onwards
Pattern Altitude
The weekend experience where I ended up turning back and heading home.
Worst part of it? was very much looking to a luxurious weekend with my girlfriend at one of my favorite fly-in places in Northern Cal.
Best part of it? she gave me many kudos on making the decision to go back.
Interesting aviation incident I witnessed en-route? read below.
Planned a weekend at Shelter Cove, with the deluxe suite at the Inn of the Lost Coast - it's the only one out there that will take pets, and I do love that place - and accompanied by two bags full of farmers market grub to cook together for dinner.
Weather seemed pretty nice, and reporting from NOAA said sunny. Shelter Cove cams seemed a little iffy when we left, but I've gotten in there in less than great conditions before often - even when it's "covered", there is always a decent hole or tear in the clouds close by to duck through and then fly under the marine layer to land. Heck, over there it can be more or less the normal MO.
Anyway, getting out the weather was gorgeous, but as we were flying along the coast for the last 20nm and I was looking down, I started getting a sinking feeling. Unlike what I typically see, which is the marine layer and the ocean peeking crisply underneath with about 800-1000 feet between them, this time it seemed like there was also fog under the layer, all the way to the water. Wisps of it, so I could still see fairly clearly, but pretty much all over. Not exactly what one wants to fly into.
Soldiered on, hoping that the cove will be better. It often is. Got there and could actually see the cove itself - the marine layer had receded somewhat -- so I was hoping I could find a way in. Flew right over and could see the strip. But that was it; the only hole around was right over the airport itself, which was pretty clear. That did not make me comfortable at all.
Went down for a closer look, made a couple of "go arounds" which basically consisted of flying right over the runway at several hundred feet looking around to see if I could find some way to make the approach and what it was like under the layer; the obvious solution if it's clear underneath would be to come in under the layer upwind to enter a low pattern and land that way. Nope. Fog, fog everywhere. Not heavy, can see through it, I'd be OK driving at 30 miles an hour, but trying to approach to land at 80? no effing way.
Gave it one last shot; I knew where the strip was, and I could see it coming in above the layer, so wondered if I could make a steep enough approach to land to make it work without entering the clouds. No go either. It was almost good enough, and someone more skilled than me could have done it, but it would have placed me on the ground a little past midway on a 3400ft strip with a downslope. Yes, I know the 182 can slow down rapidly, but if I didn't do this precisely, we'd be taking a bath off the edge. I'm just not that good.
As we were leaving someone got on the radio and said "we can hear you, the fog is all the way to the ground, no wind today to make it dissipate", and I told them that was my conclusion. Told my girlfriend I'm not good enough to make it in, and we're headed back home.
Her next comment, coming in about 30 seconds later, caught me by surprise: "actually, hon, I have to say, I think this makes you an even better pilot than I thought. Your decision makes me trust you so much more. We'll just have a fabulous weekend at home".
I couldn't find the words to answer that, because I was feeling like I had failed to some degree. Luckily I had to get on with Oakland to re-establish flight following. So there you go. I later asked her about this and she basically repeated it and saying she felt nervous and was glad when I decided it wasn't worth it, and even though she was disappointed we couldn't have our getaway.
As to the incident: when we got back to Concord, we were number 2 in the pattern for 32L. As we are turning base and he's on final, I look at my girlfriend and say "where is he going?". A couple of seconds later, with the guy maybe 50ft above ground, tower comes in rapidly and "switches" his runway to 32R - which is where he was actually headed into - and then tells me I am "number one for 32L". The other guy lands on 32R and his voice is a little flustered as he taxis off - headed right towards 32L where I am landing. I nervously reduce flaps to 20deg and "prime my hand" to go full throttle, because at this point I am unsure if he is going to just go across, but he ends up turning away on the correct taxiway and we land. Right after we touch ground controller contacts me to apologize for the confusion, I tell him no worries we're on top of things, and he comes back saying I can do pretty much whatever I want just let him know.
There were about six other planes converging in, including a bizjet on 32R. I think he was worried for a reason :wink2:
Worst part of it? was very much looking to a luxurious weekend with my girlfriend at one of my favorite fly-in places in Northern Cal.
Best part of it? she gave me many kudos on making the decision to go back.
Interesting aviation incident I witnessed en-route? read below.
Planned a weekend at Shelter Cove, with the deluxe suite at the Inn of the Lost Coast - it's the only one out there that will take pets, and I do love that place - and accompanied by two bags full of farmers market grub to cook together for dinner.
Weather seemed pretty nice, and reporting from NOAA said sunny. Shelter Cove cams seemed a little iffy when we left, but I've gotten in there in less than great conditions before often - even when it's "covered", there is always a decent hole or tear in the clouds close by to duck through and then fly under the marine layer to land. Heck, over there it can be more or less the normal MO.
Anyway, getting out the weather was gorgeous, but as we were flying along the coast for the last 20nm and I was looking down, I started getting a sinking feeling. Unlike what I typically see, which is the marine layer and the ocean peeking crisply underneath with about 800-1000 feet between them, this time it seemed like there was also fog under the layer, all the way to the water. Wisps of it, so I could still see fairly clearly, but pretty much all over. Not exactly what one wants to fly into.
Soldiered on, hoping that the cove will be better. It often is. Got there and could actually see the cove itself - the marine layer had receded somewhat -- so I was hoping I could find a way in. Flew right over and could see the strip. But that was it; the only hole around was right over the airport itself, which was pretty clear. That did not make me comfortable at all.
Went down for a closer look, made a couple of "go arounds" which basically consisted of flying right over the runway at several hundred feet looking around to see if I could find some way to make the approach and what it was like under the layer; the obvious solution if it's clear underneath would be to come in under the layer upwind to enter a low pattern and land that way. Nope. Fog, fog everywhere. Not heavy, can see through it, I'd be OK driving at 30 miles an hour, but trying to approach to land at 80? no effing way.
Gave it one last shot; I knew where the strip was, and I could see it coming in above the layer, so wondered if I could make a steep enough approach to land to make it work without entering the clouds. No go either. It was almost good enough, and someone more skilled than me could have done it, but it would have placed me on the ground a little past midway on a 3400ft strip with a downslope. Yes, I know the 182 can slow down rapidly, but if I didn't do this precisely, we'd be taking a bath off the edge. I'm just not that good.
As we were leaving someone got on the radio and said "we can hear you, the fog is all the way to the ground, no wind today to make it dissipate", and I told them that was my conclusion. Told my girlfriend I'm not good enough to make it in, and we're headed back home.
Her next comment, coming in about 30 seconds later, caught me by surprise: "actually, hon, I have to say, I think this makes you an even better pilot than I thought. Your decision makes me trust you so much more. We'll just have a fabulous weekend at home".
I couldn't find the words to answer that, because I was feeling like I had failed to some degree. Luckily I had to get on with Oakland to re-establish flight following. So there you go. I later asked her about this and she basically repeated it and saying she felt nervous and was glad when I decided it wasn't worth it, and even though she was disappointed we couldn't have our getaway.
As to the incident: when we got back to Concord, we were number 2 in the pattern for 32L. As we are turning base and he's on final, I look at my girlfriend and say "where is he going?". A couple of seconds later, with the guy maybe 50ft above ground, tower comes in rapidly and "switches" his runway to 32R - which is where he was actually headed into - and then tells me I am "number one for 32L". The other guy lands on 32R and his voice is a little flustered as he taxis off - headed right towards 32L where I am landing. I nervously reduce flaps to 20deg and "prime my hand" to go full throttle, because at this point I am unsure if he is going to just go across, but he ends up turning away on the correct taxiway and we land. Right after we touch ground controller contacts me to apologize for the confusion, I tell him no worries we're on top of things, and he comes back saying I can do pretty much whatever I want just let him know.
There were about six other planes converging in, including a bizjet on 32R. I think he was worried for a reason :wink2:
