Don't do this

V tail Bonanza escapes Johnson Creek - 2 pm. Light south winds 90 degree F.

This video had about 150 views total until late Sept 2023 and for some reason went totally viral. Yes it has a click bait title but that was not my intention. If you fly in and out of mountain strips you must understand density altitude. Density altitude is effected by elevation, temperature and humidity. There are less air molecules at altitude and on hotter days to create lift under the wing and produce compression within the cylinders of the engine. Consequently the performance of the wing and engine are reduced as the density altitude is increased. Humidity effects density altitude because the vaporized water displaces the air molecules further reducing lift and compression in the engine.

Johnson Creek (3U2) sits at an elevation of 5000 feet and 3500 feet long. It is in the heart of the Frank Church Wilderness in Idaho. It is a spectacular place to camp, hike, fish, and commune with nature. It is a focal point in the Frank Church Wilderness with a rich history. Mountain Flying caries more risk in part due to density altitude and needs to be factored into one's risk assessment. With proper training, proficiency and education much of the risk can be mitigated. Many of the strips have non standard approaches often with no option for a go around or rejected takeoff. I have other videos on this channel that show a lot backcountry strips in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. I have a CFII/MEI and stay active instructing in a variety of aircraft and am very passionate about about aviation..

This video is instructional to anyone wanting to learn about Density Altitude. The temperature was over 90 degree F this afternoon and it was unusually humid. There was a 5-10 knot quartering tailwind. The DA was about 8200 feet that day. Runway 35 is standard departure from Johnson Creek. The 35 Bonanza was loaded with 4 adults. . Unknown how much fuel or baggage was onboard. I doubt he was in a turbocharged aircraft. When we heard the engine start and taxi down toward the departure end of 35 we were all surprised. Most people do not fly in the afternoons in Idaho and the general recommendations among most seasoned mountain/canyon pilots is to be down on the ground by 11-11:30 AM. Certainly on cooler days you can fly later and on hotter days you may need to get down sooner. Fly early and fly light.

This pilot did a good job once airborne not to stall the airplane. He kept the nose down and contoured the terrain. I believe he wisely headed up the canyon to gain lift created by updrafts on the northwest walls. I agree he should have deployed 10-20 degrees of flaps on the departure. Maybe flown out solo at first to test the conditions. A wiser decision would have been to wait until it cooled off. Below is a video of a loaded Stinson departing from Bruce Meadows with 4 people that crashed into the trees on the departure end in 2012 luckily not killing anyone. Every year people die because they do not factor DA into their flight planning.

Hope this answers most of the questions. Safe Flying for Everyone and Support the RAF (Recreational Aviation Foundation) and IAA (Idaho Aviation Association).

[TeamFish]

“There’s airplane skeletons out there in those bushes for a reason.”😂🤣😂

[something]

Videos like this are 100% equally as important as accident case studies. Just because a disaster didn't happen didn't mean it wasn't totally wrong.

[jackx]

I was serving in the RAF, stationed in Malta, and one autumn, a hell of a storm blew up (they had to load a C130 on a dispersal pan to the max, chain her down, park two fire tenders in front of her as a windbreak, and she was *still* bouncing around like a pea on a drum). So I'm walking through the camp, leaning into the wind at a crazy angle to stop from being blown over, and I see a pilot from 39 Squadron (Photo Recon.) coming towards me.
"Not taking the Canberra up today, Bob?", I asked.
"Some days, Jack", he replied, "even the *birds* are walking!"
Ain't that the truth.

[stevet]

I think before he took off, he told his passengers "We might make it, let's give it a shot.""

[sid]

Of all the flight videos I have seen, this is one of them.

[dogismycoolpilot]

This video was filmed back in 2018 and had about 150 views until 4-5 days ago. Not sure what made the video get such attention but this was posted really to educate people about density altitude. Flying in Idaho in the summer requires some planning and in general departing Johnson Creek at 2 PM on a 90F day with a tailwing takeoff is just not a good idea. I agree with the comments about adding flaps but better to have just waited until it cooled off. I posted this video from 1966 published by the FAA. It is about a guy who coincidentally flies a 35 Bonanza with the name " Harry Bliss. " It is a very instructional video on DA and all still applies today. Be safe and always be mindful of DA.

[bobrichardson]

Hard to tell from vid but I dont think I saw any flaps lowered...? 0:17

[xX_Gravity_Xx]

It becomes blatantly obvious how much power you no longer have in the heat at high elevations. I'm no pilot, but I'm a trucker. Starting up a grade in 90* heat in Montana or Idaho at 80k lbs, you're already prepared for the complete lack of power and the temperatures to start going up. Do the same thing in New York in the hills on a 55*-60* day and you'll understand, at least from an engine performance perspective, why heat and height are important.

[pheener]

Totally stumbled on this video by accident as an amateur flight nerd, but this is so close to me! Hope you guys stayed safe with the fires this year, excellent footage.

[TAShannon]

"He needs to just stop" Lol. Sounds like something my wife would say if I brought her to a fly-in

[keithrickson]

Get the outside air temp from your temperature probe. Get pressure altitude by setting your altimiter to 29.92. Combine the two in a flight computer to get density altitude. Use your pilot operating handbook to calculate your takeoff distance and climb rate. Add a buffer, say 10% for having an old plane. Bam, there you go.

[SierraBravo]

1 name comes to mind!
HARRY BLISS!! The vintage FAA density altitude flick. “This thing has a ceiling of 20, 000ft with that kind of performance we can fly anywhere”.🤣🤣🤣

[erintyres]

I just tried out an online density calculator. 90 degrees Fahrenheit at 5000 feet gives a density altitude of 8038 feet. At 70 degrees, the density altitude is 6836 feet. Taking off when the weather is cooler certainly helps.

Before takeoff, the pilot needs to look up several numbers in the pilot's operating handbook: "What my Bonanza's rate of climb at 8038 feet?", "What is my Bonanza's required runway length to take off from grass at 8038 feet with X knots of tailwind?", "What is my Bonanza's Vx speed for best angle of climb?", and "What is my Bonanza's maximum gross weight and have I exceeded it?".

This takeoff was done on a day with high humidity. That also increases density altitude, but I don't have a way to calculate how much.

[n]

This seems like a bunch of people being jealous of a Bonanza...

[Captndarty]

He was fine. It’s all down hill from there with plenty of big bowls to make a turn around in. You never trade airspeed for altitude.

[superdude]

“You miss 100% of the takeoffs you don’t take”
- Plane Gretzky

[robertboykin]

how bout flaps ? I don't remember seeing them.

[smark]

Don't do this - take off on 17.

Johnson Creek (3U2)
Recommended Standard Operating Procedures

Departing Runway 17
Strongly Discouraged
Why?
1. Your takeoff path is directly toward the Bryant house and rising terrain.
2. Southerly winds prevail in the late afternoon. Aircraft should remain on the ground until more favorable conditions exist.
3. High density altitude conditions have contributed to several accidents at Johnson Creek.

[goneflying]

Shouldnt you have flaps set for a soft field departure? That was a close one!!

[portnuefflyer]

i'd rather see a pilot keep it on the runway until he's almost out of it than horsing it off before it's ready to fly. Airspeed is more important than altitude, I don't care how close I come to something, if I'm flying in full control/have good airspeed. Not a Bonanza pilot so can't comment on the particulars about this clip.