Nationwide Roaming

Pilots fly for a variety of reasons. If youre like me, transportation is the main reason to own an airplane. Flying a single-engine general aviation airplane can be an effective way to travel for business and personal reasons, especially in this era of degrading, inflexible and unpredictable airline service. However, to safely use small aircraft for this purpose and manage the risks, you need to expand the scope of your typical planning efforts and be ready to change schedules and even cancel some portions of a trip. This is especially true if, like me, your travel requirements include the entire United States.

Robert Wright

Friday, April 26, 2019 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Using a personal single-engine airplane for extensive, multi-stop nationwide travel can be an effective and flexible alternative to commercial airlines for business and personal itineraries.
Successful and safe execution demands comprehensive risk management, covering pilot proficiency and aeromedical factors, aircraft suitability and aggressive preventive maintenance, and thorough environmental assessment.
Key strategies include meticulous pre-trip planning, building significant flexibility into the schedule, and being prepared to alter routes or cancel segments due to weather or unforeseen issues.
This type of demanding travel is best suited for experienced pilots with a strong grasp of practical risk management, rather than those new to flying.

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Pilots fly for a variety of reasons. If you’re like me, transportation is the main reason to own an airplane. Flying a single-engine general aviation airplane can be an effective way to travel for business and personal reasons, especially in this era of degrading, inflexible and unpredictable airline service. However, to safely use small aircraft for this purpose and manage the risks, you need to expand the scope of your typical planning efforts and be ready to change schedules and even cancel some portions of a trip. This is especially true if, like me, your travel requirements include the entire United States.

I’ve written about using small aircraft for transportation before in this journal (for example, see “Flying for Transportation,” March 2013). However, the best way to illustrate this process is to describe a typical multi-stop “mission” that I typically accomplish two to four times a year.