Highest you been in the "Renault", Peter?

Yeah.... any higher and the stall warner becomes a bit of a nuisance... also the autopilot can be used only in pitch hold, not altitude hold.

In ISA+10 you are lucky to make FL180 however. Or indeed if there is any kind of downdraught. I tried that just over a year ago, quite close to Mt Blanc, and I think we got to about FL174.5 before I capitulated. Mind you, there were 3 of us plus the kitchen sink :)

The "Renault" is actually a super aircraft for European touring. Obviously other stuff goes faster and higher but you pay for it with a lot more juice.

HOW HIGH TO FLY? A safety tip -
 

Power pilots reading this, please take into account that on a good day for gliding, there will be A HECK OF A LOT OF GLIDERS and not always near gliding sites. They can be found between 500' and cloud base. (lower than five hundred feet they get nervous and look for a field)

So if you want to be safer, if at all possible, on a good day for gliding, plan your flight above the tops of the cumulus. Avoid the crowd. As well, it will be a smoother ride altogether.

If you are a non-smoker, you should be quite comfortable up to 12,000.

I seem to remember old Joe at Portmoak years ago being asked "How do you know how high you are with all those empty holes in tha panel?" "When my fag goes out I'm high enough".

MM for many of us, that is not permitted!

Also until more recently, the aircraft werent up to it. Like Waddington asking me in a C150, two up at 2800 to climb to 4000ft due to landing aircraft at Conningsby - fat chance! I replied that it might take a 'while' and they were happy with 3000

As high as possible... normally between FL95 and FL115, I'd love to go higher but no oxygen ... regardless if high wing or low wing :ok:

Great view, smooth ride, good TAS, better VOR/NDB/VHF range, less traffic, more time in case of an emergency, better temperature in the cockpit... why would u want to go any lower?

Except for sightseeing maybe...

cheers
maehhh

mary meagher wrote:
I'm pleased to confirm that both I and the instructor recovered. It was, unsurprisingly, a planned part of my "winter refresher" check in a K13.

I like to think that if there hadn't been then I wouldn't have entered the spin in the first place. At least not at that height/location.

It was still, of course, great fun - and long may such fun continue.