Mountain Flying Basics - getting maximum lift from the wing
As an instructor as well as a student of aviation and all things flight I am always interested in learning as much about aerodynamics as I possibly can, especially when it will help my flying.
One of the airplanes we operate here at Alpine Flight Training in Eagle Colorado is a Cessna Cardinal, the other is a Diamond DA20. The Cardinal has a significant load capability, but when heavily loaded the performance quickly diminishes. One of the challenges of flying the Cardinal is to accurately predict your climb performance prior to departure and then maximize that climb in flight, especially when more heavily loaded.
In talking to an aerodynamics guru I recently learned that generally speaking, ailerons are designed in a manner that when they are fully deflected in the down position the wing is in it's maximum lift configuration. While that fact is interesting about the aileron, what it also means is that if your plane's POH isn't specific about maximum lift flap setting, and easy way to determine this is to place the aileron in the fully deflected position and then lower the flap to match that angle. In the Cardinal, it turns out that maximum lift is a little less than the 10 degrees of flaps settings suggested by the POH for takeoff. As a result, I'll generally takeoff with 10 degrees, then retract the flaps slightly to maximize the climb.
Mountain Flying Basics - Altitude for Pass Crossing
One of the frequent topics that comes up during our mountain flying courses is what is the correct elevation for pass crossing. I'll attempt to make the answer as straight forward as possible however there are several considerations.
The first thing to remember is that we should always keep our airplane in a position to turn towards lower terrain. Now as you approach the pass, many valleys narrow - each one will be different, but the basic premise of pass crossing is that you shouldn't cross the pass until you are at an altitude that is sufficient to allow power off glide to the pass or ridge from your position, at the same time you should not put the airplane in a position where it cannot turn towards lower terrain. So as you approach the pass or ridge, if you arrive at a point where you must turn away from the pass in order to (1) keep the plane in a position to turn towards lower terrain, then you would do exactly that and turn away from the pass because you are (2) not at an altitude that is sufficient to allow a power off glide to the ridge. As you come around again after a circle to gain some altitude you can now see you are high enough to glide to the ridge top, then you can continue up the valley to cross the pass. As you cross the pass, do so at a 45 degree angle if it allows so that you have the option of reversing course back to the side of the pass you came from.
Keep in mind I'm not saying we cross the ridge power off - that's simply the means for determining if we are indeed high enough to warrant continuing towards the pass to cross.
Alpine Flight Training offers a variety of mountain flying clinics, ideally suited to all skill levels. Call 970-401-5105 for more information.
Night Flight in the Mountains
Flying VFR at Night in the Colorado Rockies
Simply from reading the headline some of you may respond "that's crazy." In reality night flight through the mountains can be more dangerous, but there are things a pilot can do to minimize the risk. If you pick the right night, night flight in the mountains can also be very rewarding.
I spent yesterday evening on a flight with a student traveling from Eagle Airport to Grand Junction and back. The flight departed and returned to Eagle in the dark. The flight itself was very enjoyable, and a pleasure to do.
In itself, night flight can be hazardous. Add a crossing of the Colorado Rockies and the hazards only increase. As I told my student, there are things a pilot can do to minimize these hazards and manage the risks; the following are my thoughts on night flight through the mountains...
Night flight in the mountains requires the pilot to be operating at their peak. This is the case for flying skills, planning skills, and medical/psychological condition. If you're not fully 100% up to the task then it's just better to stay home.
Planning...
Planning is essential. Get a weather briefing, file a flight plan, understand the conditions, look at charts, and review forecasts. Review your route, draw it on the map, have nav aid info ready. If you have a GPS, preload the route. Do everything possible to ensure your attention is on flight operations and not on trying to plan a flight as you fly it.
Weather...
In the mountains at night is no time to be second-guessing the weather. If it's not ideal, it's not a good idea. If you're new to night flying in the mountains you may want to make your first voyage on a clear night with a full moon. In the winter, with a full moon there is an amazing amount of visibility because of reflected light off the snow.
Flight Plan...
When you plan your route, plan it with possible outs by over flying many airports. Since airports are generally in the valley and not on the mountain doing so will also keep you over lower terrain where the visual reference of lights is below. Just before you launch open your flight plan. Also, if possible use flight following, ATC can help guide you and keep you out of trouble if problems do arise - remember they're a resource for you. If you paid your taxes then you paid their salary, you have a right to use that service.
Physical Condition...
Make sure you're rested, well fed, and up to the challenge. If that's not the case pick another night. At night I generally fly higher altitudes, crossing the Continental Divide at Corona Pass at night I might fly 15,500 east and 16,500 west. This means have Oxygen! Oh... and use it. Oxygen will make your night vision sharper.... if you don't believe me; go to the USAF Altitude Chamber Training. Another important consideration is to allow your night vision to adapt. I sometimes just sit in the car for 30 minutes in the dark before the flight to accomplish this.
Aircraft Condition & Preflight
Assuming you’ve done everything to mitigate the above risks, the largest remaining risk will be that of an equipment failure like an engine failure. For this reason it’s essential to do a very good job on the preflight inspection. The preflight can be a challenge at night, sometimes it’s helpful to do the preflight before sunset and then wait for it to get dark. Do the most through preflight you know how to do, and then do it again. It’s also a good idea to organize the cockpit so you can find things in the dark. Have lights available to see charts, etc.
The up side of night flight is that it’s easier to find airports, see traffic, and often the air is smoother. A night flight under a full moon through the snow covered Rockies is truly a unique experience that few people get to enjoy. It’s definitely worth the extra work.
Looking & Scanning for Other Air Traffic
Proof that you can never stop looking for other aircraft.
During a lesson today at Eagle Airport as we were taxing back to the ramp a completely unannounced aircraft suddenenly appeared on short final and proceeded to do touch-and-go's. Consider that Eagle Airport is a tower controlled airport with as many as 1000 operations per day. Eagle airport serves a variety of military, airline, corporate, and general aviation aircraft.
The unannouced aircraft was obviously confused about their position, as they probably thought they were in Rifle instead. This incident illustrates the necessity for the pilot to continuously look for traffic in all situations and all types of airspace. Even at controlled airports there is the possibility for controller and pilot mistakes that could put at risk your aircraft.
The pilot should continuously scan the sky in 10 degree increments. In addition, there are obvious places to look for traffic that presents specific hazards. When changing heading look in the direction of the turn and behind for aircraft that may collide from behind and the side. Before taking the runway for takeoff look at the approach course to each end of that runway. On final consider the possiblity of aircraft below or above your aircraft.
Mountain Flying Strategy | Climbing in the Pattern
Earlier today I was hanging out at the funnest place on earth - the Vail Valley Jet Center, and a pilot called the FBO to ask about mountain flying. Well naturally, being the local CFI and being the lobby the phone got passed to me. The VFR pilot on the other end of the line was coming to the area for the first time and wanted to know if climbing in the pattern was something that could be done.
Overall this strategy is a good one, and it's something I've done many times. Simply take off, let the tower know you want to make a lap through the pattern and continue climbing. This is a great way to get to your crossing altitude. Not only does it keep you over friendly terrain, but also keeps you near an ideal landing site. I specifically do this at night quite frequently - I think it's a great strategy for circling over the airfield or city when the lights are below you to gain altitude before departing the area enroute - expecially where there is mountainous terrain.
The only complexity of this strategy really only comes into play if the weather is less than ideal, or the traffic to the airport is heavy. Here's why. You can assume at any given field there are probably a couple instrument approaches, with missed approach procedures. There is also the "go around" flight path to the runway. As you climb in the pattern, you are climbing through airspace that is sometime used for that go around or used for the missed approach. Let's say as a VFR pilot you're in clear airspace directly above the airport, but to the east is a cloud formation and arriving aircraft from the east are on instrument approach. Assuming the arriving aircraft don't see the airport by the missed approach point then they start their go around, then they may pop out of the clouds right where you're circling to climb.
No strategy is perfect, but this an overall good one.
Mountain Flying Instruction, Resources and Seminars
A great online resource for Mountain Flying
I frequently get e-mails asking for recommendations on the best books, online training and videos for the topic of mountain flying. Usually, whenever I schedule a student for the training they also ask... "Should I read anything before I come?"
In terms of books, Sparky Emerson has a couple great books, excellent detail. If you read his series of books on the topic you'll be well versed. If you don't have the time available then another resource I can't promote enough is the AOPA Air Safety Foundation online Mountain Flying Course.
This online course is fantastic. What's better, it can be completed in several hours. While it does not take the place of an in depth study, this online course is an excellent way to prepare for a mountain training course or a way to refresh your knowledge prior to mountain flight.
Of course the best training is by doing, and Alpine Flight Training provides mountain flying seminars of 1 and 2 days in length to give you the practical real-world experience of flying in the mountains. Call for more information at 970-401-5105
See Also
- AOPA Air Safety Mountain Flying Course
Mountain Flying online course
Mountain Flying Instruction
Mountain Flying Course in the Heart of the Colorado Rockies
Have you ever wanted to venture into the mountains with your airplane, but worried that you may not be ready for the challenge? If you want to fly in the mountains, the best idea is to get some mountain flight instruction from a qualified flight instruction that specializes in mountain flying. The team of instructors at Alpine Flight Instruction can provide just that training.
Central Colorado offers incredible natural beauty, from desert mesas to snow-capped 14,000 ft peaks. This landscape also presents a wide variety of challenges for all pilot experience levels. Narrow and sloping runways, one-way airports, density altitudes in excess of 10,000 ft and difficult-to-predict mountain wave will test your decision-making abilities and skills as a pilot.
Safe and enjoyable flying in the mountains requires the right perspective, solid understanding of aircraft performance, the operating environment and most importantly, your abilities as a pilot. The proficient mountain pilot will carefully assess each of these factors when planning a mountain flight.
Call and talk to the instructors at Alpine Flight Training. We will build a training plan ideally suited to any pilot's skill level and experience. Our instructors can provide mountain training in our rental aircraft or in your own aircraft. Additionally, we can arrange to meet you at an airport east or west of the Rockies on the way from where you are coming from.
Instinct and Intuition - A Recipe for Disaster
In the course of going through the most basic pilot training many of us learn that control inputs based on instinct or intuition are often wrong. Some examples of this are the graveyard spiral or recovery from a spin. In the case of each, the natural thing to do is not the correct thing to do. Mountain Flying is very similar, in that the natural and intuitive strategy does not always equate to a good strategy.
The goal of our mountain flight training is to help you develop a different perspective with regards to navigating your aircraft through the mountains. This new perspective will help you develop conditioned responses to keep your aircraft safe as you navigate the mountains. The basic premise is simple....(1) stay in a position to turn to lowering terrain and (2) never fly past the point of no return. While these rules seem simple enough, it takes some practice to develop them into conditioned responses. This conditioning takes time and effort, that is, practice with an experienced mountain pilot. It is not something you go out and do once or twice and figure you have "it." But it is something you can be aware of so that you condition yourself. Keep repeating the rules to yourself, "Stay in a position to turn to lower terrain," while constantly evaluating the flight situation.
Redefining Aircraft Performance and Weather
The second really large area we focus our time on when teaching mountain flying is related to the areas of aircraft performance and weather. With regards to the topics of aircraft performance and weather the goal is to thoroughly review the knowledge areas, and focus specifically on how they apply to mountain flying. Additionally, we'll show you some techniques you can use to improve your flying specifically related to aircraft performance and weather.
Mountain Flying Syllabus
Our mountain flying training is custom tailored to each pilot. Every pilot is different is terms of what they plan to do, and the sort of aircraft they are using, as a result every mountain flying training session is a little different. For this reason we don't have a set training syllabus, however the training syllabus below will provide an overview of many of the topics we cover during mountain flight training. The goal of this course is to provide the pilot with the basic tools of knowledge, skill and judgment to fly safely in mountainous terrain, while having a challenging and rewarding experience.
Course Outline
Mountain Flying Strategy
- Flight Planning
- Navigation Strategies
Takeoff & Landing
- Determining Density Altitude
- Takoff and & Landing Performance
- Climb Performance
- Takeoff Startegy...Ground Effect? Flaps?
- Engine Cooling Issues
- Cross Wind Review
- Runway Gradient & Effect on TO/Land
- Constricted Approches
- Determining Wind Direction and Intensity
- Proper Techniques for Leaning
Flying through Rugged Terrain
- Box Canyons
- Canyon/Valley Turns
- Evaluating and Crossing Ridges & Plateaus
- Weather Factors
Mountain Weather
- Circulation & Pressure Patterns
- Orographic / Solar Effects
- Winds and Mountain Wave
- Diurnal Effect
- Turbulence
Emergencies
- Precautionary and Forced Landings
- Surveying Landing Sites
- Survival Planning
Practice at Mountain Airports
- Leadville, Aspen, Telluride, Glenwood Springs, Steamboat Springs, Meeker, Grandby, Gunnison, Salida, and others depending upon student’s interest.
Diamond DA-20 Katana Training Resources
Following is a link to revision 25 of the Airplane Flight Manual for the DA-20 C1 Katana Eclipse
The following is an excellent supplement to the DA-20 AFM. This is a composite guide to training in the DA-20.
Stall / Spin Training - Eagle Colorado
Thoughts on spin training and unusual stalls.
Yesterday I flew with a pilot to conduct a flight review. We had a discussion about stalls and spins and why understanding the nature of a spin was so important. He was flying a Cessna 210 and one of his comments was basically that he thought he would have to screw up pretty bad to enter a spin. In actuality that's not the case - inadvertent spins commonly occur as a result of an overshoot of final and entry to a cross-controlled stall on the base to final turn. In addition to that common recipe, there are others include flying a given attitude on departure rather than a speed. Hot day, heavy load, bingo... full power-on stall during climb out, add a climbing turn that’s a little uncoordinated and you've got all the ingredients for a spin entry.
I can distill all my thoughts on unintentional spins into one statement.....
If you learn good rudder control and always keep the flight controls coordinated unintentional spins will not occur. (Coordinated means the ball in the center)
Same topic, changing ideas…
This morning NAFI sent me a survey - they sent it to all flight instructors regarding spin training. The survey asked questions about our own spin experience and how we teach spins, and stalls.
The survey is good; it's a good topic worth researching. Several questions on the survey peaked my interest....
Does fear of entering a spins prevent you from teaching certain types of stalls?
Do you get uncomfortable about teaching stalls for fear of spins?
I answered yes to both questions, but my answer was based on considering all the different types of aircraft I teach in.
If I’m teaching in a Seneca I don’t ever want to even come close to a spin – I can’t be sure the aircraft would recover. If it did I wouldn't know how much altitude it would take. Manufacturers of twins don't need to show spin flight characteristics to get the craft certified. So they don't. If Piper wasn't willing to test that, why should I be willing to?
On the other hand, if I’m teaching in a Katana or a 172 then I wouldn’t hesitate to drill every type of stall over and over, and even fly the plane well beyond the initial indication of stall. – Because I know I can recover from the stall and spin without problem!
Conclusions...
I believe that it's important for every pilot to understand the aerodynamics of a spin, the causes, and how to recover. Pilots need to practice cross-controlled stalls, accelerated stalls, secondary stalls, power on, off, dirty, clean, and turning stalls. End of story... pilots need to know this stuff.
That doesn't mean all these things need to be taught in every different aircraft. My personal rule - if the aircraft isn't certified for spins then I don't go beyond power on and power off stalls. If the craft is certified for spins then we do it all, cross-controlled stalls, accelerated stalls, secondary stalls, turning stalls, spins.
So my recommendation to all pilots is that you learn and practice these maneuvers occasionally. That doesn't mean in your Bonanza, Baron, or Seneca, get an aircraft certified for the spins and then if the cross-controlled stall becomes a spin - no biggie.
If you need an aircraft or instructor willing to tackle these topics, come see me and we'll fly use my Katana!
High Density Altitude Takeoff Tip
Flaps... more flaps does not equal more lift.
The other day I was at an FBO and I overheard a conversation between two pilots talking about flying to Denver in the summer. The one pilot who had flew to Denver last summer was relaying his experience. He was flying a 182 into Front Range Airport and said he had a heck of a time departing, because he couldn't get the plane off the ground. Finally, after using over 6,000 feet of runway he lifted off was able to just barely get a climb going.
This pilot had stated that he couldn't understand how any aircraft could ever fly in or out of an airport like Leadville since he had so much trouble going to Denver.
I was intrigued by this conversation and decided to introduce myself as a pilot from Colorado and ask some questions. It turns out the plane was loaded properly, well below gross, the pilot, his wife, and maybe 75-100 pounds of bags. He had taken off into the wind of 7 kts. The temp was 95, and that was a factor to the performance, but as I asked more questions the real problem became evident. This pilot had used 20 degrees of flaps. His thinking was that more was better, and a short field procedure of 10 degrees should be adapted to high altitude procedure of 20 degrees of flaps. WRONG!
The reality of the situation is just the opposite. Generally speaking, the first flap setting usually adds more lift than drag, the second, third or even forth flap settings on most aircraft add more drag than lift. The better procedure would have been to use no flaps, or at the most use the 10 degree setting.
I explained that the 182 is a very capable machine, he just needed a different procedure. I also explained that I had flown 150hp 172's to and from Leadville (not in 95 degree temps though).
So what is a good procedure for takeoff from a high altitude airport? First we'll assume you have evaluated the wind, temp, aircraft performance, weight and balance and have concluded that the attempted takeoff is within the capabilities of the aircraft.
If that's the case then the procedure I like to use is to taxi into position using every available foot of runway, lock the brakes, engine to full power, and flaps in the up position (i'll get to using flaps in a second). When you're ready for the takeoff run, release the brakes. Once you get the aircraft in the air keep it close to the ground to use ground effect to accelerate (Ground effect is a reduction in drag caused by being close to the ground in flight). Once airborne in the ground effect you may want to retract flaps if you had used them as well as landing gear. As the plane accelerates past Vy then it will handle and climb better than if it were at or below Vy.
As you were doing the takeoff run, if you got to the 1/2 way point of the runway and you're not airborne or close to airborne then you can extend the first setting of flaps. The benefit of doing this during the takeoff run is that the aircraft will initially accelerate faster without flaps.
Every aircraft is different, this procedure may not be correct for some aircraft, but this will work well for many small single and multi-engine aircraft.