Runtoeat Posted June 9, 2012 Report Share Posted June 9, 2012 We're having hot weather here. Temps in the low '90's. Combine the thermals mid day due to this and I'm frazzled after flying for a couple of hours. How do you guys in the SouthWest and Australia fly in real heat that gets into the lower 100's?? Doesn't this drain you when you go flying? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Lee Posted June 9, 2012 Report Share Posted June 9, 2012 We are in the 100's here in AZ. The thing is we don't fly when it's 100+ outside. We fly at sun up and usually on the ground absolutely no later than 1030 hrs. The hotter it gets the higher we fly. At 0600-0800 it's at 4500' -5500'. If it's 0900 - 1100 hrs. then it's 5500'-7500'. If it is around noon or later then it's 7500'-10500'. I like the air conditioning up there better. We fly out to breakfast at least once a week (3-4 CT's) some where in AZ., but always plan to be back no later than 1030 hrs. To fly low in the southwest during the summer is just to hot and thermally down low. Now during the cooler months 50' is good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CT4ME Posted June 10, 2012 Report Share Posted June 10, 2012 Yup, it's like a rodeo @midday... an early start is the only answer. My worst flight ever: early June afternoon from Page back to Phoenix. It wasnt severely turbulent, just very tiring (and not fun). It was one of those trips you actually think about putting down on a road. The pain of a flight like that eventually fades, and i find myself doing it again :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozairangel Posted June 10, 2012 Report Share Posted June 10, 2012 Have to agree, Here in OZ, 40c is not an uncommon summer temp. add in a few rotors off the top of hills and it is really totally uncomfortable. [read excruciating agony] but the glider guys seem to thrive on it. I dont think the CTSW seats help much either......D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMcCand - N248CT Posted June 11, 2012 Report Share Posted June 11, 2012 I agree with early morning. Left KOGD, did one hop to KRKS. Heading east over rockies, left KRKS 6700 MSL, DA was 7000. Left at 07:00 . 2.5x the normal takeoff run, and then 200-300 fpm climb. We were at 1320 lbs.So, watch that DA. Iagree with Roger, fly higher to get cooler. Takes a while go get there.Did the next night at cheyenne, and can finally do two hops in a day down in the plains. bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Meade Posted June 11, 2012 Report Share Posted June 11, 2012 I dont think the CTSW seats help much either......D I pulled the pink foam "egg crate" pad out of my CTSW and put in a 1" pad of blue Confor. Trim to fit, fits fine. Seems to help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johngpilot Posted June 11, 2012 Report Share Posted June 11, 2012 when i was doing flight instruction i used to tell my students to climb and maintain 59 degrees Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coppercity Posted June 12, 2012 Report Share Posted June 12, 2012 Flew this afternoon, ground temp 104F! DA at pattern altitude, 9090'. Nice and bumpy with plenty of Thermals, I was spent after an hour of pattern work. It's not the plane though, just the environment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Posted June 12, 2012 Report Share Posted June 12, 2012 It's pushing 100 degrees in the Sacramento Valley. Nice flying if you get up early enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandpiper Posted June 13, 2012 Report Share Posted June 13, 2012 It almost hit 70 here today! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocRon Posted June 19, 2012 Report Share Posted June 19, 2012 Flew this afternoon, ground temp 104F! DA at pattern altitude, 9090'. Nice and bumpy with plenty of Thermals, I was spent after an hour of pattern work. It's not the plane though, just the environment. Eric, Don't you have to pull UP on the seatbelt to get airborne at that density altitude? Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Meade Posted June 19, 2012 Report Share Posted June 19, 2012 I was out today checking my farm. I had to count my hay blales and decided I could do that better at 500 feet, which is what I flew, than driving around on my tractor. Lord, was it bumpy. Many thermals. Wind was 190 17G21 when I landed on 25. The landing went fine but it did keep one alert. It can be difficult to hold the airplane on the centerline in that wind, so it is a good thinkg to get it down and on the ground. Also, of course, fly the approach on the upwind side of the centerline. It was too much for a beginner, but excellent practice for them to see how important ground reference maneuvers are in learning to judge wind and compensate for it in the pattern. Didn't take much time on base leg today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runtoeat Posted June 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2012 The conditions you landed in today seem to always challenge me regardless that I've made many landings in similar conditions before. Once in a while I am happy with a landing in gusty X-wind but not as often as I would like. Alway learning and relearning and trying to improve technique. This is what keeps flying interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coppercity Posted June 20, 2012 Report Share Posted June 20, 2012 Eric, Don't you have to pull UP on the seatbelt to get airborne at that density altitude? Ron Not at all, The CT handles it just fine! Its no homesick angel in those conditions but it doesn't make you pucker at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
207WF Posted June 26, 2012 Report Share Posted June 26, 2012 Coming back from Vegas last week I confirmed the value of a hot weather trick that Roger Lee once suggested. Since I have the high oil temperature problem, I had to power back in the climb. I found that by going to flaps zero in the climb and 90 knots I could power back further and still climb, compared to what I could do at flaps -6. WF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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