Second Solo IMC flight

Rykymus

Rykymus

Line Up and Wait
Joined
Dec 24, 2014
Messages
647
Location
Allen, TX
Display Name
Display name:
Rykymus
IR ticket is 1 month old tomorrow. Decided to go up this morning to shoot the ILS in 200ft ceilings that were due to burn off in a couple hours. They didn't. What took me by surprise was that KSCK (my home drome) was using 11L instead of 29R while winds were calm. Later, I realized that it was probably because the forecasted wind was 150@7 or something.

My flight plan was KSCK to KSCK, and I got vectored to RNAV 11L. I don't know why I was surprised when I got down to 480ft and still couldn't see squat. Went full published miss, all the way to the holding point, trying to get the weather at my alternate. Finally, ATC asked what I wanted to do and gave me the ceilings at my alternate. (KLVK) Luckily, they were broken at 3500 so I got vectored to the ILS 25R KLVK.

Spent an hour on the ground there waiting for the ceilings to lift back at KSCK. They were reported to be broken at 600ft when I took off on an ILS FP back to KSCK. Got the Livemore One departure, was back in the clouds by 3300 ft, and stayed in them until FAF on RNAV 11L KSCK. Even got asked to do a turn in the hold at HAXEK.

So, I got about 30 minutes total actual in IMC, my first missed approach because I really couldn't see, and my first real hold in the clouds...All solo. All in all, a good experience.

Biggest lesson learned, better flight planning. I should have noticed the forecasted winds and realized that the precision approach would not be available.

Love flying IFR!
 
I don't know if the effect goes that far out, but from Livermore west, all the airports do whatever SFO does, even if it's a tailwind approach. San Jose is using the ILS 12's as well. Wind is DEAD calm, but I can see the IAF from work.

You should have heard which approach was in use from ATIS before you left.

You could have asked NorCal for the ILS 29R and taken the tailwind landing, unless it's a significant wind (it usually isn't with this kind of weather). Maybe they would allow it, maybe not. But the minimum is 200 AGL.

Do you not have LPV capability? 480 is the LNAV minimum on the RNAV 11L. There are lower ones.
 
Good job, good training. That's what it's about, getting the experience, and then understanding IF you could have flown it better and lessons learned. You didn't panic and did the correct things.
 
No LPV :( Gonna upgrade the 430 to WAAS next year. If I had actually wanted to get back on the ground at KSCK, I probably would have asked for the ILS, but I didn't mind. I kinda wished I would have gone around and shot the RNAV again, just for giggles. But I decided I needed to actually land at KLVK for once. (Every time I went there in the past I went missed.) I'm mostly just peeved at myself for not anticipating that. Oh well, that's why I'm going up in actual, for the practice! At least the Tango Airmet was wrong!
 
True, there is some decent food around LVK. :D

Most of the pilots don't know about the Cattlemen's a block away from the terminal.

I think all the airplanes I have access to these days have WAAS GPSs. It's VERY nice to have. You can even get into KHAF most days with that. Even today, when it's broken at 300 with 3 miles vis. That's right at the LPV minimum.

AIRMET TANGO for moderate turbulence is often correct in layers or in specific places. It's not wrong if there are some big holes in it. I don't know if that AIRMET is the same one that's still valid, but it's for moderate turbulence between FL180 and FL360.

It's also important to understand that you're not a student pilot anymore, and turbulence may not seem as strong as it once did. It's moderate if it causes airspeed and altitude excursions, not necessarily if it knocks your teeth out.
 
Last edited:
I was in your area today. Requested ILS for 29R and got it. Wasn't sure why they were landing 11 either.

Sounds like you had an awesome day! I agree. Love IFR.
 
The more you do it ,the better you get.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top