Comments on: And I Thought the Grand Canyon Was Windy! http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2008/03/06/and-i-thought-the-grand-canyon-was-windy/ Web site and blog for Maria Langer, freelance writer, commercial helicopter pilot, and serious amateur photographer. Thu, 24 May 2012 15:27:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Maria Langer http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2008/03/06/and-i-thought-the-grand-canyon-was-windy/#comment-1717 Maria Langer Wed, 04 Mar 2009 21:43:13 +0000 http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2008/03/06/and-i-thought-the-grand-canyon-was-windy/#comment-1717 The only place in the canyon where we had to "work" the winds was on the east side, near Kibbey Butte. We'd be flying at 7500 feet as we approached Point Imperial, where we began a climb. We had a get a minimum of 8200 feet of elevation to get over the North Rim and continue westbound. The winds usually hit Kibbey in such a way that there was an updraft. We called it the Kibbey Elevator. When the elevator was working, you could count on it to help you climb. But when the wind wasn't blowing quite right, the elevator was broken and you'd have to circle in a relatively small space, to get the elevation you needed to continue on your way. I only had to circle there twice (once each on two flights) but another pilot had to circle twice on a single flight. Normally, when the winds got bad on the east side of the canyon, we'd only do tours on the west side. Other than that, there were just updrafts and downdrafts where you didn't want or need them. With the airplanes flying just 500 feet over our heads, an updraft was something to watch out for. I got into an 800 fpm updraft that shot me up into airplane territory once; had to drop the collective almost to the floor to descend out of there. Robinsons have Bells beat when it comes to tail rotor authority in heavy winds. Never had any serious LTE problems in my R22 or my R44, but I sure don't like starting up or shutting down when the wind is gusty. The only place in the canyon where we had to “work” the winds was on the east side, near Kibbey Butte. We’d be flying at 7500 feet as we approached Point Imperial, where we began a climb. We had a get a minimum of 8200 feet of elevation to get over the North Rim and continue westbound. The winds usually hit Kibbey in such a way that there was an updraft. We called it the Kibbey Elevator. When the elevator was working, you could count on it to help you climb. But when the wind wasn’t blowing quite right, the elevator was broken and you’d have to circle in a relatively small space, to get the elevation you needed to continue on your way. I only had to circle there twice (once each on two flights) but another pilot had to circle twice on a single flight. Normally, when the winds got bad on the east side of the canyon, we’d only do tours on the west side.

Other than that, there were just updrafts and downdrafts where you didn’t want or need them. With the airplanes flying just 500 feet over our heads, an updraft was something to watch out for. I got into an 800 fpm updraft that shot me up into airplane territory once; had to drop the collective almost to the floor to descend out of there.

Robinsons have Bells beat when it comes to tail rotor authority in heavy winds. Never had any serious LTE problems in my R22 or my R44, but I sure don’t like starting up or shutting down when the wind is gusty.

]]> By: Julian Olivas http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2008/03/06/and-i-thought-the-grand-canyon-was-windy/#comment-1716 Julian Olivas Wed, 04 Mar 2009 21:23:37 +0000 http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2008/03/06/and-i-thought-the-grand-canyon-was-windy/#comment-1716 I thought I knew about wind when teaching Japanese in Maui on 300Cs. I also had the chance to sample the Santa Ana winds in Southern California before that. Then I landed a job on Umnak in the Aleutian Islands herding cattle with Robbies. There is a narrow window between August and November when visibility is clear but winds can pick up up to 70mph, and it is within this span that we have to do most of our work before winter sets in. Spooling up and down can be a problem. But the little R22 has proven itself to be a gutsy machine under these conditions. I can imagine working the thermals of the Grand Canyon can be tricky. Maybe I can learn how to fly there someday too. I thought I knew about wind when teaching Japanese in Maui on 300Cs. I also had the chance to sample the Santa Ana winds in Southern California before that. Then I landed a job on Umnak in the Aleutian Islands herding cattle with Robbies. There is a narrow window between August and November when visibility is clear but winds can pick up up to 70mph, and it is within this span that we have to do most of our work before winter sets in. Spooling up and down can be a problem. But the little R22 has proven itself to be a gutsy machine under these conditions. I can imagine working the thermals of the Grand Canyon can be tricky.

Maybe I can learn how to fly there someday too.

]]> By: Kyler http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2008/03/06/and-i-thought-the-grand-canyon-was-windy/#comment-1715 Kyler Fri, 14 Mar 2008 19:35:56 +0000 http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2008/03/06/and-i-thought-the-grand-canyon-was-windy/#comment-1715 All I can say about 70mph winds is -GULP-! I didn't know it was that windy up there either. I don't think I'll ever find myself working in Alaska but the Ditch is a good possibility. One of my former CFI's is working there in EC130s and loves it. I liked your explanation using the stream to illustrate mountain winds. Fortunately I am getting some great exposure to that here in Northern Cal. What will you hopefully be flying in Alaska and for whom? All I can say about 70mph winds is -GULP-! I didn’t know it was that windy up there either. I don’t think I’ll ever find myself working in Alaska but the Ditch is a good possibility. One of my former CFI’s is working there in EC130s and loves it. I liked your explanation using the stream to illustrate mountain winds. Fortunately I am getting some great exposure to that here in Northern Cal. What will you hopefully be flying in Alaska and for whom?

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