denverpilot
Tied Down
Not my photo... and not lenticulars... but wicked cool.
and the magnet ic compass, turn coordinator, and altimeter become your very best friendsthe attitude indicator and directional gyro will start to wind down and eventually not be reliable
I disagree. During instrument training you typically don't practice partial panel work in conjunction with an engine failure, you practice it with the anticipation of having an instrument or vacuum pump problem. Having partial panel training will likely help in the case of an engine failure but I'd bet that the majority of pilots will have a significant performance degradation under those circumstances.
Good points, but the OP was overflying the Appalachians not the Rockies or the Sierras, and out east here summer hasn't really kicked in yet. Density altitude and pressure altitude are pretty close - though that's likely to change in the next few days. I was a little concerned to read he went up to 12,500 without O2, but that's still well below from the service ceiling in most small piston planes (at least the BOOK service ceiling). Moreover, if you look at his photos, there wasn't really any mountain obscuration, just scattered cumulus with very little vertical development.I'd say marginal ADM. The concern is a bit different than has been pointed out, though.
Over the top above even modest mountains is quite different from overflying coastal stratus. As you found, mountain obscuration can be many thousands of feet thick, and VERY often requires flying near the service ceiling. You did not report density altitude. In summer, it can easily be 3000 higher than pressure altitude. But what you didn't see was that worsening weather doesn't just close holes. It can also, rather easily, go higher. Quickly. And you're already near your service ceiling.
As a rule, I don't overfly mountain obscuration. It's seldom worth it. There are exceptions if the crossing is very short and I can turn around easily (e.g. overflying one standing lenticular -- never fly under those).
The service ceiling for an Archer is around 13500. It doesn't take much for DA to push up there in the given conditions.Good points, but the OP was overflying the Appalachians not the Rockies or the Sierras, and out east here summer hasn't really kicked in yet. Density altitude and pressure altitude are pretty close - though that's likely to change in the next few days. I was a little concerned to read he went up to 12,500 without O2, but that's still well below from the service ceiling in most small piston planes (at least the BOOK service ceiling). Moreover, if you look at his photos, there wasn't really any mountain obscuration, just scattered cumulus with very little vertical development.
Now there are parts of the Appalachians where I'd be concerned about mountain turbulence, particularly in the NH White Mts. But that's far from where the OP was flying.
I disagree. During instrument training you typically don't practice partial panel work in conjunction with an engine failure, you practice it with the anticipation of having an instrument or vacuum pump problem. Having partial panel training will likely help in the case of an engine failure but I'd bet that the majority of pilots will have a significant performance degradation under those circumstances.
My only concern is the 12.5k. FARs say you can only do that for a half our sans oxygen. Then again, I'll bet a bottle and cannula don't cost much from a medical supply company. But I myself have done this on a number of occasions. I just want to see that my destination is VFR and forecast to stay that way. Sometimes it's the only way to get past rocks. Beats the hell out of flying amoung them.
Actually, the half hour rule applies above 12,500, up to and including 14,000. It's interesting though that it says pressure altitude. I hadn't noticed that before.My only concern is the 12.5k. FARs say you can only do that for a half our sans oxygen....
Pressure altitude is appropriate. The temperature in your lungs is always the same.Actually, the half hour rule applies above 12,500, up to and including 14,000. It's interesting though that it says pressure altitude. I hadn't noticed that before.
91.211 Supplemental oxygen.
(a) General. No person may operate a civil aircraft of U.S. registry--
(1) At cabin pressure altitudes above 12,500 feet (MSL) up to and including 14,000 feet (MSL) unless the required minimum flight crew is provided with and uses supplemental oxygen for that part of the flight at those altitudes that is of more than 30 minutes duration;...
The thing that's interesting to me about it is that depending on whether the altimeter setting is above or below 29.92, it might or might not be legal to fly at 12,500 MSL without supplemental oxygen.Pressure altitude is appropriate. The temperature in your lungs is always the same.
A good point, and I try and restrict these excursions to instances where there is flyable VFR Wx below. My thinking is in an emergency I'm pretty certain I can keep the shiny side up in a letdown, and once I'm in VFR conditions there really isn't any difference in loosing the mill above or below (except above you may have the ability to navigate toward a suitable landing site if you can keep a cool head).There is one thing I would throw out there that I haven't seen mentioned yet. I too have flown "Over the Top", as well as hard IMC as an instrument rated pilot. And while you are legal on top of a low overcast, keep in the back of your mind what that means if the engine quits. Letting down through a layer is one thing, but what if the bases are 200 foot or lower. You won't have a lot of time or options available once or if you do break out. That is when I get the most concerned, flying single engine over areas that are low IFR.
I won't mention the airline even though they're long since gone, but I was in the back of a SF34 directly over HGR (probably at 11,000) on a severe clear cold winter morning when we hit evidently a mountain wave that sent the poor cute little FA flying (into my lap ) and she broke her foot in the process. So yes, the eastern mountains can cause some nasty wave effects at times.Good points, but the OP was overflying the Appalachians not the Rockies or the Sierras, and out east here summer hasn't really kicked in yet. Density altitude and pressure altitude are pretty close - though that's likely to change in the next few days. I was a little concerned to read he went up to 12,500 without O2, but that's still well below from the service ceiling in most small piston planes (at least the BOOK service ceiling). Moreover, if you look at his photos, there wasn't really any mountain obscuration, just scattered cumulus with very little vertical development.
Now there are parts of the Appalachians where I'd be concerned about mountain turbulence, particularly in the NH White Mts. But that's far from where the OP was flying.