Mountain flying

[FO Gyro]

Has anyone got any advice from a pschological viewpoint how to get oneself used to flying high? Maybe I should try some self hypnosis.
Someone said an effective hyposis technique is to count 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10, then say whatever it is one want to program into your subconscious, like "I will not be scared of heights in my gyro". Then count again, 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9, (not 10) then say it again ("I will not be ...."), and then count again, 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8, ("I will not be..."), and then do it again, each time counting up to one less, until one reaches zero. Don't laugh. It might work! Maybe I'll try it, and get back to you on that...

It must be so nice to be able to climb high, and not worry about that horrible feeling of falling out when going over those big mountains!

[Magnifan]

I find that one must convince oneself that above 200ft AGL the perception of height doesn't change much. I also find that it is best to look into the distance and not downwards!

To be honest the best way to deal with it is to decide to fly to (say) Ceres, preferably with another gyro, take off and commit yourself to the flight. You will feel anxious for a while, but after doing it a few times it does get better.

[Splinter]

When the Springs Manne went to Hazyview for the Africa`s Cup this year we had one hell of a tailwind and had to climb to 11 000ft to avoid the rotor on the other side of the mountain! At stages we were doing 136mph groundspeed and only about 65-70mph airspeed! With Hazyview being at an alt of +/- 1750ft we were +/-9250ft AGL. We could not decend before Hazyview as we were tossed around like n rag dolls at 10 000ft because of the rotor (I tried)! We joined overhead at +/- 11 000ft and got ready for a very long decend with plenty of wingovers!!! Great Fun

For some reason the alt did not bother me when there was no bumps, but at 10 000 with plenty of bumps I started looking at my flying wires and thought what would happen if the break....... I would have enough time to change my short on the way down..........

ZU-RED

[Low Level]

With Hazyview being at an alt of +/- 1750ft we were +/-9250ft AGL.

Unfortunately I couldn't type, what I was thinking.

I'll spend a weekend with my mom in law in Hazyview, before I open my eyes at that altitude.

You'll find me trotting along the N4 at 500 ft fighting every rotor in the book - thank you.

[Rudix]

I find it very serene and peaceful up there ! I have on many occasions flown higher than 10000 feet, sometimes "because I can" and sometimes to get away from turbulence like when crossing "The Berg" in summer around lunch time !

The view from up there can be spectacular on a clear day and it really makes me feel "on top of the world", far removed from the rushed world down below. I think above a certain height it does not feel like like I am high above the ground anymore. For some real fun go up there and shut down the engine, I once did in the Shadow and spent 45 minutes of peace and quiet playing in the highveld thermals.

But, as nice as it is up there flying low is even more fun ! Following the terrain on a smooth day is the best flying you can do !

Fly safe (high or low )
Rudi

[FO Gyro]

Ldel,

I'm the same. I would much rather have the odd rotor or two, than be high up. That's ok in my Boeing where I have 2 or three inches of glass between me and the outside!

Havng said that, attached are two photo's from a recent trip over the berg. I climbed up to 12 500feet (which on a later download from my GPS revealed a true altitude of 12 800ft!) over the amphitheatre. It didn't feel so bad since the cloud base started at around 7000 and the cloud tops were around 10 000ft. I kept on climbing in case of rotors from the berg. I was only 2 500ft above the clouds, not sensing the 7000 ft drop around me. If there weren't any clouds, I would never have gone up so high!

Just below 12 500 ft!

IMG_3159.JPG (54.11 KiB) Viewed 2948 times

[Gyronaut]

11 000ft, 12 500ft !!??

Eish, no, I have never done that in a gyro and don't want to thanks.
What about Oxygen? Are you under Radar control?

Personally I will wait to fly with the angels after I die.

[Angel]

11 000ft, 12 500ft !!??

Personally I will wait to fly with the angels after I die.

[old no 7]

Hi Guys,
I went out twice this week to find out what the whole "Fear Factor" is all about.
I am happy to say that on both occaissions @10,000ft I had no butterflies at all. In fact the sense of serenity up there when you close the throttle and drift slowly down is certainly one of my best flying experiences so far. I can't wait to get back up there with the angels.

[Magnifan]

Here I am pouring my heart out about my fear of heights to a bunch of @#$%! astronauts!

[FO Gyro]

Magnifan, you must take me over Bainskloof Pass sometime. Flew close past there the other day, but chickened out flying through it.

I'm with you on the height thing though. I don't do heights in a gyro.

Magnifan, where do you hangar?

[Magnifan]

Hi FO Gyro

I hanger at Morningstar, let's get Learjet and Jetranger together for a trip over those mountains soon. We have started a "Friday is Flyday" group to try and get into the air every Friday afternoon around 14h00. You are welcome to join us as is any other Cape Town gyro pilot, the more of us that commit the bigger the chance that it will sustain itself! I am not sure if I can make it this Friday , but next Friday should be fine. I will keep you posted.

Regards

Jonathan

[FO Gyro]

Guys, since we have moved away from the original posting titled "Sobering", and moved on to discussing unloading of rotors, and thereafter discussed mountain flying (and our fear of heights), I have split the thread and called it "Mountain Flying" which might be more suitable.

For any discussion about any flyaways in the Cape, I have also created a new thread called "This weekend's flying in the Cape",
where we can propose a flight for the upcoming weekend. Can I suggest any further discussion regarding flyaways migrates to this thread.

Lets try and make this an active forum. Even if we don't get together as a group, please post photo's of where you might have landed, and any scenery you saw. It all makes it interesting, and will make the Vaalies drool!

[old no 7]

Here I am pouring my heart out about my fear of heights to a bunch of @#$%! astronauts!

You must remember Magnifan... us Guatengers have a headstart of around 5000ft so for us 10k ain't so bad.

[Gyronaut]

I would hate to think what the Reynolds Number is!

Quite high I would imagine but then again, you're the engineer, not me
I just go along for the flying and the beers afterwards.