Which day Jack? I plan on departing around 2 or 3 PM tomorrow in N8838J for the weekend.N9282U ETA 12:30-1:00 CST
CAVU from Ohio into and across Illinois. I was flying in it earlier today. Was a little bumpy below 4k but was like glass at 4500'Dang Ted is slugging it out at 8500 with 45 Kts head winds his GS is only averaging around 102 in a Mooney once he gets past Illinois he'll get some relief. If hes got the viz he should drop down to 6500 and loose 20kts of head wind. Ouch!
******** FA Synopsis and VFR Clouds/Weather ********
CHIC FA 290245
SYNOPSIS AND VFR CLDS/WX
SYNOPSIS VALID UNTIL 292100
CLDS/WX VALID UNTIL 291500...OTLK VALID 291500-292100
ND SD NE KS MN IA MO WI LM LS MI LH IL IN KY
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SEE AIRMET SIERRA FOR IFR CONDS AND MTN OBSCN.
TS IMPLY SEV OR GTR TURB SEV ICE LLWS AND IFR CONDS.
NON MSL HGTS DENOTED BY AGL OR CIG.
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SYNOPSIS...MID-UPR LVL TROF W CNTRL PLAINS WILL CONT SLOLY ENEWD
AND APCH WRN MO-SWRN PLAINS THRU 21Z. OTRW..FEW MID LVL TROF WILL
CONT ACRS SRN TIER THRU PD. STG NLY FLOW FAR NW PTN..WLY FLOW
RMNDR. LOW PRES E CNTRL PLAINS WILL APCH SE MN 18-21Z. TROF ERN
PTNS ND SD WILL APCH SRN MN-WRN IA-NE KS THRU 21Z. WRM FNT SRN
PTNS DEEP S WILL APCH NRN PTNS SE US THRU 18Z. CDFNT CNTRL
LA/CSTL TX WILL APCH ERN PTNS DEEP S/SRN LA/NW GULFMEX THRU OTLK.
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IA
SKC. BECMG 0709 SCT150 SCT-BKN CI. OTLK...VFR.
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WI
NWRN...SKC AFT 06Z OCNL SCT CI. OTLK...VFR.
NERN...FEW-SCT015. OCNL VIS 3-5SM FAR NE PTN. BECMG 0608 SKC OCNL
SCT CI. OTLK...VFR.
SRN HLF...SKC. OTLK...VFR.
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LS UPR MI
BKN-OVC025-030 TOPS 050. VIS 3-5SM BR. ISOL -SHSN. BECMG 0710
SCT-BKN025-030. OCNL VIS 3-5SM ISOL -SN BR. OTLK...MVFR CIG BR.
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LM LWR MI LH
NRN PTN...BKN-OVC020-030 TOPS 080. ISOL -SHSN. VIS 3-5SM BR.
BECMG 0608 BKN030 TOPS 060. ISOL -SN. OCNL VIS 3-5SM BR.
OTLK...VFR.
SRN PTN...SKC. OTLK...VFR.
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IL
N 1/3...SKC. AFT 06Z OCNL SCT CI. OTLK...VFR.
S 2/3...SCT-BKN120 LYRD FL260. BECMG 0710 BKN100. OTLK...VFR.
Hoping this holds up for tomorrow. I am seeing some chance of MVFR to IFR conditions in some forecast models.
Dang Ted is slugging it out at 8500 with 45 Kts head winds his GS is only averaging around 102 in a Mooney once he gets past Illinois he'll get some relief. If hes got the viz he should drop down to 6500 and loose 20kts of head wind. Ouch!
What is bugging me is that in the area of predicited VMC and MVFR there have ben a couple of airport reporting LIFR. Makes me think that something is wrong with the forecast.Whassamatter Scott, you afraid of a deadly IFR into VMC accident?
Only on PoA will I get phone calls en-route from my friends to give me advice on altitudes.
Actually, 8500 was the lowest I could go. There was an OVC layer that extended from about 4000 up to 7000-7500. I didn't want to be below it due to mountains, and so being above it was the only real option. I popped through a hole above Williamsport and cruised along at 8500 until western Ohio, when the OVC layer broke up and became clear. I then was able to drop down to 6500. After my fuel stop at KIWH, I flew at 4500, and my ground speed picked up to 125-135 kts from the 95-105 I was seeing at 8500 and 100-110 I was seeing at 6500.
The reverse of this is that hopefully when I go back, I can climb up to 11,500, get some awesome tailwinds, and make it back non-stop.
Great trip out overall, though, and just finished dinner with some excellent company.