Advice on flying RV-12 across Rockies

[David Paule]

Watch out for winds aloft. Generally, if it's 20 kts at 12k, it's going to be pretty rough and you might want to try another day.

Also, look at the gradient between the winds at various altitudes. If there's a significant change, like more than say 15 kts, between any two altitudes up to 18k, there could be significant shear - more bumps, perhaps nasty ones.

Dave

[java]

I fly a fair amount in the mountains, though north of your planned path so I don't have any insight on desirable routes. Some good tips already that I'll echo and add a few more...

Winds that are not an issue over flat lands can create significant mechanical turbulence that at best are not fun in a light plane, and at worst can be dangerous. Make sure you check winds aloft.

When flying through a valley, stay to one side (generally the right side, but if winds dictate then whichever side is windward, in order to take advantage of updrafts and avoid the lee side turbulence and downdrafts). It gives you more room to do a 180 should it be required.

Cross ridges at a 45 degree angle instead of perpendicular. Easier to turn away should you need to.

Make sure you know your way so that you don't find yourself trapped in a valley with rising terrain that exceeds your climb capability. Following roads is a good idea.

Weather in general deserves more respect in the mountains. Rising terrain and lowering clouds is a bad recipe.

It's a good idea to have emergency gear suited to the terrain, should you end up on the ground. It can be cold and remote in the mountains.

If you can swing it, get some training from someone who is proficient in mountain flying. At the very least, I'd recommend reading Sparky Imeson's excellent "Mountain Flying Bible".

http://www.amazon.com/Mountain-Flyin...n+flying+bible

While mountain flying has elements to be wary of, on a nice day it can be some of the most beautiful scenery you can imagine and is an experience not to be missed. Enjoy, and let us know how it goes!



Circling Mt. Assiniboine at 12k ft...

[bret]

X2 on O2. Before you go, take a CFI I up to 10K for an hr and have him do mental test-tasks, I play here in the Sierra Nevada Mt range 7.5 to 12.5 and still get hints of hypoxia ( and I live and work at 7K) Hypoxia is nothing to play around with!

[Ironflight]

All good info here - another simple thing would to ask Mike Seeger or any of the Van's pilots when you are out there for your transition training - they fly all of the RV's to Oshkosh every year, and know the routes very well.

[delaunj53]

Thanks all. I need to digest all of the info you have shared. John, I have 175 flatland hours, no prob with x-c and have read all I can find about the sky view but it would be nice to find a simulator for it like Garmin has before I get to Oregon.
Jmd

[jabodine]

I live in western Montana and its simple. Study the charts and select a route with the widest valleys with major roads. And remember: altitude is your friend. Oxygen at even moderate altitudes is invaluable.

Best regards,
Jonathan Bodine

[BCP Boys]

If there is any way you can take a transition pilot or at the very least someone who has done cross country before, you will find that you will enjoy your trip so much more and will learn valuable lessons that we here can't possibly cover . I just did a trip last month from Southern Cal to Georgia with my new RV7 and took the Arizona/NM route . . . I learned 3 very important lessons:
1. Although it's a great idea to plan your route ahead with backups and check weather, etc. just know and expect to change everything... new airports, new routes, etc to avoid weather, wind, turbulence, so many different things that will make you change your plans. You need to have the right tools to be able to make changes quickly, especially when in the air.
2. You should not have a deadline or a firm schedule. Be flexible... it may take 2 days, it may take 3, it may take 5. VFR pilots generally get in trouble when they "have to get there".
3. Without a 2nd pilot to help you when things get tough (like weather) you will be very busy and be prone to making mistakes. Make it a priority to take another good pilot or pay someone to transition you on the way. You won't regret it.

[bill v]

i live in michigan and went to oregon in perfect weather but if you are thiinking of the terrain you will find the appalations west of you are worse then the rockies if you choose your route with terrain as your concern the first three hours west of virginia are all trees and no were to sit down as the roads are covered by trees. then if you go to cody wyoming its all farm ground or range then if you follow the road into yellowstone and go southwest to driggs it is like the apalations hills and coverd by trees but in a short time its farm country with irigation circles then from driggs to boise its flat desert with lava flows and a highway most of the time at boise more farm country then eastern oregon is like the appalations but no trees only range land with ravines, you see mount hood in the distance but its hours away go past mount hood and you have trees but ahead is flat farm land around portland. I never went above ten thousand and had two thousand under me most of the time. i came home farther north and that was rough terrain (walla walla to bozeman). Michigan to the west side of the appalations was two hours with nothing but trees under me but i would say it was less then that for the whole trip to oregon. I wrote going west because that is how i did it but you would reverse it, east of cody is a high range but you can go south of it. you are below the ridges going from cody into yellowstone but the road is under you. i was amazed at how close the farm country is to the southwest of yellowstone and how gentile hills were out of yellowstone. from driggs to boise its flat off to the north its very moutainous but not under you. east of driggs are the tetons when i went they were hidden by smoke. this was my only issuse tfr's coused by fire, Weather can change everything but this route is great and i had no feelings of concern about terrrain. i started crossing lake michigan after the trip to west virgina because on that trip looking down i remember thinking i could better crash in the lake then all those trees.

[Jerry Cochran]

In the past 35+years we have flown the route from Oregon to Billings. MT and back maybe 20 times usually in August. We flew it in C-172's a few times when it was a chore to get up to altitude as we wanted to get from Spokane over to Missoula around 12K feet. Having the Interstate right below us was good insurance, I felt. I would not call the lightly wing-loaded 172 a good ride in turb but ok and if the RV-12 is similar, keep your seatbelt tight.

When we got into RV-6a's the ride itself was nice, a few 2g bumps and the climb abilities made things easy. Knowing one has a 6g wing is very comforting, I gotta say, and even a rough ride is kinda fun...

However, You have to watch the wx in August, it can be iffy with scattered cells. Best fly early if they are around. We didn't have Nexrad so it was all mark 11 Eyeballs.

Might have been coincidence, but a few trips seemed to get stalled around Bozeman both ways...

Anyway, gorgeous vistas everywhere and totally enjoyable, When you get to Billings, most flat after that. Cheap gas at Laurel, MT.

Good luck,

[the_other_dougreeves]

Lots of good advice here.

My additions: Over the more mountainous areas, launch at civil twilight in the morning and take a long lunch break from about 1 to 5 pm. Then, if you're so inclined, fly another leg to your overnight. That keeps you our of the worst of the thermal-based and up-slope flow turbulence, and out of the worst of the +TSRA. Getting beat up by bumps for hours at a time sucks - no other word for it, and convective activity does not mix with LSA.

Fly high too. O2 is your friend, even during the day. Even a few minutes of O2 before descending from 3hr at 9500ft can really perk up your brain.

Pick some good overnight spots so you won't mind stopping. AIA and BFF are some of my favs stops on the way to/from BZN - good FBOs, friendly towns, plenty of crosswind runways (always a good thing in a LSA!).

Originally Posted by java

Circling Mt. Assiniboine at 12k ft...

I spent a week at the Lodge last summer, and it was the first thing we saw when exiting the Cabin.

TODR