This is not about riding in a passenger plane. This is about flying your own rental or plane that you own.
The advantage is of course you don't usually have to deal with traffic (unless it is air traffic at a particularly busy airport). So, there is an advantage to flying out of a very small airport without a control tower because then you basically just listen to the radio and wait your turn to take off. Landing has a priority over takeoff because of the fact that the pilot flying might be out of fuel or might be having some kind of emergency. So, if you are waiting on the ground you watch to see who is near to landing so they don't land on top of you in an emergency when you don't have a control tower telling you when to land or takeoff by radio.
So, once you are in the air and are clear of the landing and takeoff patterns for your airport then you have to make sure you are out of the landing and takeoff patterns for every other airport you might fly over. Usually as a small plane you want to avoid being near any large airport because jet wash can and will rip the wings right off your plane if you get too close to a big jet landing or taking off.
Once you are clear of all bigger airports for your safety for all those in your plane but also for the safety of bigger planes and everyone on the ground, you can head towards your destination as the crow flies as you wish.
However, you have to be on a useful altitude to do this. If you are just practicing landings and takeoffs as a student pilot you might not be flying most of the time above 2500 to 3000 feet while doing takeoffs and landings.
However, it might be useful to you to be flying around 3500 to 10,000 feet or higher as you move towards your destination.
Why is this?
At altitudes above 3500 feet there is usually less traffic (at least in small planes) and if you are out of the takeoff and landing patterns for larger airports with jets flying, 3500 to about 10,000 feet is a fairly safe altitude region to be flying in.
It is important to note that flying generally will be smoother the higher altitudes you are flying at with generally less bumps. Because air currents tend to be the most bumpy under 10,000 feet partly because air is more dense below 10,000 feet. However, if you don't have oxygen canisters on board your plane be careful above 7000 to 10,000 feet in altitude because you still have to breathe and to keep your brain working and alert.
When you fly in a passenger jet at altitude often they set the air pressure at around 7000 feet which makes people get drunk more easily if they drink alcohol but also tends to calm down people in the plane because of the lower air pressure.
So, if you are piloting a small plane you have to make sure you are low enough in altitude to stay functional as a pilot in all conditions you might encounter including a potential emergency of some kind.
Because remember flying a plane is about as unforgiving a thing to do that you might imagine.
If you have trouble with your car you just put on the brakes and stop.
But, if you are flying a plane it might be 10 minutes to hours before you have a place to stop and fix whatever is wrong.
So, remember there isn't any pulling to the side of the road in about 10 seconds to 30 seconds and stopping. Stopping might be 15 to 30 minutes to hours away depending upon what you are flying over.
Until the last week or so this was the most well read article I wrote or compiled here at this blog at the following word button:
Cessna 152
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