Brn N Rubr
Well-Known Member
A couple friends and I are planning to fly from the DFW area to Angel Fire, NM on Jan 31. This will be a day flight with the purpose of getting a little mountain flying experience, seeing some great scenery and scoping out the route for future flights there with the family (one friend has a cabin in Red River, NM).
Proposed route: KDTO KHHF BOPLE KAXX
Aircraft: Friend #1 (200hr PPL/IFR) - 1975 Cessna 182T, Garmin 496 and an autopilot.
Friend #2 (250hr PPL) - 1965 Mooney M20E, panel mounted 396 and not much else.
Me (200hr PPL/IFR) - Safety pilot in the 182.
Plan: Friend #1 and I will depart Denton (DTO) at approximately 0600 and fly direct to Hemphill County (HHF) where we will rendezvous with Friend #2. We will complete one last comprehensive weather check and both depart HHF for Angel Fire (AXX) at approximately 0900. This will put us into AXX around lunch time. Planned altitude to AXX will be 12,000' and our approach will take us up the valley from BOPLE. After lunch and some relaxing we'll depart a few hours before sunset utilizing the reverse route. If the weather decides to change our alternate will be KLVS 47nm due south of AXX. The entire flight will be conducted VFR.
When flying, I typically tend to lean towards the side of common sense and am not over analytical. However, I am fully aware of the dangers of mountain flying and have two little girls to get back home to. I have been doing some serious reading on AOPAs website, googling and watching as many videos as possible in order to increase my knowledge and awareness and mitigate as much risk as possible. I've learned a ton and made even more notes. I'd love to hear from people familiar with mountain operations and to get any pointers you guys have. Thanks in advance for the help!
Proposed route: KDTO KHHF BOPLE KAXX
Aircraft: Friend #1 (200hr PPL/IFR) - 1975 Cessna 182T, Garmin 496 and an autopilot.
Friend #2 (250hr PPL) - 1965 Mooney M20E, panel mounted 396 and not much else.
Me (200hr PPL/IFR) - Safety pilot in the 182.
Plan: Friend #1 and I will depart Denton (DTO) at approximately 0600 and fly direct to Hemphill County (HHF) where we will rendezvous with Friend #2. We will complete one last comprehensive weather check and both depart HHF for Angel Fire (AXX) at approximately 0900. This will put us into AXX around lunch time. Planned altitude to AXX will be 12,000' and our approach will take us up the valley from BOPLE. After lunch and some relaxing we'll depart a few hours before sunset utilizing the reverse route. If the weather decides to change our alternate will be KLVS 47nm due south of AXX. The entire flight will be conducted VFR.
When flying, I typically tend to lean towards the side of common sense and am not over analytical. However, I am fully aware of the dangers of mountain flying and have two little girls to get back home to. I have been doing some serious reading on AOPAs website, googling and watching as many videos as possible in order to increase my knowledge and awareness and mitigate as much risk as possible. I've learned a ton and made even more notes. I'd love to hear from people familiar with mountain operations and to get any pointers you guys have. Thanks in advance for the help!
