Friday night group flight planning

[ROBERT DUNN 2]

By popular consensus (and lack of any more viable proposals) we will fly the popular "Black Canyon of the Gunnison" route thru west central Colorado USA. Please see Storm's flight plan and flight description by clicking "View replies to this Event" textual link in the lower right of the initial event post.

We will be flying single engine light general aviation aircraft capable of 120 knots (your choice). Aircraft permitted in this Friday night group flight will be VERY tolerant but please try to maintain the maneuverable bush plane spirit of tonight's group flight.

Contrary to tradition, there will be no single flight lead for this canyon run group flight. Instead, any member is welcome to volunteer to lead a single leg of the three legs involved to show us the VFR route. Flight leads will be decided upon at the time of our initial airport departure.

We will depart Gunnison, Colorado (KGUC), stop at two airports and conclude at the challenging Eagle-Vail (KEGE). Those four airports on our route are:

KGUC - Gunnison
7V2 - North Fork Valley
KGWS - Glenwood Springs
KEGE - Eagle-Vail

As is customary, we will gather at KGUC Gunnison at 21:00 (9:00PM) Eastern time and depart reasonably soon thereafter.

Again, please read the more detailed flight plan located in replies to this event. Please post the encouraged and appreciated flight screen shots as replies in the Event thread also.

[Storm]

The Black Canyon of the Gunnison in Colorado, mentioned by Bob above, is a favorite run and can be very challenging.

From KGUC (Gunnison, surface elevation 7,677 ft) we would fly westwards over a reservoir/river and then plunge down over a dam into the Black Canyon. We would stay as low as possible, twisting and turning downstream through the (at times) very narrow canyon, over two more dams, until it finally peters out. (Latecomers and crash survivors are advised never to spawn behind anyone in the canyon! Instead the recovery airfield of 39CO is recommended.) Then on to 7V2 (North Fork Valley, 5,797 ft) for a deserved break. Then we would follow the wider canyon east and north to KGWS (Glenwood Springs, 5,915 ft) and finally eastwards to KEGE (Eagle-Vail, 6,532 ft), the History Channel's supposed 8^th most extreme airport in the world.

The inspiration for this flight is that it takes place on August 1st, which will be the 138^th anniversary of Colorado's admittance to the Union as the 38^th state. Because this occured in 1876, 100 years after the Declaration of Independence, one of Colorado's nicknames is the The Centennial State. (By coincidence, my home airport in Colorado is Centennial, and that will be our final destination on next Monday's Mail Run.)

Here is a map of the full Black Canyon of the Gunnison route (click for a larger picture). Only part of the first leg is the really challenging part; the rest is just pleasant mountain valley flying:

[Novawing24]

Thanks to everyone!

It was my first time flying through the Black Canyon and it was a BLAST!

Here are a couple of snaps from a very memorable Friday night flight! And "Happy Admittance to the Union Day" to Colorado!

Safe Skies

Novawing24