Pretty disappointed

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fudge80

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fudge80
Was planning on taking the longest cross country I've ever done with the wife today but all the forecasts are for 300-2000ft ceilings today. Flight would have been from central ND down to Minnesota-Iowa border approx 90 miles east of Sioux Falls, SD.

Might not be a super long trip for alot of you but we have to go for a funeral tomorrow and now we have to drive the 7+ hours rather than the 2.5hr flight. Tomorrow looked great for flying back.

Ugh, spending 16hrs in a car over two days is going to suck.
 
Yup but it is always a good call.
Sleeping in an FBO would suck too.
 
Aviation can get frustrating at times. Stay safe on the drive.
 
Lots of people have crashed flying to a funeral; no second guessing your choice by me.

Once there was a funeral in the panhandle (2hrs away) and a local family was desperate to go, they called every owner and pilot they knew in the local area. (widespread freezing fog prevailed) Everyone told them to forget it, there will be two funerals if you talk someone into it. Thankfully good sense prevailed.
 
fudge80 said:
Was planning on taking the longest cross country I've ever done with the wife today but all the forecasts are for 300-2000ft ceilings today. Flight would have been from central ND down to Minnesota-Iowa border approx 90 miles east of Sioux Falls, SD.

Might not be a super long trip for alot of you but we have to go for a funeral tomorrow and now we have to drive the 7+ hours rather than the 2.5hr flight. Tomorrow looked great for flying back.

Ugh, spending 16hrs in a car over two days is going to suck.
Click to expand...
Now you know the reason for the IFR rating. Then to wish for the aircraft equipped to do the trip in bad weather.
 
if you knew well in advance that you couldn't have flown yourself, would you have flown commercial?

I know it sux, but it could also be a good opportunity to show your wife that safety is #1 on your list.
 
Tom-D said:
Now you know the reason for the IFR rating. Then to wish for the aircraft equipped to do the trip in bad weather.
Click to expand...

Even with IFR I think these TAF's are kind of iffy this time of year, these are the two closest Airports with TAF's to where I was headed:

TAF:KRWF 131138Z 1312/1412 14013KT 5SM BR OVC005
FM131900 15011KT 6SM BR SCT007 OVC014
FM140400 15006KT 3SM BR OVC005

TAF:KFSD 131610Z 1316/1412 16009KT 1/2SM FG OVC003
FM131800 17010KT 3SM BR OVC008
FM132000 17011KT P6SM OVC015
FM132300 16008KT P6SM VCSH OVC020
FM140100 16007KT P6SM -SHRA OVC030
FM140500 18005KT 4SM BR OVC020
FM140900 VRB03KT 3SM BR BKN006

Not to mention my home airport right at the moment is overcast 200ft with fog.
 
eman1200 said:
if you knew well in advance that you couldn't have flown yourself, would you have flown commercial?

I know it sux, but it could also be a good opportunity to show your wife that safety is #1 on your list.
Click to expand...

The person just passed away on Thursday, Friday we decided to fly and the weather looked good for Sunday and Monday. Changed yesterday to not looking too good and I was hoping it might reverse itself this morning but seemed to me as an 90hr private pilot a good way to get myself killed if I tried to force it.

Thanks for the comments.
 
fudge80 said:
Even with IFR I think these TAF's are kind of iffy this time of year, these are the two closest Airports with TAF's to where I was headed:

TAF:KRWF 131138Z 1312/1412 14013KT 5SM BR OVC005
FM131900 15011KT 6SM BR SCT007 OVC014
FM140400 15006KT 3SM BR OVC005

TAF:KFSD 131610Z 1316/1412 16009KT 1/2SM FG OVC003
FM131800 17010KT 3SM BR OVC008
FM132000 17011KT P6SM OVC015
FM132300 16008KT P6SM VCSH OVC020
FM140100 16007KT P6SM -SHRA OVC030
FM140500 18005KT 4SM BR OVC020
FM140900 VRB03KT 3SM BR BKN006

Not to mention my home airport right at the moment is overcast 200ft with fog.
Click to expand...
There are those days. Just remember with all the nav gear aboard the Space Shuttle, they would not launch in bad weather.
 
I'm not seeing a problem with those TAFs, except for the fog, for IFR. But TAFs say nothing about ice.

As a 90 hour VFR only pilot, those TAFs are a problem.

In crappy weather, especially with ice, driving can be dicey, too. That's what purple 737s are for.
 
fudge80 said:
Was planning on taking the longest cross country I've ever done with the wife today but all the forecasts are for 300-2000ft ceilings today. Flight would have been from central ND down to Minnesota-Iowa border approx 90 miles east of Sioux Falls, SD.

Might not be a super long trip for alot of you but we have to go for a funeral tomorrow and now we have to drive the 7+ hours rather than the 2.5hr flight. Tomorrow looked great for flying back.

Ugh, spending 16hrs in a car over two days is going to suck.
Click to expand...

Many stories of aviation fatalities have started just like yours: important event to go to, planned to fly, weather was bad, didn't want to drive, figured they could make it, and killed their entire family. You definitely made the right call, even though it sucks.

My first instructor told me before our very first flight: "Always remember that it's better to be on the ground and wishing you were in the air, than to be in the air, wishing you were on the ground".
 
If you have time to spair, go by air.

That's winter flying in ND. Could have been a snowstorm.
 
fudge80 said:
Even with IFR I think these TAF's are kind of iffy this time of year, these are the two closest Airports with TAF's to where I was headed:

TAF:KRWF 131138Z 1312/1412 14013KT 5SM BR OVC005
FM131900 15011KT 6SM BR SCT007 OVC014
FM140400 15006KT 3SM BR OVC005
Click to expand...


Looks good there for the LPV


image.jpg


fudge80 said:
TAF:KFSD 131610Z 1316/1412 16009KT 1/2SM FG OVC003
FM131800 17010KT 3SM BR OVC008
FM132000 17011KT P6SM OVC015
FM132300 16008KT P6SM VCSH OVC020
FM140100 16007KT P6SM -SHRA OVC030
FM140500 18005KT 4SM BR OVC020
FM140900 VRB03KT 3SM BR BKN006

Not to mention my home airport right at the moment is overcast 200ft with fog.
Click to expand...

Looking good for the ILS too, near mins, but plenty of margin after 1800Z

image.jpg



Depends on the freezing level, approaches available, equipment aboard and most importantly your skill and comfort level too.

Even though nothing in that TAF is outside the approaches available, you made the right choice, you didn't feel good about it and scrubbed the flight.
 
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Coloradokevin said:
Many stories of aviation fatalities have started just like yours: important event to go to, planned to fly, weather was bad, didn't want to drive, figured they could make it, and killed their entire family. You definitely made the right call, even though it sucks.

My first instructor told me before our very first flight: "Always remember that it's better to be on the ground and wishing you were in the air, than to be in the air, wishing you were on the ground".
Click to expand...

My ground school instructor used the word "judgement" numerous times each class. His lesson was that regulations, knowledge, etc only go so far and that the fly/no-fly often comes down to a pilot making a good (or bad) call based upon everything. He always used to quiz us with "if you see this ("this" being certain TAFs, MX issue etc) where should you be?" The correct answer was "coffee shop, waiting for the issue to be resolved"
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
Lots of people have crashed flying to a funeral; no second guessing your choice by me.

Once there was a funeral in the panhandle (2hrs away) and a local family was desperate to go, they called every owner and pilot they knew in the local area. (widespread freezing fog prevailed) Everyone told them to forget it, there will be two funerals if you talk someone into it. Thankfully good sense prevailed.
Click to expand...

Exactly what occurred in Russelville last year. Exactly! Instead of one funeral, there were 5. Augered into the hills almost immediately after take off in 200ft ceilings.
 
Tom-D said:
There are those days. Just remember with all the nav gear aboard the Space Shuttle, they would not launch in bad weather.
Click to expand...

Actually they launched outside of their engineered environmental limits exactly once. And it killed seven people.
 
Nice, sound decision-making; nothing to feel badly about. Proficient airmanship is all about controlling risk -- when it gets beyond being controlled it is time to stand-down. Stay safe and drive carefully. Blessings
 
The trip was about 30 hrs from leaving home to getting back with about 16 hours of that driving. I would have spent about 20 minutes in the air before I would have had to turn back.

I drove the route hitting many of the same checkpoints. Ceilings were 200-400 the whole way. I couldn't see the tops of the wind towers and even the higher power line poles much of the time.

If I had tried, which it was pretty clear at home when we left, I would of ran into the clouds about 20 minutes after takeoff. No way for a vfr low timer like myself to handle those conditions.

Thanks alot for the comments.
 
fudge80 said:
The trip was about 30 hrs from leaving home to getting back with about 16 hours of that driving. I would have spent about 20 minutes in the air before I would have had to turn back.

I drove the route hitting many of the same checkpoints. Ceilings were 200-400 the whole way. I couldn't see the tops of the wind towers and even the higher power line poles much of the time.

If I had tried, which it was pretty clear at home when we left, I would of ran into the clouds about 20 minutes after takeoff. No way for a vfr low timer like myself to handle those conditions.

Thanks alot for the comments.
Click to expand...

It's always tough to make the decision not to fly while you're still on the ground. It's really nice when you drive and the observed conditions confirm your wise decision to drive. Good judgement was shown and born out. I've made a lot of drives across the state of Washington for the same reason. Even after getting the IR. Remember, it is no panacea. There is still plenty of weather that will defeat a 172 or 182, IR or no IR.
 
Spring in ND just stinks. You have to pack shorts, snow boots, and three different coats for an overnight trip. Just remember that the cup is half full. Count the flights you do make. Sometimes you have to go by car but every time you don't is a win.
 
eman1200 said:
I know it sux, but it could also be a good opportunity to show your wife that safety is #1 on your list.
Click to expand...

+1. Better to regret a no-go, than the other way around. Study and plan hard, then listen to that little voice in your gut/head. No time to prove anything to anyone when pax are aboard.
 
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