Mountain Flying

[AZtailwind]

Originally Posted by jerpo1

Hello everyone,

I just got back from a ski trip in Vail, Colorado and absolutely loved it! I am now looking to make a return trip to the Rockies in my RV10 and fly into Leadville airport and stay and ski at Copper Mountain. My plane is a simple VFR plane and I am a low time pilot(200 hours). Any tips and advice is appreciated. Any suggestions for sight seeing and things to do are also appreciated! I am a flatlander in Missouri so this is a West trip for us. Thanks!

For just asking the question: You have already put yourself in a good position- to fly the mountains. What everyone has said is true. No substituent for training and experience. You also have a very capable airplane- the RV10! Even at that: I would not go into Leadville with my first trip at full weight with Ski equipment(three passengers +). Know what to expect: Expect that acceleration and climb rate will be much slower. The visual of airspeed on landing will be much faster. The airspeed will not lie but your visual brain will be saying- This is too fast/long/ slow acceleration etc. Great experience for you, know what to expect- be conservative.

[BobTurner]

The visual of airspeed on landing will be much faster. The airspeed will not lie but your visual brain will be saying- This is too fast/long/ slow acceleration etc. Great experience for you, know what to expect- be conservative.

Just to be clear, it will look faster because your true airspeed really will be faster. But you need that extra speed, to make up for the lower air density. Your airspeed indicator (IAS) will automatically make the correction for you. Fly the same IAS you would at home; just don't be surprised when the true airspeed looks (and is) higher than you're used to. Same for takeoff.

[Charles in SC]

If you get a chance Bonneville salt flats are a cool view to fly over.

[aturner]

Good choice. We have flown our RV-10 into Leadville several times now and it has become one of our favorite destinations. We?ve skied at Ski Cooper, but also visited in summer to camp in the mountains and climb the peaks. We?ve now climbed six of the fourteeners in the area. It all really has been a great experience for my family. We will make a couple more visits in the coming year







The performance of the RV-10 makes the altitude pretty much a non factor, but you need to think about weather and turbulence. The airport sits in a broad valley ringed by 14000 ft peaks. We come in over the peaks, but if you have winds or clouds the easier approach would be up the valley from the south. Drop me an email at aturner@clarion.edu if you want to talk in detail about places to stay and things to do.

[jpowell13]

As one flat lander to another, print out a Koch chart and use it before taking off. Otherwise you're just guessing. Also, the terrain may look flat in the direction you plan to take off. Check and make sure it's not rising in that direction. It may rise faster than you can climb at very high density altitudes. John

[BCP Boys]

Jerpo,
As others have said, there is no substitute for training. Take at least a half day course. This is just an example of what you may experience on a "nice" day in the Winter flying in the mountains. This is just to show you a sample of what an updraft and downdraft can do... it can much much more severe than this. Consider this to be for entertainment only: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xlo2wWGuPYM

[Caveman]

Originally Posted by jerpo1

Any suggestions for sight seeing and things to do are also appreciated! I am a flatlander in Missouri so this is a West trip for us. Thanks!

Flat lander from Oklahoma here...

I've landed at Leadville once but we've flown in to Buena Vista (KAEJ) half a dozen times over the last year in our RV-7. I think I saw TShort's RV 10 there at least once. I have been landing at La Junta (KLHX) and topping off the tanks and re-evaluating wx before entering the mountains west of canon city. This leaves me with a lighter fuel load when taking off for the trip home, which I can still do non-stop. We follow the highway to Cotopaxi on the way in and turn North up the Arkansas river valley towards Salida. There are two private strips near Cotopaxi as well as KANK (Salida) that might serve in case of emergency. You've gotten good advice on the mountain flying portion of your inquiry. There are AWOS stations at Monarch Pass and Cottonwood pass that I find useful. In the winter months winds & turbulence can be fierce. Frost the on wings and engine pre-heat should be considered. I've started requesting a hangar if available in winter. Pay heed to what the other VAF'ers have said.

As far as things to do: River rafting is huge during the summer, Mount Princeton hot springs, jeep, atv, & snowmobile rentals with hundreds of miles of trails, wildlife watching and or hunting, gold medal trout waters, indoor and outdoor concerts, hiking and camping, antique shopping, I could go on. Lots of old mines and gorgeous mountain scenery. For skiing, Monarch and Breckenridge are about an hour from BV. Eatery wise there are Quincy's Steakhouses in both Leadville and Buena Vista. The Golden Burrow is a very good eating place in Leadville. Locals (and us) like Jan's Family Restaurant in BV. Salida is 30 miles or so south of BV with more population and lots of bars and craft beer and more hot springs. I'm just scratching the surface. At my age just setting out on the patio drinking a hot drink watching the amazing night sky in the evening or coffee or hot chocolate in the morning watching wildlife is enough reason to make the trip.

Two books I'd recommend are Sparky Imeson's "Mountain Flying Bible" and "Flying Colorado Mountain Weather" by Margret W. Lamb.

Respect the mountains. Monarch pass alone has had nearly 20 accidents:

https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/...2-c2be1ffbcf5d

PM if you'd like more information.

Thanks,

Joe

[robertahegy]

Back in 2004 we contacted an instructor through the Colorado Pilots Association. The pilot I flew with was a weather briefer at Centennial so we flew out of there. I spent the morning with Bill Dunn and we flew to Kremmling, Glenwood Springs, Leadville (fuel up full here), and Aspen landing at all four. It was Great!! and I learned a lot. Time and money well spent for peace of mind and safety.

Roberta