Finally got my ticket wet

MAKG1

MAKG1

Touchdown! Greaser!
Joined
Jun 19, 2012
Messages
13,411
Location
California central coast
Display Name
Display name:
MAKG
Since I got my IR, weather has either been fabulous or icy. But today, a weak cold front popped through. Stable air, lots of stratus clouds, modest south wind, and a freezing level at 9000 feet.

So I took a short IFR flight to Half Moon Bay. Grabbed the same airplane I did my checkride in, since it was available. And ran into my examiner (his office is right next door to the club).

I launched into an overcast at 3000, climbed over it to 6000, then in and out some undulating cloud layers over the mountains. Got vectored to the LPV approach through another cloud layer, and broke out about a mile past the FAF. Went missed and returned to Reid skimming the cloud tops (mostly just inside, popping out every once in a while) southwest of Woodside VOR. Got rained on a bit. I needed the LNAV approach back into Reid to get through the cloud layer, but the field was VFR and I broke out near the IF.

Total was almost an hour of actual, 1.9 hours Hobbs, plus one approach, solo.

It was a good flight.
 
Last edited:
Awesome! Can't wait to post my first story of solo actual. Sounds like it was a great flight!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk
 
Oh, so that's what you kids are calling it nowadays.....:lol::lol::lol:

And yes, flying in the clouds is so much a confidence builder...
 
Breaking out, it never gets old......

My Bride sometimes makes the comment hey there's the runway right where it needs to be. Actually she doesn't care for IMC but as long as it's not really bumpy she manages. The dog on the other hand starts licking my arm and looking out the windows when its bumpy.
 
Congrats the best part of the flight is when your breaking out ,and actually see the runway.
 
frfly172 said:
Congrats the best part of the flight is when your breaking out ,and actually see the runway.
Click to expand...

Actually, I thought skimming the cloud tops was beyond cool.

While it wasn't all that bumpy, there were some interesting smooth up drafts and down drafts associated with the cloud tops. Kept me working to maintain altitude.

Definitely very different from simulated IMC and even marine layer. I would have thought one stable layer was like another.
 
jordane93 said:
Did you get any pictures?
Click to expand...

Hell, no. Never solo and seldom as PIC. That's what passengers -- and sometimes instructors -- are for.

Flying the plane is always the priority, and hand flying in IMC with some risk of disorientation, the last thing I need is a distraction like that.
 
Last edited:
Good job.

I have seen a lot of videos on IG today and yesterday from plane spotters and the "bad" weather, airliners landing and taking off in the rain.. We get that stuff a lot here, but I know it's more rare in your part of the woods:)
 
When I got my IR, my DPE told me to work in the system every chance you can. In IMC, even better.

That's the way you learn.
 
MAKG1 said:
Hell, no. Never solo and seldom as PIC. That's what passengers -- and sometimes instructors -- are for.

Flying the plane is always the priority, and hand flying in IMC with some risk of disorientation, the last thing I need is a distraction like that.
Click to expand...

All you need is a good autopilot and an iPhone because cruising at altitude can be a little boring at times.... :goofy:

I agree though, hand flying is a little more challenging and never a good time to snap photos. However, if the trim is set properly, nothing wrong with snapping a few photos while in cruise.

8224881_orig.jpg


8534311_orig.jpg


Cheers,
Brian
 
Last edited:
MAKG1 said:
Hell, no. Never solo and seldom as PIC. That's what passengers -- and sometimes instructors -- are for.

Flying the plane is always the priority, and hand flying in IMC with some risk of disorientation, the last thing I need is a distraction like that.
Click to expand...

Ha, let us know when you get you get your PIC picture-taking ticket wet too. :wink2:

Congrats on the flight.
 
Nice job! How long did it take you from start to finish to complete your IR, MAKG? I started mine in late October but travel for work has delayed the training a bit until next year so will focus on the written exam. For me, holds and DME arc is most difficult thing thus far and partial panel approaches!
 
I started in March, finished in October. Just late enough for marine layer season to be done....

My CFII had a long business trip in the middle of that, but I did some practice with a safety pilot then.
 
Last edited:
Thanks MAKG so what was the most difficult area for you in the instrument training and checkride?
 
For me it has been holding patterns and DME arcs but workload and partial panel approaches are very challenging as well.
 
Congratulations sir, and please post pics that you have taken safely ;)

Looking forward to more stories.
 
Congrats! About halfway through my Instrument training now.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I got my wings wet still in training. Close to the checkride, it was a no-brainer. We were in-between layers for a minute and that's where we snapped these.
And I agree, taking pictures in IMC in an airplane without A/P is not a good idea for the PIC. That's why god invented CFIIs. :D

2015112919433761-23611_.jpg


2015112919484220-29576_.jpg
 
BigBadLou said:
I got my wings wet still in training. Close to the checkride, it was a no-brainer. We were in-between layers for a minute and that's where we snapped these.
And I agree, taking pictures in IMC in an airplane without A/P is not a good idea for the PIC. That's why god invented CFIIs. :D

Ut Oh!!! I'm in BIG BIG trouble then!! Especially when I post them on here afterwards!
Click to expand...
 
Next time MAKG have a passenger shoot photos of those mighty clouds while you are flying on instruments!
 
Blueangel said:
Next time MAKG have a passenger shoot photos of those mighty clouds while you are flying on instruments!
Click to expand...

My last one did shoot a video approaching low clouds over Half Moon Bay, but it's like 1000 other videos of instrument approaches.

She put it on Facebook and got a lot of comments from friends, so it did serve a purpose.
 
Some great pictures here. Not done with my IR yet, but have been lucky enough to get some good IMC time in training. My instructor (who has 5,000 hours of training, both private and instrument) said I am very lucky, I have had more actual IMC than any of his students.
 
TRocket said:
Some great pictures here. Not done with my IR yet, but have been lucky enough to get some good IMC time in training. My instructor (who has 5,000 hours of training, both private and instrument) said I am very lucky, I have had more actual IMC than any of his students.
Click to expand...

You DPE will be happy too! :)
And you gained invaluable experience.
 
I have my IR, but not current for about 10 years now.

Planning on getting with an instructor, reviewing, and getting the IPC done. Looking forward to spending some time in the clouds with the instructor to get the confidence back up.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top