beestforwardspeed
Pre-takeoff checklist
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2013
- Messages
- 292
- Display Name
Display name:
CoopAir
Video with ATC and background music:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8k3S3wxIvM
Last weekend, I had mostly been keeping an eye on the WX for Halloween as I was planning to fly 2 pax to BID and back that day (yesterday, which was a blast, but VFR wx), but fairly suddenly, about a week ago, the main wx models all agreed that we would be getting the remnants of the Cat 5 Hurricane to hit Mexico.
By Sunday the 25th, the forecast discussions on NOAA were talking about good odds of less than VFR wx in the northeast, so I made plans to fly, and as luck would have it, my IR currency was due to expire just 3 days later. Talk about the perfect reason to fly in the clag.
Because I work for a fantastic manager, she allowed me to leave work at 3:00 on Wed, so I arrived at Robertson (4B8) at 3:30ish and started to preflight, which takes me twice as long as others, because I had 4 Gopro?s to set up!
The line guy had the plane in the front of the hangar with the door open so I could stay dry as it was raining steadily light to moderate by this time. Talk about SERVICE!!
I started her up at 4:30, and taxied to Rwy 2 for departure, and got my release from BDL app on the RCO outlet right on the field. Very convenient!
The plan was to fly the full RNAV 2 app at OXC via BISCO, the do the RNAV 2 back to 4B8. The geometry of this setup was perfect as it minimized the distance needed to fly to get set up.
Just a few moments after calling for release on the RCO, I am cleared for departure and instructed to fly a heading of 200, upon entering controlled airspace.
On the climbout, the ceiling seems a lot lower than what is being reported at HFD and MMK (no ASOS at 4B8) and even with a 440? MDA, getting back seems questionable. I really hope I can as it really would be a PITA to divert to BDL or HFD.
Very soon after departure, with a steady light to moderate rain, I encounter almost continuous light chop. Nothing overwhelming but I?m definitely starting to feel rusty! Kind of like taking a month absence from the gym, and then trying to lift what you had the last time you where there.
After checking in with BDL app, I am given a heading of 260, which puts me just inside of the T if I use BISCO as the IAF feed. Realizing that and wanting to save time ($$$) I just ask BDL app if I could just get vectors for the RNAV 18 instead, which they gladly accommodate.
Now level at 3000, the winds are very strong from the SE at about 50 kts, and I?m having to use at least 20 deg of crab to stay on course! As I tune in the OXC ATIS, I am not able to get anything, so approach just reads me the weather on freq. Nice guys!
Five min later, when they give me a my app clearance with your typical 30 deg intercept, I have to ask for another 10 deg to intercept it, otherwise I?m just going to parallel it!
Now established and about 4 miles outside the FAF, Bradley App terminates my radar service and hands me off to OXC tower. I ask for option for Rwy 18, and OXC tower was caught off guard a bit as it seemed that they did not get my strip that cleared me for the round robin back to 4B8. In less than a minute, I resolved it on freq and they cleared me for option and instructed me to gly the pub missed after.
With LPV guidance on this approach, I am able to descent to 415? AGL, about 70? lower than with lateral guidance only. At 200? above DH, there is no sign of any ground contact, despite the ATIS showing ceilings well above minimums, and not surprisingly at DH, nothing is in sight so it?s a no-brainer to go missed.
On the climb out, passing through 2500?, after briefly talking to NY Tracon, I am shipped back to BDL app and given a heading towards DRESS for the RNAV 18 at 4B8 up to 4000?. The strong SE winds aloft, throw some curveballs at ATC as well as I can tell that they have to give me a few successive vectors to be able to setup the approach well before the FAF.
It doesn?t take long until they get the gist of it, and they clear me for approach. Now 30 min or so into the flight, the light chop and steady rain that I?ve had since departure has not let up one bit. Even though the chop is just light, it is consistent in such a way that it really taxes my ?mental bandwidth? making simple tasks such a selecting the approach on my tablet a lot harder than in smooth air. Its certainly good strength training for my brain though.
A few moments later, I am established on the final for the RNAV 2 into 4B8, and when approach hands me off to the CTAF, I tell them that I?ll cancel IFR once on the ground on the RCO.
The approach is mostly uneventful and I break out at around 700-800 AGL, comfortably above the MDA. Unfortunately, I cannot get the pilot controlled lighting to come on despite 5 clicks, but luckily I don?t need it as I have adequate viz beneath the deck.
The landing straight into rwy 2 is uneventful and I then cancel IFR on the RCO as soon as I am clear of the active.
Analyzing this flight, post mortem, I must say that I was a lot more rusty that I thought I would be. While still safe, I found that I got off my altitude by 150? or slightly more, on at least 3 or 4 occasions, and overall, it just took more mental bandwidth to stay ahead of the plane that normal.
Part of this was due to the weather, but a lot more had to do with my lack of recent time in the soup, as I had only logged 0.7 of actual in the last 7 months, not to mention I also should have eaten more right before the flight.
Even though this flight was a lot more work than normal, it still is always fun being cut off from the world in the soup!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8k3S3wxIvM
Last weekend, I had mostly been keeping an eye on the WX for Halloween as I was planning to fly 2 pax to BID and back that day (yesterday, which was a blast, but VFR wx), but fairly suddenly, about a week ago, the main wx models all agreed that we would be getting the remnants of the Cat 5 Hurricane to hit Mexico.
By Sunday the 25th, the forecast discussions on NOAA were talking about good odds of less than VFR wx in the northeast, so I made plans to fly, and as luck would have it, my IR currency was due to expire just 3 days later. Talk about the perfect reason to fly in the clag.
Because I work for a fantastic manager, she allowed me to leave work at 3:00 on Wed, so I arrived at Robertson (4B8) at 3:30ish and started to preflight, which takes me twice as long as others, because I had 4 Gopro?s to set up!
The line guy had the plane in the front of the hangar with the door open so I could stay dry as it was raining steadily light to moderate by this time. Talk about SERVICE!!
I started her up at 4:30, and taxied to Rwy 2 for departure, and got my release from BDL app on the RCO outlet right on the field. Very convenient!
The plan was to fly the full RNAV 2 app at OXC via BISCO, the do the RNAV 2 back to 4B8. The geometry of this setup was perfect as it minimized the distance needed to fly to get set up.
Just a few moments after calling for release on the RCO, I am cleared for departure and instructed to fly a heading of 200, upon entering controlled airspace.
On the climbout, the ceiling seems a lot lower than what is being reported at HFD and MMK (no ASOS at 4B8) and even with a 440? MDA, getting back seems questionable. I really hope I can as it really would be a PITA to divert to BDL or HFD.
Very soon after departure, with a steady light to moderate rain, I encounter almost continuous light chop. Nothing overwhelming but I?m definitely starting to feel rusty! Kind of like taking a month absence from the gym, and then trying to lift what you had the last time you where there.
After checking in with BDL app, I am given a heading of 260, which puts me just inside of the T if I use BISCO as the IAF feed. Realizing that and wanting to save time ($$$) I just ask BDL app if I could just get vectors for the RNAV 18 instead, which they gladly accommodate.
Now level at 3000, the winds are very strong from the SE at about 50 kts, and I?m having to use at least 20 deg of crab to stay on course! As I tune in the OXC ATIS, I am not able to get anything, so approach just reads me the weather on freq. Nice guys!
Five min later, when they give me a my app clearance with your typical 30 deg intercept, I have to ask for another 10 deg to intercept it, otherwise I?m just going to parallel it!
Now established and about 4 miles outside the FAF, Bradley App terminates my radar service and hands me off to OXC tower. I ask for option for Rwy 18, and OXC tower was caught off guard a bit as it seemed that they did not get my strip that cleared me for the round robin back to 4B8. In less than a minute, I resolved it on freq and they cleared me for option and instructed me to gly the pub missed after.
With LPV guidance on this approach, I am able to descent to 415? AGL, about 70? lower than with lateral guidance only. At 200? above DH, there is no sign of any ground contact, despite the ATIS showing ceilings well above minimums, and not surprisingly at DH, nothing is in sight so it?s a no-brainer to go missed.
On the climb out, passing through 2500?, after briefly talking to NY Tracon, I am shipped back to BDL app and given a heading towards DRESS for the RNAV 18 at 4B8 up to 4000?. The strong SE winds aloft, throw some curveballs at ATC as well as I can tell that they have to give me a few successive vectors to be able to setup the approach well before the FAF.
It doesn?t take long until they get the gist of it, and they clear me for approach. Now 30 min or so into the flight, the light chop and steady rain that I?ve had since departure has not let up one bit. Even though the chop is just light, it is consistent in such a way that it really taxes my ?mental bandwidth? making simple tasks such a selecting the approach on my tablet a lot harder than in smooth air. Its certainly good strength training for my brain though.
A few moments later, I am established on the final for the RNAV 2 into 4B8, and when approach hands me off to the CTAF, I tell them that I?ll cancel IFR once on the ground on the RCO.
The approach is mostly uneventful and I break out at around 700-800 AGL, comfortably above the MDA. Unfortunately, I cannot get the pilot controlled lighting to come on despite 5 clicks, but luckily I don?t need it as I have adequate viz beneath the deck.
The landing straight into rwy 2 is uneventful and I then cancel IFR on the RCO as soon as I am clear of the active.
Analyzing this flight, post mortem, I must say that I was a lot more rusty that I thought I would be. While still safe, I found that I got off my altitude by 150? or slightly more, on at least 3 or 4 occasions, and overall, it just took more mental bandwidth to stay ahead of the plane that normal.
Part of this was due to the weather, but a lot more had to do with my lack of recent time in the soup, as I had only logged 0.7 of actual in the last 7 months, not to mention I also should have eaten more right before the flight.
Even though this flight was a lot more work than normal, it still is always fun being cut off from the world in the soup!
Winter is coming so maybe.
