Pacific Northwest Flying

[Ghery]

as opposed to LA basin...


Flying back from PUW to OLM this afternoon the weather on the east side was clear and a million, but the forecasts for the west side weren't as great. By flying down the Columbia River Gorge (our sea level pass through the Cascades) one can come in under the clouds. The preferred VFR method, for sure.

As we were approaching the Gorge near The Dalles I called Flight Watch for an update on the weather along our route. He reported ceilings ranging from 3000 feet to 5000 feet and seemed concerned about those numbers. I replied that it was just another wonderful VFR day in western Washington. The briefer replied that he had recently moved up to our area after 14 years in the LA area and was still coming to grips with the local attitude about what was a good VFR day. We chuckled about that and I went back to Seattle Center where I had been receiving flight following (a common occurance around here, I love our ATC folks in the northwest).

Here are a couple pictures my wife snapped as we approached and flew through the gorge. We stayed at 4,500 MSL until approaching Portland where I had to duck a line of clouds. I don't think I ever got much below 3,000 MSL until I was decending into OLM. Center called traffic around KLS, a C-182 above and to our left. I spotted him, watched him fall behind the Arrow, and then met the pilot as he put his plane away in the hangar next to the Arrow's. A fellow WSU Cougar. Small world.

 

[Ghery]

Oh, and for trivia buffs, I hit exactly 250 hours in the log when I shut down at PUW on Friday. Now, doesn't that just make your day?

 

[Pilawt]

Ghery, what time did you leave KPUW? We crossed overhead at about 11:45 AM on our way back to Vancouver WA from Missoula MT at 10,000.

There was a lot of smoke in Montana and Idaho that topped out at 10,000, and that plus the overcast west of the Cascades prompted me to file IFR this trip. Here are some photos approaching the Gorge today from a higher altitude. The tops were at about 7,000 and ATC had us cruising in IMC at 6,000 for about 30 NM. We broke out at 3,000 just north of BTG.

You had the better view.

 

[Dave Krall CFII]

Nice PIX guys, looks like classic PacNW flying.

 

[Ghery]

Ghery, what time did you leave KPUW? We crossed overhead at about 11:45 AM on our way back to Vancouver WA from Missoula MT at 10,000.

There was a lot of smoke in Montana and Idaho that topped out at 10,000, and that plus the overcast west of the Cascades prompted me to file IFR this trip. Here are some photos approaching the Gorge today from a higher altitude. The tops were at about 7,000 and ATC had us cruising in IMC at 6,000 for about 30 NM. We broke out at 3,000 just north of BTG.

You had the better view.

We were wheels up a couple minutes before 3 PM. I was still moving dressers up and down stairs at the ADPi house when you buzzed overhead.

Our major smoke (and we were south of the plume) was from the new fire near the tri cities area. We were at 8500 MSL as 6500 MSL was too bumpy in the heat.