IFR in the Eastern Mountains

: I disagree. Flying IFR in IMC in the mountains in the east is serious
: business and shouldn't be sugar coated. As they say, if you can't take
: the heat...

Absolutely. With MEAs over WV around 6000', that pretty much rules out all
but thin stratus into VFR-on-top IFR days from October through April.

The mountain wave and turbulence should also not be underestimated. I've been
in VFR over BKW (Beckly, WV... only about 50 miles from my home base). I hit a layer
of IMC at about 6000', but there was plenty of VMC below. I got a clearance for
"practice." Within 10 minutes, my groundspeed went from about 100 kts to 55 kts, and
I was getting +-500fpm no matter what power settings I tried to use. At one point I
was in clear VMC and plenty of room below so I cancelled and flew the last 20 miles
VFR in 2500' ceilings.

VFR in only more dangerous in the "average" sense that a lot of the clear
weather might be associated with highs and gusty winds. IMC can also have ugly winds,
and the sink associated with the ridges can make a mess of you too.

-Cory

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* Cory Papenfuss, Ph.D., PPSEL-IA *
* Electrical Engineering *
* Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University *
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