Landing at higher altitude airports

[Cruiser]

I am planning to attend the MAPA convention in COS this fall. I am an eastern states flyer and have no experience with higher altitude operations. Using the APS guidance for leaning your engine to a target EGT they make good descriptions of how to prepare for take-off, but what about landings.

Flying LOP you can leave the mixture alone for the descent to pattern altitude. I have heard some don't adjust it at all, preferring to go to take-off setting if necessary for a go around. I am not comfortable with that approach. My practice has always been full forward on pitch and mixture in the pattern. Fuel pump on for preparation of a go around.

 

When landing above 5000' MSL what is the best setup for landing?

[Barry]

I fly out to Boulder to see my daughter and land at that airport. I usually set up 100 deg ROP for takeoff/landing in my "C" model.

[Immelman]

In my experience, its best to take a good guess (as to what you think the mixture position would be in a full power climb at the same density altitude) and set that by position only.. and if you are in error, err on the side of a little too rich (the amount of power lost being by a little too rich is small compared to being overlean)

[KSMooniac]

My SOP is to leave the mixture at my LOP cruise setting and not move the red knob until pulling to ICO after landing, or moving it forward for a go-around/missed approach.  I do this regardless of field elevation.  I don't care to flood the engine with extra lead/gunk at low power and it is not hard to move the red knob with the black one for a go-around.

For takeoff, I use the Target EGT method and adjust while on the roll as necessary at higher altitudes.  If the field is relatively short, then I'll hold brakes and go to full power while adjusting the mixture.

One thing to keep in mind when landing at higher elevations is that you need to fly your IAS speeds just like normal, but your TAS (and GS) will be significantly higher.  You'll really notice this as you get into the flare and touchdown, so don't be alarmed that you're traveling faster!  Just fly your speeds and land...your landing roll will be longer too but that isn't a concern at COS with long runways.

Another tip, if you have fuel flow installed, you can look at your leaned fuel flow during any climb while passing through 5000' (leaned using the Target EGT method) and note the position of the red knob...that gives you a quick reference if you need to go-around at 5000'.

[Rustler]

I fly out of 7100'.

Approaching Taos, I'm usually at between 10,000' and 12,500' and leaned to about 8.2 gph. Descending to pattern altitude, I'll richen ever so slightly, but the mixture control is at about half out. I then leave it there and land. What we often see here is someone entering the pattern, then going full rich. The aircraft will usually land OK but when power is applied to proceed on the taxiway, the engine floods and quits.

Departing, I use the standard procedure of starting with the mixture fully leaned, then enrichening when the engine fires. I enrichen only to about halfway in, then check the engine for smoothness on runup. When applying power at departure, Itest the mixture for full power before disengaging the brakes.

[N201MKTurbo]

I flew over 3000 hours in a Mooney out of the Denver area. You will be fine using full rich for takeoff. After you reduce to climb power then you can lean. If your engine is running rough at full rich then just lean it until it runs smooth.

Flying into COS from the east is easy, you will land before you have to deal with any mountains.

[KSMooniac]

N201MKTurbo, is that 3000 hours out of Denver in a turbo Mooney, or normally-aspirated?