There’s nothing more awe inspiring than flying in the backcountry. The sheer beauty of
snow-capped mountain peaks, remote waterfalls and uninhabited valleys will leave you
breathless. Backcountry flying is incomparable to the proverbial $100 hamburger runs and the
‘gotta get there’ A-to-B type flying we often have to do for work.
But not all airplanes are appropriate for this type of backcountry flying. As you can imagine,
mountain flying requires robust planes that are designed and engineered to get you safely into
and out of some very tight spots. This means strong and sometimes unpredictable mountain
winds, unpaved runways and STOL strips.
Choosing the best plane for mountain flying
There are a handful of planes that are specially built for backcountry flying. They offer high
climb rates, augmented tires and landing gear for rugged runway surfaces, low stall speeds,
and shorter requirements for landing and takeoff. Many of these backcountry planes also offer
extra safety features – like reinforced steel cages for pilot and passenger, seatbelt airbags and
energy absorbing seats for sudden impact. Be sure to do the research. Many times a plane
more look good on paper but in reality doesn’t perform as well as you had hoped.
STOL Airplanes – Are they right for your trip?
STOL capability is a must for any kind of backcountry flying. Where you are in the mountains or
in the flat lands, your plane will invariably need to fly into areas where only short field options
are available. This is especially important when flying in high density altitudes with full fuel, a
passenger and lots of gear. So do the math, crunch the numbers and make sure you are within
limits for your intended missions.
Aviat Aircraft Inc. offers high performance, handcrafted airplanes specially designed for
mountain flying. Please visit us online for more info
