Ideas for IFR training XC MYF-MDW-MYF

N1120A

Pattern Altitude
Joined
Apr 24, 2018
Messages
2,238
Location
AG5B BE33 MYF
Display Name

Display name:
N1120A
All,

My CFII and I are planning a big XC to Chicago and back, where I'll spend most of the time under the hood. Planning on flying toward Texas first, then north, to avoid O2 requirements. Anyone done this? How receptive are the various facilities on the way to practice approaches?

Thanks.
 
Albuquerque usually isn't too busy for an approach and if they are busy you can usually just do it on your own if VFR. Denver will usually give an approach out on the plains but it's the same as Albuquerque in terms of doing it on your own. I've heard Kansas City get busy and only give one practice approach at each airport to the kids from Enid (Air Force/Nato training).
 
There’s a whole lot of airports with approaches along that route. Usually time aloft, bathroom and food breaks are going to dictate “the plan” more than worrying about the controllers being willing to allow an approach. Most of the time that’s going to be “practice approach approved, no radar separation services provided” in super busy airspace.

When in the middle of nowhere in quiet airspace (which most of that is) it’ll be “Center, we are on a long training flight and if it would work for you we’d like to shoot the [insert approach here] then fly the missed and continue on to our destination if that’ll work for you”, and (from Center), “Do you want vectors or to fly the full procedure.?” You answer. They respond, “Okay cleared practice RNAV blah blah approach at Blah Blah, on the missed just contact me on this frequency for further flight following once you’re above 3000, we probably won’t hear you until then.”

Or whatever. If you’re landing and it’s VFR they’ll just toss you to CTAF early.

Also depends on if you’re VFR or filing IFR as to how you’ll handle it. If you’re IFR you could file it with airports listed along the way and comments that you’ll be wanting practice approaches along the route at X Y Z airports but many facilities don’t see the comments so you’ll end up just talking to them about the plan anyway.

Don’t overthink it. I’ve done XCs where multiple approaches were added ad hoc along the way just by talking with the Center controller. If all you’re looking for is lots of approaches.

If you’re looking to land somewhere after the approach for a decent lunch or to drain the human sumps, that’s a whole different question about how to choose an airport for a landing during an XC. :)

Even in and near large airport airspace on that route you’re likely going to be able to get in as many approaches anywhere that you want to if you’re VFR/VMC. Until Chicago. They may or may not be helpful.

No big deal. Your CFI may have a few tricky ones already in mind, too. Or knows where the food is best and who has the free courtesy car to use to get to the BBQ joint in town. :)
 
Do you have Foreflight?
I do, along with a bunch of others. But I have no idea what choosing one EFB over another or using one at all has to do with this question.
 
I do, along with a bunch of others. But I have no idea what choosing one EFB over another or using one at all has to do with this question.

Oh, no, it's just I really have a wonderful time with Foreflight on XC's. Like the route advisor; usually gives you a really great idea of how ATC will try to clear you. I was going to say you can just plan out each leg and then figure out how you want to phrase the requests for the O2 concern. I've not yet run into controllers who had an issue with practice approaches. I guess just make sure wherever you want to do them that nothing is really going on or abnormally high traffic?
 
I use Garmin Pilot, as I refuse to use Apple products and also like the integration and charts. They do the same with the common routing.
 
I use Garmin Pilot, as I refuse to use Apple products and also like the integration and charts. They do the same with the common routing.

Which hardware are you running it on? just curious.
 
Seems pretty much the common answer. The Android tablet market is pretty meh.
I'm using a Tab A. Works great. Used an ASUS before that. Worked well too. Heard very good reports about a few other less-known brands.

The Android tablet market is filled with a lot of cheap, low-performing junk with a wide variety of specs and implementations. The downside of an openly-available OS. That may be the biggest reason for the success of the iPad other than its head start - very limited decisions for buyers to have to make. How big (footprint and capacity) is about it.

There are some excellent Android tablets, but a buyer needs to do a bit of research and not just buy the $79 unit at Walmart.
 
What kind of plane are you flying that you're doing a 1700 mile XC for training? :)

Or are you going to Chicago anyway and just picking up some training along the way?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
For the Tab, I considered going for an LTE one (the Galaxy Tab E), but the Tab 3 is a bit more capable and has much better battery life, and I can tether it. Also, there are a lot of cheapo Android tablets out there, and I went with a very high end one, but those cheap ones can probably serve folks alright if they have enough storage for all the chart downloads you want and you are only running GP on it.

What kind of plane are you flying that you're doing a 1700 mile XC for training? :)

Or are you going to Chicago anyway and just picking up some training along the way?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

An Arrow II with dual G5s, a new factory overhauled IO-360, 530W and an autopilot that works.

I'm going to Chicago for a conference, so I figured I'd pick up a bulk of my IFR XC hours as part of it.
 
Back
Top