skyjeep wrote:Blackrock, good point on Livingston area wind. I grew up near Missoula, went to school in Butte and Bozeman, and then lived in Spokane for over 20 years. Most of my flying west of the Continental Divide though.

I still think if you're not under time pressure and have the good sense to sit out thunderstorms and wind, it's not that big a deal. I look at those radar charts in the Midwest with storms 4 states wide and that looks scarier to me than the Northwest.

We may have been in Montana about the same time. Perhaps we have met? I was at MT Tech from 82 through 88 (slow learner) and lived in the area through 96. I'll be at JC so say hello if you make it over.

Mike

MT Tech from 80-83, then MSU 83-85. I'm sure we probably crossed paths at the Vu Villa or pulling kegs off the semi-load during M-day

Won't make it to JC, work travel unfortunately. But look forward to meeting sometime.

I couldn't resist posting this up for your viewing pleasure. It has to be one of my favorites and I can't imagine this video hasn't been on the forum before but it seemed appropriate for the topic.

Nothing like a 1966 FAA training video about density altitude in the mountains. It's about 28 minutes.

http://youtu.be/RZCb6nw_T4U

dbflyer wrote: I can't imagine this video hasn't been on the forum before but it seemed appropriate for the topic.

You're right! Of course it has.

http://www.backcountrypilot.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10735

Learned to fly 6 years ago here in Billings. Spent 200 hours landing at all the flat land airports in Montana. Then I started taking on the rocks without formal instruction. Read Sparky Immesons Mountain Flying book. The I 90 corridor is not too bad at all weather and wind permitting. I am accostomed to looking at mountains living in Montana but my first trips into the rocks had my eyes wide open. Expect you will be awe struck but dont be intimidated if conditions are right. I dont fly when winds at 10k excede 20. Clouds below 10K make things appear confining unless you now exactly where you are. If you fly the highway no problem. Make sure you check Livingston winds prior to passing through the Bozeman pass they can get wicked. Watch density altitude in Butte. The sun rises early up north so you can start flying as early as 5:30 so you can be on the ground by noon and make alot of distance. Afternoon T storms east of the rocks come quick and are extremely violent. XM weather a real help. No need to go over 10k along this route. Keep it light. Plenty of fuel stops along the way. Now I dont even consider the I90 corridor to be mountain flying when prepared. There are plenty of options that keeping risks low. I hope you have plenty of time and dont have to get there. If you get stuck in any town along the way you get to spend some time in some incredible country.

Do your flying early in the morning, do your fishing, sightseeing in the afternoon, after fueling up for the next day.

If you want to stop by Denver on the way there are plenty of instructors who'd be happy to show you around the mountains. PM me if you'd like any suggestions. A mountain training flight usually consist of several landings at high altitude airports, a bunch of mountain passes and use of the mtn awos system in Colorado. Its about usually 2-3 hours of flying.

Check out Sparky Immeson's book "The mountain flying bible"

www.coloradodot.info/programs/aeronautics/request-form

www.mountainflying.com/Pages/mountain-f ... _dont.html