REFLECTOR: Altitude

[Douglas Holub]

Ruben,

I've got a Standard FG with a retractable nose gear and an IOX-360 nominally 185 hp, but with electronic ignition I think it's closer to 195 hp. It's only 1280 lbs empty. We flew over the Rockies two summers ago by following I-90 from Billings to Spokane. There is a string of airports along I-90; it seems that we were never more than 20 minutes from an airport, which gave me some comfort because the terrain is generally pretty treacherous. (The fuel filter clogged up at 10,000 feet near Anaconda, MT and I had to make an emergency landing at an unattended airport, but that's another story....)

I took AOPA's online mountain flying course and I recommend it.  But my strategy to avoiding adverse windward or leeward effects was to fly higher than the mountains. At about 14,000 feet the airplane felt like it was balancing or teetering on the air, and I seem to remember it was only climbing about 200 or 300 fpm with my wife and a lot of luggage. It was a hot summer day. It felt a little squirrelly and I was glad when we could start descending once we got to Couer D'Alene. My wings are a little smaller than standard. (They are pre-cuff wings without the retrofit leading edge cuffs.)   

We came home by way of Pendleton, Oregon and Boise, Idaho and then followed I-80 east of Salt Lake City until we got to Cheyenne. Much better route. The terrain isn't as treacherous, the mountains aren't as high, and we were never over mountains more than 30 minutes at a time.

Doug Holub
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Ruben Creus 
  To: reflector at tvbf.org 
  Sent: Thursday, September 15, 2011 12:11 AM
  Subject: REFLECTOR: Altitude


  Hi all, 

   

  I am planning a trip to the West coast from the East coast and it happens the Rocky Mountains are in the between. I have a SE-FG with an IO-360 180HP. I wonder if anyone has any experience climbing to 16,000ft (the max. ceiling) with this type of configuration and what performance is to expect climbing and cruising at that altitude. I can climb fine to 9,000ft or 10,000ft but never gone above. I have also looked at the Aerox oxygen system, it seems very compact. The other issue would be taking off at fields that are at 7,000ft. Certainly they have long runways.

   

  So, I wonder if there is anyone in that area who could share their experience in this type of adventure.  

   

  Thanks.

   

  Ruben Creus

  N21VA 



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