Planning a Trip Over The Rockies

Hello, everyone I am wanting to take a flight from "COE" Coeur D'Alene, ID
to "GTF" Great Falls, MT I was wanting to do this in my Cessna 150 Any
advice or helpful hints from some one thats done the trip over the Rockies
in a 150 I know I will have to be at really high altitudes just wondering on
how well the 150 will perform.

On Fri, 09 Jul 2004 00:24:41 -0700, NW_PILOT wrote:

Hello, everyone I am wanting to take a flight from "COE" Coeur D'Alene, ID
to "GTF" Great Falls, MT I was wanting to do this in my Cessna 150 Any
advice or helpful hints from some one thats done the trip over the Rockies
in a 150 I know I will have to be at really high altitudes just wondering on
how well the 150 will perform.

The advice that I've heard most often is, get some classes in mountain
flying. They should be able to teach you about things ranging from what
gear to carry to the types of planes & equipment to fly, to safely fit
your mission.


Greg

"NW_PILOT" wrote in message
...
Hello, everyone I am wanting to take a flight from "COE" Coeur D'Alene, ID
to "GTF" Great Falls, MT I was wanting to do this in my Cessna 150 Any
advice or helpful hints from some one thats done the trip over the Rockies
in a 150 I know I will have to be at really high altitudes just wondering
on
how well the 150 will perform.

Get a briefing from an instructor on mountain flying. A 150 will do just
fine. (Watch the takeoff performance tables though.) A bit of wind can
make for a very rough ride if you don't know how to avoid it.

moo

Don't worry about it, just go. The valleys are big and wide. Fly early or
fly late but avoid the middle of the day.




"NW_PILOT" wrote in message
...
Hello, everyone I am wanting to take a flight from "COE" Coeur D'Alene, ID
to "GTF" Great Falls, MT I was wanting to do this in my Cessna 150 Any
advice or helpful hints from some one thats done the trip over the Rockies
in a 150 I know I will have to be at really high altitudes just wondering
on
how well the 150 will perform.

On Fri, 09 Jul 2004 00:24:41 -0700, NW_PILOT wrote:

Hello, everyone I am wanting to take a flight from "COE" Coeur D'Alene, ID
to "GTF" Great Falls, MT I was wanting to do this in my Cessna 150 Any
advice or helpful hints from some one thats done the trip over the Rockies
in a 150 I know I will have to be at really high altitudes just wondering on
how well the 150 will perform.

The direct route is never more than 30 nm from an airport and highest
terrain is about 9200 ft and you could probably find a route
that you never need to fly above 85-9500 ft (I don't have the
sectional handy, just my IFR charts).

I agree with the other posters -- a mountain flying course or at
the very least, a mountain flying checkout with an experienced
CFI.

Hello, everyone I am wanting to take a flight from "COE" Coeur D'Alene, ID
to "GTF" Great Falls, MT I was wanting to do this in my Cessna 150......

The advice that I've heard most often is, get some classes in mountain
flying. They should be able to teach you about things ranging from what
gear to carry to the types of planes & equipment to fly, to safely fit
your mission.

That's good advice, but you can follow I-90 almost all the way, if I
recall correctly. And that's the prudent way to do it. You won't
have to get very high, you'll have the world's longest runway under
you if you have to land, and there will be civilization nearby if you
need help.

Very easy trip in a Cherokee, so it shouldn't be too difficult in a
150.

vince norris

vincent p. norris wrote in message . ..
Hello, everyone I am wanting to take a flight from "COE" Coeur D'Alene, ID
to "GTF" Great Falls, MT I was wanting to do this in my Cessna 150......

The advice that I've heard most often is, get some classes in mountain
flying. They should be able to teach you about things ranging from what
gear to carry to the types of planes & equipment to fly, to safely fit
your mission.

I think mountain flying classes are a great thing, but I think there's
a difference between "mountain flying" and "flying from point A to
point B near mountains".

That's good advice, but you can follow I-90 almost all the way, if I
recall correctly. And that's the prudent way to do it. You won't
have to get very high, you'll have the world's longest runway under
you if you have to land, and there will be civilization nearby if you
need help.

It's I-90 through Missoula to Helena I think, then I-15N, but that's
a nit. Yes, basically if one does this, you're "flying from point A
to point B along a valley near mountains" and the things one needs
to know decrease a bit. Get out the POH and do some careful study
of the rate of climb vs. altitude tables and takeoff/landing
distances.

As for the C150, the real question is what can THIS C150 do, and the
way to find out is take it out and see how high it will climb with
proper leaning
and attention to how Vy changes with altitude. Pay attention to the
roc you get at various altitudes and compare with book, compare the
service ceiling, and get a "feel" fo how it handles at higher
altitudes.

Avoid flying with winds aloft above 25-30 kts or so unless you're a
glider pilot or get mountain flying training, and try to fly
early in the am or late in the afternoon. Don't expect to get flight
following, file a VFR flight plan, and if you land to fuel somewhere
surrounded by mountains don't count on being able to open it in the
air.

If you plan to make side trips to this and that point of interest
or smaller airports tucked back in the mountains, then the "get
mountain
flying training" advice comes back to the fore, but we and other flat
land pilots who paid attention to DA and performance have managed to
do the "fly from A to B surrounded by mountains" thing without being
bitten.

Good luck and have fun,
Sydney

"NW_PILOT" wrote in message
...
Hello, everyone I am wanting to take a flight from "COE" Coeur
D'Alene, ID
to "GTF" Great Falls, MT I was wanting to do this in my Cessna 150 Any
advice or helpful hints from some one thats done the trip over the
Rockies
in a 150 I know I will have to be at really high altitudes just
wondering on
how well the 150 will perform.




I believe your C150 is only marginal for that part of the world. You can
certainly do it, but be sure to take precautions about wind, to NOT be
at max gross weight, to circle for altitude BEFORE coming to a high
ridge, and to lean/enrichen properly on climbs/descents. Good luck.

It's I-90 through Missoula to Helena I think, then I-15N, but that's
a nit.

Thanks for the nit!

What are the high altitudes on this route, and how narrow are the
passes? If I ever bring a Top Cub home, this will be my route.

all the best -- Dan Ford
email: (put Cubdriver in subject line)

The Warbird's Forum www.warbirdforum.com
The Piper Cub Forum www.pipercubforum.com
Viva Bush! weblog www.vivabush.org

Cub Driver wrote:

It's I-90 through Missoula to Helena I think, then I-15N, but that's
a nit.

Thanks for the nit!

What are the high altitudes on this route, and how narrow are the
passes? If I ever bring a Top Cub home, this will be my route.

all the best -- Dan Ford

Do you have sectionals for your route? The interstates are clearly
marked (altho at times you may need a magnifying glass to find the
"I-90" lettering) as are many (but not all) the passes.

Another source of info are the specific states' Dept. Of Transportation
Aviation Divisions. Many states offer "not-for-navigation" aviation-type
maps identifying best routes.