Mountain Flying Skills & Safety

If you're a newly minted private pilot it may be very exciting to crank up your C-172 try flying in the mountains. Mountain flying is some of the most beautiful and rewarding flying of all. But Wait! Don't even think about heading out to the mountains without 1st receiving some basic mountain flying instruction from an experienced and qualified mountain flying instructor. (Preferably one who knows the mountains where you hope to fly.) If you "take off" on your own to the mountains, without mountain flying instruction - you've just put the first link in your accident chain. The "cards" are stacked against you and the odds are NOT in your favor. Contact a CFII at an airport in the area you hope to fly first..Then go enjoy some Safe Mountain Flying! Hopefully you won't ever have to meet the 10 Ton Gorrilla that lives in the mountains!