Too many times you hear a message like this, " The CAP has ground rescue units and twelve aircraft in the area north of Longs Peak looking for a single engine aircraft with pilot and three passengers missing on a flight from Jeffco to Walden.
The search started early this morning when the FAA reported the aircraft overdue on its flight plan."
- Ceiling and Visability Unlimited
- Light Load (80% Gross or Less)
- Flight Plan in Detail
- Oxygen for the Pilot
- Gain Altitude before Taking Up Your Heading
- Constantly Monitor Your Rate of Climb
Many people think they can win against the mountains. The problem, only mountain sheep can battle the mountains and win and, in some cases they may lose too.
If you visit mountainous country like Colorado you want to leave with a wonderful experience, not the experience mentioned above. Here is a simple example when to attempt and what to monitor!
For you and I, experienced mountain flyers, we don't attempt to out-climb the terrain.
Take the Jeffco to Walden flight route. The flat-lander will plot his course just north of Longs Peak.
He will figure 1000 feet to clear the top. He knows he has to get to 13,500 feet but knowing the rules going West he will go to 14,500 feet.
Back in Michigan he gets a nice rate of climb of 600 feet per minute. Since it is 30 miles to the top and his indicated airpeed is 120 he figures he will have 9,000 feet in the 15 minutes he has.
Whoop-dee-do! You know the rest of the story. As Groucho Marx is famous for, "Don't Bet Your Life on It!"
Since his takeoff altitude is 5,640 feet he is not going to get his 600 feet per minute climb rate. Since it is a long trip he will have a lot of luggage, full tanks and, at best, a rate of climb less than one third of what he is used too.
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