kentb

kentb

Well Known Member
I may be able to fly to Air Venture this year and will be camping if I do.
I could spend some of my flight as high as 18,000 ft (going over the Rockies, avoiding weather).
I have O2 so I have that covered.

What I would like to know from other that have flown that high is what can be carried that high without worrying about the container rupturing?

Bottled water
Canned pop
Other food containers that can or can't survive

Any other do or dont's for high flight?

Kent
 
Altitude

I'd avoid anything with fizz or aerosol. I've seen these products do okay, and I've seen them blow up...and it's a mess when they do!

The water will be fine unless it's been opened. Once water has been opened I'd recommend equalizing pressure in the bottle on climb/descent by loosening the cap every couple of minutes.

Chips, etc. in bags can split, depending on the quality of the packaging. You can put them in large freezer bags for insurance. Pringle cans do well-just poke a small hole in the seal under the lid.

Mike
 
Transporter said:
The water will be fine unless it's been opened. Once water has been opened I'd recommend equalizing pressure in the bottle on climb/descent by loosening the cap every couple of minutes.
Click to expand...

Another trick is to remove the cap, squeeze the bottle just enough to get rid of all the air, and put the cap back on while still holding the squeeze.

This will work for most any liquid.

As above, no fizzy stuff.
 
Chips will blow. Just happened to me yesterday.(17.5k') I was pissed. was my only food. It didnt not leak, it burst. Made a huge mess.
Other comments are correct. Any fizz and you might as well bring a firehose for cleaning.
I have had my water spray bottle used for windshield cleaning also blow the cap and break the squeeze trigger. Rats!
 
Shampoo, Etc.

I use small Nalgene bottles (approx 2 oz) for shampoo, etc. Bought them from REI (www.rei.com), but they are also available at major sporting goods dealers. They hold enough for a week and fly well when full, but I put them in a freezer bag for insurance. Worked fine up to 14K but haven't tried them at 18K...YMMV.

Mike
 
Flight levels items

Every time I overnight somewhere, my luggage stays in the unpressurized nose compartment of my C425. We usually fly at FL250. I never have a problem with shaving creme, shampoo , toothpaste, etc. The only issue is gel-stick deodorant. If I leave it scrolled up to where I use it, it will expand into the lid. If I scroll it down 5 or 6 times, not an issue. Nothing else has ever given me a problem, spray starch, mouthwash, shampoo, hand lotion, etc.

YMMV :eek:
 
Cheesy poofs!

I can't help but laugh thinking of the TV commercial where the guy sits on a bag of cheetos and you see the office go orange IFR! LOL
 
Wondering

Wondering (assume no head or tail wind) what your ground speed and fuel burn will be at that altitude?

With a lapse rate of 2 degrees C per thousand - you might want a sweater if your heater is not a potent one.

:eek:Might need some Gas-X if you have a co-pilot.:eek:
 
That water's mighty cold....deep too!

Took my RV4 to 20K (filed for a block 18-23) way back in 97' with 150HP/wood prop, N02 bottle giving a bit of boost, attempting an NAA record." No worries except VERY COLD. You definitely need a good heater or snowmobile suit.

My Dos Centavos...

Smokey
HR2

PS: Try taking your shaving kit to 49K in an unpressurized travel pod sometime...:)
 
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If it can leak it will.
Best continuous ground speed for me was at 17500. Great Falls Montana (KGTF) to Debuque Iowa (KDBQ). 2 hours 43 minutes. Last fall. You do the math.
 
Norman CYYJ said:
If it can leak it will.
Best continuous ground speed for me was at 17500. Great Falls Montana (KGTF) to Debuque Iowa (KDBQ). 2 hours 43 minutes. Last fall. You do the math.
Click to expand...

KGTF->KDBQ direct is 925.6nm. Doing it in 2:43 produces a ground speed of 340kts. And you did this in an RV? Nice!
 
Yes I did it an RV-7. The speed blew me away. I usually stop after 2.5 to 3 hours. Which would have put me at KBIS. When I realized what the ground speed was I planned for Dubuque. ATC was impressed also. The jet stream certainly dipped down that day.
 
any trouble thinking fast enough when you're used to 180kts!!! If you're IFR those turn points could come up pretty dang fast at 340. Hope you were direct.


340! WOW
 
smokyray said:
Try em at 1000 knots GS...usually asking for direct fixes that.:)

Smokey
F16,RV4ormerly
HR2
Click to expand...

That's 'cause all you 'lectric jet jockeys failed basic nav, relying on your confusers...

Now, those of us who flew REAL jets like the Phantom...

<waits patiently for the chest thumping to begin...>

:D
 
Amen brother!

Amen, my hats off to you sir. You guys blazed the trail that the entire Viper community lives by, cept they got rid of the backseater and added confusers. Difference between your generation and mine now is they ask us to laser guide 500 pounders into windows in Fallujah at night on NVG's, without waking the neighbors...while dodging predators, AAA, and ROE.

Confusers are nice sometimes...

Smokey
 
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smokyray said:
Amen, my hats off to you sir. You guys blazed the trail that the entire Viper community lives by,
Click to expand...

... and here I thought you were going to say, "blazed a trail of SMOKE that anyone can see from 100 miles away"..

:)

...cept they got rid of the backseater and added confusers. Difference between your generation and mine now is they ask us to laser guide 500 pounders into windows in Fallujah at night on NVG's, without waking the neighbors...while dodging predators, AAA, and ROE.

Confusers are nice sometimes...

Smokey
Click to expand...

Yes they are and no denying it, and thank you for YOUR service too sir! And bluntly, although I kid you for asking ATC for "Direct" I fly with 2 Garmins and an autopilot in my high-speed withdrawal machine. The first time I flew with a 430 and thought back to low-level in the Eifel with a broken INS, a confused TACAN, a questionable DME and a shiny-new whooso I realized there can be no going back, and good riddance.

However, I'm sure I COULD still naviguess if I HAD to...

:D
 
Steam vs Nuke..

Amazingly, now the F16 IS the F4 and the F22 is the "new fangled" gee whiz jet...:) Rightfully so...

Smokey
 
Thermos

If you are a coffee addict, please don't take a thermos of hot coffee on any flight. Removing the sealed lid is like taking the cap off of a radiator. The sudden loss of pressure may cause the hot liquid to boil.

Don
 
I carry one of those finger tip O2 blood level monitors and check my levels ( and passengers) every 15 mins or so. You can adjust the 02 flow to keep your blood O2 levels above 90, and I like to be around 94.
 
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