Sometimes /G means nothing

[ScottM]

Yesterday I was flying home from KUMP near Indianapolis. The WX departing was VFR with vis around 5SM HZ, there were clouds and then it would go to MVFR/IFR along the route of flight. Chicago was reporting some sct @1000 so I filled for IFR and figured I would get up on top of the layers which had tops at 7000. I had flown down there that morning and it was a nice smooth ride.

For my route of flight I just filled direct JOT then direct 10C. I knew I figured I would get direct EON (Peotone) and then radar vectors to 10C. This is a usual way for C90 to route traffic. But when I called for my clearance I got a heck of a reroute.

I got direct BVT v7 Lucit, direct Bearz, direct Deere V100 OBK direct 10C

Whew!

I figured what a waste having to put all that into the GPS as I was SURE c90 would change my routing as I got close. But I put it all in anyways.

As we departed Indy the clouds that were above me were big and growing so I requested and got a lower altitude. There had been nothing on radar and my storm scope showed no strikes but these looked like the had a lot of uplift in them and I opted to stay under them where, if I needed to, I could see and avoid. I got handed of to Chi-Center and as the ride started looking good I got higher and into the clouds. Sometimes on top and sometimes in them but it was a smooth ride.

With each ticking mile I figured I would get my reroute but it never came. When I got handed off to Chi-App I was ready for it to come, but alas it did not. For the first time the route I got at takeoff into Chicago held AND it was a more direct route than what I had filed. Miracles will never cease!

After getting out over the lake just north of Gary the WX became VMC so I canceled and was able to finish off the flight VFR and on an even more direct route.

It was a great flight.

 

[jdwatson]

That is amazing. Maybe they had some diesel fumes in the cab too. ;-)

 

[bbchien]

Whoa dogggie. I'm still thinking about that.....

 

[bbchien]

OK. I've thought about it. They basically don't care if you drown. Good thing it was VFR and you could cancel.

 

[ScottM]

OK. I've thought about it. They basically don't care if you drown. Good thing it was VFR and you could cancel.

I was VFR when he asked if it was "ok" if he assigned me 3000. I said it was because I was about to cancel anyway, but I wonder if I had said no what he would have done., It would have been 'PITA' to bring me around the west side.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

I was VFR when he asked if it was "ok" if he assigned me 3000. I said it was because I was about to cancel anyway, but I wonder if I had said no what he would have done., It would have been 'PITA' to bring me around the west side.

Waitaminute... You got an over-water routing at this time of year and your answer was something other than "Unable?"

 

[ScottM]

Waitaminute... You got an over-water routing at this time of year and your answer was something other than "Unable?"

Yeah why?

I fly over water all the time. I carry life preservers and life and life rafts, there is no more chance of an engine out over water than there is over land, etc. I also figured they were going to route me out west like always. Had it not been VMC I would not have taken lower and made sure I was high enough to deal with the situation.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

I fly over water all the time. I carry life preservers and life and life rafts

Well, that changes things. I bet most of us don't have rafts. Life preservers are almost worthless this time of year except they increase the chances of your body being found.

there is no more chance of an engine out over water than there is over land

True, but your chances of a horrible death afterwards are vastly increased.

Maybe it's just me, but a freezing cold bath is NOT the way I want to go. If I was dumb enough to get in that situation I'm pretty sure the last couple thousand feet would be nose straight down and seat belts off.

 

[jesse]

If I was dumb enough to get in that situation I'm pretty sure the last couple thousand feet would be nose straight down and seat belts off.

I'd rather take my chances at the horrible freezing death with a small minuscule chance that I would be rescued.

 

[ScottM]

Well, that changes things. I bet most of us don't have rafts. Life preservers are almost worthless this time of year except they increase the chances of your body being found.



True, but your chances of a horrible death afterwards are vastly increased.

Maybe it's just me, but a freezing cold bath is NOT the way I want to go. If I was dumb enough to get in that situation I'm pretty sure the last couple thousand feet would be nose straight down and seat belts off.

hypothermia is quit peaceful I hear. You just go euphoric and fall asleep.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

hypothermia is quit peaceful I hear. You just go euphoric and fall asleep.

Yeah, it's the 15 minutes before that where you're hyperventilating and your muscles are going crazy trying to shiver and keep you warm while at the same time cramping 'cuz of the cold water... Yeah. You can have it.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

I'd rather take my chances at the horrible freezing death with a small minuscule chance that I would be rescued.

One of the planes in my logbook went into Lake Michigan in late April a couple of years ago. ATC got in touch with the Coast Guard and they dispatched boats as soon as the guy declared an emergency. He was only 5 miles off shore, and at their top speed he'd have been dead by the time they got there anyway.

 

[ScottM]

One of the planes in my logbook went into Lake Michigan in late April a couple of years ago. ATC got in touch with the Coast Guard and they dispatched boats as soon as the guy declared an emergency. He was only 5 miles off shore, and at their top speed he'd have been dead by the time they got there anyway.

I was three miles off shore of Evanston when the boat I was in sank. We were in 50 degree water and it was an hour and half before I was pulled out by the Coast Guard.

I had a 7mm wet suit on at the time but hands had stopped working as I had no gloves.