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Hi folks, have any of you flown an Ercoupe in Colorado, or at any altitudes above 10,000 feet?

Having your instrument rating adds a large number of tools to your flying toolkit. All of the VFR rules governing airspace and cloud clearance exist to provide separation to IFR traffic who are utilizing the national airspace system to its maximum potential. An instrument rating is a license...

I looked up that airplane, and it’s still around!

To a student pilot, yes.

Yesterday was blustery, with winds 12G20 on the ground, and 49G71 on Berthoud Pass. Even so, it was flyable and fun.

Today was one of those CAVU days in the mountains. Not a burble in the air as we did maneuvers at around 12,000 feet. You’ll notice that even at those altitudes, the mountains surrounding us are higher.

She was my first President... then two Doug’s and finally Mike Heuer

Hi Ken! What years were you editor?

That’s a good distance, and exposes you to a plethora of weather along the way. Tailwinds both ways always helps. Nice photos

I took off from KGNB this morning. The winds were 12G20, and it was rather smooth below about 9,500 MSL. If you look at the ForeFlight screenshot below, you can see the Front Range, including Denver: Notice the turbulence reports popping up downwind of the Rocky Mountains. Granby itself was...

Those are quite beautiful.

We call it hay

Talk to the airliners getting beat up downwind of the Rockies today and then ask that question again. During the cooler months, when the jet stream drops lower in the atmosphere and lower in latitude, we get mountain wave that can easily exceed the altitudes most airliners cruise at. The...

Definitely get some instruction. No book can really prepare you for the realities of mountain flying. I just landed at KGNB—winds 12G20 and the sheer was quite pronounced. Winds over Berthoud are gusting nearly 50 this morning. But it was flyable in the valley in my little Rans S-7. FlyIng over...

Spectacular—especially in the fall.

Ha! That’s a pretty accurate observation.

This photo is of me flying my Rans S-7LS over 11,600 foot Corona Pass at better than 13,000 feet on a nice summer day. Even with two people, my S-7 easily outperforms my students’ 180 HP Piper Cherokee with a constant-speed prop. KGNB is located at 8,200’ MSL, and regularly sees 10,000 plus...

I would say if you have the resources to finish your CFI, do that ASAP and then build time to the 500 hour mark as a CFI. There’s always glider and banner towing, but many of them probably require 500 hours. Keep positive, and don’t get discouraged.

What flight times do you have? Are you instrument-rated? How much instrument time?

That’s my “in trouble” name.