Bill Arras <billarras>
writes:

Friends have marveled at the performance of my little EGO Trike.
It's powered by a tiny 200cc one-cylinder two-stroke engine. Some surprise has
been expressed that it's possible to climb over 14,000' with such a small
engine. Since I'm not an engine person, I don't know these things, but I do know
this engine easily does the job in the trike, even if slowly.

Yesterday I decided to see just how high the trike could go. Taking off from
Bend Airport at 3456' above sea level, in 1 hour and 47 minutes I arrived at
17,999'. I was tempted to fly higher and the engine was still happy, but I was
frozen! Actually, my body was fine, but my hands and feet were really really
really cold. The temperature at altitude was only 8°F, so I had good reason to
be cold.

Flying (non-powered) hang gliders in the Owens Valley and in the mountain
states, I've often been to at least this same altitude in a hang glider. Flying
at home in Central Oregon, it's rare to be able to get this high in thermals.
Only twice have I reached 18 grand in a hang glider in Oregon, although I've
been much higher in a hot air balloon, carrying my own personal thermal
generator ;-)

Here are links to some recent special mountain flights with the trike:

Mountain Magic I:
https://balloonbill.smugmug.com/Other/Mountain-Magic-I-September-18/

Mountain Magic II:
https://balloonbill.smugmug.com/Other/Mountain-Magic-II-September-18/

Mountain Magic III:
https://balloonbill.smugmug.com/Other/Mountain-Magic-III-September/

Mountain Magic IV:
https://balloonbill.smugmug.com/Other/Mountain-Magic-IV-September-19/