 Have you ever wanted to venture into the mountains with your
airplane, but worried that you may not be ready for the challenge? If
you want to fly in the mountains, the best idea is to get some mountain
flight instruction from a qualified flight instruction that specializes
in mountain flying. The team of instructors at Alpine Flight
Instruction can provide just that training.
Central Colorado offers incredible natural beauty, from desert mesas
to snow-capped 14,000 ft peaks. This landscape also presents a wide
variety of challenges for all pilot experience levels. Narrow and
sloping runways, one-way airports, density altitudes in excess of 10,000
ft and difficult-to-predict mountain wave will test your
decision-making abilities and skills as a pilot.
Safe and enjoyable flying in the mountains requires the right
perspective, solid understanding of aircraft performance, the operating
environment and most importantly, your abilities as a pilot. The
proficient mountain pilot will carefully assess each of these factors
when planning a mountain flight.
Call and talk to the instructors at Alpine Flight Training. We will
build a training plan ideally suited to any pilot's skill level and
experience. Our instructors can provide mountain training in our rental
aircraft or in your own aircraft. Additionally, we can arrange to meet
you at an airport east or west of the Rockies on the way from where you
are coming from.
Instinct and Intuition - A Recipe for Disaster
In the course of going through the most basic pilot training many of
us learn that control inputs based on instinct or intuition are often
wrong. Some examples of this are the graveyard spiral or recovery from a
spin. In the case of each, the natural thing to do is not the correct
thing to do. Mountain Flying is very similar, in that the natural and
intuitive strategy does not always equate to a good strategy.
The goal of our mountain flight training is to help you develop a
different perspective with regards to navigating your aircraft through
the mountains. This new perspective will help you develop conditioned
responses to keep your aircraft safe as you navigate the mountains. The
basic premise is simple....(1) stay in a position to turn to lowering
terrain and (2) never fly past the point of no return. While these
rules seem simple enough, it takes some practice to develop them into
conditioned responses. This conditioning takes time and effort, that
is, practice with an experienced mountain pilot. It is not something you
go out and do once or twice and figure you have "it." But it is
something you can be aware of so that you condition yourself. Keep
repeating the rules to yourself, "Stay in a position to turn to lower
terrain," while constantly evaluating the flight situation.
Redefining Aircraft Performance and Weather
The second really large area we focus our time on when teaching
mountain flying is related to the areas of aircraft performance and
weather. With regards to the topics of aircraft performance and weather
the goal is to thoroughly review the knowledge areas, and focus
specifically on how they apply to mountain flying. Additionally, we'll
show you some techniques you can use to improve your flying specifically
related to aircraft performance and weather.
Mountain Flying Syllabus
Our mountain flying training is custom tailored to each pilot. Every
pilot is different is terms of what they plan to do, and the sort of
aircraft they are using, as a result every mountain flying training
session is a little different. For this reason we don't have a set
training syllabus, however the training syllabus below will provide an
overview of many of the topics we cover during mountain flight training.
The goal of this course is to provide the pilot with the basic tools
of knowledge, skill and judgment to fly safely in mountainous terrain,
while having a challenging and rewarding experience.
Course Outline
Mountain Flying Strategy
- Flight Planning
- Navigation Strategies
Takeoff & Landing
- Determining Density Altitude
- Takoff and & Landing Performance
- Climb Performance
- Takeoff Startegy...Ground Effect? Flaps?
- Engine Cooling Issues
- Cross Wind Review
- Runway Gradient & Effect on TO/Land
- Constricted Approches
- Determining Wind Direction and Intensity
- Proper Techniques for Leaning
Flying through Rugged Terrain
- Box Canyons
- Canyon/Valley Turns
- Evaluating and Crossing Ridges & Plateaus
- Weather Factors
Mountain Weather
- Circulation & Pressure Patterns
- Orographic / Solar Effects
- Winds and Mountain Wave
- Diurnal Effect
- Turbulence
Emergencies
- Precautionary and Forced Landings
- Surveying Landing Sites
- Survival Planning
Practice at Mountain Airports
- Leadville, Aspen, Telluride, Glenwood Springs, Steamboat Springs,
Meeker, Grandby, Gunnison, Salida, and others depending upon student’s
interest.
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