I’m a student a pilot and I have taken lessons at sea level airports. I moved to Colorado (high elevation over 5,000 ft.) and will be continuing my flying lessons here, in a 70’s model Cessna 172. I know the air is thinner at the higher elevations which will require me to lean the mixture more and prior to takeoff lean for maximum RPM. The aircraft POH doesn’t explain much about High Airport Elevation procedures except to lean it above 3,000. I was taught to lean the mixture 1 inch during taxi ops at sea level (to prevent the magnetos from fouling?) then full rich for runup and takeoff. Do I need to lean it more for taxi ops at higher elevation? Do I go full rich at high elevations during runup to check the magnetos or do I leave it lean? Do I conduct a full power runup and lean the mixture for max RPM in the runup area or wait until I get until I line up and wait on the runway and do it then? If I already leaned the mixture prior to takeoff at a 5,000 ft airport elevation and climb to 10,000 I’ll still need to continue to lean the mixture as I’m climbing right?
As you can see I don’t know much about this type of operation. What type of procedures do some of you flight instructors teach your students?
Thanks for your help!
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