Mountain Flying

[denverpilot]

Just saw this thread. OP got lucky. Weather here hasn't been good mountain flying weather for more than a few days in at least three weeks.

OP, please find a good mountain CFI.

Also surprised no one pointed out the Mountain AWOS network to our fledgling mountain pilot.

http://www.coloradodot.info/programs/aeronautics/COMtnAWOSMap

Also a very nice publication available from CDOT with Colorado airports and mountain pass descriptions, as well as a CDOT aviation chart. All free if you can find folks who've picked up boxes of them from the CDOT offices to distribute, or can stop by KFTG at the office in person.

Forecasts are fine. Real time data is better. Colorado has attempted to help in this regard.

Also you'll find most of the locals and definitely most mountain instructors worth hiring will call Rollins Pass, "Corona" Pass ... Rollins is a name that popped up on charts a while ago and while accurate, is a newer name for one of the most popular light aircraft crossing points.

Anyway, glad you're not dead. It's a hint to go add to your knowledge.

Also agree that what you encountered probably wasn't "severe" turbulence. At least not by Rocky Mountain standards. Severe turbulence will make you decide to have the airframe inspected upon landing, if you survived it.

I bet everyone here who posted has had their head bounce off the ceiling at least once. It hurts. But that's mild for what the Rockies and a good westerly wind driven by the jet stream can dish out.

Corona is almost always bumpy, but there's a number of passes that if Corona is bumpy enough to bounce you off the ceiling, those other passes would have certainly killed you. Same day, same wind.

 

[Jthamilton]

Friday picked plane up in Craig 45 miles to west of Steamboat with my father who hadn't flown in new plane. Winds were calm at first in Craig then while taxiing they became 5 knots as we took off. Decided to show my father the Flat top mountains before landing at Steamboat. After climbing to 11,500 it was little choppy after leveling off then I showed my dad our Ground speed of 200knots while TAS was 160. This was at 9:30 in morning. We descended into a calm Steamboat and landed without any issues.

It proceeded to snow Saturday, but Sunday I woke family up and flew plane back to Craig giving my wife and young kids their first ride. Winds again calm both airports at takeoff. Mild turbulence at 9,000 feet on way, calm at airport altitude of 7,000. Landing was good. While eating breakfast at small cafe 30 minutes later gust front hit with 25-35 knot winds

You definitely have to respect what the weather can do here for sure. I know I'm ready for the winds to settle down and get that jet stream a little more to the north so I can enjoy the mountain flying.

 

[flyingriki]

oday i was mountain flying, it was a beautfull day, until we crossed the rockey mountain divide, before i knew it we were yellow lining in a da40 . we encountered severe turbulence, i immediately pitched up and decreased throttle, i notice we were in the yellow arc and tried to slow us a quickly as possible, without putting a load on the plane. My dog was in the back, as well as a friend. i slowed as quickly as possible while battling the roll of the aircraft ( trying to roll hard to the left) we encountered a 2000ft/min down draft while we slowed but got out of it. I was scared, we slowed and battled the turbulence the rest of the way home. we made it home safe, however, i never encountered anything like the conditions i experienced today. glad we made it!

What's with these "unregistered" posts? Seems like hooey drummed up by a couple people with nothing better to do.....
This one can't spell and doesn't use the automatic checker. Sound totally fishy. So do the "unregistered" medical questions that sound canned and phony. What's with these forum trolls!

 

[gkainz]

I came back to BJC that Sunday afternoon from TX and the last 100 miles were pretty bumpy, and from Monument to BJC was continual mild to maybe moderate turbulence. Granted, that's not over the passes but with my ride out on the flats, I would not have wanted to have been over the hills that afternoon.

 

[3393RP]

What's with these "unregistered" posts? Seems like hooey drummed up by a couple people with nothing better to do.....
This one can't spell and doesn't use the automatic checker. Sound totally fishy. So do the "unregistered" medical questions that sound canned and phony. What's with these forum trolls!

Could have something to do with the nature of the forum...did you notice the text at the top of the first page?

Got a flying story to tell about lessons you've learned from mistakes you've made or seen others make? You may post your story in confidence here. (Log out to post anonymously.)

I don't know why some people feel compelled to bag on a poster that shares his experiences.

 

[denverpilot]