X-Virus-Scanned: clean according to Sophos on Logan.com Return-Path: Sender: To: lml@lancaironline.net Date: Sat, 25 Aug 2007 17:35:37 -0400 Message-ID: X-Original-Return-Path: Received: from imo-m27.mx.aol.com ([64.12.137.8] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 5.1.11) with ESMTP id 2284231 for lml@lancaironline.net; Sat, 25 Aug 2007 12:06:18 -0400 Received-SPF: pass receiver=logan.com; client-ip=64.12.137.8; envelope-from=RWolf99@aol.com Received: from RWolf99@aol.com by imo-m27.mx.aol.com (mail_out_v38_r9.2.) id q.d69.f7bdbfd (60438) for ; Sat, 25 Aug 2007 12:05:33 -0400 (EDT) Received: from webmail-mf07 (webmail-mf07.webmail.aol.com [64.12.88.220]) by ciaaol-d02.mail.aol.com (v119.7) with ESMTP id MAILCIAAOLD023-ec1646d0534d105; Sat, 25 Aug 2007 12:05:33 -0400 X-Original-To: lml@lancaironline.net Subject: Max Altitude -- Lancair 360 X-Original-Date: Sat, 25 Aug 2007 12:05:34 -0400 X-MB-Message-Source: WebUI X-MB-Message-Type: User MIME-Version: 1.0 From: rwolf99@aol.com Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="--------MB_8C9B548E737A931_E50_76EF_webmail-mf07.sysops.aol.com" X-Mailer: AOL WebMail 30128 Received: from 72.19.171.41 by webmail-mf07.sysops.aol.com (64.12.88.220) with HTTP (WebMailUI); Sat, 25 Aug 2007 12:05:34 -0400 X-Original-Message-Id: <8C9B548E737A931-E50-3AF5@webmail-mf07.sysops.aol.com> X-AOL-IP: 64.12.88.220 X-Spam-Flag: NO ----------MB_8C9B548E737A931_E50_76EF_webmail-mf07.sysops.aol.com Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" 15 years ago, just before I started my not-yet-finished Lancair 360, I climbed to the top of Mt McKinley in Alaska (Denali - 20,320 feet MSL).? I don't remember the summit day all that well because I was focusing on getting to the top (my friends say I was just focusing on breathing, and they may be right) and a whiteout happened just before the summit, so on the down-climb I could only see about 150 feet.? I don't even have any pictures of that day, althouh I do have some good pictures of the lower elevations. I just finished reading a new book about the 1967 climbing disaster atop Denali and it made me realize that I really want to be able to remember what it looks like up there.? I thought briefly about climbing it again, but fortunately sanity returned in short order.? Then I said "Aha!? I'll just fly my Lancair up there and take a look!"? (Although,?maybe hypnotism would be the better choice...) The part of interest occurs between Denali Pass (elevation 18,200 MSL) and the "Football Field" (elevation 19,500 feet).? I figure that cruising around at about 20,000 feet should get the job done.? I think I can avoid hitting the summit ridge (20,320 feet). My question to the group is whether a Lancair 360 can do this safely.? I'd like to have a 500 fpm climb rate up there but I suppose 200 fpm might do.? While it's up high, it's very cold -- I remember hiking at 35 below zero F but it could be as "warm" as 5 below F.? The airplane is normally aspirated and has a three-bladed MT propeller. If there's any wind at all, I ain't going near that place.? It better be 15 knots or less at altitude.? Of course, even if the summit attempt fails, it would still be a heck of a trip to fly up to Alaska. So, what are the climb rates for a 360 at altitude? - Rob Wolf ________________________________________________________________________ Email and AIM finally together. You've gotta check out free AOL Mail! - http://mail.aol.com ----------MB_8C9B548E737A931_E50_76EF_webmail-mf07.sysops.aol.com Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" 15 years ago, just before I started my not-yet-finished Lancair 360, I climbed to the top of Mt McKinley in Alaska (Denali - 20,320 feet MSL).  I don't remember the summit day all that well because I was focusing on getting to the top (my friends say I was just focusing on breathing, and they may be right) and a whiteout happened just before the summit, so on the down-climb I could only see about 150 feet.  I don't even have any pictures of that day, althouh I do have some good pictures of the lower elevations.

I just finished reading a new book about the 1967 climbing disaster atop Denali and it made me realize that I really want to be able to remember what it looks like up there.  I thought briefly about climbing it again, but fortunately sanity returned in short order.  Then I said "Aha!  I'll just fly my Lancair up there and take a look!"  (Although, maybe hypnotism would be the better choice...)

The part of interest occurs between Denali Pass (elevation 18,200 MSL) and the "Football Field" (elevation 19,500 feet).  I figure that cruising around at about 20,000 feet should get the job done.  I think I can avoid hitting the summit ridge (20,320 feet).

My question to the group is whether a Lancair 360 can do this safely.  I'd like to have a 500 fpm climb rate up there but I suppose 200 fpm might do.  While it's up high, it's very cold -- I remember hiking at 35 below zero F but it could be as "warm" as 5 below F.  The airplane is normally aspirated and has a three-bladed MT propeller.

If there's any wind at all, I ain't going near that place.  It better be 15 knots or less at altitude.  Of course, even if the summit attempt fails, it would still be a heck of a trip to fly up to Alaska.

So, what are the climb rates for a 360 at altitude?

- Rob Wolf

Email and AIM finally together. You've gotta check out free AOL Mail!
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