Flew today to Yuma from Chandler (and back of course)training w/ the G-1000 glass X-country.LEAN ME OUT BABY!! Great flight BUT HOLY COW!!! I though I remembered from last year how hot it gets. I was able to find a little exitment/challenge in Yuma w/ a short approach and a little X-wind added..YES!!! @ 8500 alt. to Yuma and 9500 alt. returning the temperature up there was about 75 degrees "not bad" but MAN sweating my A$$ off when departing and arrival in Yuma at 2pm. Anyway just figured I'd share my day flight w/ Y'ALL MY355
I think Switches is simply asking that you quantify the DA for the departure/arrival airports. For you people who don't understand the effect of 116 degrees - today in Phoenix, pull out your peforamce charts for the airplane you normally fly and look up standard altitude max power for the DA of about 10,000 ft, and then set up a takeoff based upon that manifold presssure and rpm. You'll be amazed - even though you will undoubtedly ( if you have any sense add power shortly after attempted liftoff) be amazed at how little power the normally apirated engine produces at those altitudes.
I didn't mean to sound uppity with my question. I know from experience that that kind of heat and that altitude can expand the air to where your engine is producing a fraction of the rated power and the wing isn't producing optimum lift. Take offs can be a harrowing and dangerous operation if you don't exercise a delicate touch with the airplane. Long slow climbs and gentle turns and a lot of runway ahead of you. Watch the cyl head temp and oil temp like a hawk and keep your airspeed at something above stall until you can get some altitude. Good luck. Switches
Actually @ "home" base Stellar airpark(Chandler AZ) the altitude is 1177 when departing then going to Yuma AZ if I remember it was 612 above sea level .The local altitude was working in my favor "BUT" the temperature @ 2pm when taking off was definatly working against me.The runways out there are huge and no obstructions to departure for a few miles. I will say theres "A LOT" of truth to what you speak of when the environment is NOT in your favor.A couple weeks ago I did a flight w/ myself and 2 others in the plane.(3 PEOPLE 2 @ OVER 200 AND 1 @ 175 AND A HALF TANK OF FUEL)The times were similar and temps similar too.When I went to depart it felt like the E-brake was on partially (SLOW ).I pulled it up into ground effect ONLY and my instructor was w/ me saying NO ,NO,NO pull up NOW......OK here goes .When I did and it was not even very abruptly "STALL WARNING SOUND" I was like "easy,easy, and was finessing between stall warning and "BARELY CLIMBING".Finally we were gaining a little altitude but the "local" altitude on the ground was 6400 ...... AND A LOT OF MOUNTAINS!! I caught my breath and turned to my instructor and said was that supposed to scare the crap out of me???Somwhat relieved wiping the sweat from my brow.... And why did you tell me to PULL,PULL (as in rotate??) He said if we are not going to be able to get any "REAL" lift I want to know when theres enough runway to settle back onto.If you hang in ground effect too long you might find out when it's too late. Hmmmm??? GOT IT!!! VALUABLE LESSON for me. MY355
i get a lot of flying days similar to that out here in Colorado as well. field alt at my airport is 5800 but throw in anything over 70deg and that DA goes climbing. i've seen the DA at 8000 as early as 9am some days. none of the flight schools out here own any 152's for that reason, they'd never be able to take off if the temp got above 75. and you're right, sometimes when its that warm you feel like your foot pedaling down the runway like fred flintstone. takes some practice but you eventually get used to it.
