Two Miles High

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avbug

Point taken.

I didn't mean to steal anybody's thunder.

In fact, flying so high up is kind of a drag sometimes because when the DA gets too high, we can't fly at all.

I just thought I would ad my two cents by letting people know that there is another world of flying out there... here.

Not better. Not worse. Just different.


zoom

 

[172driver]

Flat or not, I don't see why people don't take trainers higher. I routinely take my students up to 11 or 12,500 on cross countries (in Florida). I do it just to prove to them that you can actually save time by going higher if you plan your descent well. Not to mention the safety factor. Nice to be able to glide 20-25 NM.

They usually think I'm trying to milk them for flight time until they see the Hobbs at the end. I've won a few lunches this way.

Most trainers are fastest (TAS) around 6-8000 and the winds often help out above that.

Takes a while to get up there, but it's fun coming down!

 

[ShawnC]

Peg the ASI at 120 and have a ball coming down. I love the 152

 

[bobbysamd]

Low Altitude flying

I've done most of my multi flying in Seminoles, and most of that at high altitude, starting at 5000 feet field elevation and above. So, typical density altitude would be 8000 or 9000 in summer. Of course, we pulled and shut down engines as part of the multi course. I was lucky to see 20" Hg at full throttle. The airplane was lucky to hold altitude. Normally-aspirated engines, of course.

Then, I went to Vero, with a field elevation of zero. Sea level. Once again, I'm flying Seminoles. My Chief Pilot is standardizing me and has me demonstrate the engine-out drill. I go full throttle and see more that 25" Hg! I got actual climb! He told me to set up 25-square for single-engine cruise. I got peformance!

Of course, I shouldn't have been so surprised, but still, it was amazing.

I'd agree with the others about how performance in the typical light airplane seems to be better around 8000. A good clue is to look at the intro specs page in many POHs. I remember that for that old 172 in which I trained the POH quoted performance at something like 8000. Seeing these things are clues and recommendations for optimum performance.

 

[Fr8Dog]

Beech 18 up to 20,400 VFR

 

[TurboS7]

That's why I love Alaska, in the valleys you are low so you have planety of get up and go. Yet all the mountains are around so you can go through them via the passes or above them if you wish. You can land on them, or around them, neat stuff. The first time I flew the Rockies many years ago was in an Ercoupe ferrying it from Longview, Texas to Calgary, Albta CA via Longview, Washington to see an old girlfriend. I remember taking-off out of RockSprings and having to dodge the sign on the interstate after rolling for 5000 feet. Too many peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in the back I guess. My other favorite mountains are the Alps in Europe, very majestic, but I have only flown over them over and over again.

 

[Beechnut]

PA28-161 14,700ft in near the Superstition Mountains East of Phoenix.
CR-182 17,900 over South East Arizona.

Lot's 'o' fun!

S.

 

[EJA Capt]

Good grief!
172’s at 18,000’ and B737s at FL410. I’ll never get used to either.

Dlwdracos,
Congratulations on the achievement. It is good to hear someone speak of the simple joys of flying on this board. As well as writing with such passion for flying. Your story reminds us all of our days starting out. Now, I fly regularly over the same places that I once soloed, at FL410 to FL450. I always look down with a smile remembering the cross country days in the C150. FL450 is nice, but there is nothing like a $100 hamburger, at a grass strip in a taildragger. Best wishes, EJA Capt

 

[IAHERJ]

I agree with EJA capt. When I was in my last month of flying the EMB-120 before transitioning to the ERJ, I realized that the rest of my career would most likely be in jets. So one day I decided to take my time to destination in the Brasilia. We flew over to Beaumont at 3,000 feet at 160 knots and I left my side window open. It was fun and we still got to the gate 5 minutes early.

I think the original poster's intent was to reflect on the sheer joy of flying. He should submit this piece to one of the magazines as it is refreshing and well written.

 

[350DRIVER]

The ole V-35 out of HOU- big IO-550 300 horsey......ahhh the memories of the missed N91466 Banana-

COMM checkride was the "blast"

miss the HOU days....

3 5 0
FH> the GLS trips,etc...

 

[Simon Says]

Dracus,
Don't let the ole stick in the muds suck the life out of you. If the people that want to teach you something shut up for a minute, they could actually learn something from you. You tell a good story and brought back lots of memories of my early flying days. Flying out of EUG trying to get over the Coburg hills for the first time.

 

[172driver]

Just another piece of perspective. Bobbysamd couldn't believe the Seminole could actually climb single engine because he spent much time at altitude...

I was teaching a Commercial ASEL ground school in Florida. One day, I brought my Klamath Falls sectional in to show them some airspace, as they've really never seen Class G. One of my students remarked, "That chart must be really old...it's all brown." He had never seen anything other than green on a sectional!

 

[dlwdracos]

Thanks everybody. I am glad you enjoyed the story. I certainly enjoyed living it.

 

[avbug]

Something interesting strikes me about the line of thinking that manifests itself in this post, and in similiar conversations in hangars everywhere. It's most obvious among the higher time and more experienced pilots, so low time pilots take note.

When the dearest and most personal experiences are told, the ones that inflame passion and spark warm feelings, it's not large turbojets and high performace equipment that does it. You'll notice that the reflections that leap to mind are the day a 777 captain speaks of his flying in a J-3, that the F-18 driver remembers his T-34 days, that the Citation X pilot rembers his beech sport...or that ever one remembers his first solo.

So many are climbing the great curtain, clawing for a place in the industry and the chance to "make it" to the "top" (where ever that might be. Let us all know if you happen to find it). In truth, when you get there, you look back and realize that the journey is the thing. The greatest moments have been missed when we looked forward and not back, or didn't stop to realize that right NOW is the greatest moment in the history of the world...and that in five minutes NOW-then will be the greatest moment in the world.

The new pilot looks with wonderlust at the 757 breaking tarmac, or perhaps the Navajo taxiing in from a freight run. If only I could do that, he says. If only I had time in this or that, she says. A year later, he or she does, but is so busy looking to the next fastest, the next biggest, climbing the great curtain, that the value of the moment is lost. Taken for granted, and never appreciated. What a terrible tragedy to pass through a beautiful garden and looking back in retrospect, have no idea how the roses smelled.

For those starting out, or soloing, or instructing, or flying freight, or whatever...right now is the greatest moment in your life. See it for what it is. How many sky gods I've known, gilded in gold and silver epaulets and worshipped by curtain climbing first officers and terminal groupies, who looked at a Cessna 207 taxiing in and said, "that was the best time of my career. I wish I could do that again." So sad. It's a very sorry thing to believe that the best times have already come and gone, for it isn't true; it's self-deceit, and it's having missed the boat and realizing it that one pays the price.

What is the greatest event in your life? The one you choose to see that way. It could be flying to new heights, it could be looking down on a place you soloed from far above. It could be sitting off the end of the runway with your love, watching airplanes go by. Or sitting by yourself contemplating the future and the past in one majestic scroll. It's now. Right now, and savor it for all it's worth, because in thirty seconds it will be gone and you will never get it back.

We all look back and see the beauty of the past, and hopefully we look inside and see the beauty of the moment. Where ever we are, who ever we are, we're all cut from the same mould, and we all have the right to the quiet enjoyment of our own life. Don't overlook the majesty of what you have right now, however humble; savor it such that the memory tomorrow will be warm and sweet, and able to be shared.

Dracos, you are in the right place. Thanks for the thoughts.

 

[alimaui]

Starting to tear up

Ahh,

Avbug, your sentiments have brought tears to my eyes. What you say is very true.

On another note, seeing nice stories like these gives a break from the wars deeply seeded with very passionate issues that are happening on other threads as we speak.

Ali