Yes, circle the airport until you have altitude to clear the surrounding terrain. Or follow the ODP.TAILspin38 wrote: ↑Mon Apr 25, 2022 1:25 am Should it not be a standard practice to stay above the airport and circle to gain altitude before departing the area heading towards the mountains? These unfortunate accidents really make me over anxious when trying to plan a family outing and W&B combined with DA come into play. Our condolences to the family and friends.
The accident need not make you anxious. But it does underscore that W&B is not just a PPL exercise. It's fundamental to understanding the operating envelope of the airplane and the expected climb performance for each flight. The plane will perform as documented in the AFM. But it will not perform better.
If you accurately transcribe the AFM chart/table into several Foreflight custom performance profiles, each for a different takeoff weight, you can select the appropriate profile and FF will do the math for you. You'll never need to open the AFM. The Flight data will show your takeoff distance and the Profile view will show your clearance, or lack thereof, over terrain for your intended route. The FAA suggests at least 1,000' over terrain in flat country, and 2,000' over terrain in mountains. I consider those to be minimums.