Daniel,

I have been reading the various posts about your trip from Seattle to Ft. Myers, and have been struck by the number of times that you appear to have been surprised or caught off guard by some of the things that happened while flying through the Rockies. This has been a recurring theme over the years by other posters making their first mountain flights.

I would suggest to all that the time to learn about this stuff is in a mountain flying class before the trip, rather than learning on the fly(so to speak:)). Mountain flying can be a beautiful experience, and there is nothing terribly difficult in learning how to do it, but lack of knowledge can kill you.


Jim Berry
RV-10
 
N15JB said:
Daniel,
I would suggest to all that the time to learn about this stuff is in a mountain flying class before the trip, rather than learning on the fly(so to speak:)). Mountain flying can be a beautiful experience, and there is nothing terribly difficult in learning how to do it, but lack of knowledge can kill you.
Jim Berry
RV-10
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Great advice,
I took one such class after flying over Glacier national park on a sightseeing trip a couple of years ago. The weather in short distance away can change or be different significantly. At some point in our flight, with full power applied, we were still descending/sinking at 2500 fpm, probably the scariest moment I have so far been in our RV. I had never thought I could not hold attitude in my RV but luckily we had a lot of AGL to get out of the downdraft safely.
 
Couldn't Get Down

I had the opposite problem coming over the Sandia Mountain just east of ABQ last year...in a Bonanza. I couldn't get the plane to descend because of the updrafts on the west windward side of the mountain. I had the gear out, approach flaps out and power off and I still had to wait until I flew out of the updraft to be able to get down to the airport. Then I made the mistake of going full rich for just a second on final approach...that will get your attention as well. Even though I knew I was at altitude, habit prevailed and I pushed the red lever forward and almost killed the engine in the process. Gotta think about what you're doing in the mountainous areas, for sure
 
Took the course and

Still had a few exciting trips before I learned to read the WX, particularly winds and diagnostic clouds.

I'd advise folks to ask a vet for go/no go advice for the first few trips.
 
I have now crossed the Rocky mountains (through southern Montana most times) 7 or 8 times in an RV-12, and many more times in other RV's.

With a bit of advanced research and planning, and choosing proper routes, it can be no more exciting than in most any other RV.
 
Daniel, just pay a lot of attention to the winds. Give yourself a modest upper limit and if the forecast is above that, don't go.

Dave
 
zav6a said:
Still had a few exciting trips before I learned to read the WX, particularly winds and diagnostic clouds.

I'd advise folks to ask a vet for go/no go advice for the first few trips.
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Duayne,

I asked our vet, and he said he knew about cats and dogs, but suggested I talk to a urologist about go/no go advice.

Jim Berry
RV-10
 
Too much for this early in the morning, I spewed my coffee all over the keyboard:mad:
N15JB said:
Duayne,

I asked our vet, and he said he knew about cats and dogs, but suggested I talk to a urologist about go/no go advice.

Jim Berry
RV-10
Click to expand...
 
rvbuilder2002 said:
I have now crossed the Rocky mountains (through southern Montana most times) 7 or 8 times in an RV-12, and many more times in other RV's.

With a bit of advanced research and planning, and choosing proper routes, it can be no more exciting than in most any other RV.
Click to expand...
Scott,

What route do you normally take?

Thanks,

Dave
 
I've made 4 flights across the Rockies in my -6 thus far... two round trips from TX to Idaho and back. The route along I-80 across southern Wyoming works pretty well with one obvious caveat... don't do it in the heat of the afternoon or if the winds are high. Both my return trips back home, eastbound across southern WY and around the east side of Denver and then southeast towards TX have been in late afternoon, in mid-June, the most recent one being yesterday! Hmmm..... now what was that famous (and mis-attributed to) Albert Einstein quote about the definition of insanity?
 
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