A short adventure to Rocky Mt National Park

[Tony Garrett]

Just for fun, I flew my Savannah VGW/XL from Erie, CO (KEIK) to Longs Peak located inside the Rocky Mountain National Park in November 2011. The plane has a 100 hp Rotax 912 and flight weight was about 1150 lbs(523 kg). Longs Peak is only about 40 miles from Erie but it is 14,259 feet (4,346 m) high. Erie’s elevation is 5130 feet. The winds were calm and the temperature was 50F (10C) when I departed. It was a beautiful day for flying.

 

I had a great idea of documenting the airplane performance by taking pictures of the gages during the flight. Shortly after takeoff, I realized I could make the pictures show just about anything just by choosing the instant to click the picture. So, to believe the pictures, you are going to have to have a little trust. I really did try to snap pictures when the gages were showing “fair” numbers.

 

I used wide open throttle all the way up to 16,000 feet. The tach started at 5400 rpm (during climb) and gradually decreased to 5200 at 16,000’. I climbed at about 65 mph (105 kph) indicated. This yielded a climb rate of about 700 fpm at 5500 feet and about 100 fpm at 16,000 feet. Cruise speed at 16,000 feet (temp was 18F or -8C) was about 68 mph indicated and about 90 true.

 

 

Longs Peak in the distance

 

 

Wide open throttle at 12650 feet

 

 

Longs Peak - Rocky Mountain National Park

 

 

13,650 feet - 4160 m

 

 

Slow moving - 20 mph headwind

 

 

Finally getting closer

 

 

Everything normal at 15,100 feet - 4602 m

 

 

Out the window at 15,000 feet

 

 

Still climbing at 15,940 feet - 4846 m

 

 

Temperature at 16,159 feet is 18F/-8C

 

 

Level - WOT - true airspeed ~90mph/145kph

 

 

A closer look

 

Now for the fun part(suggested by John Gilpin), after circling the mountain, I headed back to Erie, still at 16,000’. Power slowly to idle, let the engine cool awhile, mags off, slow to 50 mph and the prop stops. Instance silence and better yet the plane does not fall out of the sky. Erie was about 15 miles away when I shutdown the engine. I descended at about 60 mph and around 600 fpm. I arrived over the airport at ~8000’ feet, made three 360’s and slipped about 500’ to land on the first half of the runway. I logged about 20 minutes of prop-stopped time. Absolutely exhilarating. I cannot seem to get this big smile off my face.

 

 

Tach to zero

 

 

15 miles to home with the prop stopped

 

 

[dazza 38]

I realy liked the story and photos Tony.Cheers

 

 

[eightyknots]

Thanks for sharing your experience, Tony! I'm amazed that your Savannah continued to climb to 16,000 feet. The pictures are really beautiful too.

 

I am also very impressed with the lengthy power-off glide.

 

Just one question, my "Human Factors" course taught me that there is a great danger of hypoxia when more than 1/2 hour above 10,000 feet. Did you have supplemental oxygen in your flight? ...or are the 'facts' in my Human Factors book somewhat overstated?

 

 

[Tony Garrett]

Thanks for sharing your experience, Tony! I'm amazed that your Savannah continued to climb to 16,000 feet. The pictures are really beautiful too.I am also very impressed with the lengthy power-off glide.

 

Just one question, my "Human Factors" course taught me that there is a great danger of hypoxia when more than 1/2 hour above 10,000 feet. Did you have supplemental oxygen in your flight? ...or are the 'facts' in my Human Factors book somewhat overstated?

Good morning Eightyknots

 

The FAA says you suddenly die if you fly above 12,500' for more than 30 minutes or above 14,000' for one second without supplemental oxygen. I have been flying in the Rocky Mountains for many years and there are rumors that some un-named pilots routinely fly above 16,000' with without oxygen and without dieing(or becoming hypoxic). Of course, I have an oxygen bottle in my plane... but I cannot remember if it has any oxygen in it. Test yourself for hypoxia by borrowing an oxygen bottle and a friend. Climb to 16,000' with the friend breathing the good stuff and you breathing plan old air. Assuming you are male, it is important for your friend to be female because lack of O2 can cause folks to become quite amorous.

 

Keep smiling

 

Tony

 

 

[Guest davidh10]

Great story and photos, Tony.

 

With respect to hypoxia, I read an excellent article recently...sorry, I can't find it now. It examined the topic, not from the perspective of loss of consciousness, but from the perspective of impaired decision making. The conclusion was that even at 10,000 feet, a pilot benefited from supplemental oxygen, arriving at the destination feeling better and less tired. Also less likely to have made navigation mistakes or exhibited poor judgement, where that was required. One of the interesting aspects was the actual measured oxygen saturation levels at various altitudes. The body tries to compensate by increasing breathing rate and heart rate.

 

Tunnel vision and task fixation were two of the dangerous symptoms from a PIC perspective, but the subject is unable to self assess.

 

Of course when it comes to effects on humans, there's many variations between different individuals. Some are more affected than others. It is also exacerbated by activity, heart / lung problems and lung capacity. Commercial aircraft are pressurised at an equivalent of 8,000 feet altitude and some people with medical issues can experience hypoxia even at that altitude. Cognitive impairment occurs way before loss of useful consciousness.

 

 

[youngster]

If you are used to living at 5000 feet, I wonder if that makes a difference? There are people in the world who live at high altitude, and presumably they adapt to their surroundings over time.

 

 

[Tony Garrett]

Great story and photos, Tony.With respect to hypoxia, I read an excellent article recently...sorry, I can't find it now. It examined the topic, not from the perspective of loss of consciousness, but from the perspective of impaired decision making. The conclusion was that even at 10,000 feet, a pilot benefited from supplemental oxygen, arriving at the destination feeling better and less tired. Also less likely to have made navigation mistakes or exhibited poor judgement, where that was required. One of the interesting aspects was the actual measured oxygen saturation levels at various altitudes. The body tries to compensate by increasing breathing rate and heart rate.

 

Tunnel vision and task fixation were two of the dangerous symptoms from a PIC perspective, but the subject is unable to self assess.

 

Of course when it comes to effects on humans, there's many variations between different individuals. Some are more affected than others. It is also exacerbated by activity, heart / lung problems and lung capacity. Commercial aircraft are pressurised at an equivalent of 8,000 feet altitude and some people with medical issues can experience hypoxia even at that altitude. Cognitive impairment occurs way before loss of useful consciousness.

Hello David

 

Thanks for the reply. I to believe that self assessment is unreliable. It is my perception, the amount of O2 in the blood decreases linearly with altitude. It starts decreasing at one foot and continues decreasing linearly with no sudden drop-offs as one ascends.. There are inexpensive ($30) oxygen saturation meters that do provide unbiased indications of O2 levels in the blood. Some reports say people display a "normal level of goofiness" at O2 saturation levels above 90% and an "abnormal level of goofiness" at O2 levels below 80%. We are just grey goofy in between.

 

http://www.amazon.com/mn/search/?ref_=nb_sb_ss_i_0_5&url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=pulse%20oximeter&sprefix=pulse&rd=1

 

Supposedly low-landers and smokers are affected more than others. I have not observed this during many Mountain Flying training flights. Most students can continue to perform complex math problems after 15 minutes at 16,000 feet. Typically their O2 saturation levels are 86-90%. I suspect it is more of a genetic thing (but I am sure there are many factors at work). Potential Everest climbers can take a blood test that roughly indicates how well they will do on the mountain.

 

I strongly encourage the use of O2 in flights above 8000 feet especially at night. But it is important to know that if you need to climb to 14,000 feet to get above a cloud or obey a Controller request, there will not be a sudden loss of senses - there will be no reason to panic. Plan to descend in an orderly manner as soon as practical.

 

I always use O2 on long (more than one hour) flights above 8000 feet because I arrive flesh and rested as opposed to a similar flight with no O2 , I arrive fatigued and with a big headache.

 

To me recreational flying is about adventure. I suspect Indiana Jones would want to see how high his plane would fly.

 

The world is grey. There is no black and white.

 

Keep smiling

 

Tony

 

 

[dazza 38]

If you are used to living at 5000 feet, I wonder if that makes a difference? There are people in the world who live at high altitude, and presumably they adapt to their surroundings over time.

I used to live at Khamis Mushayt in Saudi Arabia for 2 years.It was 7200 feet.It took most people about 2 to 4 weeks to acclimatize.When I first landed there.You could notice that the air was a bit thinner, when breathing.That was no worrys after about 2 weeks.Dont even notice it after that. They said dont do any sport, or running for a few weeks after first going there.I used to jog, and play alot of cricket . Everybody who lived there for a while, didnt even notice a difference in altitiude.We where only reminded of it when, peeps from the low lands came up to play cricket with us.They would realy struggle running even though they where fit. 7200 isnt that high realy.

PS- If your just sitting down, and not being physical it was like being in a airliner which is pressurized to 8000 feet. You notice the difference when you start running around.Climbing stairs, physical type stuff etc.

 

 

[Guest davidh10]

Tony;

 

Seeing your avatar reminds me of a letter to the editor of one of the Melbourne daily newspapers back in the days when airliner flight control automation had just taken a jump forward. The writer proposed that with the new automated flight controls, the crewing could be modified. The pilot would be retained, as that would give passengers confidence, but the co-pilot would be replaced with a dog, whose job would be to bite the pilot if he tried to touch the controls.