MOUNTAIN FLYING - T.O./CLIMB (FROM AVWEB ARTICLE) HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE CHECK POH PERFORMANCE DATA ROTATE & CLIMB AT POH “KIAS”, BUT TAS HIGHER THAN IAS - REQUIRES MORE RUNWAY TO ACCELERATE ENGINE HP LESS

MOUNTAIN FLYING - T.O/CLIMB E.G. ROTATION AT 55 KIAS, WHEN AT DENVER ON 85 DEGREE DAY, IS ACTUALLY 62 KTAS (ALMOST 13% MORE) UPDRAFTS AND DOWNDRAFTS DOWNDRAFT CAN EXCEED CLIMB CAPABILITY OF AIRCRAFT!

MOUNTAIN FLYING - LANDING DUE TO LOWER AIR DENSITY: LESS AERODYNAMIC DRAG INCREASED KTAS AT TOUCHDOWN MORE SPEED REQUIRES MORE RUNWAY LANDING DISTANCE ~ (SPEED)2

MOUNTAIN FLYING - LANDING DOWNDRAFTS ALTITUDE ABOVE GROUND IS BEST FRIEND PLAN TO LAND 1/4 LENGTH DOWN RUNWAY (RUNWAY PERMITTING)

MOUNTAIN FLYING - STARTING HOT STARTS VAPOR PRESSURE LOWER DUE TO ALTITUDE CAN GET VAPOR LOCK IN INJECTION LINES KNOW HOT-START PROCEDURES COLD STARTS TEMPERATURE AND ICE EFFECTS

MOUNTAIN FLYING -WINTER WEATHER WEATHER VERY CHANGEABLE/UNPREDICTABLE DUE TO LIFTING ACTION OF MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN MOIST, UNSTABLE AIRMASS CAN LEAD TO CLEAR VALLEYS AND STORMS IN MOUNTAINS

MOUNTAIN FLYING - SUMMER WEATHER SUN’S HEAT ADDS TO LIFTING ACTION OF MOUNTAINS MID AFTERNOONS BAD TIME TO FLY RAPID DISSIPATION OF SUN’S HEAT WITH SUNSET MAKES EVENING BETTER THAN MID AFTERNOON FOR FLYING

MOUNTAIN FLYING - IFR OPERATIONS INSTRUMENT APPROACHES HAVE HIGH MDA’S DUE TO MISSED APPROACH PATH REQUIREMENTS DEPARTURES REQUIRE STEEP CLIMB GRADIENTS SOMETIMES BEYOND CAPABILITY OF SOME AIRCRAFT MODERATE RIME ICING IN CLOUDS DUE TO LIFTING ACTION

MOUNTAIN FLYING - NIGHT OPS NIGHT OPS ARE IFR FOR ALL PRACTICAL PURPOSES MAY BE NO VISIBLE HORIZON, NO LIGHTS ON GROUND INABILITY TO DISTINGUISH SKY FROM MOUNTAINS PUBLISHED IFR DEPARTURE PROCEDURE IS WORTH FOLLOWING

MOUNTAIN FLYING - ENROUTE OPS FLY IFR (I FOLLOW ROADS!) HIGH MEA’S RISK OF ICING NEAR MEA, DOWNDRAFTS CAN BE CONCERN

MOUNTAIN FLYING - PLAN B ALWAYS NEED BACKUP PLAN ALTERNATE ROUTE OPTION TO DELAY TRIP ALTERNATE MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION TEMP/ALTITUDE TO GET OUT OF ICING CONDITIONS