First IMC approaches

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jesse

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Jesse
I picked up my instrument rating last year but never really had the opportunity to fly an approach in actual. I probably picked up about 30 minutes IMC enroute in all the training.

After my IR I flew into IFR in IMC a few times -- mostly high overcast layers. I never had to do an approach.

This evening I started to work on http://www.jesseweather.com and noticed that the ceiling was 700 feet. Nice overcast layer -- no thunderstorms -- no ice.

I arrived at the airplane to see that the GPS database has been expired for a month — oh well. I decided to do two ILS approaches and a VOR approach with a hold. After checking a few things over, full power, and in the clouds shortly thereafter.

I started off with an ILS approach that went very well. The needles were centered and stable nearly the entire time. Not more than 1/8 dot off from center. We busted out at 700 feet and I went missed. I asked approach for a VOR approach but it seemed to conflict with their other traffic. They sent me around to the ILS one more time. This approach also went very well and I felt very comfortable with things. This time I broke out at 600 feet and they sent me to the VOR to hold.

I did several runs around the hold without too much issue. After the holds I shot the VOR approach back into Lincoln with a circle to land at the 600 ft minimum.

Interestingly enough — it is a hell of a lot easier to do approaches in the airplane in IMC then it is to do approaches under the hood or in X-Plane. I found it rather relaxing.

A picture of the tops. They were at 4,000.
n8838j-on-top.jpg
 
Awesome, Jesse. There's nothing like shooting these things for real. Glad you finally got to do some real ones.
 
Very cool. I always like 'actual' instead of 'hood' approaches. The hood seems to induce tunnel vision.

Makes me renew my itch to get an IPC done so I can go back into the soup.
 
cool Jesse. 700 feet is just right.

Chris - bring Rachel to KC on saturday in the RV. We can do the IPC then :)
 
Nicely done!

Did you bring a CFII to critique your work, or do it solo?

I'm coming close to my IR long XC. I've been able to grab only about 2 hours actual IMC, but I did 5 approaches in actual. The runway lights look just like John and Martha show them when coming out of the ceiling!
 
I'll never forget my first approach "fo' real," the ILS 33 at ADS, with a pesky ceiling of 400' all morning while I waited to depart San Antonio. I finally said, "Well shucks, this is what the IFR rating's for," filed and left.

Got the leans, bad, on climb-out to intercept the airway, just kept reminding myself that the instruments do not lie, and soon it was "leans no more," then on-top for glorious cruise in the sunshine.

From start of descent until I broke out on final (probably 20 minutes), I was in IMC, and I was pretty tickled with the way the whole system worked just like it was supposed to work.

Fun stuff!
 
Amazing how it works, isn't it. Never gets dull.

My most memorable approach was into KNEW to minimums one day. The approach lights broke out just in time. There was no difference in color between clud and water.
 
wsuffa said:
Amazing how it works, isn't it. Never gets dull.

My most memorable approach was into KNEW to minimums one day. The approach lights broke out just in time. There was no difference in color between clud and water.
Click to expand...

Heck, Bill, you don't need IMC for that at KNEW!
 
SCCutler said:
Got the leans, bad, on climb-out to intercept the airway, just kept reminding myself that the instruments do not lie, and soon it was "leans no more," then on-top for glorious cruise in the sunshine.
Click to expand...

Absolutely!

The approach that sticks out in my mind was at min (vis and clg -- was below min earler in the day) was at KCLT with a full load, on the ILS, with ATC requesting "keep my speed up" for the Hawker behind us.

I had the right seat passenger helping me look for runway lights as I watched the altimeter unwind. The needles stayed centered until the wind shifted from calm to the right at about 800' AGL (drifted a 1/2 dot left of course) Suddenly, the approach lights, then, a big honkin' runway...landed long and scurried off the high speed taxiway to avoid the Hawker coming up our tail feathers.

Fun stuff!
 
I had had my IFR for for 8 years but often do IPCs because I can't seem to get in enough approaches and figure it's better to have a pro check me if I can't do enough myself. Several years ago I had done a IPC where I did some of the approaches in actual and thought that was nice. A week later I was flying up to Long Island and had filed IFR but when I got to the airport it was clear in MD and forecast to be 3000 overcast up in New York. I almost canceled the IFR but it would have required me to files a ADIZ flight plan anyway so I said what the heck and took off IFR. About half way up to the island at 3000 I sent IMC and stayed that way for the rest of the flight. I got up to Islip and the AWOS was calling for 1800 overcast and they had vectored me around a bit to allow the southwest flights in. I was at 2000 when they vectored me to final and started me down. Then they decided to tell me that the last person had reported breaking at at 400 feet. I was underwhelmed by that news as I had never flown a ILS down that low before in actual but having just down a IPC in actual figured that I had the skills so I should just keep going and see how it went. I was very happy to break out at 450 and see all the lights at this class C airport lite up and showing me that this IFR stuff actually works :) I still won't plan a flight with that kind of forecast for landing but it's nice to know that if things go south that it does work and I can safely complete a flight.
 
I've flown 14 or 15 approaches in IMC in the 13 months I've had my IR and I have about 29 hours of actual time (10 hours w/instructor on board). Last week I had my first real missed approach in IMC and followed it up with another missed to the opposite runway. My first climb out had me a bit rattled (I neglected to raise the gear and couldn't figure out why I was right at blue line) but the second attempt was very comfortable.

Later, when I was able to land, I noted were I was (terrain-wise) versus DA while on the glideslope and it looked like I could have counted the rivets on the top of the grain bin right below me. 'A good reminder to keep me from sneeking lower for a peak in IMC.
 
Good lesson. It's pretty rare that you end up actually shooting a missed approach. I had a couple times that were pretty close recently (right down to mins), and those were good reminders to keep my missed approach procedure ready to go.
 
I don't recall my first one, but do recall several memorable ones. One in Florida with a tail wind on the ILS. Very bumpy as a frontal system was moving in. It was just great to break out right on the runway centerline about 300 feet up. Even though I pulled the power all the way back with gear and flaps down, we landed over a third of the way down the runway (long runway at Gainesville). The wind had done almost a 180 from 4,000 feet down to the runway. I also remember when standing in the terminal afterward a jet crew asked what I was flying. I told him an A-36 and he said you flew into this with an A-36 (eyebrows raised). I just smiled and nodded.

I think flying a great approach and breaking out on centerline is one of the most rewarding parts of flying. Climbing up through clag on a really crappy, overcast day and getting on top to wonderful azure skies on top is also exciting.

Best,

Dave
 
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