Things Got Interesting In A Hurry

[DutchessFlier]

Check out this flight on flightaware. Look up N5371D. See what I saw..out of my window.

Knowing how 'juicy' the airmass around here is today, before we went up on one of my last dual X-C runs before I go for my X-C solo..I specifically asked the briefer to look at any echoes, returns, anything that may indicate convection or showers enroute. The radar screen was clear, as were the internet resources...ADDS, NOAA, etc.

Just as we got to MSV, wham!!!! out of nowhere pops up that mother of a cell. We got in and got out pretty quickly. Diverted the return flight to the southeast, landed at SWF, made a pit stop and then back to POU. Amazingly, there was not one drop of activity anywhere else within a hundred mile radius of the one cell that decided to blow up over MSV.

Sheesh..makes me almost wish for winter time again (except I freeze in the plane in the winter...)

Next flight...Sunday...southbound along the river to just north of NYC, then a turn west to Sussex County (KFWN). Finally, a long term forecast that looks promising.

 

[BigAL]

That would make a guy nervous. If ya want to see somethin' kinda crazy, check out 771SW on flightaware. Cloud seeders in w.ks.

Thanks for the write up. Always good to hear about others' training.

 

[Ted]

Those little storms are common this time of year, but the good part is they're small and easy to avoid. Last time I flew the Hudson (which was sometime in June or early July), there was a little isolated cell right over the Bronx somewhere. Everyplace else was clear, but that cell looked pretty nasty. So, we just stayed outside of it and took pictures.

Sounds like a good lesson!

 

[jdwatson]

I did a trip from KRDU to KPOU a few summers back. We were in and out of clouds/haze all morning. We got the west routing around the ADIZ, so out over W.VA (MRN), Lancaster, PA and etc. The stormscope starts lighting up off our nose to the port side, I'm starting to look at the sectionals for possible diversions because NY Center still has moving towards the activity. In no time at all, NY Center is getting bombarded with requests. Then the special bulletin about a squall line headed right towards us. Finally, NY Center turns us eastward, with the squall marching on. We get to descend to 5000' and I can see between the breaks in the clouds clear skies below. The stormscope indicates this thing is gaining on us, I'm deciding between Orange Co or Stewart (KSWF). The gust front catches us and propels us out of the clouds into clear. I'm lined-up on KSWF, but the tail wind changes our ETA to just minutes to KPOU. We seem to be outpacing the squall now. It's so clear in front of the storm that I can see KPOU from abeam KSWF. NY Center was working hard, but amazingly accomodating. I'm gleaning info from all the other reports from other pilots so we decide to go for KPOU. NY Center clears me to land KPOU and contact tower, we hadn't crossed the river yet. Dutchess Tower knows what's happening, so they tell me to land on whatever runway I want. I choose RWY24, fly the pattern, make a pretty smooth landing considering the pressure. Drop off my wife with the bags at the FBO, taxi to the tie-downs. I could see the squall on the other side of the river as I was taxing to the tie-downs. I just finish buttoning down the plane when the wind howls and the bottom drops out. I was soaked to the skin in the 20 seconds it took to dash to the FBO.

On the way up to Hyde Park to stay with my folks, there's a huge traffic jam on 9G & 9 because a micro-burst hit two trees and were blocking the roads. We had to drive almost to Rhinebeck in order to get into Hyde Park.

Boy, I'm glad that we decided not to tangle with that monster. Hats off to ATC who got all of us on the ground safely. ATC help to divert to two other planes to Dutchess as we got there. We were all laughing, that nervous WTF just happened laugh, in the FBO. It was a great day.

 

[wsuffa]

JD, your story reminds me of an experience I had going to Dallas. I was filed for Redbird (Dallas Exec). I ended up on an east routing (the usual route is up the west side, then at the bottom of the Dallas Class B over to RDB).

I was watching squall line approach rapidly from the west and figured I had just enough time to get into RBD. Just before I got to KLNC (which is a fix for ILS-31 into RBD - and only 9.1 NM from RBD) ATC called me and said "Dallas approach airspace is closed, state intentions". Rut Roh. RBD is within the Dallas airspace. I asked for immediate clearance into LNC, which was granted, and I got the plane tied down and was in the FBO within 15 minutes of ATC's call. The squall line hit just as I was asking about hangar space for the night....

Rented a car, went to my evening meeting (a bit late), and departed for Cincinnati the next morning. I was on the back side of the front to Cincy... and saw ground speeds in excess of 220 knots on the way up! It's the only time I've been cleared into LUK over top of the CVG airspace.

 

[jesse]

Small world. I use to rent and fly N5371D when it was owned by Rochester Aviation at KRST. This would have been in 2005.

 

[DutchessFlier]

HOLY S***** Jesse..thats amazing! Yeah 71D is still going up and down like a champ. She does a fine job, only thing is we wonder if she has a cruise prop because the climb rates are pretty thin..best we can usually do is 550 to 650 fpm at 70 kts. Gonna check the serial number at the 100 hr and see what it reveals, then the question is what to do when the prop comes up for TBO. Let me know about your adventures in 71D

BTW is your pic in the post taken in 71D? LOL My CFI would swear that I fly her like that at times....only kidding.