Mountain flying instructor anywhere between Santa Fe and Del Norte

Rebel Lord

Rebel Lord

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Rebel Lord
I'm looking at getting some mountain flying instruction sometime in the future. Some family has property in Creede CO, which has a 6900ft runway at 8680ft msl surrounded by mountains and someday I want to be able to fly there instead of a 16 hour drive but to be able to do that I need a very good instructor to give me ground and flight instruction and also be willing to fly with me there. Can anyone refer me to a CFI?


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murphey said:
Colorado Pilots Assoc course coming up in a few weeks- ground and flyng
https://coloradopilots.org/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=612720&module_id=319185

New Mexico Pilots Assoc,offers a similar course in Sept:
https://www.nmpilots.org/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=264824&module_id=334177&actr=4

Contact either for a list of pilots. Wouldn’t hurt to take the ground program, either. Counts as a BFR.
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Wow these look really awesome, I can't make the CPA one since im getting married that week but it looks like the NMPA offers options to go to Creede!

"Pilots successfully completing the first optional flight will be offered the option of a second, customized “roll your own” flight. Potential destinations in the southern and central Rockies include Leadville, Raton, Pagosa Springs, Trinidad, Creede, Telluride, Aspen, Durango, Kremmling, and/or Eagle. Pre-flight briefings generally start around 0700, and, depending on weather, debriefs are completed around noon."
 
If anyone has attended any of these a PIREP would be greatly appreciated
 
Rebel Lord said:
If anyone has attended any of these a PIREP would be greatly appreciated
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I haven't attended, but the first guy kneeling in the front row left side is Dr Navar from my area. Have heard good things about their training. In my area, we get exposed to mountain flying during our regular PPL training (kind of hard not to).

It's good experience, and will help you out the first time you scare the crap out of yourself with a HIGH DA takeoff and windshear/downdraft encountered towards rising terrain. With training, you will already have formulated a plan on the ground in case it occurs and how to escape.

Looking at your attached sectional: ground elevation to peak is 4k feet (12KMSL), if windy you're going to need something that can climb 14-16k for TB if winds aloft are > 30 knots. For training, hit that glider school to learn about ridge lift.
 
Rebel Lord said:
If anyone has attended any of these a PIREP would be greatly appreciated
Click to expand...
I attended the Colorado one twice. First time was when I moved there. Second time was as a refresher about the time I started teaching mountain flying.

The course was originally created by the folks who pretty much invented "mountain flying"as a distinct training discipline. Both the ground program and the flight plan and goals have been copied extensively, even by some of the type clubs.

It's worth every penny, even if you only do the ground school (I did my flights outside the course).
 
Probably 75-80% of my flight time is in Alaska and New Mexico. Maybe I should take a mountain flying course sometime.

I am sure I can learn at least one thing.
 
I can't be completely objective about either, since I'm a former (very recently) board member of CPA, have taken the ground class 3-4 times, and will be taking the NM course later this year (at least I plan to). The NMPA and CPA course are very close in concept and execution, but each is geared more to the area they fly. CPA is more mid- and northern Colorado, NMPA is northern NM and southern CO. Since you're more interested in the Creede area, I'd recommend the NMPA course. It's also cheaper. Both plan, weather permitting, to land at Leadville so you can get your certificate for landing at the highest paved airport in CONUS. Leadville also has some of the cheapest avgas in Colorado!

Type-specific variations of the CPA course has been run for Cirrus and others, by the CPA mountain crew, BTW. Sorry, you've already missed the 1 hour version offered today (Mon July 22) at OSH in the FAA tent by the director of the program. This is the 5 or 6th year he's been invited by the FAA to speak on high-altitude airport flying.
 
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