Your awesome post
First of all, I would like to thank you SNS3Guppy for your AWESOME POST. We also would like to thank everyone in this thread for your links, thoughts, enthusiastic support, photos.... That is great!
SNS3Guppy --- A specific question: Now,we have been perusing charts, pondering density altitudes, and engine performance specs. There are two of us flying totaling 295 lbs.(with 30 lbs baggage). And in that vein, we are heeding your counsel to hire a pilot to fly with us (at least the very first time) over the Grand Canyon for the pleasure of taking pictures, and enjoying the colors and formations without the distraction of avoiding terrain, and/or smacking into other aircraft etc.
Do you have any recommendations (by individual pilot name or company) as a good person/outfit for this purpose in Page/Kanab or elsewhere?
We also planned to sleep under the stars in Capitol Reef and Bryce and to fly ourselves there from Salt Lake City. We thought we could fly by dead reckoning following Route 89 South, airport to airport K41U to K44U to KRIF to KU13, as an example. We thought to follow possibly from Bryce to Page [KBCE - KPGA via V293] (MEA is 11,000 then 8500), using IFR procedures. Then we would hire a pilot very familiar with the Grand Canyon SVFR routes and procedures to accompany us for that leg and back to Page, as you suggest. We will be flying a Cessna 182T, so any thoughts on density altitude and performance issues for this trip in this aircraft would be most welcome.
Also, is your general recommendation that those areas in and around SLC to Moab - Bryce - Arches - Capitol Reef are manageable for pilots unfamiliar with the area, but not so for the Grand Canyon SVFR area?
We await with great anticipation....
wileywiley
Last edited by wileywiley; 29th May 2008 at 15:25.