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From: connors@drutx.UUCP (ConnorsPA)
Newsgroups: net.aviation
Subject: Re: mountain flying
Message-ID: <530@drutx.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 27-Jun-84 14:52:03 EDT
Article-I.D.: drutx.530
Posted: Wed Jun 27 14:52:03 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 28-Jun-84 05:58:42 EDT
Organization: AT&T Information Systems Laboratories, Denver
Lines: 25

[ Black Flag.]

	Here at the edge of the Rockies, there are numerous
courses available to teach mountain flying. They typically consist
of some bookwork, followed by a 2-3 hour dual flight to some typical
mountain airports.
	I am taking a course from Rocky Mountain Piper
sometime next month. The flight will be from Jeffco (just NW
of Denver) to Glenwood Springs, Aspen, and Leadville (highest
airport in North America). We'll be going in a Piper Dakota.
This has only a 235hp normally-aspirated engine, so we start in
the early morning (before the density altitude gets too horrible).
The route of the flight will carefully wend its way around
the 14,000 foot peaks all too common around here.
	Flying in a summer afternoon would require VERY careful calculations.
At 12,000 feet and 60F, the density altitiude is 14,500 feet.
In these conditions, and at max. gross weight, the Dakota
climbs at about 200fpm. A simple climb of 1000 feet would
need careful anticipation. Something like a Piper Archer (with 180hp),
probably wouldn't climb at all.

		Paul Connors
		AGS Computers / AT&T Information Systems
		Denver, Colorado.