Falcon Field - Phoenix - Sedona / Cessna 182RG II (N7049S) / VFR

I shuttled this aircraft back to Phoenix in a very short, uneventful flight, then parked over at Cutter Aviation for a while. Later, I fired it back up after filing VFR for Sedona, and made an uneventful departure from Sky Harbor.

I've been back and forth between Phoenix and Sedona many times. It sure is a lot easier during the day. It was misty above me but clear below. I climbed to 4500 to stay below the Class B as I turned towards Bartlett Lake, then up to 6500, where I remained for the rest of the flight. As long as you stay in the Verde River valley, 6500 is plenty. One of the disadvantages of filing IFR for this flight is that you get stuck with these really high MEAs, which require that I break out the oxygen to be on the safe side (sometimes even for my passengers), and require long climbs and descents that are bothersome in a small Cessna. Still, at nighttime, I'd be a lot higher, and perhaps IFR, anyway.

It was really windy as I closed in on Sedona, and it got pretty bumpy during the approach. I managed to land smoothly, however.