9D9 direct SRQ.

EdFred

EdFred

Taxi to Parking
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White Chocolate
You don't get if you don't ask.

"Grand Rapids approach Comanche 727DS requesting my IFR clearnce to Sarasota."

"Cleared as filed, climb and maintain niner thousand."

Pretty decent flight especially after what the forecasts were. I had clouds and and bit of ice for the first two minutes of flight, but after that it was tailwinds and smooth the entire way. They were only about 2500 thick and climbing at over 1000fpm it was a non event with the light rime. I don't think the tops were ever above seven thousand the rest ove the trip with most of OH and IN being clear. I did not get a reroute around CVG which was surprising, especially since the runways there are 18/36LCR and I was almost right over the airport. The JAX center controller was hilarious and good to work with.

When working with a Chataqua flight he would say "shaaaah taaaah kwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah" followed quickly by the flight number. Would advise airliners they have an amended clearnance and then send them direct to their destination. They would respond with "wow thanks, direct?" And his reply would be "no sense wasting the techology." He mentioned that I had a decision to make and let me know when. I come back with a dejected sounding 727DS is ready to copy. He laughs and says no no no, you can stay direct SRQ but will have to drop to 4 when 45 north of St Pete or no altitude restriction via Lakeland. With tailwinds I took the LAL option. But they ended up turning me direct through the bravo anyway. Gotta figure out my fuel burn though. I timed my tip tanks dry and was at exactly 12.5 gph, but not close to that on the mains. There's no way I could have flown another hour like my calc said. Will have to see if one of the bladders is collapsed a little when I do the annual after I get home.
 
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EdFred said:
You don't get if you don't ask.

"Grand Rapids approach Comanche 727DS requesting my IFR clearnce to Sarasota."

"Cleared as filed, climb and maintain niner thousand."

Pretty decent flight especially after what the forecasts were. I had clouds and and bit of ice for the first two minutes of flight, but after that it was tailwinds and smooth the entire way. They were only about 2500 thick and climbing at over 1000fpm it was a non event with the light rime. I don't think the tops were ever above seven thousand the rest ove the trip with most of OH and IN being clear. I did not get a reroute around CVG which was surprising, especially since the runways there are 18/36LCR and I was almost right over the airport. The JAX center controller was hilarious and good to work with.

When working with a Chataqua flight he would say "shaaaah taaaah kwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah" followed quickly by the flight number. Would advise airliners they have an amended clearnance and then send them direct to their destination. They would respond with "wow thanks, direct?" And his reply would be "no sense wasting the techology." He mentioned that I had a decision to make and let me know when. I come back with a dejected sounding 727DS is ready to copy. He laughs and says no no no, you can stay direct SRQ but will have to drop to 4 when 45 north of St Pete or no altitude restriction via Lakeland. With tailwinds I took the LAL option. But they ended up turning me direct through the bravo anyway. Gotta figure out my fuel burn though. I timed my tip tanks dry and was at exactly 12.5 gph, but not close to that on the mains. There's no way I could have flown another hour like my calc said. Will have to see if one of the bladders is collapsed a little when I do the annual after I get home.
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I watched part of your flight on flightaware. I was very jealous. When I flew down in 2008 I had two fuel stops and 8 hours of flying, plus dodging some weather. You, got in and went.

The JAX controllers can be a hoot. I would often fly up into the airspace and they always seemed to be having a good time. I think I have even heard the same one you did.

I am familiar with the altitude restriction or the LAL transition. I think you missed a great chance to fly by the Sunshine Skyway bridge at night by going to the LAL transition. 4000' MSL is basically 4000' AGL so I wonder why you did not take the direct route?
 
I can't disclose publicly why I stayed at 9. ;-)
 
Ed, if this flight is not ample proof of the magic of GA, I know not what is.

Plus, good winds.

Plus, those tip tanks are great, aren't they?
 
Just wondering, can you schedule an IFR flight and then take off VFR. At later time while already flying, request clearance in the air if the weather turns bad?
 
sanforce said:
Just wondering, can you schedule an IFR flight and then take off VFR. At later time while already flying, request clearance in the air if the weather turns bad?
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Typically, if you depart from a towered field, they will drop (cancel) your IFR plan if you depart VFR unless you request that they don't do that. In any case the plan will disappear about two hours after your filed departure time and if you're like me the takeoff is usually about 30-60 minutes later than the time on the flight plan.

If you departed from an uncontrolled field that plan would likely still be in the system during the two hour period beyond the filed ETD but ATC might have to search for it if and when you called later since it won't have been delivered to the facility you were in when you decided to switch to IFR. An alternative that works pretty well is to file IFR and then mention the IFR flight plan and ask for flight following instead of an IFR clearance when you depart. At that point ATC will "convert" your filed plan to VFR and leave it in the system. In that case you can ask them to convert back to IFR later and it's easy for them to do. Of course any time you are already in the air looking for an IFR clearance you may be denied if things are too busy.
 
sanforce said:
Just wondering, can you schedule an IFR flight and then take off VFR. At later time while already flying, request clearance in the air if the weather turns bad?
Click to expand...
Not really, based on my interpretation of your question. When you file, your strip is going to pop out for a particular controller. You can take off VFR and pick it up in the air with that controller, usually without a problem. This presumes you're departing a non-towered field, because there have been instances at a towered field of the tower controller canceling your IFR clearance at that point.

If you know that the weather is going to devolve along your trip, you can file IFR from a point along your route, say a VOR an hour before the expected IFR conditions, take off VFR (with or without a VFR flight plan), and then pick up your IFR plan when you approach the starting point for that portion. If you file both the VFR and IFR portions, this is known as a Composite Flight Plan.
 
That's sounds like an awesome trip. I listen to CLT quite a bit, and those controllers seem pretty cool. I'm thinking it's a southern thing?

Tim
 
sanforce said:
Just wondering, can you schedule an IFR flight and then take off VFR. At later time while already flying, request clearance in the air if the weather turns bad?
Click to expand...

That's pretty much SOP for flying offshore. I almost always had an IFR plan on file for the return trip, especially in the winter. Going out early in the morning the weather would be decent, and offshore it was generally better, but as the sun comes up the fog moves in. I'd end up having to pick up the IFR 50-100 miles out from the beach to get in onshore.
 
Ed did you park at KSRQ? Which FBO did you use and would you recommend it?

I am familiar with Dolphin and my old favorite has changed hands but I heard there was a new guy on the field too.
 
I did overnight at SRQ and used Rectrix. No fees and the cheaper fuel on the field. Good looking counter girl too. :)
 
EdFred said:
I did overnight at SRQ and used Rectrix. No fees and the cheaper fuel on the field. Good looking counter girl too. :)
Click to expand...

I was jealous before you said this.....:wink2:
 
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