on the other side of the chart”

He’s not entirely sympathetic “that’s fine , you’ll just fly it upside down” he quips.

My reply of “OH BITE ME!” probably tells him I’m in no mood for humour.

The more I look at it the more problematic this flight is looking. 3 passengers plus me is one heck of a payload. It leaves me with enough spare weight for 19 gallons of fuel.

I’m going to need to refuel at stop number 1.

Okay that’s a little on the mean side.

I do the preliminary planning and head off to bed. It’s late. I need to at least attempt to get some sleep.

As I talk over the planned route with RTH, I come to the realisation, even with a fuel stop. I don’t think it is possible to do CNF4 to CYYB on 19 gallons.

I mull over the numbers in my head as I lie in bed.

Eventually, after 20 minutes or so, I give up. I’ve got to have another bash at this.

I come to the realisation that if I lie about my weight by a few pounds and load the plane up to full ramp weight as opposed to takeoff weight. I can squeeze 21 gallons in.

That should be enough.

As satisfied as I’m ever going to be. I give up and go to bed again. It’s going to be a long day tomorrow.





*is payload the right word here? I'm going to use it anyways!