"Marc Lattoni" wrote in message news:aJQ3c.73545$Ff2.46917@clgrps12...
I found a new rental opportunity at CYBW (Springbank, Alberta) with a brand
new 172SP the other day and today went out for a Mountain check ride with
the chief CFI.

Now, I did two mountain courses over the past 18 months - one with my
original training outfit and one with the local flying club. All well. Ridge
approaches, choosing the right side of the valley, updrafts, downdrafts,
lenticular clouds, rotors, 45 degrees turns, etc.

Today we did canyon turns, not at 30, not at 45 but more than 45 degrees.
Sort of standing the airplane on its wingtip as we turn.

YIKES. I just could not get it all together. What a mess. Any more of a
mess and it would have been a real mess, the kind you need soap and Lysol
for. So, no more mountain flying until I can get this right.

Anyways folks, any suggestions? I am going to try to get this right another
day.

Marc

I live here in the east coast where canyon flying is an optional
pasttime to make a fun flight. The one thing I noticed was the need to
learn a canyon escape turn at the altitude of almost hitting the trees
of brush.

So, let the aircraft get there and escape by the high bank angle turn.
And the use of the attitude indicator to ensure a correct steep well
coordinated turn is to be reserved for practicing. Just practice the
bank in good power conditions!!!!!! Except at less than 30 feet.
This is the altitude where the illusion trapped pilot panics in a real
western caynon event.

And the altitude and power available are very substanially not at the
practiced levels!

So, the practice of taking the moountain flying course to learn of
mountain illusions is highly recommended. Actually it is mandatory.

The books on mountainflying are poorly written in my readings and the
experienced mountain flyer is truely going to teach things they hardly
acknowledge as needed facts. The philosopher warns of this school
knowledge, to always go into a new area of flying, with the same eyes
as when you first got a private license. The book learning is poor at
best compared to the expert in the field of a flying specialty.


Douglas Eagleson
Gaithersburg, MD USA