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Date: 02/04/99 Newsletter No. 02

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Concept: This newsletter is about presenting information on a
wide range of aviation subjects of interest to pilots and/or
aircraft owners. The author has been a pilot for thirty years
with a wide range of flying experience. The author has also
sold General Aviation aircraft for over twenty three years.
Roger W. Carpenter 1901157 ATP, CFI/II (not current),AGI,IGI.
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Published Bi-Monthly.
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        Feature Article:

It appears there is a great interest by many for some tips on
flying in the mountains. Below is a response to a question on
picking an emergency field when flying over mountainous
terrain. I have expanded my response to give some additional
general tips on flying where the clouds have big rocks inside.

Phil:

I have flown out of Denver, CO for many years to include Part
135 flying in single engine and light piston twins. Some food
for thought. These tips are not in any particular order. Just
some ideas as they come to mind.

1. Go up high and power back. Practice glides poweroff. Determine
the airspeed that gives the slowest rate of decent, the airspeed
that gives the most horizontal distance for altitude loss etc.
Remember -impact energy varies directly with the square of the
speed. The slower you impact has a dramatic effect on impact
energy, therefore surviving. Keep in mind steep turns in this
situation can kill you. If you're flying a retract, practice with
gear up and down. By the way, don't overcool your engine. Remember
and trust these speeds. Watch your scan. When glued outside
looking for an emergency landing spot, it is extremely easy to
get way off the proper glide speed.

2. Get a book called "Stick and Rudder" by Wolfgang Langewiesche.
Read it at least twice.

3. No matter where you land, be sure the aircraft is flying and not
stalled and falling. Control is of supreme importance. Think of ways
to absorb speed energy. Like flying between two trees to rip the
wings off. Landing with gear down may also help with reducing impact
energy. Depends on situation. Landing going uphill should help.

4. The Rockies are much better for emergency landings than the
Sierra Nevada's. More landing areas. Why did I mention this??

5. The chances of engine failure are very small if the proper
maintenance is done and you don't run out of gas. Carburetor ice is
a big concern in mountain flying. Employing simple common sense will
let you fly several lifetimes and not lose an engine. Don't forget
to close the cowl flaps. Overcooling at altitudes can be a problem.
Pay attention to proper leaning; going up and down. I could tell a
very embarrassing story about not paying attention to proper
engine leaning in a BE-18, IFR at night.

6. The greatest threat in mountain flying, in my humble opinion,
is ice on the wings and up and down drafts. In Denver, if there
is 25 knots wind from the west and you're in-experienced, don't
go. Stay away from clouds in the mountains. Learn cloud formations
like rotor clouds, lenticular etc. Read up on mountain waves. You
can get turbulence in and around certain clouds that will knock
your teeth out. Always know the wind!!! Approach rising terrain
and ridges from an angle that allows you to turn away if you get
in a bad downdraft. Don't fight an updraft. I have been in a
straight and level attitude and still going up at 2000'++ per
minute. Keep in mind that you can go from strong updrafts to
strong downdrafts in the blink of an eye. Watch out - some up
and down-drafts are so smooth your only indication is your VSI
and altimeter. Flying in the Rocky Mountains is no time to go
brain dead. Very important. If you're flying on an IFR flight
plan, tell ATC of the up & down draft problem. They can adjust.

7. What I'm saying is a forced landing in rough terrain is very
dicey. Simply paying attention where you are and where you have
come from is important to finding a landing spot. Keep in mind
that a good looking spot from the air may have steep grades, big
rocks, fallen trees etc that you won't see until AFTER you're
committed.

8. Watch out for "sucker" holes. When flying in the mountains under
an overcast, it not uncommon for there to appear to be an opening
between two obscured peaks. You can see light from the other side
of this pass and you drive in. Then, bam!, you are in IFR
conditions. Doing a 180 now is hairy because of the obscured peaks
around you. And then to sweeten the pot, you can start to pick up
ice fast. Very dangerous situation. Flying to one side of the pass
might allow you room to turn around and it might not.

9. Take a good mountain flying course. Also, a turbo-charged
aircraft can help but it is no substitute for knowing what
you're doing.

10. The following tip would be the first thing I would teach someone
about mountain flying. DO A GOOD MAP RECON before you get anywhere
near an aircraft. Keep track of where you are on the map at ALL
times. Going through a pass or sucker hole is a lot safer if you
KNOW what is on the other side. When I was flying freight in Cessna
T210's & T310s where the MEAs were 17,000, I had a WAC chart with my
route lined out and a DME distance marked at every key terrain
feature. The idea was if in the clouds and I had an emergency, I
could look at the DME and the map and have a good idea what the
terrain would be when I broke out of the clouds. This system is
even better if the route is scouted VFR first.

11. Fuel. If you have a problem sweating, try running low on fuel
over the mountains at night. Quick cure for dry skin. I'm not
telling anyone how to fly a plane or to break any rules BUT I
would much rather take off a couple of hundred pounds over gross
and have lots of fuel than the alternative. Remember - low fuel
limits your options. Expecting to find a quality mountain emergency
landing site in daylight is pure luck. At night, pure suicide.

12. Thinking of surviving a forced landing in the mountains is the
wrong process. In all probability, luck or the lack of it would play
the biggest part. Think in terms of avoiding that situation. DO YOUR
HOMEWORK and put the odds on your side.

"Those that don't respect Mother Nature are doomed to regret it".


        Questions and Answers:


        Classified ads:

For a current listing of General Aviation aircraft for sale by
The R.W. Carpenter Company, go to
<a href="http://aircraft-airplanes.com">Visit Web site </a> or
http://aircraft-airplanes.com depending on browser.

In addition, I often recommend, what I feel to be the best book
ever written about flying an airplane, "Stick and Rudder" by
Wolfgang Langewiesche. I sincerely believe that every pilot
should read this "bible" at least twice. It WILL make you a
better pilot because it discusses flying an airplane from the
WYSIWYG perceptions a pilot receives. If you would like to order
it on-line or any of a million other books from Amazon click on
<http://aircraft-airplanes.com/mainpage.html> Great Discounts.

FREE service to my readers: If you would like a "book" appraisal
on an airplane, fill out the info sheet at my web site. Click on
<http://aircraft-airplanes.com/appraisal.htm> Don't forget to
click on the "submit" key. I'll get back to you.

NEW page at my Web Site. "Cost of Operation" analysis form.
Nothing fancy but it might give you some ideas for planning
purposes. http://aircraft-airplanes.com/cost_of_operation.htm

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