IFR w/Daughter & Grand Daughter

Terry

Terry

Line Up and Wait
Joined
Apr 3, 2005
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738
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LaCrosse
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Display name:
Terry
Hi All:

A few weeks ago I filed IFR from Hays, Kansas to La Junta, Colorado.

I left Hays and because it is so far out Denver couldn't pick me up on the radar and told me to fly V44 airway and report when I reached "X" intersection.

I had learned this in ground school and was totally about to freak out because I wasn't prepared for this kind of IFR navigating. The controller picked up on this, because my read back, wasn't very good, and so I told him I was a new IFR pilot and just nervous. He then calmed me down and helped me out a lot and everything came back to me. After about 5 minutes he cancelled the reporting intersection because he had picked me up on radar. Rest of the trip went well and he was very helpful. Was not handed off to anyone else the entire trip.

Saw La Junta airport and cancelled IFR and landed.

Loaded the plane with 1 big suit case, daughter and 8 year old grand daughter. I had told her a few days before how much weight they could have. Didn't top off the tanks to stay under weight but more than enough fuel for safety.

Took off using 1 notch of flaps because it was hot on the ground. On return trip it was 94* on the ground and at 9,000 feet it was a cool 60*. Got to fly through several clouds and a short time of total IFR.

Needless to say my daughter and grand daughter were excited and loved every minute of it. They flew out with me and stayed a week. The whole week was my grand daughter talking about the clouds.

The flight was smooth, the experience was unforgettable, and I was so glad I had my IR.

The weather was VFR both coming and going but I went out there at 10,000 feet and came back at 9,000 feet. Something I would have never done flying VFR.

If you are a PP and you have considered your IR let me say it is well worth the time and effort. Now when the weather is "IFFY" I file IFR and go.

Smiling Grandpa;

Terry :D
 
I'm glad a good experience was had by all. There is nothing like seeing the people you love enjoying something that YOU love so much, too. :)

Enjoy the glow! I hope grand-daughter someday is inspired to follow your lead.
 
Nice report Terry, sounds like fun. What part of the clearance bugged you? Maybe someone will have suggestions so you won't find it so unusual next time.
Did s/he say "fly heading 123 to intercept V44" or ?


Terry said:
I left Hays and because it is so far out Denver couldn't pick me up on the radar and told me to fly V44 airway and report when I reached "X" intersection. snip
I had learned this in ground school and was totally about to freak out because I wasn't prepared for this kind of IFR navigating.
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Let'sgoflying! said:
Nice report Terry, sounds like fun. What part of the clearance bugged you? Maybe someone will have suggestions so you won't find it so unusual next time.
Did s/he say "fly heading 123 to intercept V44" or ?
Click to expand...

Dave:
1st - I was cleared to La Junta but flew the runway heading waiting for him to vector me toward La Junta. He then said I had been cleared "as filed" to La Junta not the runway heading.

2nd - He told me to verify I was on V44. My GPS didn't have V44 on the screen so I used my IFR map and found my heading and in fact was on V44.

3rd - He told me to report at "X" intersection. It wasn't on my GPS because I had just entered "direct to" La Junta. If I had put V44 on the GPS I am sure the intersection would have been there.

The thing that got me the most was that I had never fully understood flying IFR but not on radar. He could not see me so I should have been ready for position reports and etc.

About the time I got my act together he picked me up on radar and cancelled reporting.

I know now what to do!

Terry :yes:
 
Terry said:
The thing that got me the most was that I had never fully understood flying IFR but not on radar.
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Welcome to this part of the country where radar coverage at the lower altitudes is pretty sparse. Glad you figured it all out. I'm sure it was an enlightening experience for you. :yes:
 
Terry,
Here is the quote to freak out on the first time you hear it.
"Cleared for the xx approach, radar services terminated, cancel this frequency or with flight service on the ground."

It's like WAIT, you can't leave me, what, I have to do the full approach all on my own.
 
Terry,

That's awesome to make that first IFR trip and get utility out of your rating. The items you described having difficulty with are what some would consider "basic IFR" stuff. Have you considered going up with an IR instructor to polish some of the haze off those procedures? If you'd been in hard IMC, those distractions might have proven to be too much.
 
Terry said:
2nd - He told me to verify I was on V44. My GPS didn't have V44 on the screen so I used my IFR map and found my heading and in fact was on V44.

3rd - He told me to report at "X" intersection. It wasn't on my GPS because I had just entered "direct to" La Junta. If I had put V44 on the GPS I am sure the intersection would have been there.
Click to expand...

First of all, I love flying with a Garmin 430 and I like going as direct as I can. I want to get that out there so people don't think I'm a NDB loving / GPS hating technophobe.

Many GPS units, such as the Garmin 430, don't show victor airways. You will need your IFR low altitude enroute chart or sectional. You need to know how to update your flight plan in your GPS. So, when ATC gives you an amendement to your plan you can make a change in the GPS, in this case add the intersection. The intersections are in your GPS if it's an IFR rated GPS.

Even with the intersection in your GPS's flightplan you may not be on the victor airway. Heading there direct is a good start while you do the next step. Reference your chart to see the VOR and radial. Set your Nav radio to the correct frequency, ID the VOR and set the OBS to the correct heading.

You can also ask ATC for the spelling of the intersection. They will help. Atlanta Approach has given me the spelling when they've amended my flightplan. If they don't give it right away, just ask. You may have sounded really sharp on the radio and the controller may have thought such a sharp sounding pilot knew about it.

You did fine. Be honest and let ATC know when you need assistance. I'm new to this too, and I've learned that you only get what help you ask for.
 
Unless you are familiar with the area and know the intersections, ask for the spelling. Controller accents can be VERY confusing, especially for a person from the south transiting NY Center or a northerner passing through ATL.
 
Heard a similar situation the other day in the NYC area -- someone had been rerouted via V1 northbound from Coyle VOR to Kennedy VOR, and was drifting off the airway, enough that it was close to compromising the Newark arrivals (which are very close to V1). Approach started asking questions, and after a while they figured out that the pilot had just punched CYN-direct-JFK in his GPS, and had not looked at his L-chart to see that there's a nice bend in the road at DIXIE intersection on V1 about five miles east of the straight line between the VOR's halfway between CYN and JFK. Y'gotta look at them charts when you get a new clearance!
 
That's the pilot's mistake for assuming cleared to xxx via xxx meant the same as cleared direct to xxx.
 
Hi All:

Fortunately I was able to keep my cool and use my L chart. I was never actually lost or very confused. Just wasn't expecting to be "out" of radar contact.

I was familar with the area but still "ALL" of my IR training had been with ATC and being on radar. If I had flown east I would had been picked up right away. But flying west put me in an unfamilar situation.

At least I knew where V44 was and was following it. Now it won't be a problem but I wonder how many IR pilots have been "out" of radar contact.

I live in an area where it is wide open spaces. You see, I like "uncontrolled" airports and rarely ever talk to ATC. Only now I am IR and it is all new to me. I am doing okay but just telling my story.

I think I can legally fly from Hays to Denver in Class G and do it IFR, at least get pretty darn close.(Not that I would, because I wouldn't) but this is "big sky" country and "traffic" to me is seeing another airplane. :D

Anyway, I had a GREAT time and flew safely the entire trip. My IR training was great and I am confident that I will handle whatever comes up.

For you city dwellers,,,,,,,,,,,Sometimes to get my IFR clearance I have to call FSS and ask them to turn on the repeater so I can "raise" Kansas City. Sometimes FSS, Wichita, will get it for me if they are not too busy.

On that note; If you have ever been to Clayton, New Mexico, the pattern altitude is around 6,000 and you need to talk to Albuquerque. The only way it will work is by landing and then calling them on the phone.:D

Anyway, I really like my IR and now file IR for all my flights.

Terry
 
Terry said:
Fortunately I was able to keep my cool and use my L chart. I was never actually lost or very confused. Just wasn't expecting to be "out" of radar contact.
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Hey Terry,

Great story, and thanks for posting it! :)

While I do agree with what Wayne said, my first thought was... Simplify! If the guy wants you on V44, don't even bother with the GPS for the moment, just get V44 going on your 2nd radio (if you have one) and use that to navigate until you get things figured out. Victor airways are kind of a pain to put into a GPS (though it sounds like Garmin will soon have a software update that'll make things much better).

One really good thing I got from my CFII is he was always failing things on me like crazy, so I pretty much always expected to take off to an immediate NORDO, no-radar, GPS failure situation. If you think in those terms just prior to takeoff and have those steps waiting in your brain to be executed just after takeoff, it makes things a lot easier when the unexpected happens.

That IFR stuff sure is fun though isn't it? :yes:
 
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