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Mountain Flying

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WurlyBird

Joined: 16 May 2008
Posts: 207
Location: North Pole, Alaska

Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 11:04 am Post subject: Mountain Flying

Just trying to post a thread that will get some active and relaxing posting going. Since I am in Afghanistan right now every day is an adventure flying. This is some of the most unforgiving terrain you can imagine. The other day we were flying down a valley at about 200' agl and I realized that we didn't pass a single, reasonable, forced landing area for about 5 minutes. 45 degree walls going straight into a river.  A few weeks ago we were on the floor of a valley about 200 meters wide where we had to keep doing U-turns and yet stay low, again with 45 degree walls on either side.  It came down to doing a chandelle or wingover type maneuver in a 5000 lb helicopter and recovering at about 20' agl.   All this and at 8-10,000' DA.  So what are YOUR mountain flying stories? I want to hear about it.

_________________
James
Kitfox 3 / 582 / 70" IVO 2 blade GA
50 hrs on the 582 swapping for HKS 700E and Avid Cowl.

wingnut

Joined: 11 Jan 2006
Posts: 356

Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 12:24 pm Post subject: Re: Mountain Flying

I once flew over the Smokey Mountains at about 4000ft with 4800ft peeks all around me!



Ok. So it was 4000ft AGL. I thought about flying lower but it was my first time over mountains and I'm a chicken.

_________________
Luis Rodriguez
Model IV 1200
Rotax 912UL
Flying Weekly
Laurens, SC (34A)

kitfoxmike

Joined: 05 Dec 2006
Posts: 373

Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 1:28 pm Post subject: Re: Mountain Flying

I fly in the mountain all the time, I've taken flight lesson on such as well as ground school.  I would limit to no more than 15mph winds, the reason, the winds increase quit a bit in the mountains.  Always fly to the side of the channels in the mountains and navigate with the idea of looking around the corners for a way through.  I will tell you that the fox is ideal for mountain flying because you can do a 180 real quick, nothing like a cessna like I trained in.  I have a hill, mountain right to the side of our runway, goes up about 900 ft, I take off and turn right for it and hit the center about 800ft agl and go right through the cavern, real fun, but I'm sure it makes a lot of people nervous.  I've had people ask me what I would do if the engine quit.  I say, simple do a hammer head and land what else.  They always give me a dumb look, but I do these things in practice all the time, so no big deal to me.  I also have caverns south of my location that are about  3000ft wide and 1000 ft deep and I fly into those all the time, real fun, top gun stuff.  What would happen if the engine quites, simple land the darn thing, I've posted speeds on landing and they are 40 mph, that's not very fast, just level out and run a wing into a tree, your stopped, dah! 



Make sure and take survival gear and very important, a 406 transmitter for elt, either buy the one to replace the old style elt, or buy a personal unit to carry on your self.  Mountain flying is very fun and gratifying.  I passed through the cascades about 6 times now and loved it every time I go through.

msm_9949(at)yahoo.com
Guest

Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 2:11 pm Post subject: Mountain Flying

[quote][b]

helili(at)chahtatushka.ne
Guest

Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 3:56 pm Post subject: Mountain Flying

Two years flying UH-1 in South Vietnam - 1965-66 and 1970-71.  Plenty

mountains, DA higher than hell, right along with the temperature!  



John Hart

Model IV

Wilburton, OK



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wingsdown(at)verizon.net
Guest

Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 7:49 am Post subject: Mountain Flying

First,



John glad you made it home my brother. James as a former 23 year Marine

you guys are our heroes. 

AS for my mountain flying, lets see, I once took off in the mountains

with a 9K DA wind blowing 30 gust to 43 switching  back a forth 20

degrees to either side of the runway. I had 4 guys walk my wings out on

the kitfox to get me to the runway. I should have know better and when

the guys yelled to their friends "hey you guys got to see this", that

should also have been my clue to listen to the small voice in my head

that was saying " hey dumb ass what are you doing. It went fine, bounced

and twisted every which way but straight until I hit 8,500 where it

smoothed out. Wont say I was scared but the wood stick grip had to be

sanded from the sweat raising the grain. Would I do it again. Don't

think so. Glad I did it then, yep. Unfortunately heroes like you and

John do not get to choose what kind of crap you fly in. That's why you

and all those in harms way are so appreciated by those that know what

sacrifice is. Thanks 

Rick

CWO-4 USMC Ret.



Do not archive



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WurlyBird

Joined: 16 May 2008
Posts: 207
Location: North Pole, Alaska

Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 6:59 pm Post subject: Re: Mountain Flying

Rick,  I am sure you have heard this one before but I figure these other guys might get a kick out of it (yeah, I am a Warrant also).



The three scariest things to hear in the military;

1. a Private saying "this is how they showed us to do it in boot camp"

2. a Lieutenant saying "well, in my experience. . . "

3. a Warrant Officer saying "hey, watch this!"

_________________
James
Kitfox 3 / 582 / 70" IVO 2 blade GA
50 hrs on the 582 swapping for HKS 700E and Avid Cowl.

helili(at)chahtatushka.ne
Guest

Posted: Sat May 24, 2008 5:25 am Post subject: Mountain Flying

Rick,

Thanks.  Looking like we ought to form a Kitfox WOPA chapter.  I think

there's at least 4 Warrant Officers, both retired and active duty, that get

on the list.  



I also flew single engine fixed wing charter work year around in interior

Alaska after retirement for 8 years.  Plenty mountains and winds, but the DA

wasn't such a problem.



John Hart

KF IV

Wilburton, OK  



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dholly

Joined: 19 Dec 2006
Posts: 40
Location: Upstate NY

Posted: Sat May 24, 2008 9:04 am Post subject: Re: Mountain Flying

Wurly -



Here's some fun mountain [top] video clips I ran across recently:



Wheeeee....

_____________________________



Short field hilltop (02:41): 200ft. short ,16 degrees steep, bumpy hilltop landing in a Just Aircraft Highlander. Pretty intense and way fun! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUgW-9WQ1C4



STOL hilltop fun in my Highlander (06:00): The 1st hilltop in this clip is 20 degrees steep and 150 ft long. altitude about 3500 ft. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zioQVUSWcY



Short steep hilltop rearview (01:37): This same place is on earlier clips but I thought this was an interesting perspective. It was about 75 with 4800 DA. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8Gy5mn8_Y8



Tailflying fun! (02:44): Playing on very short steep tiny hilltop and ya I know, one of my tailwheel springs came unhooked. I had a great time landing lots of cool places yesterday in my Highlander. What a fun airplane! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=el3M3ua3Zm8

_________________
-Kitfox III 582 Blue/C Grove Spring / Aerocet 1100 Amphibs
-Airdale Avid+ (project) TD / W.I.B. Gear

Fox5flyer
Guest

Posted: Mon May 26, 2008 3:46 am Post subject: Mountain Flying

That's some pretty impressive flying.  Thanks.

Deke



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