REFLECTOR: Altitude

[Douglas Holub]

I learned a lesson when we flew from Spokane to Seattle. I'm a VFR pilot. I checked the weather in Seattle and it was 3,000 feet overcast. The ceiling was plenty high, right? Yes, if you're flying in central Texas. 

It was CAVU from Spokane to the Cascades. We stopped for lunch in Ellensburg, and then took off over the mountains. As we climbed over the mountains all I could see on the other side was a sea of solid clouds. A 3000 foot ceiling doesn't do a VFR pilot any good if he can't get under it because there's a mountain range in the way. We returned to Ellensburg and waited for the clouds to become broken later in the afternoon.

Doug
  ----- 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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