finding mountain passes for flight planning?

Where can I find information about passes in the rockies to use when
flying over them?

John

In Colorado, check out

www.coloradopilots.org

And if you need to ask about passes, perhaps you should take a
high-altitude airport/mountain flying course?

Originally Posted by John T

Where can I find information about passes in the rockies to use when
flying over them?

John

Try Colorado Pilots Association. They have a website and the info is on there somewhere.

Chris

John T wrote:
Where can I find information about passes in the rockies to use when
flying over them?

John

Commonly used passes are indicated on the sectional charts. However,
that doesn't mean they are all safe. For example, the infamous
Independence Pass is still shown on the Colorado sectional, but unless
you know exactly what you are doing, it is not a recommended route due
to the complex terrain around the pass.

Mountain flying courses aren't too common in WI.

but, I may not be making such a trip for a long time yet, as I'm just a
renter so far. I will keep my eyes out for a local course, FWIW, and I
know there are seminars at Oshkosh.

John

"John T" wrote in message
...
Mountain flying courses aren't too common in WI.

but, I may not be making such a trip for a long time yet, as I'm just a
renter so far. I will keep my eyes out for a local course, FWIW, and I
know there are seminars at Oshkosh.

I seem to recall that there's a hill in Minnesota, not too far from you. I
think people have even been known to ski down it. (I know, it takes two
hills to make a pass...oh well).

Anyway, as far as finding mountain passes go, they are pretty apparent when
you actually look at a sectional. They are where the terrain goes down
between two high spots. Some are named, and of course the larger the
pass the more likely it is to be a reasonable and safe way through the
mountain range. Note: something that looks like a pass but which leads to
higher terrain rather than lower is called a dead-end. Don't fly down
those.

That said, you may want to consider focusing on routes that take you over
the interstate highways. They tend to cross the mountains in the easiest
areas, as well as keep you near civilization in case things don't go quite
as you'd hoped.

If you do want to try some more challenging mountain flying, then on your
way west you might stop just short of the mountains to take in a course.
The web site Blanche mentions has good contacts, including a complete list
of instructors. One of them even posts here regularly...here's his web
address: http://users.frii.com/jer/

Pete

"John T" wrote in message
...
Where can I find information about passes in the rockies to use when
flying over them?

John


The Colorado Department of Transportation Aeronautics Division produces a
really nice Colorado chart with all the passes and routes marked really
well. They'll send you one for free if you go to the following link:

http://www.colorado-aeronautics.org/aeroform.cfm

Flatlander question. What the difference between a gap and a pass?

On 25 Mar 2006 17:33:51 -0800, "Andrew Sarangan" wrote:


John T wrote:
Where can I find information about passes in the rockies to use when
flying over them?

John

Commonly used passes are indicated on the sectional charts. However,
that doesn't mean they are all safe. For example, the infamous
Independence Pass is still shown on the Colorado sectional, but unless
you know exactly what you are doing, it is not a recommended route due
to the complex terrain around the pass.

GeorgeC

I think they both mean the same thing, although a gap conjures up the
image of a crevice whereas a pass is a saddle point on a mountain
range.



GeorgeC wrote:
Flatlander question. What the difference between a gap and a pass?

On 25 Mar 2006 17:33:51 -0800, "Andrew Sarangan" wrote:

On 25 Mar 2006 17:33:51 -0800, "Andrew Sarangan"
wrote:

that doesn't mean they are all safe. For example, the infamous
Independence Pass is still shown on the Colorado sectional, but unless
you know exactly what you are doing, it is not a recommended route due
to the complex terrain around the pass.

Can a Sport Pilot fly over Independence Pass?

I drove over it in my VW Beetle a while ago. It was a hoot. For a
while there, I thought I was going to have to get out and push.



-- all the best, Dan Ford

email: usenet AT danford DOT net

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