Sometimes, you just don't win.

[Bill]

Trying to get from 3M3 in SE TN to TIX (Spacecoast) in Florida today, and there is a big momma line of bad TS to the west of me. I could get out before the storm line hits, but looking at the METARs for my route of flight, everything is reporting OVC001 to OVC002 until I get into northern Florida. TAFs don't offer much encouragement as my flight would continue.

Once I get to my destination at predicted arrival it will be 1500 or better, so you could get in vis or on an approach.

But that long couple of hours over Georgia, I'd have no way to get in, even on an ILS, if I had some trouble.

So, I'll likely be making the 10hr drive. Conservative, or the right call?

 

[Lance F]

Yep, the ceilings kind of stink here. 200' - 1 mile vis at my airport right now. Obviously this is totally a personal decision about how one flys SE IFR. I'd never comment publically about what I'd do. It would be a great topic over a beer (or fine whiskey) at Gastons.

 

[tonycondon]

Yep, the ceilings kind of stink here. 200' - 1 mile vis at my airport right now. Obviously this is totally a personal decision about how one flys SE IFR. I'd never comment publically about what I'd do. It would be a great topic over a beer (or fine whiskey) at Gastons.

lance - first drinks on me

 

[Missa]

Conservative, or the right call?

Both.

 

[rottydaddy]

Both.

Ditto that... they usually go together.

 

[ScottM]

Conservative, or the right call?

Not for me to judge. Only you know your capabilities and your plane. But it would have been what I would have done.

 

[Richard O]

You can't even see the tops of cell phone towers today. Good call Bill.

 

[KennyFlys]

You can't even see the tops of cell phone towers today. Good call Bill.

I was doing some work for my landlord and heard a plane overhead, well away from the localizer course. He seemed low but not a chance I'd see him. I called GVL AWOS... Visibility: 1/4 mile; Sky: Fog, VV001.

I rather doubt he landed if he was headed into GVL. Later, I heard the traffic on WSB. The woman I fly on traffic watch was making her broadcast... from the ground. Strangely, she had the background sound like she was actually flying. Yeah, right!

 

[AdamZ]

Good Call Bill!!

 

[Lance F]

lance - first drinks on me

Then I vote for the fine whiskey

 

[TangoWhiskey]

Then I vote for the fine whiskey

I'm in on that action... right after the Poker Run results on Saturday and toast the winners, and talk IFR on the flight line?

 

[flyingcheesehead]

Conservative, or the right call?

Only you can answer that question.

Me, I'd have probably gone and on the off chance I had an emergency I'd take an ILS (or GPS, with the 430W) approach to the ground (it IS an emergency). But, I still have a fairly high risk tolerance. Were I Lance F or anyone else who's had an engine failure (in fact, Dan Corjulo had one this AM and called to tell me about it), I'd probably think differently! And Bill, I'm sure you had family on your mind as well.

So, if you made the call, and stayed on the ground, it was the right call. You're only asking here because you felt like a wimp afterwards. Remember, it's much better to be down here wishing you were up there...

 

[Bill]

You can't even see the tops of cell phone towers today. Good call Bill.

I ended up driving. Ceiling looked to vary between 200 or so down to tree top level in some areas. This bad ceiling/vis stayed until I was into northern Florida, and that was well into the afternoon.

I didn't mind driving after seeing that. An ILS on partial engine power or something like that? Would have been REALLY REALLY tough. Or, you'd just bite the cell tower.

 

[rpadula]

I ended up driving. Ceiling looked to vary between 200 or so down to tree top level in some areas. This bad ceiling/vis stayed until I was into northern Florida, and that was well into the afternoon.

Good call Bill. When I fly to and from Jacksonville, I notice that ground fog is often reported across southeast Georgia, but that usually burns off quickly. When the low ceilings spread this far north, it's more persistent. Dang wedges and their easterly, moisture-bringing wind!

-Rich

 

[SCCutler]

Right call.

 

[bbchien]

Right call. The trophy I"m looking at, for the 1993 Aircraft Spruce race to DPA ended in a front from Minnesota to Texas, with 200-1 everywhere. I lost the Vacuum pump and finished the ILS 1 into DPA partial panel, to minimums. THIRD Place. But I wouldn't do that again.