Behind The Curve

The only time Ive performed what I consider to have been a for-real high-altitude takeoff, it went fine. I was at Albuquerque, N.M.s Double Eagle II airport, elevation some 5800 feet. It wasnt the middle of summer, but it was a warm, sunny fall afternoon. I dont recall which runway I used, but it offered more than enough length for my Debonair, which carried only me, some gear and full fuel. As Id been trained, I leaned the engine before the takeoff and let the airplane fly itself off the runway. I handled it gently until gaining enough airspeed to establish a proper climb and I had some altitude.

Editorial Staff

Sunday, June 30, 2019 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

High density altitude significantly degrades aircraft performance, resulting in longer takeoff rolls, slower acceleration, and reduced climb capabilities.
An accident highlights the danger of attempting to force a climb in high density altitude conditions, where a pilot's excessive pitch attitude to gain altitude led to an aerodynamic stall and loss of control.
Pilots must be aware that ground effect can provide a deceptive lift; it is crucial to attain sufficient airspeed before climbing out of ground effect to prevent a stall or settling back to the runway, especially in high density altitude environments.

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The only time I’ve performed what I consider to have been a for-real high-altitude takeoff, it went fine. I was at Albuquerque, N.M.’s Double Eagle II airport, elevation some 5800 feet. It wasn’t the middle of summer, but it was a warm, sunny fall afternoon. I don’t recall which runway I used, but it offered more than enough length for my Debonair, which carried only me, some gear and full fuel. As I’d been trained, I leaned the engine before the takeoff and let the airplane fly itself off the runway. I handled it gently until gaining enough airspeed to establish a proper climb and I had some altitude.

Some years later, one distinctive memory of that takeoff is the time and distance it took to accelerate to liftoff speed. The takeoff roll was both longer in duration and with slower acceleration than I was accustomed. As successful as it was, I came away thinking the only good thing about a high-altitude takeoff is that it put me that much closer to my planned cruising altitude.