Jim_R
Pattern Altitude
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- Feb 17, 2010
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Jim
I'll have a ~10-day window to do something between 12/26 and returning to work on 1/7, and am planning a visit to Arizona. My traveling companion has a broad itinerary established: Base in Tucson for a few days and explore the environs, move up north a bit and explore the Painted Desert and maybe Canyon de Chelly, then take a day to fly over the Grand Canyon and start heading home. I figure that makes for 5-7 days in AZ, with 2-3 days of travel to/from Houston, plus a couple of days for weather margin.
We'll be two people plus a week's luggage in a Cherokee 180. I'm used to flying from sea level (and over flat terrain), so I know it'll be a bit different at these altitudes (and around the mountains). I flew to Santa Fe in March a few years back, so I've had some small experience here before. Probably won't be flying with full tanks!
We'll be traveling from Houston, and will essentially follow I-10 west to Tucson. Current thought is to return home via a route crossing the mountains just south of Albuquerque (ONM VOR).
I've read messages here and elsewhere about "how to fly the Grand Canyon", and watched some YouTube videos, and of course have reviewed the Grand Canyon VFR chart, so I feel like I generally understand that situation.
Some questions for anyone familiar with the area:
Jim
We'll be two people plus a week's luggage in a Cherokee 180. I'm used to flying from sea level (and over flat terrain), so I know it'll be a bit different at these altitudes (and around the mountains). I flew to Santa Fe in March a few years back, so I've had some small experience here before. Probably won't be flying with full tanks!
We'll be traveling from Houston, and will essentially follow I-10 west to Tucson. Current thought is to return home via a route crossing the mountains just south of Albuquerque (ONM VOR).
I've read messages here and elsewhere about "how to fly the Grand Canyon", and watched some YouTube videos, and of course have reviewed the Grand Canyon VFR chart, so I feel like I generally understand that situation.
Some questions for anyone familiar with the area:
- Recommendations for best airport/FBO in Tucson area? Based on about 10 min of poking around on Airnav, I'm leaning toward Tucson Jet Center at KTUS. (Any reason to prefer Velocity at KRYN?)
- Any good ideas for best way to get to the Painted Desert? Looks like Winslow and Taylor are the closest options with rental cars. If we include Canyon de Chelly, though, maybe Gallup would be a better choice?
- Any words of wisdom on flying in this area in December?
- I'm conscious of the density altitude (a big reason we're going in December).
- I'm conscious of my inexperience with mountains, but think I can plot a route that avoids typical "mountain flying" concerns (won't be flying narrow passes or close ridgelines). What should I be thinking about to avoid complacency/surprises?
- Am I wrong to think that icing concerns are relatively low due to the arid climate?
- Any additional advice re: Grand Canyon aside from "stay in the VFR corridors and don't fly too low" and "expect big up/downdrafts near the rims"? (Are there any specific areas aside from the corridors we should make sure to fly over while we're in the neighborhood?)
Jim
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