I love IFR
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Mtns2Skies
Final Approach
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Mtns2Skies
As do I, Though its not the IFR I love, its IMC... My first time in it I took a good chunk out of the seat, I've only been in it once, but despite it ebing such a challenge I had a BLAST.
TangoWhiskey
Touchdown! Greaser!
I think you can get an STC for this seat replacement, helps with high-pucker-factor IFR. And inverted aerobatics in open-cockpit biplanes.
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DutchessFlier
Line Up and Wait
WOW that looks nasty!!! Do I have to use that seat on the checkride?
I'm beginning to love IFR
I'm beginning to love IFR
Well, not sure I love it, but it is useful. Slogged from Athens, GA to Memphis this afternoon . In the goo at 400' agl and didn't see anything again until 400' AGL on the other end almost 3 hours later. Those rabbit lights sure looked good.
TangoWhiskey
Touchdown! Greaser!
Wow, that's a long slog.
flyersfan31
Touchdown! Greaser!
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Freiburgfan31
IFR is good. Avoids a lot of flight cancellations.
Let'sgoflying!
Touchdown! Greaser!
Here is how I thought it would be:
It was early evening, but the cockpit was dark as night because of the thick clouds and heavy rain.
I kept the speed nailed at 250 and descended swiftly towards the field; approach had recognized my call sign again and swept aside all the other a/c so I could join the localizer unimpeded. With barely any visible motion in the yoke, I swung the flawlessly beautiful and never-failing craft towards the still unseen runway. Needles unmoving, I slowed to vref at 200’, there was the rabbit - right on schedule….the altimeter clicked through 100’ and the reils finally peeped out at me. I took one last sip of my Perrier and set up for a landing so smooth the passengers did not stir from their sleep. “Wake up, you guys – we’re here!” I shouted over my shoulder as I pursued the ‘Follow Me’ truck through the fog and rain to the fbo. Shutting down, Shiela and her crew signaled me to remain in the airplane, they would happily push us out of the deluge, into the comfort of the hangar. I spotted our waiting Caddy warming up beside the fbo - these guys are good. As we passed through the office, I’m pretty sure one of the waiting crowd genuflected behind me while I was giving others my autograph.
I love ifr flying!
Let'sgoflying!
Touchdown! Greaser!
Here is how it turned out:
--POP!—(end of dream)
It was early evening, but the cockpit was dark as night because of the thick clouds and heavy rain.
ATC had issued yet another speed restriction into the terminal area, and said to expect a hold; apparently I was a nobody to them, as it seemed they sent everyone else ahead of me. While I toweled up the rain streaming down the glareshield for the millionth time, yet another series of violent bounces slammed into this pile of parts the fbo generously called an airplane. After spinning for a half hour, the gas gauges were bouncing off empty. My back was in agony, and I busting to get to the men’s room – finally it was my turn for the approach. My exhaustion was apparent because the airplane was all over the sky and I was madly jockeying the controls to get those darned needles corralled. I was very busy fighting the crosswind and chasing those needles – it was like they had gone mad, darting in all directions. I blinked hard several times to clear the sweat which was stinging my eyes, and mopped my forehead again. I squirmed in my seat, “Dang I shouldn’t have had that last Cream Soda, but they were 25c at the last stop - so what pilot could resist?
“Where are those approach lights, where are those idiot lights?!”, I bantered to myself as I descended wildly through the weather. Finally, a small opening appeared in the gloom so I made a last-minute play for the runway - and with a bone-jarring, semi-sideways arrival, we skidded to an ignominious stop. I glanced around at my wide-eyed passengers just before I taxied off the edge of the pavement, into the mud. Full power, and I was back on my way - inching along, to find the ramp in the pouring rain. The line crew at the fbo next door stared curiously out the windows at me from the comfort of their office, as I struggled with the bags and then fought with my hangar door. Soaked to the skin, I puffed heavily as I pushed the bird into the hangar. Driving away, I’m pretty sure I caught the folks next door snickering at me as I left.
Still, I love ifr flying!
--POP!—(end of dream)
It was early evening, but the cockpit was dark as night because of the thick clouds and heavy rain.
ATC had issued yet another speed restriction into the terminal area, and said to expect a hold; apparently I was a nobody to them, as it seemed they sent everyone else ahead of me. While I toweled up the rain streaming down the glareshield for the millionth time, yet another series of violent bounces slammed into this pile of parts the fbo generously called an airplane. After spinning for a half hour, the gas gauges were bouncing off empty. My back was in agony, and I busting to get to the men’s room – finally it was my turn for the approach. My exhaustion was apparent because the airplane was all over the sky and I was madly jockeying the controls to get those darned needles corralled. I was very busy fighting the crosswind and chasing those needles – it was like they had gone mad, darting in all directions. I blinked hard several times to clear the sweat which was stinging my eyes, and mopped my forehead again. I squirmed in my seat, “Dang I shouldn’t have had that last Cream Soda, but they were 25c at the last stop - so what pilot could resist?
“Where are those approach lights, where are those idiot lights?!”, I bantered to myself as I descended wildly through the weather. Finally, a small opening appeared in the gloom so I made a last-minute play for the runway - and with a bone-jarring, semi-sideways arrival, we skidded to an ignominious stop. I glanced around at my wide-eyed passengers just before I taxied off the edge of the pavement, into the mud. Full power, and I was back on my way - inching along, to find the ramp in the pouring rain. The line crew at the fbo next door stared curiously out the windows at me from the comfort of their office, as I struggled with the bags and then fought with my hangar door. Soaked to the skin, I puffed heavily as I pushed the bird into the hangar. Driving away, I’m pretty sure I caught the folks next door snickering at me as I left.
Still, I love ifr flying!
Geico266
Touchdown! Greaser!
I was "trapped" at Johnson County Exec (KOJC) yesterday morning for 2 hours by a wafer thin layer of broken "clouds" at 700' AGL, clear skies above that, and at my destination. The clouds were so thin there were little to no shadows on the ground. It was the only airport in the KC area for 100 miles indicating IFR on the satellite screen of ADDS Weather. The New Century "D" space airport 10 miles west was VFR all morning. 
http://aviationweather.gov/data/obs/sat/goes/vis_goesE.jpg
Anyway, by the time I brushed up on my "Special VFR" knowledge in the flight planning area ATC opened the airport.
I was able to get out VFR. This would have been a perfect example to request "Special VFR". Conditions were right (scattered to few clouds at 700' AGL) and the work load for ATC seemed low, and I could have easily stayed "clear of clouds".
Maybe it's time I bit the bullet and started work on my IFR ticket. I have the plane and the time.
http://aviationweather.gov/data/obs/sat/goes/vis_goesE.jpg
Anyway, by the time I brushed up on my "Special VFR" knowledge in the flight planning area ATC opened the airport.
I was able to get out VFR. This would have been a perfect example to request "Special VFR". Conditions were right (scattered to few clouds at 700' AGL) and the work load for ATC seemed low, and I could have easily stayed "clear of clouds". Maybe it's time I bit the bullet and started work on my IFR ticket. I have the plane and the time.
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You will never regret it! It truly increases the utility of your aircraft and
allows options that you never could use before. To steal Nike's tag line "Just do it"
Jay Honeck
Touchdown! Greaser!
Not to be a wise-ass, but why do you say that?
nddons
Touchdown! Greaser!
On Wednesday night my CFII and I flew two approaches to minimums at Racine, which was receiving moisture flowing in right off of Lake Michigan. It was my first night flight in actual IMC - actually there were many layers, and I guess it was beautiful seeing the city lights coming and going as we flew through and over cloud formations - though I didn't really see much, as I was laser beam focused on the guages. However, it was a great laboratory to experience the visual miscues when you have no discernible horizon.
On the first VOR approach it was wild to see bright white clouds - or missles, I couldn't tell - whipping past me on my left side, right in line with my Skyhawk's landing light. While I saw them in my peripheral vision, it was distracting enough to mess up my approach somewhat. Oh, and when Milwaukee approach told me to change to the advisory frequency, and gave me a heading and altitude for my missed approach, right the point of highest workload, well that was distracting too.
Perhaps it was intimidating dealing with MKE controllers in night IMC, but when they told me to switch to the advisory frequency, I obediently followed his orders, and slipped off the approach course somewhat. My instructor properly said "Stan, fly the airplane first. No one is probably down there anyway."
After the first VOR approach, we received vectors from Milwaukee approach for the ILS for the same runway 4. However, they kept us high because of approaches into Kenosha, and when we intercepted the glideslope only 3 miles outside of the LOM, we were 1,500 feet high, and had to drop and dive onto the glideslope. Once again, right at that time, MKE approach gave us new instructions for our missed approach.
Those lights sure are beautiful when they come into view right at minimums, aren't they?
After our missed, with radar vectors for our climb out back to Waukesha, I experienced my first little bit of vertigo since I started my IR training 12 months ago. I was having trouble trimming the airplane once I got to our assigned altitude, and was doing a little porpoising 100 ft above and 100 ft below our altitude. Come on, Stan, you've done this a thousand times. So while focusing on trimming the airplane, I noticed a commercial aircraft climbing out from Milwaukee at our 2:00 position. Then I glanced at my HSI, and noticed I was 30 degrees off my heading to the left. Twas a little bit of vertigo methinks. I just refocused my attention to the guages, relaxed, turned back to my heading, and the airliner disappeared.
From then on, it was smooth sailing back to my home airport, with an ILS approach 200 ft. above minimums. I greased the landing, and said "wow, that was a REAL instrument approach."
I love IFR.
On the first VOR approach it was wild to see bright white clouds - or missles, I couldn't tell - whipping past me on my left side, right in line with my Skyhawk's landing light. While I saw them in my peripheral vision, it was distracting enough to mess up my approach somewhat. Oh, and when Milwaukee approach told me to change to the advisory frequency, and gave me a heading and altitude for my missed approach, right the point of highest workload, well that was distracting too.
Perhaps it was intimidating dealing with MKE controllers in night IMC, but when they told me to switch to the advisory frequency, I obediently followed his orders, and slipped off the approach course somewhat. My instructor properly said "Stan, fly the airplane first. No one is probably down there anyway."
After the first VOR approach, we received vectors from Milwaukee approach for the ILS for the same runway 4. However, they kept us high because of approaches into Kenosha, and when we intercepted the glideslope only 3 miles outside of the LOM, we were 1,500 feet high, and had to drop and dive onto the glideslope. Once again, right at that time, MKE approach gave us new instructions for our missed approach.
Those lights sure are beautiful when they come into view right at minimums, aren't they?
After our missed, with radar vectors for our climb out back to Waukesha, I experienced my first little bit of vertigo since I started my IR training 12 months ago. I was having trouble trimming the airplane once I got to our assigned altitude, and was doing a little porpoising 100 ft above and 100 ft below our altitude. Come on, Stan, you've done this a thousand times. So while focusing on trimming the airplane, I noticed a commercial aircraft climbing out from Milwaukee at our 2:00 position. Then I glanced at my HSI, and noticed I was 30 degrees off my heading to the left. Twas a little bit of vertigo methinks. I just refocused my attention to the guages, relaxed, turned back to my heading, and the airliner disappeared.
From then on, it was smooth sailing back to my home airport, with an ILS approach 200 ft. above minimums. I greased the landing, and said "wow, that was a REAL instrument approach."
I love IFR.
flyingcheesehead
Touchdown! Greaser!
Okay, sounds like this thread has turned into IFR storytime, which is great! So, here's one of my favorite IFR stories (it's been posted before, but it's a good one with some good lessons.)
The mission: Fly from home to Ames for one of the PoA gatherings that Tony hosted there.
The airplane: N3327M, a Piper Arrow III that I had about 50 hours in from when it was on the rental line at KMSN. It had been purchased by Kate's flight school, CAVU Aviation at the time, and was still for rent up at 79C or KGRB depending on the week. (It's now owned by one of Kate's students.) It was equipped with a KNS-80 RNAV as Nav1, but nothing else fancy.
I made and filed a flight plan as /I for a direct routing, which would take us from Madison to waypoints north of the DBQ VOR and south of the Waterloo VOR to KAMW, with KDSM as the alternate.
IIRC the weather forecast was calling for about a 1000-foot overcast in the area upon our arrival. Weather in the Madison area was broken to overcast at around 1500 AGL, with maybe 5-6 miles visibility underneath.
Kate had flown the plane from 79C down to C29 to meet me, and had put about 45 minutes on it. I was gonna be PIC for the C29-KAMW leg. We discussed fuel briefly, and though the plane holds 72 gallons (which is around 7 hours) of fuel, we didn't have a weight and balance issue so I went back to the old adage of "the only time you can have too much fuel is when you're on fire" and decided to top it off anyway.
We hopped in and took off, punched into the clouds and were between layers in cruise. The sun was already down (it was around this time of year, about 3 years ago) so even without being *in* a cloud, it was actual IMC the whole way - Flight by reference to instruments alone.
I tuned into the Ames AWOS about 50-60 miles out and was surprised to hear it reporting a one HUNDRED foot overcast, instead of the expected one THOUSAND foot overcast. So I picked up the ATIS out of Des Moines about 30 miles to the south, where they were saying it was 9,000 scattered. Hmm... Bad AWOS? I went with that theory and decided to shoot the approach anyway and see what we got.
Ames METAR from when we shot the approach: KAMW 310453Z AUTO 10009G15KT 1SM BR OVC001 14/13 A2997 RMK AO2 SLP145 T01390133
Down we went... Never even got ground contact. I later learned that Tony, Jesse, and Tristan were sitting on the taxiway watching and saw our landing light glowing in the muck before hearing the engine roar to life as we went missed.
Des Moines was reporting OVC060 and 10SM, and I called Des Moines approach to report the miss. They put us on vectors for the ILS 13 into KDSM. Tony also contacted them via the RTR frequency at Ames to let them know he'd heard us go missed and would drive to Des Moines to pick us up, or wherever we could get in. (A nice touch to prevent any get-there-itis - Thanks, Tony.
)Weather at DSM when we went missed at Ames, Information Foxtrot, KDSM 310454Z 09007KT 10SM FEW065 BKN090 OVC150 16/14 A2995. Piece of cake.
When we reached our assigned altitude of 3,000: "Des Moines information Golf now current, wind 090 at 10 knots, visibility 7, scattered at 500, overcast niner thousand." Okay, we should still make that.
Just a few minutes later... "Des Moines information Hotel now current, wind 090 at 10, visibility 2 miles, ceiling broken 500. Arrow 27M, turn left heading 150, maintain 2,600 until established, cleared ILS 13 approach."
Now I'm getting a bit more nervous, as the weather at Des Moines is dropping like an anvil in a cartoon.
However, I felt really good about one decision I'd made. Topping off the plane at C29 meant that we had enough fuel to fly all the way home, into KMSN if necessary, still with an OK reserve. That was one of the most important lessons: In IFR, fuel = options. So you say your bladder won't make it three hours, but your plane holds 6 or 7 hours of fuel? Top it off anyway - You can pee your pants if you need to, but you'll be alive. I think this is part of why I *really* like having the 6+ hours of fuel available in the 182 these days, and 4 hours just doesn't sound like enough fuel!We intercept the localizer and truck along to the glideslope. It's showing 2600 at the marker, just as it should good, and down we go. "Des Moines Information India now current, wind 090 at 9, visibility 2, Overcast 300 feet." "Arrow 27M, contact tower."
So, we ducked back into the bottom layer of clag at about 2500. It was VERY bumpy, unlike the rest of the flight. I had to fight it the whole way down. Bank angles of around 20 degrees due to turbulence. After wrestling the plane down the approach for a few minutes, I spotted the rabbit at about 160 feet above minimums. I made the worst landing I've ever had in a Piper (THUMP!), taxied off the runway, and took a deep breath. When we got to the FBO and shut down and opened the door, I finally relaxed...
I love IFR.
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TangoWhiskey
Touchdown! Greaser!
Dave, did you write those two bits? Those were CLASSIC and AMAZING--you really need to submit them as a short story to one of the rags. Definitely keepers!
Let'sgoflying!
Touchdown! Greaser!
Thanks Troy, no they weren't plagarized like all the rest of the stuff I write. I liked Kent's, a true story and a great quote: "You can pee your pants if you need to, but you'll be alive."!!