Mountain Instrument Flying Courses
Can using too much automation be a bad thing? In some cases perhaps. Here in Eagle Colorado, I provide instrument flying classes, as well as courses for mountain flying. Occasionally I have the opportunity to blend the two and address the specifics of flying instruments in the mountains, more specifically in lower performance piston aircraft.
In recent weeks I've had the opportunity to get a Cirrus checkout, and then go though Cirrus Standardized Instructor (CSIP) training with another flight instructor. On a couple flights I was a back seat observer watching the other instructor being checked out and the instructing instructor go through the paces of the CSIP checkout.
During one of the flights (a night profile), the two instructors (one flying, one teaching) setup a monument to automation by having the Cirrus fly a hands off GPS approach with the lateral and vertical modes of the autopilot coupled to the GPS, and then had the Cirrus calculate the wind correction angle, fly the correction, with vertical step-downs.
Now, while I was mildly impressed with the automation they had programmed in, what wasn't terribly impressive is that the approach controller passed them to the tower controller, and they acknowledged the handoff but never called the tower.
Now, I don't like being a backseat pilot, but at a half mile final I had to ask "You guys gonna get a clearance to land?" They did, and the flight ended uneventfully. Doesn't that completely illustrate an age-old principal... two CFIs in the front, and no-one flying the airplane. They were both playing the role of the instructor. The second principal that seemed relevant was a newer one.
This flight got me thinking about all the automation in this little Cirrus SR-22. Wow! MFD, PFD, moving map, XM, charts, 2 GPS units, an autopilot with all the modes, and all the electronics talk to each other.
My observation is that use of all these tools leads to a great deal of heads down time. Now, in an IMC environment that may be ok, because the flight needs to be orchestrated through the instrumentation. The issue is that there are a good deal of VFR pilots conducting VFR flights in VMC, but are spending a good deal of their time with the head in the cockpit rather than looking out the window for traffic, keeping situational awareness of their visual surroundings, communicating, looking for the potential landing site, overall just using their most important tool (visual sight) to gather information about their flight.
With all this new automation, pilots need to remember to look out the window and not get buried looking at computer displays. I submit that the above potential incident was due entirely to not looking out the window. The pilots did not have positional or situational awareness. Had they been looking out the window it would have been obvious what needed to happen as the runway grew bigger in the window.
Glenwood Springs Flying Club
Depending upon what your specific goals and plan is, joining the Glenwood Springs Flying club may or may not be right for you.
Essentially, the club has about 15 members and 2 early 70's aircraft. Both aircraft are Cherokee 235's. The aircraft are older, and given the small number of users they are readily available. Buying into this club (a 1/20th share) is about $3000, and once you are a member you operate the aircraft for cost (roughly $120/hour fuel included), you'll also be responsible for monthly minimums, and quarterly fees.
Now the benefit of this club is that their aircraft, Cherokee 235's are very capable, and after you have your license then you'll have a plane to fly.
Unfortunately, many people join this club just to learn to fly, thinking that they can sell their membership later - very few ever do, finding a buyer for your membership if you want to get out of the club later is nearly impossible.
Now if your entire goal is to just learn to fly, and you're really not interested in owning an aircraft there are better avenues that will cost you less.
As an example, we rent our Diamond Katana DA-20-C1 Katana Evolution for $129 per hour, fuel included. If you purchase in a 10 hour block you can rent the Katana for $119/hour. As you can see, as a member of the club you'll be paying nearly $120 per hour to fly a 40 year old airplane, mean while you could be spending the same and flying a thirty year newer aircraft, and you didn't have to buy-in for $3000, and you don't have monthly minimums, and you don't have quarterly dues.
There are some other advantages learning in the Katana at Eagle - First, students in glenwood spend a good deal of time travelling to the larger runways of Eagle and Rifle to practice landings because student practice is difficult and time consuming at Glenwood Springs because of it's runway length and placement in the valley. Learning at Eagle means you spend more time practicing and less time commuting to other airports. The result is that your training time is less, and therefore the cost is less. The second major advantage that the Katana provides is a simpler aircraft that is easier to learn in. This means you get through your training faster as well.
If you're considering learning to fly, we would like to invite you to come out to Eagle airport and take a discovery/intro flight. You'll have a chance to meet our instructors, fly the plane for an hour, see our training curriculum, and get all your questions answered. We offer discovery flights that are 1 hour of flight time and 2 hours of instructor time for $199.00. Call 970-401-5105 to schedule one today.
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