Flying Magazine

JUNE 10, 2025

I took off from Runway 34L at 169,800 pounds gross weight, rotated at 1.8 degree glideslope, high density altitude, and an approach speed of 150 knots, all of which put our nominal descent rate very close to the book maximum of 1,000 ft/min. What changed? degrees per second, and lifted off at a pitch attitude of 6.5

Pilot

Air Facts

JULY 9, 2025

Should I treat every VFR hop like I’m departing into low IMC with a 10,000-foot density altitude at max gross weight? But viewing every flight as a math problem tends to keep your head inside the cockpit—and it drains some of the fun. Do I need to spend hours on ForeFlight before every local flight?

Pilot

Plane and Pilot

OCTOBER 3, 2024

But I have maintained 5000 feet at 6000 pounds gross weight,” notes Ross. It was 87° F, a density altitude of 7300 feet and we ended up with four people, 120 gallons plus baggage, and we got off in 2400 feet with naturally aspirated engines. “We just fly the thing around at 1000 feet, so the ceiling, we don’t know.

Airplanes