Colorado Springs (KCOS) pirep request

J

JOhnH

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Right Seater
We plan to fly to KCOS (from Florida) this weekend or early next week. I'm wondering if the fires are still an issue that we should be concerned about. The last news I saw was a week ago and there was still ash falling.
 
Pikes Peak is 50 miles that way... usually can see it.

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I live in "The Springs" and this morning as I left KFLY to fly over the mountains to Alamosa I could barely see the front range after takeoff and that is about 15 miles!! The reported vis was 10 (and still is) and I believed that !!! It was significantly different from the usual 70 to 80 miles I can see from the KFLY pattern (New Mexico/Colorado Raton Pass). Kind of like flying on the East Coast during high humidity days.
 
Don't forget to calculate density altitude out there, I landed one afternoon with a density altitude 4,000 feet higher than the airport. Taking off at that time would have been marginal, performance of my Cessna 172 at 10,000 feet is not impressive, even with the back seats empty, and one suitcase. We very much enjoyed the visit, great place.
 
My brother and I flew from Oklahoma City to Pocatello, Idaho this past weekend to pick up an airplane then flew back home. It's hazy but we were easily VFR at 9500 and 10,000.
 
Definitely watch the density altitude although it is getting better now than in the summer. Many days saw DA of 10 k !!! We already had the first snowstorm of the season although the past few weeks have been sunny and warm. Also, watch the winds aloft. They can make for a rough ride as you approach the mountains.
 
MooneyDriver78 said:
I recommend Cutter and I would hangar the plane.
Click to expand...
I have emailed Cutter four times over the past couple of weeks. Each time I get an immediate, automated response that says I have to validate my email to reduce spam. I validate and it immediately says my email has been delivered, but I get no response. I called them twice and let the phone ring and ring with no answer. I was wondering if they are shut down or something.
 
Arrow76R said:
I live in "The Springs" and this morning as I left KFLY to fly over the mountains to Alamosa I could barely see the front range after takeoff and that is about 15 miles!! The reported vis was 10 (and still is) and I believed that !!! It was significantly different from the usual 70 to 80 miles I can see from the KFLY pattern (New Mexico/Colorado Raton Pass). Kind of like flying on the East Coast during high humidity days.
Click to expand...
We are probably going to be rearranging our plans. We have landed in, AND spent the night in 39 states, including Alaska. We have 10 more. Oklahoma, Colorada and a few more out west, and several up in the North East corner. We are probably going to brave the frigid weathers of Connecticut this trip instead.

We had visions of hitting all of the remaining states this year, but 2020 had other plans.
 
JOhnH said:
I have emailed Cutter four times over the past couple of weeks. Each time I get an immediate, automated response that says I have to validate my email to reduce spam. I validate and it immediately says my email has been delivered, but I get no response. I called them twice and let the phone ring and ring with no answer. I was wondering if they are shut down or something.
Click to expand...

Could be, they may have been a casualty of Covid-19.
You could try their corporate phone: 602-273-1237
And double check their social media feeds looking for announcements.
 
MooneyDriver78 said:
Could be, they may have been a casualty of Covid-19.
You could try their corporate phone: 602-273-1237
And double check their social media feeds looking for announcements.
Click to expand...
Coincidence maybe, but about an hour after I posted that, and after I pretty much decided to postpone this particular trip, I received a nice helpful reply from Cutter.
I'm sure they are having their problems like so many of us, so I don't hold a grudge for the delay.
 
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