My First Airplane :)

[CC268]

With a field elevation of 9934', it was interesting to say the least. And I did it in July! I got a certificate for landing at the highest airport in North America. A tough old lady working there named Ursula refused to sell me fuel. She cussed me 9 ways to Sunday for landing there. I was visiting a friend in Breckenridge and stayed a week. I left very early in the morning while the temperatures were still low -- had to scrape frost off of the wings. Ursula told me more than once before I left, "remember, when you take off, just stay in ground effect - don't try to climb, don't try to climb!". The airport is on a plateau, and the ground just falls away to the north. I departed, remained in ground effect, and let the ground fall away as she recommended. I then gently turned west and then to the south over a river valley below. I followed that valley down to Buena Vista airport (elev 7950') and topped off my tanks for the trip home.

In retrospect, I'd be very wary about doing that again in a 140. Beware of high elevations and hot days. Always consider density altitude, and lean for max rpm prior to takeoff if necessary. And pay attention to that stall warning light. I saw that light more times than I'd like to admit when departing on hot summer days.

Good luck with the new bird and above all have fun with it!!

Thanks for the great advice! I am going to be very cautious with the performance of this airplane!

 

[denverpilot]

With a field elevation of 9934', it was interesting to say the least. And I did it in July! I got a certificate for landing at the highest airport in North America. A tough old lady working there named Ursula refused to sell me fuel. She cussed me 9 ways to Sunday for landing there. I was visiting a friend in Breckenridge and stayed a week. I left very early in the morning while the temperatures were still low -- had to scrape frost off of the wings. Ursula told me more than once before I left, "remember, when you take off, just stay in ground effect - don't try to climb, don't try to climb!". The airport is on a plateau, and the ground just falls away to the north. I departed, remained in ground effect, and let the ground fall away as she recommended. I then gently turned west and then to the south over a river valley below. I followed that valley down to Buena Vista airport (elev 7950') and topped off my tanks for the trip home.

In retrospect, I'd be very wary about doing that again in a 140. Beware of high elevations and hot days. Always consider density altitude, and lean for max rpm prior to takeoff if necessary. And pay attention to that stall warning light. I saw that light more times than I'd like to admit when departing on hot summer days.

Good luck with the new bird and above all have fun with it!!

Ursula knows what she's talking about.

"Gilgulin’s flight-related credentials are as impressive as her artistic background. She’s a flight instructor; an air transport pilot, the highest of five levels of private pilots; a volunteer Accident Prevention Counselor for the Federal Aviation Administration, serving as a resource to pilots unfamiliar with the area; an FAA-designated Pilot Examiner; and she holds an FAA Air Carrier Certificate allowing her to transport passengers or baggage for hire. Oh, yes, and she’s also an observer for the National Weather Service."

From...

http://cozine.com/1996-july/artist-and-pilot-ursula-gilgulin/

(I was looking for a more recent article but a quick Google search turned up that 1996 one, and it covered her qualifications so there ya go...)

I don't know if she still maintains her DPE or not, haven't checked lately.

She's been a resident of Leadville since I was in diapers.

 

[Timbeck2]

Looks cool! I bought my first plane a few weeks ago, and I still smile like a retard when I say "my airplane"!

Wait till your first annual or when you get project creep when you try to upgrade something. Sorry, I don't mean to be a Debbie Downer but I've called my plane some pretty bad names when she starting fighting me on every upgrade or repair I'd try. (Sorry Sabrina)

CC268 - As a Cherokee owner myself, (1969) congrats on the nice looking plane. I like the colors and when I build my RV-7 that is what I'm going to paint it. Flying into Flagstaff isn't that big a deal, just go early in the morning or in winter. A good friend of mine runs the tower there and they have the best FBO that I've ever been to. No paper towels in the bathroom, real towels. Fresh cookies and coffee, iced water and tea to snack on and a cool cat that hangs out but I haven't figured out what he does on his day off. If you decide to fly into Ryan for breakfast, announce it and maybe a few of us can plan to be there. It's only a 10 minute flight for me from Tucson.

Oh and one more thing about the trim handle. A good way to remember is that if you were to hold your head next to the handle, if you were to turn it clockwise you'd hit yourself in the back of the head forcing it down. (trim down) and vice-versa for counter-clockwise (forehead - trim up)

 

[tawood]

...

Oh and one more thing about the trim handle. A good way to remember is that if you were to hold your head next to the handle, if you were to turn it clockwise you'd hit yourself in the back of the head forcing it down. (trim down) and vice-versa for counter-clockwise (forehead - trim up)

That's a good way to remember! I've always had to look up to see, and half the time I read it wrong and turn it the wrong way.

CC268: I always lean, and I mix 50/50 with mogas when I'm at my home field, to keep plugs clean.

 

[CC268]

Wait till your first annual or when you get project creep when you try to upgrade something. Sorry, I don't mean to be a Debbie Downer but I've called my plane some pretty bad names when she starting fighting me on every upgrade or repair I'd try. (Sorry Sabrina)

CC268 - As a Cherokee owner myself, (1969) congrats on the nice looking plane. I like the colors and when I build my RV-7 that is what I'm going to paint it. Flying into Flagstaff isn't that big a deal, just go early in the morning or in winter. A good friend of mine runs the tower there and they have the best FBO that I've ever been to. No paper towels in the bathroom, real towels. Fresh cookies and coffee, iced water and tea to snack on and a cool cat that hangs out but I haven't figured out what he does on his day off. If you decide to fly into Ryan for breakfast, announce it and maybe a few of us can plan to be there. It's only a 10 minute flight for me from Tucson.

Oh and one more thing about the trim handle. A good way to remember is that if you were to hold your head next to the handle, if you were to turn it clockwise you'd hit yourself in the back of the head forcing it down. (trim down) and vice-versa for counter-clockwise (forehead - trim up)

Thanks for the feedback on Flagstaff - that is very useful info! I flew to Ryan for one of my cross country flights! Didn't realize they had a breakfast place on the field, but I will have to keep that in mind. Thanks for the tips on the trim handle, I think I am getting it down already!

 

[Skip Miller]

Just curious...do you lean for taxi and during your run up? When I was doing my training in the 172 we always leaned for taxi and we leaned at runup at full power.

OK I have no professional qualifications but here is my take on this:

Always lean for taxi. Some say it should be so lean that you can't advance the throttle without the engine stumbling - avoiding a full power takeoff while leaned. IMHO a good flow check prior to throttle advance for TO will catch your lean mixture and allow you to go full rich for takeoff.

Do not lean for takeoff unless you are at a high altitude airport. Full power for takeoff generates the most heat for your engine, and at the same time the airflow through the engine is less than full airflow because you have no ram air. Don't make the situation hotter by leaning it out! There is a reason the carburetor has an enrichment circuit that makes it richer at full power...

If you are at a high altitude airport (over 5,000ft msl) lean to max power available during the runup and take off at that setting. -Skip

 

[Skywalker]

We rented a C172 from Westwind Aviation at Deer Valley some years ago (2011) just after we got our licenses. We later found out that Deer Valley was the busiest general aviation airport world wide and number 22 of all airports.

We liked Deer Valley though as it is nicely located for day trips to Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, ... You will get used to the zoo.

 

[pburger]

Ursula knows what she's talking about.

"Gilgulin’s flight-related credentials are as impressive as her artistic background. She’s a flight instructor; an air transport pilot, the highest of five levels of private pilots; a volunteer Accident Prevention Counselor for the Federal Aviation Administration, serving as a resource to pilots unfamiliar with the area; an FAA-designated Pilot Examiner; and she holds an FAA Air Carrier Certificate allowing her to transport passengers or baggage for hire. Oh, yes, and she’s also an observer for the National Weather Service."

From...

http://cozine.com/1996-july/artist-and-pilot-ursula-gilgulin/

(I was looking for a more recent article but a quick Google search turned up that 1996 one, and it covered her qualifications so there ya go...)

I don't know if she still maintains her DPE or not, haven't checked lately.

She's been a resident of Leadville since I was in diapers.

Thanks for that background on Ursula! I was there back in 1993. That story was written just 3 years later. I guess she's still kickin around up there. Funny how I could remember her name. She made quite an impression on a young pilot back then.