Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Sea; Flight Crew Rotorcraft; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 60; Flight Crew Total 1700; Flight Crew Type 960
Situational Awareness
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Aircraft; Human Factors; Weather
After landing in salt water I landed at Beluga Lake to rinse the salt off before proceeding north; I'm on amphibs. The afternoon southwest daybeeze was blowing so I took off southwest on the lake climbing to the recommended 1;000 feet before initiating a slow turn to the right toward rising terrain judging that with the slow turn and lift from the rising terrain and onshore wind; and a high performance aircraft; that I could easily reach the 2;000 feet desirable to avoid noise and flying too low over houses. As the turn progressed I encountered sinking air which reduced my climb rate; but I thought it only temporary. By the time I came to the realization the sinking air was not going away; hot day may have also been a factor; I was too close to the ground 500 or so; to go to full power (I was at 25 squared); as to the noise issue. I still had room to turn back and glide to safety; and was going to easily clear the rising terrain; but was at least 500 feet lower than I wanted to be; at a high power setting over homes in a noise sensitive are. I was very uncomfortable with the situation I put myself into.What I should have done was climb to at least 1;800 or more before initiating to turn. I also think that a recommended altitude in the Alaska Supplement for 5BL that aircraft taking off westerly should climb to some altitude; 1;500-2;000; before initiating a turn north. I am an experienced local and still found myself in this situation where anticipated aircraft performance and too early of a turn initiation put me in a too low situation.
General aviation pilot reported encountering sinking air after departing 5BL west bound and turning right at 1;000 feet. This resulted in being at 500 feet AGL over a noise sensitive area at high power.