Frequently Asked Questions

1. Do you get bored? Do you nap?

I have not napped, nor felt the need to sleep.  Although tired during the last 3 or 4 hours of the 15 and 16 hour legs, I kept busy with instrument checks, position reports, calculating ETA and winds, and reviewing arrival procedures.  I'd eat some chocolate and candy during those last hours to build up my blood sugar and keep me awake.  I didn't drink coffee, because I hated to use the potty.   I did notice a slowing of the mental processes as I was doing the calculations and because of that was especially careful doing all the checks and gas tank switching.  As the approach time grew closer, I plugged the approach into the GPS and double checked the charts and instrument settings.  Usually at this time, adreneline would kick in and I didn't feel tired any more.  After landing, I would feel exhausted; but not in the last half hour of the flight.

2. Why are you flying "backwards" around the world -- westbound?

This question is answered in the Preparation page.   The prevailing winds across the Pacific are northeast.  Therefore, for the longest legs, over 2250 nautical miles from California to Hawaii and Hawaii to American Samoa, you are most likely to have a tailwind when traveling westbound.  I had tailwinds on both legs.  In addition, you are gaining an hour or two on each leg, so the daytime is increased, reducing the nightime flying.  The shortend of this decision is headwinds across the North Atlantic; however, the legs are shorter, between 500 and 700 nautical miles each.