LeSving wrote:
Don’t know about “mountain flying” in helicopters, I’m not sure what exactly is meant by “mountain flying”, or why you should have special training
You’re the one who claimed to have flown in 90kt winds across ridges and using wave rotors for lift… but if you knew what mountain flying means you’d know how credible that sounds. You would also have known that density altitude has a very interesting effect on helo turbine performance as well as the ability of the rotor blades to generate enough lift for stationary flight….
Thanks for the feedback guys. Interesting to have a such full perspectives.
I can see where weather plays a clear role in flight time. Interesting to note that, and very thankful I was in sunny climes for my training.
Familial time constraints also make sense, but instructor scheduling doesn’t make sense to me at all… It seems to me that a CFI would want to be booked as fully as possible, which leaves a lot of room for rapid training (multiple sessions in a day).
Prior to starting the training, I let my instructor know that I wanted an intense course and would take every minute he had. He considered it for a few days before coming back and saying yes. Then I did just that, and we both had a great time because I took it very seriously and studied/practiced hard. The only hurdle was my job, but the nice climate helped tremendously. I typically had one flight per afternoon, 2 on weekend days, and quite a few night flights. Nearly all airports in the US are NVFR capable, so night flight is a typical part of instruction, and makes learning more fun, as it changes the whole dynamic. I’m a big fan of NVFR and don’t understand why it is so uncommon in Europe. Pity, because the air is typically calmer at night as well.
Shorrick_Mk2 wrote:
You’re the one who claimed to have flown in 90kt winds across ridges and using wave rotors for lift
It’s a fact. The gliders started to have problems getting back down. There was a real danger of getting blown away, literally. I still don’t know what “mountain flying” is in terms of rating/instructions. I have never had any “mountain flying course”.
I bet even pigs flew that day.
Shorrick_Mk2 wrote:
I bet even pigs flew that day.
that happens with Paragliders (and CBs). You might have to pull the ropes (not handles) to fold the paraglider.
There’s a nice video of someone who survived being sucked up by a CB and ended up spending a long time at 45,000 feet (IIRC):
I’m a bit surprised regarding the gliders as i’d think if they want to go down they just go a bit away from the ridge (unless the airfield is at the bottom end of the valley).
I’m surprised that they would even go up with this sort of wind but I don’t know that much about gliders so will give benefit of doubt.
LeSving, not sure if serious or not about the mountain course thing, but basically you do that to be able to land on unconventional surfaces (strong upslopes with no facilities, instead of runway, and it obviously includes things like knowing the weather well as you don’t want to get trapped / be caught by a downdraft etc.). There is also a ski part where you get to land on glaciers, ski runways etc.
Noe wrote:
LeSving, not sure if serious or not about the mountain course thing, but basically you do that to be able to land on unconventional surfaces (strong upslopes with no facilities, instead of runway, and it obviously includes things like knowing the weather well as you don’t want to get trapped / be caught by a downdraft etc.). There is also a ski part where you get to land on glaciers, ski runways etc.
We have no mountain flying courses in Norway. Maybe for helicopters there are, I don’t know. What we have is short field courses, and a course for landing with skis. The whole of Norway is basically a big mountain with typical mountain geography (of all sorts), and the climate/weather is arctic, so any special course (in addition to PPL) would be meaningless, or you wouldn’t be able to fly here (or the examiner will fail you). I can imagine, in the Alps, the altitude could be problematic at some fields, a thing that is not an issue in Norway.
So quick test – if you have to cross a ridge, what angle do you cross it at, and why.
Noe wrote:
There’s a nice video of someone who survived being sucked up by a CB and ended up spending a long time at 45,000 feet (IIRC):
If it’s that mishap from Australia, that was more like 31-33k IIRC. She was lucky. Even a glider can be sucked up. And in the olden days, pilots actually flew into developing CBs on purpose. Modern gliders are not built for it.
Shorrick_Mk2 wrote:
So quick test – if you have to cross a ridge, what angle do you cross it at, and why.
Instead of theorizing, you should come and fly into the mountains yourself. Here is a very nice “mountain route” you can do in an hour. It also include some “ridge crossings” (from head on to flying along the ridges and between them).
LeSving wrote:
We have no mountain flying courses in Norway. Maybe for helicopters there are, I don’t know. What we have is short field courses, and a course for landing with skis. The whole of Norway is basically a big mountain with typical mountain geography (of all sorts), and the climate/weather is arctic, so any special course (in addition to PPL) would be meaningless, or you wouldn’t be able to fly here (or the examiner will fail you). I can imagine, in the Alps, the altitude could be problematic at some fields, a thing that is not an issue in Norway.
Talking about Planes.
So you claim any norwegian PPL would easily land at somewhere like Courchevel, Alpe d’Huez, or somewhere like this, without any further training?
Funnily enough (and not disputing your claim that there is a lot of mountain flying), my first “Big airport” visit was in Norway, in Tromso. Also probably most magical flight’s I’ve ever done (in artic winter). Very cosy “clubhut” in the airport, with nice people and waffles :)
The next day I was flying out (CAT) and when told the captain i’d been flying there the day before he let me sit in the cockpit and after asking if I had a radio licence, let me repeat the cleared for takeoff call. I had gotten my PPL just a couple month ago so that was really cool.
Obviously my American colleague whom I was travelling with was shocked that that sort of things is allowed. Personnaly, it gives me some optimism that mankind hasn’t completely ceded to paranoia and securitarianism
