Flight Training Central

SEPTEMBER 9, 2024

Airplane performance can be defined as the capability of an airplane to operate effectively while serving a specific purpose. Among the performance elements are takeoff and landing distances, rate of climb, ceiling, speed, payload, and fuel economy. What effect does high density altitude have on aircraft performance?

Density Altitude 105

Density Altitude Knot Ground Effect True Airspeed 105

Air Facts

MAY 24, 2024

As I went through the preflight inspection, my wife strapped my daughter into the car seat and climbed into the airplane herself. Even though this was late May, it was early enough in the day that the temperatures and density altitude hadn’t climbed to outrageous heights—yet. No ceiling so no hold for us today!

Aileron 98

Aileron Crosswind Knot Runway 98

Plane and Pilot

NOVEMBER 29, 2024

The airplane’s engine, propeller, and wings, which have struggled all summer against the ravages of high temperatures and density altitude, are now in their happy place. The first step is heating the important parts of the airplane. It helps to prepare for these delays and make a reasonable plan for the entire day.

Ceiling 105

Ceiling Airplanes Weather Density Altitude 105

Plane and Pilot

NOVEMBER 29, 2024

The airplane’s engine, propeller, and wings, which have struggled all summer against the ravages of high temperatures and density altitude, are now in their happy place. The first step is heating the important parts of the airplane. It helps to prepare for these delays and make a reasonable plan for the entire day.

Ceiling 98

Ceiling Airplanes Weather Density Altitude 98

Air Facts

AUGUST 5, 2024

The Warrior has introduced countless people to the joys of light airplanes. Outside of the marine layer that incessantly taunts the coastal areas, back home your experiences with density altitude are minimal. The weather is VMC but it’s hot, and the density altitude is really creeping up there.

Density Altitude 98

Density Altitude Ceiling Runway Weather 98

Plane and Pilot

JULY 2, 2024

And the operating environment presents its own limitations on our activity, quite aside from the skills of the pilot and innate performance of the airplane. We may be the best pilot ever born, but we can’t force a tired Skyhawk to climb above its genuine absolute ceiling, undefined by any performance chart.

Density Altitude 61

Density Altitude Airplanes Wind Shear Pilot 61

Professional Pilot

AUGUST 8, 2024

The ceiling is 800 ft overcast. The combined effects of high density altitude, published gradients, and optical illusion of a down-sloping runway at night all indicate a higher probability of an unstable approach.

Approach 105

Approach Descent Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) Runway 105