Very cool. I always enjoy your videos. Thx for posting them. How much altitude do you lose in the canyon turns?
Off load the wing when making the turn, let it loose altitude, you can make it a lot tighter turn than trying to make the turn level.
What is the reason for losing altitude?
Usually when I was flying in a pass, it was because clouds kept me from flying over the tops. And when I had to turn around it was because the clouds and the ground were having a meeting. Losing altitude meant getting closer to the ground.
I was taught and have taught others to hold altitude when turning around in a pass.
I guess if altitude is available. But in the extreme flying I have done we are flying at 300 to 400 agl through the passes. Anything higher puts me into the clouds. Losing altitude is not an option.
When it happens for real, you might have to point the nose at the middle of the mountain ahead with the nose down before you even start the turn. It’s a dynamic that scares the crap out of some pilots. If you’re visualizing ahead how that will affect airspeed so you can make the tight turn, it’s not nearly as scary. As long as the downdraft doesn’t get stronger...
Canyons are okay as long as you are flying down the canyon. If’n yer going up the canyon ya really should have clearance altitude long before it is required by terrain. I think many folks say things like they know they have the performance to clear terrain so they don’t climb early (or circle to climb). An overcast can also be a constraint on the climb since the overcast can rise with terrain.My simple solution ,is to stay out of canyons.Did enjoy your video.
Took off and ran into snow and blowing snow in a pass visibility went down so I circled for an hour hoping the snow would let up.
Funny thing I had my girl friend with me. At one point when we were circling she said "why are you flying so close to the mountains on my side of the plane"... I just laughed
My simple solution ,is to stay out of canyons.Did enjoy your video.