Inflight Emergency

On Friday, December 26, 2014 3:57:09 PM UTC-7, Bill T wrote:
Jean, NV. 2,833MSL, 100F jacks the DA.

I used to do mountain flying checkouts for flatland pilots in my Archer II. One warm afternoon we were taxiing out at Teluride, CO and the AWOS said the density altitude was 16,000'. My checkee looked alarmed and asked what the ceiling of the Archer was. I said 13,800' - no problem.

TEX is at 9,078' MSL and prior to 2009 had an 85' deep swayback in the middle of the 6,900' long runway with 800' drop-offs on three sides and a mountain on the forth. I knew the little Archer could get airborne in ground effect well before reaching the bottom of the dip and I could turn out over the valley at mid-field giving me good terrain clearance. If I flew the valley westbound it became lower as I went. I would either find a thermal or reach the airport at Montrose. I hit a 1,200 FPM thermal at Saw Pit, soared the Archer to 17,500 and cruised to APA.