Density Altitude -2300' MSL

Geico266

Geico266

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Geico
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:eek:

When I was out flying in -6F in the -10 the ATIS was reporting a DA of -2300'. The airport is 1250' MSL. :eek:

Never heard it that low that I remember. Needles to say the air was thick. :yesnod:
 
Geico266 said:
:eek:

When I was out flying in -6F in the -10 the ATIS was reporting a DA of -2300'. The airport is 1250' MSL. :eek:

Never heard it that low that I remember. Needles to say the air was thick. :yesnod:
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I've never heard ATIS report any DA unless there was a risk you might bend some metal. Do you think the controller included it in the report because it was so interesting?
 
nddons said:
I've never heard ATIS report any DA unless there was a risk you might bend some metal. Do you think the controller included it in the report because it was so interesting?
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WingX (iPad app) reports (calculates?) the DA all the time in the weather section. On Thursday, DA at Denver International Airport (see? I'm trying to avoid ICAO acronyms) of 2600 ft or so. Physical altitude is 5433 MSL. Right now at my house (10:17 pm MST) the temp is 1F and wind chill is -15F.

Forget the long johns. We're talking serious thermal underwear and flannel-lined jeans along with the down jackt. Forget flying. I don't care if the cherokee does have an engine heater, it's too cold for me!
 
KAPA right now. It's been 10F colder than this for days now. Today we had a heat wave to 20F right before sunset.

(I don't care about anyone's pet peeve about ICAO. Look it up. You're sitting at a computer of some sort if you're on PoA. Sheesh. Whiners.)

pe3y2ury.jpg


The fun one there is "Mist". That isn't mist. It's ice fog. The DA is insanely low too of course.

Bloody weather. If anyone sees Al Gore, kick him square in the package for me, please.

Amazing that Matt Praeter kicked the longest field goal in NFL history here today. I didn't know frozen pig skin bricks could fly that far. ;). 64 yards. Wow.
 
On my long solo XC, the DA at Winnemucca was -1600. The airport elevation is 4308. Yes, it was very cold indeed.
 
Flew yesterday. 15F. Dunno what the calculated DA was but the little engines in Fat Albert The Apache were roaring like the big dogs. We were off the ground in a Flash. 1200 fpm in climbout to 4000 with 100 gallons of fuel and two people. Cheap way to find out what a set of 200hp engines would feel like.
 
Next week, I'm headed up to Saskatchewan for Christmas with the family...just pulled the METAR for there:

CYQR 091300Z 18007KT 15SM FEW160 M30/M33 A2980 RMK AC2 SLP161

DA of -3,300'
 
nddons said:
I've never heard ATIS report any DA unless there was a risk you might bend some metal. Do you think the controller included it in the report because it was so interesting?
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It was the automated version. :dunno:

It got my attention.
 
KVUO (Vancouver WA, elevation 26' MSL) ASOS right now: Temperature minus 05°C; dew point minus 10°C, altimeter 30.63, density altitude minus 3,200'.

Good luck calculating takeoff and landing performance; it's a mite off the charts.
 
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Reach for the sky,global cooling is coming.
 
I love flying in the cold. My 300 HP engines make closer to 315-320 HP, and the plane leaps off the ground like a homesick angel. Flown in -40 weather quite happily.
 
nddons said:
Preflights suck though.
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That's what SICs are for.

Plus, you can dress for cold. Just keep adding layers. In the heat, there's a limit to how many layers you can remove before you end up with a misdemeanor charge.
 
bbchien said:
It be cold out dere.....
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Bringing home the new plane from CO this weekend, I decided to grab a few more states on the map by jumping off the great circle route, heading to WY and KS. Stupid map! Took me 45 minutes in the shower that night in Omaha to feel my toes again. :loco:
 
Geico266 said:
When I was out flying in -6F in the -10 the ATIS was reporting a DA of -2300'. The airport is 1250' MSL. :eek:

Never heard it that low that I remember. Needles to say the air was thick. :yesnod:
Click to expand...

Good to know that the engines will be putting well over rated power, and watch you temps (full rich be too lean). Also, altitudes where you're used to flying WOT will require more attention to power settings.
 
PilotAlan said:
Good to know that the engines will be putting well over rated power, and watch you temps (full rich be too lean). Also, altitudes where you're used to flying WOT will require more attention to power settings.
Click to expand...

My Owners Manual says for every 10F below standard to add 1% power to what is shown. So this afternoon in Vancouver, -5C = 23F; sea level standard is 59F, so you are 35F below. That would take me from 99.5% power to 103%, or 185 hp.

You do need to keep this in mind when setting power and leaning, though, and watch your temperatures.
 
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