Safety Skills

In the Fly Safe and Open Mic sections of our website, UBCP will be presenting discussions and articles on the tools and tricks, and the gear needed to enhance one's safety when venturing into and out of the backcountry. We will also be discussing how to minimize our impact on other users with "leave no trace" camping techniques and "fly friendly" aviating. Look here in the future, for articles on how to be a considerate airplane visitor to the backcountry.

To begin, we would like to say a few words about how to safely visit these magnificent backcountry destinations so far off the beaten path to the $100.00 hamburger. These words will be cautionary in tone. We hope to create an attitude of wary wisdom. Wise to the realities of canyon flying and wary of the ever changing conditions that can be encountered in Basin and Range or Colorado Plateau types of Utah flying. The airstrips you will learn of here, even if they are marked with that familiar magenta circle on Utah's state aeronautical chart, demand in their use, more respect than most other backcountry strips in the Lower 48 states. These sharp edged and deep squared-off canyon walls can create hazards only hinted at in the wider and less abrupt valleys of the Idaho backcountry. Adverse winds can rise up by noon, effectively trapping aviators until near sunset on one way strips. Our advice is be flexible enough to stay on the ground until conditions allow a safe return home. And density altitude? Its not unusual in the summer for the density altitude at some strips to exceed the service ceilings of some GA aircraft. The good news is that many of these places are less hostile to visit during spring, fall, and winter when many other places like the mountain valleys of Idaho are locked up in snow.

Our first recommendation would be to check out the terrific article by Fletcher Anderson which was printed in our Winter 2004 Newsletter. You may click [HERE] to view this article.

The Open Mic section allows us to post and reply to discussions and I hope that this feature will create a spirited exchange of ideas on all backcountry subjects but most importantly safety issues. You will notice some forums already beginning on the subjects of survival gear.