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Mountain top experiences

McCub

Registered User
Tri-Cities WA
After flying along the Snake River and through the Palouse with me several weeks ago, my chemist neighbor across the street brought me a handful of books to explain more about what we had seen and discussed.

One of the books was the autobiography As I Knew Him by Robert (Bob) Lee Moore (published by the author, 1992), a gregarious and generous character in Eastern Washington flying/gliding lore - now in his 80s.

Sorry about all this wordy leadin. On pages 266-7 he tells a short story that, true or not, beckons for repetition:

"The top of [Mt.] Adams is expansive, large enough for several simultaneous football games. Not long after our climb [some time in the 50s or so], an adventuresome pilot landed a ski-equipped, Cub lightplane there, got out, walked around, and then took off again. Later this pilot tried the same stunt on Mr. Rainier, but couldn't get his engine to restart. He was there a day or so, but as a rescue team labored up the mountain, he pushed the plane to get it moving, jumped in, went over a cliff, picked up flying speed, and glided to a frozen lake far below. The Park Service was not amused."

Love it!
 
I've heard stories of 2 others landing on top of Mt.Adams. At 12,276' it would be quite a challenge. I've personally seen a cub on Goat Butte at 7480' on the East side of Adams. Also know of other landing sites above timberline (6000' or so) that were utilized before the feds made it a wilderness. It's a really neat mountain.
Mt.Rainier= 14,411'

Mike
 
This is a hill south of town I land on thats at 8700MSL. Highest I have ever landed off airport is 9200 MSL. Would like to hear what its like landing at 12-13000.

click to enlarge

 
Hewy Britishclub... That guy was a frenchman that landed on Mount Blaunc (sp) They can do most anything because "the older they get the better they were" :preach
 
CHeese eaters

Very well said!! But in fairness, speaking of cheese eating surrender monkees---there is a large avenue in Salem Mass named Lafayette. As I love to jokingly reply to all the white shirt, black tied, boys and girls from pilot license mill Inc. who ask me if my Stearman is from WW1--did you pass Jr. High School? Took US History? 12,000 copies of the most important freedom trainer ever built. :D Personally, I hate smelly cheese.

As for altitude, we operate our 180 PA-12 from Atizapan /Mexico City from 8,120 MSL. Man do those tires sing before liftoff - especaily with 61 gallons! :elf:
 
BritishCubBloke said:
A ski-equipped 150HP SC was landed on top of Mont Blanc, which is not very big at all as you can see from the photos, by Henri Giraud in 1960 at 15000 feet +.

http://www.afpm.org/AFPMdiffusion-HG02.htm

Not bad for a cheese-eating surrender monkey, n'est ce pas?

BCB

BCB,
The photos are impressive. I'd like to read the text, but I'm language-limited to English. Can the story be translated?

I clicked the link at the center/bottom of the story page. There are some beautiful pictures posted there.
SB
 
Stewart,

highlight the text or the address bar, and copy it. Then go to http://babelfish.altavista.com/ and paste it, and select french to english. It doesn't work perfectly, but that is what got me through Spanish class back in high school.

Bill
 
My 160 hp cub had the worst climb rate at 8000 feet and above. What is a departure like at 12000 feet and above with and without a passenger? How patient do you have to be before you pull back on the stick?
 
Ground loop

As you can see the snow was well packed and the drag not that bad. Pretty much no wind. My Cub has 160 HP as yours.

I took off in the direction of the picture. After a view meters the slope increased to about 15% downhill. The take off run was less than 200 meters, but I would have had at least 300 more on my disposal. Even as the tanks were about 3/4 full I took my passenger on the first time. Weight under this conditions (packed snow and steep downhill) is no problem.

This landing and take off were therefore a very safe thing to do. During the landing uphill you just have to make sure that you really have enough momentum to reach the top off the hill from where you want to start the take off run.

Hans
 
Hans,

Does the sun always shine there? The pictures are always fantastic.

I'll bet the take off and landing are pretty exciting the first couple times you do it. Isn't it true there is a glacier pilot certification that you have to get over there?

sj
 
All this talk of high altitude landings is impressive. As a "Flat Lander" here in Northeast Texas, our average field elevation is around 500' MSL. The highest terrain within 200 miles is perhaps the hill country in Arkansas at around 2000'. I typically cruise at Flight Level 1.5 and on occasion will use FL 2.0. Once, just for grins I took the ol' girl up to 5000' MSL. I felt like I was on top of the word, the view was intoxicating (or was that the hypoxia?). From that lofty perch I could see the curvature of the earth rolling off in the distance, the sky grew dark and stars begain to glisten overhead.... It was almost too much for this old country boy to grasp. I eased the power back to avoid rapid cooling and I started my descent back into the thick air and reality.... So much for a days flying in our backyard.
 
Mt Adams

An old friend of mine and mentor, who is unfortunately not with us any longer, landed a number of fire fighters on the false summit of Adams. I cannot recall the exact number of times he did this but it was impressive. The motivation behind this was that the Fire fighters wanter to climb Mt . Adams so he just kept shuttling. His name Was Clyde Wells, a truly remarkable man.
CW
 
steve said:
Does the sun always shine there? Isn't it true there is a glacier pilot certification that you have to get over there?
Sun is not always shining, but to have good ground reference we usually land only under those conditions. And we need a special glacier pilot certification, thats correct.

ground loop said:
Can you estimate what your approach speed and stall speed is at that altitude?
Approach speeds for uphill landings are between 70 and 80 mph flap first stage. Stall speed is indicated the same as on sea level, but one has to consider that ground speed is increased due to thinner air.

Hans
 
The 1960s Super Cub brochure sent to me by courierguy (thanks old chap) says "Super Cubs have landed and taken off from 16,203 foot Mount Sanford in Alaska and 15,781 foot Mont Blanc..."
 
Hans, your photos are always beautiful, and it is very interesting to me to hear what the "extremists" are doing over there in Europe. I much enjoy hearing of your endeavors.

I and friends operate in a similar environment here in Alaska, except for the high altitudes.

My winter playground includes many operations onto peaks and glaciers near 6000 feet MSL. I rarely adventure higher, as the terrain required for my endeavors can usually be found at this altitude. These operations are undertaken to deliver extreme skiers and also to simply get away from the city (Anchorage).

Sloping LZ's are truly the best for getting back off the snow and also for offering a challenge. Ski pilots who fly simply from lake to lake have truly no idea of the skills required to safely use these glacier bowls and ridgetops for landing zones. What a joy and sense of accomplishment to operate in such a beautiful and dangerous environment. Not many individuals will taste of this privilege.

No special sign-off is required of me for these operations here in Alaska.

Best Wishes.
 
One problem I have with my 6150' ASL dirt mountain strip, a 14 % slope one wayer, is when I'm cruising around down on the valley floor (4300' or so) when its time to land I have to power up for the climb home. This minor inconvinence is made up for by being able to immidiately throttle back on lift off while I descend to my cruising altitude..... I've decided that the reason I have some of my smoothest landings at the home strip is that I'm flying it on, climbing about 300 fpm, resulting in crisp handling right up to touchdown, unlike a normal flatland full stall landing. Keeping the taxi speed up to a brisk pace in order to climb up to the hanger is the biggest thing to remember, as once a full stop is made it takes full power to get 'er moving again!

Courierguy
 
One problem I have with my 6150' ASL dirt mountain strip, a 14 % slope one wayer, is when I'm cruising around down on the valley floor (4300' or so) when its time to land I have to power up for the climb home. This minor inconvinence is made up for by being able to immidiately throttle back on lift off while I descend to my cruising altitude..... I've decided that the reason I have some of my smoothest landings at the home strip is that I'm flying it on, climbing about 300 fpm, resulting in crisp handling right up to touchdown, unlike a normal flatland full stall landing. Keeping the taxi speed up to a brisk pace in order to climb up to the hanger is the biggest thing to remember, as once a full stop is made it takes full power to get 'er moving again!

Courierguy
 
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