The Lougheads decided to demonstrate the long-range potential of the F-lA by making the first flight from Santa Barbara to Washington, D.C. Their crew included pilot Orvar Meyerhoffer, co-pilot Aaron R. Ferneau, and mechanic Leo G. Flint. They departed Santa Barbara on November 23 and crossed the Coastal Mountains. En route they encountered severe weather, but the weather cleared when they crossed the Colorado River at Yuma, Arizona.