1. 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

2. 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!

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

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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

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

11. 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