Ok, so I'm holed up in Denver for the night with a lovely brand new Lancair Legacy waiting on the ramp at Front Range. I'm heading for the Pacific North West, hoping to go via Boise (just because I know a really hot girl that lives there). I don't particularly want to bother with oxygen bottles, so hope to stay below 10,000ft, and enjoy (and avoid!) the scenery by making sure I can see where I'm going.

 

What routes would you recommend I consider? I guess there are 'standardised' VFR transit routes, but a quick Google didn't show anything.

 

PS: Just in case there is any doubt - this is SIMULATED flying I'm talking about lol

 

Regards,

SkipperMac

 

 

i7 2600k @ 3.5GHz | Asus P8P67Pro Mobo | 8GB DDR3 RAM | nVidia 9800GTX+ 512 MB | 2 x 500GB Samsung SpinPoint F3 HDD| Xigmatek Midgard Pure Black case | Be Quiet Dark Rock Adv CPU cooler | Windows7 64bit

Keep an eye out for me, I'll be flying in the opposite direction. Is the hot girl virtual too? :Whistle:

I flew from Boise to Michigan a long time ago and if I recall-I flew the vor's in the valley west of Boise-headed up to Idaho falls, crossed a mountain pass near big sky country, flew over Bozeman, another pass, and then to Billings.

 

The other route I've done many times is right across Wyoming-Cheyene, Rawlins, Ft. Bridger, Evanston. That is a fun route because the bottom "drops" out when you get outside Ogden.

Keep an eye out for me, I'll be flying in the opposite direction. Is the hot girl virtual too? :Whistle:

The hot girl is very real! Keep your landing light on in case I'm not paying attention to who is coming the other way as I peer into the houses in Boise.

 

Thanks Geofa, I took a virtual Cub east to west from Montana to WA once, so some of those names are familiar. However, they're a bit too far north for me since I'm currently in Denver. I'm searching the charts for a route over to Salt Lake City, then its easy enough up to Boise and then north-west to the Seattle area.

In that case-when I flew from Denver -takeoff-get vfr flight following as insurance in Denver airspace-parallel the mountains until you can cross over to Laramie-then rawlins, rock springs (neat fuel stop-a long runway on the top of a mesa, but don't leave dog food in the plane-the mice will come-learned that the hard way) ft. bridger, evanston-ogden...

In that case-when I flew from Denver -takeoff-get vfr flight following as insurance in Denver airspace-parallel the mountains until you can cross over to Laramie-then rawlins, rock springs (neat fuel stop-a long runway on the top of a mesa, but don't leave dog food in the plane-the mice will come-learned that the hard way) ft. bridger, evanston-ogden...

This looks interesting and do-able. Let's hope the weather holds as it's looking like clear skies today. Inevitably by the time I start flying it the skies will be grey lol.

Pull a copy of the Cheyenne Sectional, and you can plot out a route through the gap around Jackson Hole, staying < 10K'. I flew a run from KTTD to KAPA and flew down the Columbia to Coeur D' Alene.

 

:smile:

Pull a copy of the Cheyenne Sectional, and you can plot out a route through the gap around Jackson Hole, staying < 10K'. I flew a run from KTTD to KAPA and flew down the Columbia to Coeur D' Alene.

 

:smile:

Yes, I can see that route possibility which ought to work so long as the clouds don't drop below my 10,000ft ceiling...Many thanks.

SMac,

 

Awesome! Although you might see some low lying cloud today (we got a dusting of snow last night) that route should keep you from having to go up top.

 

Happy flying!

 

:smile:

I'd do a few things a bit different. I'm from the KSLC area, and have flown these mountains a lot. For starters, there is the rule, that you can fly up to 12,500' msl for 1/2 hour with out oxygen (note: not a bad idea to have oxygen at that height, anyway). So..........if a few areas require higher altitudes than 10,000', the Lancair will have no difficulty. Back in the day's when I flew a Piper Archer, I'd plan routes with passes. Even though it could make it to 12,500' sometimes, other times it will never happen. If density altitude & weight was on the good side, I would just take the Archer over the top.

 

But here, we're talking the Lancair. Just as with my Van's RV6, I have a lot of reserve power to make it past 10,000', and far past 12,500' as well. I fly over the Unita mountain range, which is in northeast Utah & close to Evanston Wyoming at 13,500'. The plane makes that easily. I also carry a two place oxygen system, and have used it often. I carry an oxymeter that slips over a finger, in the airplane. For flight planning, I'd often start with VFR low altitude airways, and then modify for more direct routing and points of interest. I use GPS with terrain databases & satellite weather. There are lots of restricted military areas out this way.

 

Pic: over the Unita's (an east/west mountain range), around 13,500' & on oxygen

 

L.Adamson

Pic: over the Unita's (an east/west mountain range), around 13,500' & on oxygen

 

L.Adamson

Yes, that would be the easy option - "pretend" I had an oxygen system ... or virtually hire one for this one flight. However, why take the easy way when there's a more challenging one lol.

 

I can understand owning a system however if you flew this region regularly, especially in an aircraft which is more than capable of flying long after its pilot had passed out from oxygen deprivation.

 

Nice scheme on your RV6! And nice to see these mountains for real.

I went over the back of the Tetons buy dipping up for a legal time once also.

 

When I flew the southern route ifr (Santa Fe-Flagstaff out to Ca) the ifr minimums did require o2. We did get a portable system and it is amazing the difference. I remember taking off from Santa Fe being high but still legal but just starting to feel a little "tired" after only 15 minutes. Took a hit of O2 and it was amazing how the head instantly cleared up. With the cheap portable systems out there it really is not a difficult option for a GA pilot and certainly much more safe.

Would it not be practical to follow a VFR route along Interstate 80? Bearing in mind that this is a sim trip and not affected by mountainous terrain / winds and all that stuff.

 

I know not to suggest following Interstate 70, because I don't think the plane would make it through the Eisenhower Tunnel. :rolleyes:

Would it not be practical to follow a VFR route along Interstate 80? Bearing in mind that this is a sim trip and not affected by mountainous terrain / winds and all that stuff.

 

I know not to suggest following Interstate 70, because I don't think the plane would make it through the Eisenhower Tunnel. :rolleyes:

As it happens that's exactly what I'm planning! B) Just waiting for it to stop snowing at Cheyenne so I can sneak over to Laramie below the cloud. Highest ground is about 8,200ft, so I need a ceiling of at least 9,000ft. Once past Laramie towards Rawlins the weather is better and the ground is lower so things will get easier. It's this first sector that's the challenging one lol.

Once past Laramie, make a sharp left, about 53 degrees, no more, no less, watch out for the mailbox, the one with the frog in it. Then turn right for 23 seconds until you see the cliff. SHARP left again. then right, ....etc,,,