Mountain Flying

I will teach you mountain flying if so desired.  You can contact me directly, use the "Contact me" form on each page, or go through Springs Aviation.  My availability is always on my AvCal which can help you plan your flight/visit.

If you want to fly in your own airplane, I fully support it, and think it's a better choice.  We've had people fly in from out of state to take the course so don't hesitate to do the same.

These are the academics normally provided:

• The brief, "Mountain Flying Ground Knowledge" (PPT or PDF)
• And two handouts: AWOS stations and Suggested Route.
• Colorado Airport Directory.

This is the typical route:

Landing:

• How can I land better at high altitude airports? (Vid 1).
• Mechanical turbulence: landing at a mountain airport. (Vid 4).

Weather:

• 3 reasons microbursts are more hazardous in the mountains.
• 4 ways mountain airports are affected by slope winds.
• AM or PM - which is better for mountain flying or summer mountain flying?
• Mountain wave(s):
• 3 reasons why they are more common in the fall and winter.
• Why it's less common in the summer. (Vid 35).
• Why it's more common in the fall. (Vid 38).
• 3 ways to identify mountain waves from forecasts.
• 4 ways to recognize mountain wave from the air.
• Case study: Mountain wave today in Boulder, CO.
• Dangers of it, and how to avoid it.
• Does it still happen in the spring? (Vid 29).
• Flying through it. (Vid 25).
• How do they form? (Vid 24).
• The two types. (Vid 22).
• Turbulence
• Where you'll find it in flight.
• Where you find it, and how to avoid it.
• Mountain weather. (vid from BM).
• Thunderstorms:
• 3 ways thunderstorms form in the mountains.
• Managing mountain thunderstorms in the spring. (Vid 30).
• Winds in the Columbia River Gorge. (Vid 5).
• See also Weather.

Weather Resources:

• Monarch Pass AWOS:  719-539-4436
• Salida (KANK) AWOS:  719-539-5268
• Bald Mountain AWOS:  303-512-4419
• Buena Vista (KAEJ) AWOS:  719-395-2599
• Leadville (KLXV) AWOS:  719-486-8441
• Aspen (KASE) ASOS:  970-205-2482
• Glenwood Springs (KGWS) AWOS:  970-524-7386
• Eagle County (KEGE) AWOS:  970-524-7386
• Copper Mountain AWOS:  970-968-1715
• Wilkerson Pass AWOS:  303-512-4418

• FAA Aviation Weather Cameras
•  https://avcams.faa.gov/
• It defaults to Alaska…just drag the map to Colorado

Other resources:

• AOPA Mountain Flying Course (I do not think membership is required)
• Lee eddies, flying through them.
• Mountain Flying.
• Mountain Flying in a Cirrus (video from COPA)
• Mountain Flying Tips. (Sportys vid).
• Tips on Mountain Flying (fly8ma)
• Trent Palmer on mountain flying.  Not a CFI, but knowledgeable.

Flying is great...improve every flight!