California woman is solo flying her Cessna 140 in epic US coast-to-coast journey
Published on Feb 25, 2026 at 11:08 AM (UTC+4)
by Jason Fan
Last updated on Feb 25, 2026 at 11:08 AM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Jason Fan
Flying a vintage Cessna 140 on a solo flight across a coast-to-coast route is not exactly the easiest way to cross the country.
But that is precisely what YouTuber Xyla Foxlin decided to do.
Instead of loading her 1946 taildragger onto a trailer or booking an airline ticket, she pointed its 85-horsepower nose west and started flying.
While it took her a lot longer, it turned out to be the journey of a lifetime.
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A journey of this magnitude requires plenty of planning
The aircraft at the center of it all, a Cessna 140, is about as charming and unforgiving as vintage flying gets.
With just 85 horsepower pulling it through mountain passes and desert thermals, every takeoff and landing demands precision.
Crossing the Continental Divide at 10,000 feet is no small task in any airplane, let alone one built in the years just after World War II.
Foxlin’s route took her from New York City across the Appalachians, through Nashville and Arkansas, onward to New Mexico, Arizona, and finally California.
The most dramatic leg involved threading her way past Albuquerque, climbing toward the Divide, and riding bumpy mountain air with bailout airports carefully planned along the way.
Density altitude near 8,000 feet made landings trickier, especially in places like Sedona, where the runway sits atop a mesa and the scenery looks almost unreal.
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Cruising in the Cessna 140 wasn’t exactly comfortable
And then came the desert.
Temperatures soared above 100 degrees Fahrenheit near Lake Havasu.
Her iPad overheated, and her engine oil temperature crept up while turbulence tossed the little Cessna around.
At one point, she admitted it was some of the worst flying of the trip.
As much as her video makes it look like everything was smooth sailing, it was actually incredibly demanding.
Of course, that’s exactly what makes her achievement so remarkable.
General aviation offers freedom that airline passengers rarely consider, but it also demands preparation and humility.
Foxlin openly shared that while she was flying solo, she relied on a network of experienced pilots for advice and support.
Even the boldest aviators do not go it alone mentally.
After the final mountain crossing and a challenging descent into Southern California, she touched down home.
In a 70-year-old Cessna 140 with less horsepower than many family sedans, she managed to cross from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
If you want to check out the full coast-to-coast journey, you can watch it below:
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Jason joined the editorial team at Supercar Blondie in April 2025 as a Content Writer. As part of the growing editorial team working in Australia, and in synergy with team members in Dubai, the UK, and elsewhere in the world, he helps keep the site running 24/7, injecting his renowned accuracy and energy into every shift.
