R
RobertGerace
Guest
On Monday night I checked the weather for Tuesday morning and the forecast was CAVU. I had planned a trip to Addison to have my radar looked at, and then San Antonio for a business meeting, then Waco to have my landing gear looked at, and then home.
What follows here is the story.
Tuesday morning I woke up to snow on the ground, low clouds, and the local radio station reporting snow, freezing rain, and sleet near my home base of LZU.
I had to go -- it was just a matter of when. Flite Electronics at ADS was expecting me to arrive at 1pm; but I told them that due to winds I may be late.
I knew the tops were at 5,000 and there wasn't any freezing rain at LZU -- but it was snowing fairly hard. So I blasted off (solo) -- didn't pick up any ice, and was on top in short order.
The trip to ADS was uneventful, except that gee whiz to they go in for the old-fashioned VOR way of flying. I got told to intercept and fly more airways then I get in a year of flying East of the Mississippi. When it was over I felt like I'd earned an IPC.
There was some convective activity between ADS and SAT, and I flew through some scarry looking clouds (with no radar). However, my stormscope showed nothing and my WSI on-board weather was showing level 1's.
I got a clearance I haven't had in a while, "depart Chris at xxx" where they wanted me to fly an arrival and then depart one of the fixes in it on a heading.
Wednesday morning -- must go -- a trip to Waco long scheduled and a very important meeting Thursday (today) morning in Charlotte. Low clouds covering south central Texas. I took off and never saw the sun. I spent about 10 minutes between layers...but for the rest of the trip (which took forever because I had to get vectored around W) I was solid IMC. I got a late and high turn onto the ILS for ACT, and that meant a quick descent to catch the glideslope -- which resulted in a speed increase. The approach controller wanted me to slow down to keep his 3 mile spacing intact, and apologized for the bum steer. Like magic, I broke out at about 700 AGL with the runway exactly where it should be. That's what it's all about.
More clouds on the way to Birmingham for fuel, and they were getting higher as I flew East. I ended up spending hours in the clouds...most above freezing until I got further north/east. Then I broke out. On top at 9,000 I started to skim in -1c and reported to the controller that I was in and out of the tops at -1c with negative icing.
Sure enough, as soon as I did I started picking up light rime. I asked for and got 11,000 that worked out well for a little while.
In the tops again, -4c, moderate rime (and now at night) -- don't you love icing up at night? I had my 02 canula ready and though about going to 13, but the boots and prop-deicer were working well and I was getting close to BHM. I asked for 9...no better...then 7....-1c...with light...rather than moderate...then it started raining. My WSI wasn't showing any rain...but the rain must have been warm because it melted the ice on the windshield and the temp came up to +1c.
After refueling at BHM, and launched for CLT -- as it turned out I had to go there for a meeting this morning. WSI was showing sleet and snow right through my route, but it was a small enough area that I could have gone around it...and I knew I could turn around and come back 'here' to get out of it. So, I decided to press on and see what it was like. I got there and there was nothing. I guess that it was higher than me??
By now, almost 20 flying hours later, I'm relaxed in my new-to-me-airplane. I'm kicked back, autopilot on, in the clear, looking at all the pretty lights. BAM! BAM! BAM! Indicated airspeed was 170 -- well about Va -- and I felt like I hit a Mack truck! Moderate turbulence...in clear air!
What to do? Haul back on the throttles and 'shock cool' my turbos!??? Tear the airplane apart to save the turbos? I opted for the lesser of the two. I hauled the throttles back.
My airplane wants to go fast. Even at 22" of MP clean, I'm screaming. At 17" the engines run rough...never comforting in the air. So I pull back to 18" and wait.
Many agonizing bumps later, I'm below Va. I make the required report to ATC and he asks me if I want lower. I knew it wouldn't help. I've flown this turbulence in this area many times. As the wind comes out of the North over the mountains it can get really rough.
Never the less I descend. But, I can't descend more than 200 feet per minute without going faster -- and then higher than Va.
Charlotte approach tries to put me on 5 but I ask for 36R because it's easier to get to Wilson (by the way...Signature is gone!...now it's Wilson). Watch your wallet...a night in the hangar there cost me $100!
As I closed my eyes for sleep, I felt like I was back in that air...you know the way that you feel when you've been on a boat all day? Same feeling.
Today at lunch time, I take off and I'm back in the same rough air. I flew the entire trip at 20" to stay below Va.
My airplane and I are resting now.
What follows here is the story.
Tuesday morning I woke up to snow on the ground, low clouds, and the local radio station reporting snow, freezing rain, and sleet near my home base of LZU.
I had to go -- it was just a matter of when. Flite Electronics at ADS was expecting me to arrive at 1pm; but I told them that due to winds I may be late.
I knew the tops were at 5,000 and there wasn't any freezing rain at LZU -- but it was snowing fairly hard. So I blasted off (solo) -- didn't pick up any ice, and was on top in short order.
The trip to ADS was uneventful, except that gee whiz to they go in for the old-fashioned VOR way of flying. I got told to intercept and fly more airways then I get in a year of flying East of the Mississippi. When it was over I felt like I'd earned an IPC.
There was some convective activity between ADS and SAT, and I flew through some scarry looking clouds (with no radar). However, my stormscope showed nothing and my WSI on-board weather was showing level 1's.
I got a clearance I haven't had in a while, "depart Chris at xxx" where they wanted me to fly an arrival and then depart one of the fixes in it on a heading.
Wednesday morning -- must go -- a trip to Waco long scheduled and a very important meeting Thursday (today) morning in Charlotte. Low clouds covering south central Texas. I took off and never saw the sun. I spent about 10 minutes between layers...but for the rest of the trip (which took forever because I had to get vectored around W) I was solid IMC. I got a late and high turn onto the ILS for ACT, and that meant a quick descent to catch the glideslope -- which resulted in a speed increase. The approach controller wanted me to slow down to keep his 3 mile spacing intact, and apologized for the bum steer. Like magic, I broke out at about 700 AGL with the runway exactly where it should be. That's what it's all about.
More clouds on the way to Birmingham for fuel, and they were getting higher as I flew East. I ended up spending hours in the clouds...most above freezing until I got further north/east. Then I broke out. On top at 9,000 I started to skim in -1c and reported to the controller that I was in and out of the tops at -1c with negative icing.
Sure enough, as soon as I did I started picking up light rime. I asked for and got 11,000 that worked out well for a little while.
In the tops again, -4c, moderate rime (and now at night) -- don't you love icing up at night? I had my 02 canula ready and though about going to 13, but the boots and prop-deicer were working well and I was getting close to BHM. I asked for 9...no better...then 7....-1c...with light...rather than moderate...then it started raining. My WSI wasn't showing any rain...but the rain must have been warm because it melted the ice on the windshield and the temp came up to +1c.
After refueling at BHM, and launched for CLT -- as it turned out I had to go there for a meeting this morning. WSI was showing sleet and snow right through my route, but it was a small enough area that I could have gone around it...and I knew I could turn around and come back 'here' to get out of it. So, I decided to press on and see what it was like. I got there and there was nothing. I guess that it was higher than me??
By now, almost 20 flying hours later, I'm relaxed in my new-to-me-airplane. I'm kicked back, autopilot on, in the clear, looking at all the pretty lights. BAM! BAM! BAM! Indicated airspeed was 170 -- well about Va -- and I felt like I hit a Mack truck! Moderate turbulence...in clear air!
What to do? Haul back on the throttles and 'shock cool' my turbos!??? Tear the airplane apart to save the turbos? I opted for the lesser of the two. I hauled the throttles back.
My airplane wants to go fast. Even at 22" of MP clean, I'm screaming. At 17" the engines run rough...never comforting in the air. So I pull back to 18" and wait.
Many agonizing bumps later, I'm below Va. I make the required report to ATC and he asks me if I want lower. I knew it wouldn't help. I've flown this turbulence in this area many times. As the wind comes out of the North over the mountains it can get really rough.
Never the less I descend. But, I can't descend more than 200 feet per minute without going faster -- and then higher than Va.
Charlotte approach tries to put me on 5 but I ask for 36R because it's easier to get to Wilson (by the way...Signature is gone!...now it's Wilson). Watch your wallet...a night in the hangar there cost me $100!
As I closed my eyes for sleep, I felt like I was back in that air...you know the way that you feel when you've been on a boat all day? Same feeling.
Today at lunch time, I take off and I'm back in the same rough air. I flew the entire trip at 20" to stay below Va.
My airplane and I are resting now.
