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Rob,
I took my 360 up to FL210 last year over the high
desert of southern California to ops check my new mountain high oxygen
system. Performance was very good and I didn't think my controls were
mushy. I could have gone higher but was only using the canula where I
should have had a mask! As you pointed out, wind and weather would be
other significant factors.
Steve
N171DK
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Saturday, August 25, 2007 2:35
PM
Subject: [LML] Max Altitude -- Lancair
360
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
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