onwards
Pattern Altitude
... and not because of the destination, but rather the weather.
Got your attention?
but seriously, this isn't any crazy story, I promise, had a great time last night and was never in any danger. It was just a new experience in some ways! (and I do like those)
Anyway, developed a craving for good beef, so Harris Ranch it had to be. It's a quicker trip in the 182, but that guy is down because someone prop-struck it (investigation still going on, so I don't know much detail, but I do know the 182 is grounded). But the 172 was available, it's 140nm, good little trip for dinner.
Called up a friend, let's go.
The sky, however, was looking fishy where I live, and the omens were mixed. While the airport is in a different area where the clouds are also always different, I did a pretty extensive investigation into it, cause I didn't wanna get caught at night. And up above me, the vertical development, rare out here, made me look again. On the flip side, I would have prevailing winds that would help me both ways, so I could do 120kn consistently in both directions. Cool.
After about 30 minutes looking in all the resources I know - duats, a couple other sites, FF charts, and this and that - I reached the conclusion that I should go out there and see Called my friend and said "we may have to stay local", not that it mattered, she was cool either way.
Went to the airport. Overcast all over - except right over the airport mostly extending to the south. I knew there were mountain obscuration AIRMETs for all of northern Cal, and some turbulence, but once we got out of CCR's surrounding hilly terrain, it should be clear and pretty. But it was a bit unusual for it to clear south. Oh well, I can go out that way too.
Took off, climbed, and got over the cloud deck. It was really pretty, with the little bit of light (already well past sunset) illuminating it in a way I hadn't quite gotten to see clouds before from the cockpit. Continued to climb to 5500, headed south and east, but more eastwards than normal, electing to hook onto and follow I5 instead of flying over an obscured Mt. Hamilton and the Diablo range at night. Once we were past the mountains, there were no more clouds, and it was a pretty ride down to Harris (although finding that sucker is always interesting).
Neat thing is along the way I got to file a pirep in response to someone else inquiring about conditions at CCR. The reporting station said something along the lines of "OVC 1900ft" but since we just left, I knew it wasn't - there was plenty of clear space on top and south of the airport for anyone who wanted to come in from the south, which he was. He thanked me, the controller took it down as a pirep, and I also heard him a bit later when he completed his flight. He was coming up 680, so he was probably 1000AGL, feeling closed in and kinda worried! I'm also sure it felt good to know from my report in real time that he just had a few more minutes before he would come out from under into the clear.
Dinner was fabulous. They got a good singer who ran through a lot of classics, I like the atmosphere, and of course the food!
It was about 930PM when we got back in the plane. My plan at this point was along these lines: "as much as i could see from my weather investigation before we left, there was going to be movement which should serve to clear the clouds by the time we get back sufficiently for us to get in. In order not to get caught quite literally between a rock and a hard place, I will stay on the I-5 again, all the way up to Antioch where if possible I will duck under and fly under until I get to CCR. If it looks iffy, land east at Stockton or Tracey and go find someplace to sleep for the night". Communicated such to my friend.
CCR was reporting marginal VFR, 1700 full overcast 10SM visibility. I did not, in fact, believe it (it rarely if ever is full OVC at CCR when things are this way, unless it's also foggy, and the temp/dew spread was 8 deg), but if it was, then we had plenty of options.
Went up. Beautiful night, truly stunning, clear and crisp and the lights are just oh so pretty. Plus there are so many runways along the way, and seeing most of them with runways lit up was just plain fun (oh, the joys of flying).
I stayed at 4500ft, and Verizon still gets me reception there, and waited patiently for CCR to switch. Eventually, it did - and hey look at that, now it's reporting VFR again...
Wen on top again. Crossed over to the right of Mt. Diablo, and as expected, Concord itself and the airport had a nice 5 mile ring of clear sky right above it, with a cloud deck sitting all over everything else. Some turbulence once we went over the terrain, but a simple, incredibly pretty, night landing. It was also one of the softest landings I have ever executed, such than my pax asked if we had actually touched the ground a couple seconds after we did (noting that I was reaching to pull up the flaps).
I like knowing my airport so well Such a beautiful flight!
Got your attention?
but seriously, this isn't any crazy story, I promise, had a great time last night and was never in any danger. It was just a new experience in some ways! (and I do like those)Anyway, developed a craving for good beef, so Harris Ranch it had to be. It's a quicker trip in the 182, but that guy is down because someone prop-struck it (investigation still going on, so I don't know much detail, but I do know the 182 is grounded). But the 172 was available, it's 140nm, good little trip for dinner.
Called up a friend, let's go.
The sky, however, was looking fishy where I live, and the omens were mixed. While the airport is in a different area where the clouds are also always different, I did a pretty extensive investigation into it, cause I didn't wanna get caught at night. And up above me, the vertical development, rare out here, made me look again. On the flip side, I would have prevailing winds that would help me both ways, so I could do 120kn consistently in both directions. Cool.
After about 30 minutes looking in all the resources I know - duats, a couple other sites, FF charts, and this and that - I reached the conclusion that I should go out there and see
Called my friend and said "we may have to stay local", not that it mattered, she was cool either way. Went to the airport. Overcast all over - except right over the airport mostly extending to the south. I knew there were mountain obscuration AIRMETs for all of northern Cal, and some turbulence, but once we got out of CCR's surrounding hilly terrain, it should be clear and pretty. But it was a bit unusual for it to clear south. Oh well, I can go out that way too.
Took off, climbed, and got over the cloud deck. It was really pretty, with the little bit of light (already well past sunset) illuminating it in a way I hadn't quite gotten to see clouds before from the cockpit. Continued to climb to 5500, headed south and east, but more eastwards than normal, electing to hook onto and follow I5 instead of flying over an obscured Mt. Hamilton and the Diablo range at night. Once we were past the mountains, there were no more clouds, and it was a pretty ride down to Harris (although finding that sucker is always interesting).
Neat thing is along the way I got to file a pirep in response to someone else inquiring about conditions at CCR. The reporting station said something along the lines of "OVC 1900ft" but since we just left, I knew it wasn't - there was plenty of clear space on top and south of the airport for anyone who wanted to come in from the south, which he was. He thanked me, the controller took it down as a pirep, and I also heard him a bit later when he completed his flight. He was coming up 680, so he was probably 1000AGL, feeling closed in and kinda worried! I'm also sure it felt good to know from my report in real time that he just had a few more minutes before he would come out from under into the clear.
Dinner was fabulous. They got a good singer who ran through a lot of classics, I like the atmosphere, and of course the food!
It was about 930PM when we got back in the plane. My plan at this point was along these lines: "as much as i could see from my weather investigation before we left, there was going to be movement which should serve to clear the clouds by the time we get back sufficiently for us to get in. In order not to get caught quite literally between a rock and a hard place, I will stay on the I-5 again, all the way up to Antioch where if possible I will duck under and fly under until I get to CCR. If it looks iffy, land east at Stockton or Tracey and go find someplace to sleep for the night". Communicated such to my friend.
CCR was reporting marginal VFR, 1700 full overcast 10SM visibility. I did not, in fact, believe it (it rarely if ever is full OVC at CCR when things are this way, unless it's also foggy, and the temp/dew spread was 8 deg), but if it was, then we had plenty of options.
Went up. Beautiful night, truly stunning, clear and crisp and the lights are just oh so pretty. Plus there are so many runways along the way, and seeing most of them with runways lit up was just plain fun (oh, the joys of flying).
I stayed at 4500ft, and Verizon still gets me reception there, and waited patiently for CCR to switch. Eventually, it did - and hey look at that, now it's reporting VFR again...
Wen on top again. Crossed over to the right of Mt. Diablo, and as expected, Concord itself and the airport had a nice 5 mile ring of clear sky right above it, with a cloud deck sitting all over everything else. Some turbulence once we went over the terrain, but a simple, incredibly pretty, night landing. It was also one of the softest landings I have ever executed, such than my pax asked if we had actually touched the ground a couple seconds after we did (noting that I was reaching to pull up the flaps).
I like knowing my airport so well
Such a beautiful flight!
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