finding mountain passes for flight planning?

In Colorado, check out

www.coloradopilots.org

And if you need to ask about passes, perhaps you should take a
high-altitude airport/mountain flying course?

Mountain flying courses aren't too common in WI.

but, I may not be making such a trip for a long time yet, as I'm just a
renter so far. I will keep my eyes out for a local course, FWIW, and I
know there are seminars at Oshkosh.

John

"John T" wrote in message
...
Mountain flying courses aren't too common in WI.

but, I may not be making such a trip for a long time yet, as I'm just a
renter so far. I will keep my eyes out for a local course, FWIW, and I
know there are seminars at Oshkosh.

I seem to recall that there's a hill in Minnesota, not too far from you. I
think people have even been known to ski down it. (I know, it takes two
hills to make a pass...oh well).

Anyway, as far as finding mountain passes go, they are pretty apparent when
you actually look at a sectional. They are where the terrain goes down
between two high spots. Some are named, and of course the larger the
pass the more likely it is to be a reasonable and safe way through the
mountain range. Note: something that looks like a pass but which leads to
higher terrain rather than lower is called a dead-end. Don't fly down
those.

That said, you may want to consider focusing on routes that take you over
the interstate highways. They tend to cross the mountains in the easiest
areas, as well as keep you near civilization in case things don't go quite
as you'd hoped.

If you do want to try some more challenging mountain flying, then on your
way west you might stop just short of the mountains to take in a course.
The web site Blanche mentions has good contacts, including a complete list
of instructors. One of them even posts here regularly...here's his web
address: http://users.frii.com/jer/

Pete

"Peter Duniho" wrote:

That said, you may want to consider focusing on routes that take you over
the interstate highways. They tend to cross the mountains in the easiest
areas, as well as keep you near civilization in case things don't go quite
as you'd hoped.

Just be aware of TUNNELS like on I-70 west of Denver.

Ron Lee

"Ron Lee" wrote in message
...
"Peter Duniho" wrote:

That said, you may want to consider focusing on routes that take you over
the interstate highways. They tend to cross the mountains in the easiest
areas, as well as keep you near civilization in case things don't go quite
as you'd hoped.

Just be aware of TUNNELS like on I-70 west of Denver.

Ron Lee

The tunnels are OK if you're in a Cri Cri or one of the few flying BD5s.
Not sure anything else can do them... ;-)

On Sun, 26 Mar 2006 15:30:46 GMT, (Ron Lee)
wrote:

Just be aware of TUNNELS like on I-70 west of Denver.

Right! Be sure to put on your landing lights in the tunnel!


-- all the best, Dan Ford

email: usenet AT danford DOT net

Warbird's Forum: www.warbirdforum.com
Piper Cub Forum: www.pipercubforum.com
In Search of Lost Time: www.readingproust.com

"Cub Driver" usenet AT danford DOT net wrote in message
...
On Sun, 26 Mar 2006 15:30:46 GMT, (Ron Lee)
wrote:

Just be aware of TUNNELS like on I-70 west of Denver.

Right! Be sure to put on your landing lights in the tunnel!

and honk your horn for luck!

Right! Be sure to put on your landing lights in the tunnel!

and honk your horn for luck!

Lordy, no, if you are the one that had that Helio Courier that was at OSH,
what, two years ago?

For those who missed it, he had TRAIN horns, with bleed air from the turbine
engine, powering it!

I was spinning like a top, out on the taxiway (flagging planes at an
intersection), trying to locate the crash truck that was surely going to run
me down! g

Can you imagine a set of horns like that, going off in a tunnel??? :-)
--
Jim in NC

Peter Duniho wrote:
Anyway, as far as finding mountain passes go, they are pretty apparent when
you actually look at a sectional. They are where the terrain goes down
between two high spots. Some are named, and of course the larger the
pass the more likely it is to be a reasonable and safe way through the
mountain range. Note: something that looks like a pass but which leads to
higher terrain rather than lower is called a dead-end. Don't fly down
those.

All too true...For example, Independence Pass goes to/from Leadville, CO
the Aspen. However, there NO way out if something goes wrong. As a rule,
Never Never Never fly thru Independence Pass.

That said, you may want to consider focusing on routes that take you over
the interstate highways. They tend to cross the mountains in the easiest
areas, as well as keep you near civilization in case things don't go quite
as you'd hoped.

Most of the time, this is true. I-80 or I-40 are both great routes
thru the ROckies. However I-70 over the Rockies thru Colorado is a NO-NO.
From Denver to Vail, there are really no "outs" if something goes
wrong. Even the I-70 road isn't straight enough to land most
of the time. On the other hand, the traffic is SO BAD, that you'll
just land on top of an SUV and that'll take you right to Vail.
Of course it'll be a problem going thru the tunnel....

"Blanche Cohen" wrote in message
...
Most of the time, this is true. I-80 or I-40 are both great routes
thru the ROckies. However I-70 over the Rockies thru Colorado is a NO-NO.

Yes, I agree. I did say "tend"...I suppose a more explicit qualification
could have been made. The terrain due west of Denver is challenging
regardless, IMHO. One of the hardest places to cross the Rockies,
especially in a low-power, non-turbo airplane. But most of the other
interstate routes aren't nearly as bad and, as you note, I-80 or I-40 are
both downright easy.

Pete