Finally! A Great IFR Lesson

[wpierce]

(cross post)

My lesson last Saturday had me seriously contemplating giving up. I was behind the plane the whole time, couldn't stay on the localizer, it was bumpy, great for practicing cross wind landings... not so great for trying to line up an ILS landing. I did two touch and goes at one of our local airports then flew home and did a ILS ending in a circle to land. The wind was more than I was expecting, directly across the runway and I was crabbing down to the flare, I didn't lower the upwind wing and when I flared I actually saw the plane moving to the right of center. This was the first time I actually saw the plane being blown across the runway. Not a good end to not a good lesson.

Last night, my CFII, our new partner (WayPoint who's posted here a couple of times) and I went out for another lesson. Russ is working on his IR, too, and has just passed his written so we are very close to the same point. Russ flew first with a DME arc approach into UOX. It sucked for me, he did it great! Then we came back to Olive Branch where he was vectored into the ILS 18, again he did pretty good.

My turn, its dark, no wind and I just wanted to do a couple of ILS 18 so we took off and MEM ATC vectored me pretty good, I slowed the plane when I should have and basically I was ahead of the plane the whole time. Remember there is no wind, so that's not saying a whole lot. But, I nailed the GS and LOC on all three attempts, I went missed at the appropriate altitude and did not bust any of my altitudes. The third attempt was again nailed and the landing was about as smooth as you can land a Cherokee. It was an excellent evening and one that I really needed to turn out the way it did.

I only wish I could have seen the three attempts, I love flying at night and they had the rabbits on! There is nothing more beautiful about flying then seeing an airport environment at night, well at least to me.

Yea, me!

 

[dmccormack]

I only wish I could have seen the three attempts, I love flying at night and they had the rabbits on! There is nothing more beautiful about flying then seeing an airport environment at night, well at least to me.

That's great!! The first breakout to minimums is as good as the first solo!

 

[somorris]

Congratulations Wayne. I had the same kind of experiences when I was working on my IR. What helped me a lot was to learn to use a very light touch on the control yoke. I just lightly grip with my left hand thumb and forefinger. It is very easy to overcontrol. Keep up the good work. You will get there!

Stacey

 

[flyersfan31]

(cross post)

My lesson last Saturday had me seriously contemplating giving up. I was behind the plane the whole time, couldn't stay on the localizer, i.....

I bet this post could have been made by any one of us who has our instrument rating.

Been there. Done that. Got the rating.

Stick with it. You'll be fine.

 

[wpierce]

I've had another lesson since then and basically did the same thing that the partner had done above. I did pretty good with the 10 dme arc, ended up over the 27 end of the runway where I should have been centered, but not too bad. I did the published miss which includes a hold, entered the hold did one lap and then we came in for an ILS approach back home and that went well, too.

I'm starting to feel like this is possible. Thanks for the encouragement.

 

[wpierce]

I had another pretty good lesson tonight, right after I completed my BFR!

VOR/DME into M41 did the circle to land and "went into the clouds" half way down the runway on downwind. Missed is a climbing right turn to 332 radial off Holly Springs VOR but since I was circling I did the left turn to get over the airport environment and did a climbing left turn right onto the radial. I am still having a hard time with what goes on top in the OBS I'll be glad when I get that straightened out. We went out and did one turn in the hold then headed back to Olive Branch (OLV) All of that was done fairly well.

We cold called Memphis Approach and they worked with us with Vectors to the ILS 18 at OLV, OLV was using 36 so we came down to the published DA and went missed, flew runway heading til we teardropped back to 36. I flew the ILS again pretty well. The GS was nailed, and most of the time the LOC was. When he let me look out I was lined up halfway between the taxiway and runway I would have made the landing with room to spare.

I go back out tomorrow morning and we'll be doing more of the same. The weather is clear and a thousand and it would be a great day to just fly somewhere, too bad I won't see it

 

[wpierce]

Had two approaches this morning, LOC back course LOC 09 at KUOX, you fly a radial for 23.9 miles basically south then when you get to a marker beacon turn and intercept the 270 LOC, remember the localizer is backwards now and if your needle is left you have to fly right to get on it... go out 2 min. and do a procedure turn to join the 09. This was my first time on this one and you could definitely tell it. We did the published miss and held for a trip around the race course (or 3) and then headed back North.

When we got within 15 miles or so of home (KOLV) I again cold called Memphis and got vectored into the ILS 18. They were landing 36 so we got down to min's and then did a circle to 36. I think I've got this one down pretty good (knocking on the wooden block that is permanently stored above and between my shoulders). My radio work is getting much better, I'm hearing what I'm supposed to hear to repeat and letting the rest go...

 

[wpierce]

I've had a few lessons since last posting, but they were uneventful and nice ILS's so I didn't update...

We went up this morning an I actually did an NDB approach, that went pretty well as there wasn't much wind. Then, still under the hood, did some slow flight, unusual attitudes, and steep turns, those went well also.

On the way back we "lost" our HI and AI, did some timed turns and then got vectored to the ILS 18 into OLV, still with "no vacuum". I came all the way down to minimums looked up and the runway was right where it was supposed to be. Landed and felt like I had been to a workout.

Don, my CFII, did most of the radio work and it was a good thing, I was about saturated, mentally, and this made things much easier and enabled me to concentrate on headings, turns, GS and LOC. It was a good lesson.

He told me to start reading the PTS and get familiar with them. He was very positive about everything. There may be light at the end of this tunnel.