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jsstevens
I've waited for a few months the post this as I was waiting for the final letter from the FAA. Now I can tell the tale and hopefully someone (besides me) will learn from it.
The short version is that this is how I violated the class B airspace around Orlando International and what came of it.
A couple of months back (October 30th) I decided to go for a practice flight out of my home field: Orlando Executive (KORL). If you are not familiar with KORL, it sits between Orlando International (KMCO) and Sanford International (KSFB ). It is under the 1600' Class B shelf of KMCO just north of the 900' shelf. The runways at KMCO are oriented north-south so the class B shelves step up to the east and west. I tell this because it is important to what happened.
I wanted to work on MCA and landings. I looked at the sky and there were clouds in the east so I figured on going out to the practice area north west of KORL. Out that direction the class B shelf rises to 4000' before you get to the edge of the practice area. I looked over the chart and verified the landmarks and altitudes. Once I got to the airport I checked the online system for NOTAMS & TFRs as well as weather. I went out and started my preflight. I checked the fuel level first. This is something my primary flight instructor taught me-check the fuel first because if you need fuel you can call and have the truck moving while you finish the rest of your preflight. It saves time.
In this case, I did need fuel (we top off the tanks each time so each pilot can pay for their own fuel). I called the FBO and asked for fuel, then continued my preflight. I finished up, walked over and looked at the new (to our club) plane, walked back. Still no truck. It had been close to 1/2 hour. I called again and was informed that he's on his way but they're setting up for a political rally in one hanger and dealing with several executive jets that arrived unannounced for this same political rally. At any rate, it's over an hour later than I anticipated getting off the ground and now the clouds have dissipated to the east. Since I like the east practice area better, I decided to go east.
Take off is quite nice - cool dry air makes a happy airplane. I head out to the east. I get to the edge of the 1600' shelf and begin climbing as well as heading to the south east. Since I wanted to work on MCA and I knew there was a small chance I might stall I wanted to climb up to 3500' MSL (~3400 AGL). I climbed up, trimmed out for cruise and then started to throttle back. I got slowed down, and something was bugging me. I couldn't put my finger on it, but I was uneasy, so I pulled the plug and started back down and in. I headed back to KORL and shot a few landings. All went well. After my last landing, Ground called me and said "Report when ready to copy a phone number." Uh-oh. I looked over at the chart open on the passenger seat and I immediately knew what I had done: the practice area in the east has a 3000' ceiling - not 4000' as in the west. I had climbed out and climbed right into the airspace.
I copied the phone number from ground, secured the airplane and spent the next hour trying to call. Come to find out, my cell provider will not connect to their recorded line. I finally got the number for KORL tower who gave me a different number for Orlando Approach. I called this and spoke at some length to a controller. He took my ceritificate number and pertinent information on the flight including verifying that I was PIC. He recommended that I 1) write down the details of the flight because it might be a long time before the FSDO called and 2) cooperate with the FSDO when they called.
A couple of weeks later a gentleman from the local FSDO called and wanted to schedule a time when I could answer a 20 minute survey on the incident. We had a couple of misfires, but finally connected. I went through what had happened and answered a number of questions about experience, fatigue weather and training. After this he said “If this goes the way I want, you need to take two courses on the AOPA site (“Know Before You Go” and “Aerial Decision Making”) send me the certification. I will forward all this to Oklahoma City and they will send you a letter saying that no further enforcement is necessary.”
I completed the courses within the week. 4 weeks later I got a letter from the FAA saying “No further enforcement required” and “Don’t do this again”. Apparently this will be in my file for two years.
My take aways: I will always have a plan before I go up. My main mistake was to change directions and not relook at the chart. I misremembered that the practice area in the east had the same ceiling as the one in the west.
John
The short version is that this is how I violated the class B airspace around Orlando International and what came of it.
A couple of months back (October 30th) I decided to go for a practice flight out of my home field: Orlando Executive (KORL). If you are not familiar with KORL, it sits between Orlando International (KMCO) and Sanford International (KSFB ). It is under the 1600' Class B shelf of KMCO just north of the 900' shelf. The runways at KMCO are oriented north-south so the class B shelves step up to the east and west. I tell this because it is important to what happened.
I wanted to work on MCA and landings. I looked at the sky and there were clouds in the east so I figured on going out to the practice area north west of KORL. Out that direction the class B shelf rises to 4000' before you get to the edge of the practice area. I looked over the chart and verified the landmarks and altitudes. Once I got to the airport I checked the online system for NOTAMS & TFRs as well as weather. I went out and started my preflight. I checked the fuel level first. This is something my primary flight instructor taught me-check the fuel first because if you need fuel you can call and have the truck moving while you finish the rest of your preflight. It saves time.
In this case, I did need fuel (we top off the tanks each time so each pilot can pay for their own fuel). I called the FBO and asked for fuel, then continued my preflight. I finished up, walked over and looked at the new (to our club) plane, walked back. Still no truck. It had been close to 1/2 hour. I called again and was informed that he's on his way but they're setting up for a political rally in one hanger and dealing with several executive jets that arrived unannounced for this same political rally. At any rate, it's over an hour later than I anticipated getting off the ground and now the clouds have dissipated to the east. Since I like the east practice area better, I decided to go east.
Take off is quite nice - cool dry air makes a happy airplane. I head out to the east. I get to the edge of the 1600' shelf and begin climbing as well as heading to the south east. Since I wanted to work on MCA and I knew there was a small chance I might stall I wanted to climb up to 3500' MSL (~3400 AGL). I climbed up, trimmed out for cruise and then started to throttle back. I got slowed down, and something was bugging me. I couldn't put my finger on it, but I was uneasy, so I pulled the plug and started back down and in. I headed back to KORL and shot a few landings. All went well. After my last landing, Ground called me and said "Report when ready to copy a phone number." Uh-oh. I looked over at the chart open on the passenger seat and I immediately knew what I had done: the practice area in the east has a 3000' ceiling - not 4000' as in the west. I had climbed out and climbed right into the airspace.
I copied the phone number from ground, secured the airplane and spent the next hour trying to call. Come to find out, my cell provider will not connect to their recorded line. I finally got the number for KORL tower who gave me a different number for Orlando Approach. I called this and spoke at some length to a controller. He took my ceritificate number and pertinent information on the flight including verifying that I was PIC. He recommended that I 1) write down the details of the flight because it might be a long time before the FSDO called and 2) cooperate with the FSDO when they called.
A couple of weeks later a gentleman from the local FSDO called and wanted to schedule a time when I could answer a 20 minute survey on the incident. We had a couple of misfires, but finally connected. I went through what had happened and answered a number of questions about experience, fatigue weather and training. After this he said “If this goes the way I want, you need to take two courses on the AOPA site (“Know Before You Go” and “Aerial Decision Making”) send me the certification. I will forward all this to Oklahoma City and they will send you a letter saying that no further enforcement is necessary.”
I completed the courses within the week. 4 weeks later I got a letter from the FAA saying “No further enforcement required” and “Don’t do this again”. Apparently this will be in my file for two years.
My take aways: I will always have a plan before I go up. My main mistake was to change directions and not relook at the chart. I misremembered that the practice area in the east had the same ceiling as the one in the west.
John
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