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Getting to OSH but for the fires

sahrens

Well Known Member
There are twenty-three fire TFRs between my location in WA and central Montana / Wyoming. I consider a northern route closed, I don’t think mixing with firefighting aircraft a good idea.

I have considered direct to KPIH Pocatello direct Scottsbluff NE KBFF as the next best routing. But a TFR just popped up near Twin Falls, although I can avoid the aircraft there easily enough….for now. Six TFRs south of me in Oregon and we still have a week to go.

I’m beginning to think OSH is just not happening this year.
 
Get some o2 and go high. Most of the TFRS top out at 10-11k. Just made the trip from SEA to BIL flying over them. It was pretty smoky, I filed IFR but no traffic/tfr issues. Legal vfr/ flight following for additional safety.
 
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O2

I have O2 but some of the other aircraft traveling along don’t. As I learned in the military, go as fast as the slowest guy and don’t leave anyone behind.
 
non event, just me?

I guess I am just used to flying around them. If I was out west where you are they would not stop me one bit. Yes you may have to dodge a few but it wouldn't be too bad. You may not be higher than the TFRs but you most likely will be above the traffic fighting them. Visibility is garbage right now but it's manageable. When it gets less than about 7 miles and definitely into 5 it is simply not fun at that point. When it gets that bad you will not have a horizon. It is just like flying IMC even though you can look out a side window and see the ground. That being said, most airports are not that bad right now. Most all airports are VFR, not the swath of MVFR and IMC we saw last year. It is however pretty early for all this garbage...

Long story short, very doable if you are comfortable not seeing the curvature of the earth. :)
 
Around tfrs

I have flown helicopters in support of fires. The problem is not knowing where the fire helibase and tanker bases are located. Often they are well outside the TFR and then transition to/from the fires based on ground crew need.

A single TFR is not bad. Winding my way around several is good way to meet some fire fighting aircraft
 
Looks pretty dang clear on your alternate southern route you mentioned. That would be a nice routing. Not as much mountains either.
 
It is a problem only you can solve. Trying to drag a team of short wing RVs through heavy smoke could certainly be an IFR operation. Protect the wingmen, even if it means staying home! There is no enemy to protect against other than ourselves.

We cruise at 15-16k' as conditions warrant with a sandwich in hand and have always topped wildfire smoke plumes out west. I cringe to think how my message will change when I finish "my" airplane.
 
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I have been planning a trip up the NW corner and just saw all the red up there all of a sudden. It looks like all are 4 hrs except one for 46 days.
 
Maybe this is a dumb question, but if you're below 10000 feet, and the fires are in the mountains, could it get kinda smoky in your cockpit?? Or perhaps fresh air for your engine?? Just asking----I live in the east.:cool::cool:
 
I was up in the PNW a few days ago.. yes, there are TFRs everywhere, but it isn't as bad as it looks. The smoke is fairly easily avoided, and the TFRs aren't very big. I assume that you have some sort of moving map with datalink (ADS-B IN or SiriusXM), so that makes avoidance almost a no-brainer...
 
There are twenty-three fire TFRs between my location in WA and central Montana / Wyoming. I consider a northern route closed, I don’t think mixing with firefighting aircraft a good idea.

I have considered direct to KPIH Pocatello direct Scottsbluff NE KBFF as the next best routing. But a TFR just popped up near Twin Falls, although I can avoid the aircraft there easily enough….for now. Six TFRs south of me in Oregon and we still have a week to go.

I’m beginning to think OSH is just not happening this year.

Scott,
I will be heading from Caldwell KEUL mid August for central Michigan. My plan so far is to go to Poky, then to Rock Springs and on to Lincoln NB day one, then to Howell MI the next day mostly following 80. I have never done a long cross country so I am interested in your route. If you are willing, send me an email and I would love to hear how your flight planning goes.

Thanks
 
Another consideration is IMC due to smoke. I encountered that a few times when I lived out west. On one occasion, we landed at 3 PM and resumed early the next morning before the fires got going again.

If the engine quits when you’re above smoke, then what? Just as you might not choose to fly above clouds with a low ceiling…

Oshkosh might be doable if you are ready to take an extra day or two…
 
Another tidbit

I lost my gyro attitude indicator several years ago due to wildfire smoke. It was full IMC from smoke and scary as heck. Now I have a garmin g5 and multiple adhar backups (iPad ForeFlight/sentry and garmin gdl 50). The wildfires are pretty bad right now where I live in Missoula Montana. Agree that 14,000 feet msl with oxygen would work but is might be a full ifr flight over terrible mountain terrain while in Montana, if something goes wrong enroute.
 
I flew from Pagosa Springs Co to Red Oak, Ia today enroute Oshkosh. The smoke and the rising sun made it almost impossible to see going through the mountains. It was safe only because I was familiar with the route/terrain. From Goodland Ks I was on top of a low stratus deck. White below and white all around. Ugh. I made it to my stop in Red Oak and decided to turn in early. $20 hangar, courtesy car, and $3.85 gas. Great stop and great people. Oshkosh tomorrow to get ready for you all in HBC. Be careful out there.
Jerry
 
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