Gaining altitude for a mountain flight

[Titan_Bow]

Caveat... I am not a real-world pilot, and my knowledge is fairly limited.
  I live outside of Boulder, CO, and in FSX, I like to fly my Carenado Cherokee 180 up to spots in the high country. I usually fly out of Jeffco (KBJC). The airport is at 5673ft.   In order to get to Granby, I have to gain enough altitude to get over the mountains.  I fly Rollins Pass, wich is 11680ft. then on to Granby.
My question is, what would be the most realistic way to gain the altitude before heading up and over the mountains?

[Titan_Bow]

I should rephrase that....What would be the proper, or correct way, to gain the altitude?

[Brett_Henderson]

I wouldn't take a 180HP, normally-aspirated airplane 12,000' up into the mountains under even ideal circumstances.

Throw in any density altitude.. and any type of weather (even just gusty winds), and you're on the ragged edge. Plus.. the last part of the slow climb getting to nearly 13,000msl, and the time you'd spend at that altitude; requires that you be on oxygen.

This type of flight calls for at least a twin, or turbo-normalized single. . ..

[Titan_Bow]

I realized that the plane was doing all it could to get over the pass    About the oxygen, is it an FAA requisite?  I routinely hike, camp, hunt, and fish at elevations at or above treeline (11-13,000ft.)  without it.
Are there regional adjustments, etc. that people make to small aircraft operating in the high country?  I've seen cessnas and other small single engine planes at Granby, Vail, etc.  They'd have to be operating at the altitudes or higher?

[beaky]

[quote]I realized that the plane was doing all it could to get over the pass

[Brett_Henderson]

[quote]I realized that the plane was doing all it could to get over the pass

[peter-reebok]

I went on a motorcycle trek over the Himalayas last year.

Up to 18,600 feet.
Oxygen was at a premium, and it forces you to make some decisions at a time when your judgement is impaired.

We spent 2 weeks above 13,000 ft in total.
people suffered to differing degrees.

Dont underestimate the effect of low oxygen, and dont let someone else talk you into accepting their judgement that it will be 'ok'.
Having said that - the experience was amazing.

[Brett_Henderson]

How did the altitude effect the motorcyle (just curious) ?

[aeroart]

If you're flying in FltSim, be a simulator test pilot. Just see how high your airplane will go. I tried that with the default P-51D in Combat Flight Simulator 1, and it got to about 42,000 ft before it ran out of steam. I just Googled "P-51D service ceiling," and it said 41,900 ft.

Service ceiling was a military spec. It's the altitude that the rate of climb is down to 100 ft/min. Absolute ceiling (0 climb) would be somewhat higher.

When you're climbing, do as much of it as possible straight ahead. Your rate of climb is better that way than while turning because you have to lower the nose in a turn to maintain climb airspeed.

Art

[beaky]

Here's that audio clip, BTW... apparently the crew (Kalitta 747) somehow disabled their O2 system in cruise, and got all goofy before they realized it.

It's eerie to listen to the captain- he knows he is losing the airplane, knows what he needs to say, but can barely get the words out... sounds just like he's really, really drunk and sleepy.  And of course he is feeling quite euphoric, and probably not actually doing what he thinks he's doing with the airplane.

Eventually they get down below 12,000 or so and he's pretty much back to normal (as is the FO). You'll never catch me up there without oxygen, and if I ever do go up with onboard O2, I'll be very, very careful with it.

http://www.natca.org/assets/multimedia/ ... gl-zob.wmv

[peter-reebok]

How did the altitude effect the motorcyle (just curious) ?

Could only use first and second gear, not enough power to use any others!.
The roads arent great, so speed wasnt an issue.

[Titan_Bow]

Thanks for all the comments guys.  I've been flying my Cherokee eastward lately, and it seems to work alot better