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Found 1 result

  1. I thought I’d share an interesting experience from my latest trip into southern Colorado from my home base near the Texas Gulf Coast. For anyone flying over mountainous terrain this will demonstrate the awesome effects of wind over a mountain ridge and the resulting mountain wave effect. The phenomenon may extend many thousand feet above ground and may affect those flying turbo’d planes as well as normally-aspirated. FYI, on this flight I was in my normally-aspirated M20-J. Departing Durango, CO (KDRO) on an IFR flight plan I climbed to my requested altitude of 15,000’ to top an overcast sky containing light snow with temps just below 0C. Icing was a possibility but pireps were positive so I kept a vigilant watch for any accumulation as I climbed briskly through the clouds. I broke out around 14,000’ without any trace of ice and was given a clearance for Direct-to the Albuquerque VOR (ABQ) shortly after leveling off at 15K. The winds along this route of flight were quartering from my rear at around 50 knots and the ride was fairly smooth. I experienced a few noticeable airspeed changes as my autopilot (altitude hold) eased up or down to hold the assigned altitude. After several minutes on course I requested and received a clearance for Direct-to CNX (the Corona VOR) southeast of Albuquerque. As I approached the Sandia Mountain ridge that borders Albuquerque on the east I recognized a modest updraft as my airspeed increased nearly 20 knots while maintaining altitude (see photo Wave1). At this point I was at ~9,800’ AGL and on course to pass a few miles north of the highest peak (10,678’ MSL). Less than two minutes later I was again in straight-and-level flight a bit above 15,100 MSL with a typical cruise airspeed of 150 knots TAS (see photo Wave2). Then, over the next minute-and-a-half my airspeed slowly eroded as the autopilot gradually pitched up more and more in an attempt to maintain the assigned altitude (see photo Wave3). At 18:47:35 Zulu I was still at 15,032’ MSL but experiencing a descent rate of over 450 fpm. My plane was climbing through the air-mass between Vx and Vy airspeed yet starting to lose actual altitude. I was nearly 7,300’ AGL and was not in any imminent danger but at that point I disconnected the altitude-hold and contacted ATC requesting a “block” of altitude due to the mountain wave. After a very-brief “stand-by” ATC returned with a block clearance of 15,000’ down to 13,000’. As my altitude crossed below 15,000’ four seconds later (see photo Wave4) my rate of descent was passing 500 fpm. It wasn’t turbulent and I simply pitched to maintain airspeed. With still more than 7,000’ between me and the ground it was nothing to get excited about but was instead an event of great interest to me. Had I crossed the ridge at only 1,000’-2,000’ AGL it would have certainly been a bit more hair-raising. Twenty-one seconds later my altitude had decayed another 128’ while my rate of descent was passing 750 fpm; I was obviously just “along for the ride” (see photo Wave5). Thirty-seven seconds later my rate of descent reached a maximum of 868 fpm, all while in a full-power climb at 85 knots IAS (see photo Wave6). Just over one minute later my flight path bottomed out as the descent stopped approximately 1,000’ below my original altitude. The entire ride lasted approximately three minutes and 45 seconds. A few minutes later ATC requested a Pirep which I gladly provided and upon reaching 15,000’ again I cancelled the “altitude block” request. I experienced some less pervasive wave activity over the next half-hour, none of which exceeded the performance capabilities of the plane. My lesson learned in this was that adequate ground clearance (altitude) over the mountain ridge made this essentially a non-event. But with winds aloft of nearly 50 knots at my cruising altitude I would not have wanted to cross the ridge at only 2,000’ AGL or lower. Even at 3,000’-5,000’ AGL I believe the ride would have been alarming.
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