Density Altitude and Mountain Flight Training Courses and Mountain Checkout
Alpine Flight Training in Eagle Colorado provides year-round mountain flying instruction and mountain checkout. We have options for a 1 or two day course. No matter what time of year you come, we'll always we talking about density altitude, even though, the influences of density altitude are most significant in the summer. If you're interested in learning mountain flying and getting a mountain checkout then come to the heart of the Colorado Rockies and fly with Alpine Flight Training.
There are more factors than just Altitude and Temperature
Most people commonly believe there are only two factors related to determining density altitude: field elevation and temperature. The belief that these are the only factors stems from the age-old use of the “density altitude chart” that every pilot encounters in textbooks, on tests, and in aircraft performance manuals.
This chart doesn’t tell the whole story, a pilot also needs to determine the effect on density altitude of humidity and atmospheric pressure.
In reality, humidity and air pressure also impact density altitude, however not to the extent of temperature and field elevation. Combined however the impact of these two factors can be significant.
Today, many of the electronic flight calculators include functions for calculating the actual density altitude. Additionally, there are several web sites with complete density altitude calculators such as the one created by Richard Shelquist that can be found at:
http://wahiduddin.net/calc/calc_da.htm
See Also
- Richard Shelquist Density Altitude Calculator
Density Altitude
Mountain Flying Courses - Eagle Colorado
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.
Our course is taught by Loren French, our instructor with over 2500 hours of mountain flying time. He has ATP rating in single engine airplanes and is a commercial pilot in multi-engine land airplanes, single engine sea airplanes, and gliders.
2 Day Mountain Flying Courses
$749 (your own aircraft) / $1499 (Diamond DA-20)
The two day course includes two full days of instruction, approximately 8-9 hours of flight and 4-5 hours of ground training. Come and visit Colorado and fly into some of the most majestic mountain areas.
The Course Lecture
Our Mountain Flying Course consists of 4-5 hours of ground training spread over two days where you will learn the basics of how to fly in the mountainous terrain. You will learn the fundamentals of performance considerations, mountain weather, navigation, strategies for terrain flying, and perspectives to help you develop a good Go-No-Go Judgment. We'll also cover aspects of mountain flight planning and instrument considerations for mountain flying.
The Course Flight
Each student will then fly two separate routes, one route on each day. The first day, we'll depart Eagle, fly to Steamboat Springs, then to Meeker, Glenwood Springs (depending upon aircraft landing capabilities), and finally Aspen before returning to Eagle. The second day, we will depart Eagle, fly to Leadville, the highest airport in North America, then to Gunnison, North Fork Valley before returning to Eagle. There will also be an option for visiting Telluride along this route.
1 Day Mountain Flying Courses
$399 (your own aircraft) / $799 (Diamond DA-20)
The one day course includes a full day of instruction, approximately 3.5 hours of flight and 4.5 hours of ground training. Come and visit Colorado and fly into some of the most majestic mountain areas, you'll visit four of the most diverse mountain airports that Colorado has to offer in this condensed one day course.
The Course Lecture
Our Mountain Flying Course consists of 4 hours of ground training where you will learn the basics of how to fly in the mountainous terrain. You will learn the fundamentals of performance considerations, mountain weather, navigation, strategies for terrain flying, and perspectives to help you develop a good Go-No-Go Judgment. We'll also cover aspects of mountain flight planning and instrument considerations for mountain flying.
The Course Flight
Each student will then fly a route starting from Eagle flying Tennessee Pass to Leadville, the highest airport in North America, then crossing Hagarman Pass to Aspen, and finally Glenwood Springs before returning to Eagle over Cottonwood Pass. This route crosses the Collegiate mountain range, some of the highest in Colorado between Leadville and Aspen.
Mountain Training Plans
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.
Alpine Flight Training offers private pilot ground and flight training as well as instrument training at the Eagle County Regional Airport located in Eagle Colorado. Our training features a Diamond DA-20 Eclipse, one of the safest training aircraft in the industry, The DA-20 is the primary choice of flight schools through the nation as well as the training airplane for the US Air Force initial flight screening program. We are conveniently located within a short driving distance from Eagle, Gypsum, Glenwood Springs, Avon, Minturn, Vail, Beaver Creek, and Edwards.
Mountain Flying Adventure | AOPA Pilot April 2009
Telluride, Aspen, Leadville & Glenwood Springs Top The List. I was catching up on my reading over the weekend - you know that pile of magazines that never gets read. Much to my delight, the cover story for April 2009 AOPA Pilot is Mountain Flying Adventure - Backcountry Adventure and to Ten most Challenging Airports.
I thought this was a great piece. The second piece was the survey results from asking AOPA members about the most challenging mountain airports. The top four were here in Colorado - Telluride, Aspen, Leadville, and Glenwood Springs.
I thought summary of Telluride, Leadville, and Glenwood Springs was on the money.
I think Aspen was made out to be slightly more complicated than it really is. Outbound traffic (especially piston aircraft in the summer) will not be able to stay right until above the inbound traffic due to the high density altitude. As a result you'll normally follow the Roaring Fork river out of the Valley and watch very closely for in bound aircraft as you cross the extended center line.
Throughout the year I offer instruction for pilots that want to experience mountain flying. I combine several hours of ground instruction with a tour of Colorado's mountain airports and mountain passes. Generally, the tour will visit a variety of airports that each present different challenges. One reason I thought this AOPA article was so neat, is because as part of the training we usually visit each of these four airports.
If you would like to be introduced to mountain flying and visit some of the most challenging airports give us a call.
Safe Mountain Flying
An interesting piece of news reporting from the Denver Post.
A couple days ago the Denver Post printed a story about a Plane Crash near Denver. The following is an excerpt from that article, which a link to has been provided at the bottom of this post.
"Jay Loar, an Erie resident who was goose hunting in an adjacent field, said he saw the plane circle once earlier in the morning and climb steeply into a "stall" maneuver, wherein the plane's engine stalls on the ascent and comes back on during the swift descent."
Reporting like illustrates the types of myth that are perpetuated by the media, the general public, and even some second rate flight instructors. I can't even count the number of times a new student was fearful of the engine quitting during a stall because they had heard a story like this before.
Setting the record straight...
A stall is an aerodynamic event where progressively increasing angle of attack (raising the nose) results in seperation of airflow from the top of the wing. A stall has absolutely nothing to do with the engine. As another instructor (Sandy Hill) put it... "Birds and Gliders can also stall, but neither have an engine."
Recovery from a stall is as simple as lowering the nose of the aircraft, which decreases the angle of attack of the wing, and returns smooth airflow to the top of the wing to restore lift.
Alpine Flight Training focuses on teaching safe Mountain Flying. We are based in Eagle Colorado and offer short multi-day courses that focus on what pilots need to know to be safe when flying in the mountains.
See Also
- Link to Denver Post Article
2 Men Killed in plane crash - 12/25/05
Eagle and Vail Valley Aviation Ground School
Alpine Flight Training, with offices at the Vail Valley Jet Center conducts regular Aviation Ground School sessions. If you would like a schedule or would like to join one our upcoming Aviation Ground Schools please e-mail loren@alpineflighttraining.com or call 970-401-5105. We follow the Jeppessen curriculum for both private pilot and instrument ratings. Classes are generally held in the evening at the Eagle County Airport at the Vail Valley Jet Center in our offices in Hangar 1.
If you are interested in attending our upcoming ground school please call 970-401-5105.
Learning to Fly in Colorado - Proper Communications
Here at Alpine Flight Training in Colorado we work with new pilots every day that are learning to fly. Of all the things that there is to learn about flying it seems one of the most difficult for some people is communicating with ATC on the radio. Not to worry, this come with practice. A great way to pickup the conversation is to spend time listening to air traffic control on a hand held radio.
The bottom line is that proper terminology and read-back procedures increases safety and efficiency.
Several days ago a new student pilot posed the question: "Why does is the communications with ATC so structured, and is it necessary that we follow that structure? Using proper terminology and read-back procedures increases safety and keeps everyone in the know as to your aircraft's intentions and position.
The structure of ATC communications as we know it today is the result of development and research prompted by various accidents caused by confusion resulting from informal communications. These informal communications resulted in misunderstandings between aircraft and controllers and other aircraft.
One such accident that resulted in the development of today's ATC/aircraft communication structure occurred in Tenerife Spain in 1977. On the 27th of March, 1977, two Boeing 747s collided on the runway on the island of Tenerife Spain. One aircraft was engaged in a back-taxi, the second was on take-off roll. The collision resulted in the largest aviation disaster ever excluding the acts of terrorism committed on September 11th, 2001.
I have written a narrative analysis of this accident and provided a link below. I have also provided a link to the accident report.
So to answer my student's question - the formal communication structure is for safety, and yes it is required.
See Also
- 1977 Tenerife Spain Accident Report
Before there were proper communications structure and terminology
Flying over Aspen, Glenwood Springs and Eagle in a Diamond DA-20 Trainer from our Flight School
Checkout our latest video - a trip over the rockies with the fall colors. We're fling in a Diamond DA-20 trainer aircraft. This is the same aircraft we provide primary instruction in for private pilot and instrument ratings. Alpine Flight Training is your flight training and flight school for learning to fly in Aspen, Glenwood Springs, and Eagle. We provide flight instruction for all levels from private pilot, instrument ratings, commercial and flight instructor ratings.
Instrument Rating Eagle Airport | Colorado Mountain Instrument Flying
Considerations When Planning IFR in the MountainsA couple years ago I had a Private Pilot come to Eagle for a two day mountain flight training course. As with all pilots that attend this training, the starting place is a discussion about the type of flying they do, the flying they plan to do, skill level, their goals for the training, and their aircraft.
Based on these conversations I tailor the training to suit each pilot. While every pilot will learn the same basics... mountain weather, density altitude, etc, some things will be different for each student. For example a Malibu driver looking to fly to the Rockies mostly in the winter to ski will have a different training experience than a husky pilot looking for unimproved fields in the summer. Along those same lines the experience will differ from a VFR pilot to a pilot planning to fly IFR.
In this case, the pilot I was working with had a very capable (turbine) aircraft. He planned to fly instrument approaches and departures into mountain airports.
During the first day of training I asked the pilot to fly and instrument departure from Meeker airport. This pilot promptly put on his foggles, throttled forward and got in the air. Within about 15 seconds I knew he was not following the DP, and was just flying runway heading....(as he didn't have the chart out). I asked him to continue with his instrument departure but to please take the foggles of so he could see how this departure was playing out.
5 minutes later his comments were that "I guess maybe my aircraft doesn't have the performance to fly IFR out of mountain airports". I politely responded that I didn't think aircraft performance was the issue.
The next few minutes was a chain of leading questions that lead nowhere. As it turns out, this pilot had spent the last 10 years flying from flat land airports in an aircraft with incredible performance. He was completely unaware that textual departure procedures even existed. In fact he had never even noticed or looked at that section of the NOAA chart book. For this pilot, if there was no SID that meant runway heading, contact atc.
For those of you Jepp users that I just lost... NOAA charts have all the DP's in the front of the book - not like Jepp charts that have them with the airport.
While this a somewhat comical situation, there is a moral to the story. All pilots should seek mountain checkout, not just VFR, and not just those with aircraft short on performance. I offer IFR mountain flying instruction as well as VFR mountain flying instruction.
Consider the how these are influenced by mountainous terrain:
- MSA, MRA, MDA
- SID / DP's - Climb Gradient / Density Altitude / Performance
- Approaches - Steep - VDP's (visual descent points are common)
- Missed Apporoaches - What happens if you go past a VDP and need to go missed? (This is sticky - I'll cover in the next post)
- Circiling Approaches
- Off-Angle Approaches (LOC, VOR and LDA)
- Weather
- Airframe Icing
Watch One Six Right On Hulu For Free
Anyone even remotely interested in learning to fly should see this movie. You can watch One Six Right on Hulu for free, click the image below to begin playing.
Aircraft Rental in Vail Eagle Colorado
If you're just visiting Vail, Glenwood Springs, or the Eagle Valley give us a call. We'll set up a flight with one of our instructors to show you mountain flying first hand. One the most popular trips both summer or winter is a flight to Leadville or Telluride. Leadville Is The highest airport in north America and Telluride is the second highest airport. Both flights provide an excellent scenic experience that combines enjoyment and learning.
Alpine Flight Training offers pilot training and aircraft rental in the Vail Valley. Our aircraft is a Diamond DA-20 Eclipse, commonly referred to as a Katana and is the later generation of the tried and true Katana aircraft. The original Diamond DA-20 Katana was equipped with a 90 hp Rotax 912 engine. The Eclipse version we have at Alpine Flight Training is the C1 model equipped with a 125 hp Continental IO-240 that delivers excellent performance especially useful for Mountain Flying. Our Katana Eclipse, with it's larger engine delivers similar takeoff distances as a Cessna 172 SP, but provides superior climb performance, a faster cruise speed, and a fuel burn nearly 1/2 that of the Cessna 172 SP and a slower landing speed. The Katana was originally inspired by european glider design, and also features superior glide performance of 22:1 compared to the 17:1 glide ratio of the Cessna 172 SP as well as excellent visibility through it's bubble canopy design.