I surely should have remembered this from taking my flying lessons way back in the day up here in Colorado, but the A2A 172 has provided me a stark reminder in how lousy a tool an under-powered, naturally aspirated, single engine airplane is to fly up here - nearly had a "controlled flight into terrain" incident that was about as "real" as I ever care to experience - fantastic job A2A!  :biggrin:

Thanks for that post, it made my night.  I had a similar "experience" when beta testing extremely hot weather at gross weight.  

 

My first flight over the Rockies was in a 160hp Piper Cherokee Warrior II.  There were times when crossing some peaks, it felt like an unpowered glider. Great learning experience as long as the weather cooperates.

 

Scott.

To add to that theme, please tell me I'm not the only one to have that 'pit of the stomach' or 'heart in the mouth' feeling when landing?

Scott, you've really buggered it up for a lot of airplane developers! :smile:

To add to that theme, please tell me I'm not the only one to have that 'pit of the stomach' or 'heart in the mouth' feeling when landing?

Scott, you've really buggered it up for a lot of airplane developers! :smile:

 

You're not, but so far I've managed with only a light bit of spark plug fouling from forgetting to keep RPM>1k while taxiing off the runway.

I've had loads of fouled plugs so far........ but I think I'm subconsciously doing it on purpose, as I love the sound of the fouled right plugs, and the satisfaction after blowing 'em out! :lol:

I flew from Colorado Springs to Jefco last night and was very clearly reminded that I was taking off from an airfield sitting at almost 6200ft. Most GA aircraft I own require little more than pushing the mixture to full rich and throttle full forward, but doing that in this bird at 6200 feet will introduce you to the ground post haste. I literally had to figure out why I had almost no power as the ground threatened to reach out and grab me. Not being a real world pilot it took me longer to figure out than it probably should have, but a leaning of the mixture brought those RPM's up and a nice hum to the engine to match it. Suddenly I was gaining altitude like a champ.

 

This bird makes you fly, not just turn and burn.

I used to fly Piper Archers and Cessna 172s back and forth across the Rockies from Montrose to Jeffco years ago.  I wouldn't have been able to do it if I didn't have previous soaring experience in hang gliders. I had to use the thermals and wind ridge lift to get me over the divide.  You always had to make sure you had a way out of every canyon.  I eventually wised up and started renting a Turbo Mooney that just went up and over. It was faster and was able to go direct to the destination without hunting around for lift. The Mooney cost much more per hour, but it got there so much quicker that the total cost was less.

 

I'm looking forward to getting the A2A 172 and reliving the experience from the safety of my desk. :smile:

 

Ted

Ted Striker - Greatest Avsim name of all time.....wish I thought of it!

@ Ron ,

As a fellow painter . Is there a paintkit supplied ?

It's got to be better than the Carenado at the least . As my first job ( after some flying ) would be to start making all the repaints I wanted to make for the Carenado C172 but couldn't because of the ( criminal ) texture mapping .

 

John Glanville

Most GA aircraft I own require little more than pushing the mixture to full rich and throttle full forward, but doing that in this bird at 6200 feet will introduce you to the ground post haste.

 

Since I live in Colorado, my "test circuit" when I buy new planes is to run from Eagle/Vail to Aspen, to Leadville, to Kremmling, to Steamboat, to Garfiled County, to Glenwood Springs and then back to Eagle - let me tell you, there was plenty of mixture adjustment going on, and a fair amount of sweat as well 

@ Ron ,

As a fellow painter . Is there a paintkit supplied ?

It's got to be better than the Carenado at the least . As my first job ( after some flying ) would be to start making all the repaints I wanted to make for the Carenado C172 but couldn't because of the ( criminal ) texture mapping .

 

John Glanville

Not yet mate. I can't hold off any longer so I'm going the long way round. :biggrin:

 

+1 with the Carenado. I gave up on it.

I haven't managed more than 5 minutes in the air.  It reminds me of that glider in Midwinter.

 

I take off from 23R at EGCC by the end of the runway the plane starts sinking and i am unable to gain any altitude.  I think i'll have to read the manual.