N1182H Full Flight - Aborted RTB Smoke Visibility Limitations - 7S3 to 7S3 - 1 of 3

This is a great example of a flight where I knew visibility could become a factor, combined with terrain, and even potential turbulence from mountains. That combination can be extremely perilous for a VFR airplane.
We hedged our bets, had clear milestones on our flight path to measure, confirm, and decide if the risk was becoming too high. We ended up making that call above Boring, Oregon before entering the gorge on our way to Hood River, and returned to base at Twin Oaks. Landing at Twin Oaks in limited visibility that day was complex - no tower, more than 7 aircraft in the pattern, several saying that didn't have eyes on airplane ahead and a rushed landing with a bounce I settled down with controls.
I'm sharing this video as it's an example of how visibility can change over time with a flight, and while I've seen worse, this isn't ideal or that safe. Could it be flown - absolutely, especially with IFR equipment, or with a higher tolerance for risk, but we have to practice individual ADM.
Part 1 - • N1182H Full Flight - A...
Part 2 - • N1182H Full Flight - A...
Part 3 - • N1182H Full Flight - A...