stagecoachco
Line Up and Wait
Recently I posted in the AOPA forums looking for a Mooney in Colorado that I could look at to see if it would fit my mission. As luck would have it Eric Jensen emailed me and said that he was going to fly to Kremmling (20V) (from Fort Collins, FNL) on Saturday for an EAA fly-in breakfast. He said that he was willing to pick me up at Steamboat (SBS) and take me to the fly-in so I could see his Mooney and see how it flew. Seeing how I needed to be down in the Front Range on Saturday afternoon, I asked if he would be willing to take me down there with him after the breakfast.
It was a great day for flying in the Rocky Mtns. Eric picked me up at SBS right on time. He let me fly the plane from SBS to 20V. Wow, after flying Cessnas only, the Mooney is definitely a step up. With 9000’ DA we still were making an easy 500’/min climb. This was my first time flying in the mountains (even though I live near Steamboat and in the mts, I did all my training at BJC), with tips from Eric, I flew us over Rabbit Ears Pass and towards Kremmling. Once close to Kremmling, Eric took the controls and greased us onto the runway. The approach to runway 27 at 20V is a little unique in that on downwind to base you have to go around a hill, and totally lose sight of the runway. You have to start your base to final turn without seeing the runway. Here is picture on final for 27:
We came over the mtns in the distance.
After the standard fly in breakfast, and looking at a bunch of well built experimental planes (mostly RVs), we took off to fly over the Rockies. Eric asked if I would rather fly or sight see. Knowing that the sights would be awesome, I elected to sight see instead. As we flew towards the continental divide, Eric pointed out places that he camped and patrolled when he worked as a patrol ranger for the Forest Service out of Kremmling. Truly beautiful places that must have been a joy to work in!
We overflew a guest “ranch” that has its own strip. The strip looked very challenging, one way with no real option for a go around, add in that it is narrow, and that it sits at almost 9000’ MSL, and it looks like a challenge.
Here is a picture of the strip:
Here is a picture of the “Ranch” and it’s ammenites:
As we flew towards the pass, I was greeted by many beautiful vistas:
The spine of the United States:
Grand Lake:
Unidentified lakes near the pass:
Rocks off the wing:
The pass we went over:
All in all it was a great day. I can’t thank Eric enough for picking me up and taking me along on his trip.
It was a great day for flying in the Rocky Mtns. Eric picked me up at SBS right on time. He let me fly the plane from SBS to 20V. Wow, after flying Cessnas only, the Mooney is definitely a step up. With 9000’ DA we still were making an easy 500’/min climb. This was my first time flying in the mountains (even though I live near Steamboat and in the mts, I did all my training at BJC), with tips from Eric, I flew us over Rabbit Ears Pass and towards Kremmling. Once close to Kremmling, Eric took the controls and greased us onto the runway. The approach to runway 27 at 20V is a little unique in that on downwind to base you have to go around a hill, and totally lose sight of the runway. You have to start your base to final turn without seeing the runway. Here is picture on final for 27:
We came over the mtns in the distance.
After the standard fly in breakfast, and looking at a bunch of well built experimental planes (mostly RVs), we took off to fly over the Rockies. Eric asked if I would rather fly or sight see. Knowing that the sights would be awesome, I elected to sight see instead. As we flew towards the continental divide, Eric pointed out places that he camped and patrolled when he worked as a patrol ranger for the Forest Service out of Kremmling. Truly beautiful places that must have been a joy to work in!
We overflew a guest “ranch” that has its own strip. The strip looked very challenging, one way with no real option for a go around, add in that it is narrow, and that it sits at almost 9000’ MSL, and it looks like a challenge.
Here is a picture of the strip:
Here is a picture of the “Ranch” and it’s ammenites:
As we flew towards the pass, I was greeted by many beautiful vistas:
The spine of the United States:
Grand Lake:
Unidentified lakes near the pass:
Rocks off the wing:
The pass we went over:
All in all it was a great day. I can’t thank Eric enough for picking me up and taking me along on his trip.
