Hot Weather

[Runtoeat]

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?

[CT4ME]

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 :-(

[ozairangel]

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

[BMcCand - N248CT]

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

[Jim Meade]

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.

 

 

 

[johngpilot]

when i was doing flight instruction i used to tell my students to climb and maintain 59 degrees

[coppercity]

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.

[Jim]

It's pushing 100 degrees in the Sacramento Valley. Nice flying if you get up early enough.

[sandpiper]

It almost hit 70 here today!

[DocRon]

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

[Jim Meade]

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.

[Runtoeat]

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.

[coppercity]

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.

[207WF]

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