Ted
The pilot formerly known as Twin Engine Ted
- Joined
- Oct 9, 2007
- Messages
- 29,923
- Display Name
Display name:
iFlyNothing
Seven years and one day ago now, I sat in my senior year Honors English class at Brooklyn Technical High School on a perfect September morning. It was the exact kind of day we all look for to fly (although I didn't think like that at the time). The skies were blue, and there was not a single cloud in the sky. It was the definition of CAVU. Anyone who was in New York that day remembers the clarity.
Although the English teacher was extremely interesting, and one of my favorite teachers in the course of my time as a student, it is hard not to look out the window on such days. As I looked out the window, though, I saw something that I knew was very, very wrong. There was a haze up towards the top of the sky, coming from the north. Something inside of me knew that there was something terribly wrong, and that once I found out about it I could never change that. I wanted to enjoy those last few minutes while I could. I'll never know how I knew that something was wrong ahead of time - I suppose it's just New Yorker's instincts. Anyone who's raised in New York City knows that you end up with a heightened sense of alertness and awareness as to your surroundings.
The bliss of ignorance didn't last for long, as I knew it wouldn't, when one of the girls in class who was sitting in a position where she could see what had happened decided to look out the window and screamed. We all got up to look. Ignorance was no longer an option, although it sure would have been nice.
I don't need to say what else happened that day, everybody knows. One thing that came out of it was my fear of airplanes. Not so much of flying, but my fear of aviation in general. For several years, I couldn't even hear an airplane fly overhead without going into panic mode. Since I went to college near an airport (albeit a class D), this was not great.
Obviously, my attitude on flying has changed significantly. However, one day in particular I still had something of a phobia with flying. I decided it was important to me to fly yesterday. A lot of people do various commemorative things - tell stories to groups, go on group motorcycle rides. I have always done things myself. So, I decided to hop in the Mooney and fly to KPSB. If you ever want to go to an airport where you won't be disturbed, this is the place. It's also a great place to practice instrument work, as it has ILS, VOR, and NDB approaches. I flew out there, filing at 6,000 and getting some good time in actuals, and then flew the ILS in, an easy job with the ceilings at 2000 AGL.
I parked the Mooney, pulled out my folding chair and a Dr. Pepper, and thought about things for an hour or so.
This is where the "fun" began. I called NY Center from the ground to get my clearance, and was told that Williamsport airport was closed. This was not in the NOTAMs when I filed my flight plan a few hours earlier. Turned out that some construction crews working around the end of one of the runways hit a power line and broke the runway lights. I was told they were working on it, and to wait 30 minutes.
So, I got another 30 minutes to sit around and think, during which I went through my log book and reflected on my past year of flying. I looked back at what amounted to some of my most memorable flights - my second lesson (which was also my first experience in IMC), flying the Aztec, various trips with friends, heading out to 6Y9... roughly 180 hours of flying in one year three days. Thinking about how far I've come since that first lesson where I was looking down at the ground and going "Wow, that's a long ways to fall," and also thinking about far I have yet to go.
Similar to when I saw that haze in the sky over Manhattan on that perfect September morning, I had a feeling that this return flight home was going to be interesting.
30 minutes later I called NY Center back, received my clearance and was released. I took off and got in the sky. Right about the time I entered IMC (this is in pitch black night), I got the call from NY Center that Williamsport had closed for the evening, and where would my alternate be. This confused me, I couldn't see why they would be closed for the evening, but I focused on flying the plane and declared an alternate of Selinsgrove, the airport where I've taken both my check rides so far and am familiar with. I got clearance direct to (aren't GPSs wonderful?) and made the visual approach in to a perfect landing. This was lesson #1.
I then called Missa and asked for her to come pick me up (it is great to have friends who you can call on in such situations... especially at night). She hopped in the car and started driving down. At her suggestion, I started making some phone calls. When I called Williamsport tower, he told me he'd been trying to get ahold of me, and that the airport was reopened, I could come home. I called Missa back, told her that I was coming home to Williamsport, and took back off.
I high-tailed it back to Williamsport, getting a nice tailwind and the Mooney was producing 160 kts ground speed, even at only 65% power. At that speed, it's a very short flight. I then got directly over top the airport and couldn't see it, so I went out to the mall (a highly visible reference) to get my bearings and try to see the airport. I then called in to Williamsport tower, and asked if the lights were on. Turns out they broke in the 15 minutes it took me to fly up there. Needless to say, I was not happy.
The runway end lights were working, however (apparently on a different circuit). I was cleared to land on Runway 9. The first time around I couldn't find it (and ended up finding a taxiway instead), and did a go-around. The second time I lined myself up better, moved the plane around a bit to let the landing light search, and saw the big "9" on the runway, and landed.
That was a time when I was very glad to be home and on the ground, regardless of how much I love flying.
Here are some lessons learned from this that I hope others can learn from:
1) Always have an alternate in your mind when you go out. For whatever reason, you may not be able to land at home. I always do this anyway, but it is good to be familiar with the surrounding airports. The last thing you want is to be told you can't land at your intended destination, and then have to scramble to learn what you need to about an unfamiliar airport. Doubly so at night. Triply so in IMC. Things break and NOTAMs pop up after you've filed your flight plan - this is what happened to me yesterday, and I had only filed my flight plan about two hours prior.
2) Unless your engine has died, time is on your hands (keeping fuel constraints in mind). If I had taken a little bit longer to think about this, the winds were out of the south, making for a crosswind with a slight headwind for 9/27. Runway 27 has an ILS approach into it. What I thought about as I was making my second attempt at Runway 9 was that if I didn't find the runway this time, I would ask to go out and perform the ILS approach into 27, and take the slight tailwind. The runway is very long, so a tailwind is no issue. Plus that way I know I'm lined up with the runway, all I have to do is find it. Additionally, the 27 side of the runway is easier to see than the 9 side. All in all, that would have been a better idea to do. When you get asked to state intentions, you CAN say "standby" and think about it. You don't need to respond immediately, even though that is what we normally feel pressured to do. Think about all your options and take what is best. Or, if you can't get in, turn around and go back to the alternate. I was prepared to do that, as well, even though it would've meant turning Missa around again.
3) Be calm, take a deep breath, remember training, and don't let the situation get ahead of you. It's easy for the situation to get overwhelming if you let it. Aviate, navigate, communicate. Fly the plane first, make sure it stays straight and level. Then figure out what you want to do, where you want to go, etc. Then tell them what you want to do. You can keep flying in a straight line (usually) and figure out your options.
I certainly didn't expect last night to be as challenging of a flight as it was. Thankfully, I was prepared and it all turned out just fine. Hopefully there are some lessons to others from this that are valuable. That is the only reason why I am posting this - as I fully expect that some are going to start flaming me for this or question my decisions. If you do, you can expect no response from me - I don't need to dignify any such statements with responses.
As to the picture, that's a bad cell phone shot of where I went. It was very peaceful and relaxing, and that part was exactly what I was going for.
Although the English teacher was extremely interesting, and one of my favorite teachers in the course of my time as a student, it is hard not to look out the window on such days. As I looked out the window, though, I saw something that I knew was very, very wrong. There was a haze up towards the top of the sky, coming from the north. Something inside of me knew that there was something terribly wrong, and that once I found out about it I could never change that. I wanted to enjoy those last few minutes while I could. I'll never know how I knew that something was wrong ahead of time - I suppose it's just New Yorker's instincts. Anyone who's raised in New York City knows that you end up with a heightened sense of alertness and awareness as to your surroundings.
The bliss of ignorance didn't last for long, as I knew it wouldn't, when one of the girls in class who was sitting in a position where she could see what had happened decided to look out the window and screamed. We all got up to look. Ignorance was no longer an option, although it sure would have been nice.
I don't need to say what else happened that day, everybody knows. One thing that came out of it was my fear of airplanes. Not so much of flying, but my fear of aviation in general. For several years, I couldn't even hear an airplane fly overhead without going into panic mode. Since I went to college near an airport (albeit a class D), this was not great.
Obviously, my attitude on flying has changed significantly. However, one day in particular I still had something of a phobia with flying. I decided it was important to me to fly yesterday. A lot of people do various commemorative things - tell stories to groups, go on group motorcycle rides. I have always done things myself. So, I decided to hop in the Mooney and fly to KPSB. If you ever want to go to an airport where you won't be disturbed, this is the place. It's also a great place to practice instrument work, as it has ILS, VOR, and NDB approaches. I flew out there, filing at 6,000 and getting some good time in actuals, and then flew the ILS in, an easy job with the ceilings at 2000 AGL.
I parked the Mooney, pulled out my folding chair and a Dr. Pepper, and thought about things for an hour or so.
This is where the "fun" began. I called NY Center from the ground to get my clearance, and was told that Williamsport airport was closed. This was not in the NOTAMs when I filed my flight plan a few hours earlier. Turned out that some construction crews working around the end of one of the runways hit a power line and broke the runway lights. I was told they were working on it, and to wait 30 minutes.
So, I got another 30 minutes to sit around and think, during which I went through my log book and reflected on my past year of flying. I looked back at what amounted to some of my most memorable flights - my second lesson (which was also my first experience in IMC), flying the Aztec, various trips with friends, heading out to 6Y9... roughly 180 hours of flying in one year three days. Thinking about how far I've come since that first lesson where I was looking down at the ground and going "Wow, that's a long ways to fall," and also thinking about far I have yet to go.
Similar to when I saw that haze in the sky over Manhattan on that perfect September morning, I had a feeling that this return flight home was going to be interesting.
30 minutes later I called NY Center back, received my clearance and was released. I took off and got in the sky. Right about the time I entered IMC (this is in pitch black night), I got the call from NY Center that Williamsport had closed for the evening, and where would my alternate be. This confused me, I couldn't see why they would be closed for the evening, but I focused on flying the plane and declared an alternate of Selinsgrove, the airport where I've taken both my check rides so far and am familiar with. I got clearance direct to (aren't GPSs wonderful?) and made the visual approach in to a perfect landing. This was lesson #1.
I then called Missa and asked for her to come pick me up (it is great to have friends who you can call on in such situations... especially at night). She hopped in the car and started driving down. At her suggestion, I started making some phone calls. When I called Williamsport tower, he told me he'd been trying to get ahold of me, and that the airport was reopened, I could come home. I called Missa back, told her that I was coming home to Williamsport, and took back off.
I high-tailed it back to Williamsport, getting a nice tailwind and the Mooney was producing 160 kts ground speed, even at only 65% power. At that speed, it's a very short flight. I then got directly over top the airport and couldn't see it, so I went out to the mall (a highly visible reference) to get my bearings and try to see the airport. I then called in to Williamsport tower, and asked if the lights were on. Turns out they broke in the 15 minutes it took me to fly up there. Needless to say, I was not happy.
The runway end lights were working, however (apparently on a different circuit). I was cleared to land on Runway 9. The first time around I couldn't find it (and ended up finding a taxiway instead), and did a go-around. The second time I lined myself up better, moved the plane around a bit to let the landing light search, and saw the big "9" on the runway, and landed.
That was a time when I was very glad to be home and on the ground, regardless of how much I love flying.
Here are some lessons learned from this that I hope others can learn from:
1) Always have an alternate in your mind when you go out. For whatever reason, you may not be able to land at home. I always do this anyway, but it is good to be familiar with the surrounding airports. The last thing you want is to be told you can't land at your intended destination, and then have to scramble to learn what you need to about an unfamiliar airport. Doubly so at night. Triply so in IMC. Things break and NOTAMs pop up after you've filed your flight plan - this is what happened to me yesterday, and I had only filed my flight plan about two hours prior.
2) Unless your engine has died, time is on your hands (keeping fuel constraints in mind). If I had taken a little bit longer to think about this, the winds were out of the south, making for a crosswind with a slight headwind for 9/27. Runway 27 has an ILS approach into it. What I thought about as I was making my second attempt at Runway 9 was that if I didn't find the runway this time, I would ask to go out and perform the ILS approach into 27, and take the slight tailwind. The runway is very long, so a tailwind is no issue. Plus that way I know I'm lined up with the runway, all I have to do is find it. Additionally, the 27 side of the runway is easier to see than the 9 side. All in all, that would have been a better idea to do. When you get asked to state intentions, you CAN say "standby" and think about it. You don't need to respond immediately, even though that is what we normally feel pressured to do. Think about all your options and take what is best. Or, if you can't get in, turn around and go back to the alternate. I was prepared to do that, as well, even though it would've meant turning Missa around again.
3) Be calm, take a deep breath, remember training, and don't let the situation get ahead of you. It's easy for the situation to get overwhelming if you let it. Aviate, navigate, communicate. Fly the plane first, make sure it stays straight and level. Then figure out what you want to do, where you want to go, etc. Then tell them what you want to do. You can keep flying in a straight line (usually) and figure out your options.
I certainly didn't expect last night to be as challenging of a flight as it was. Thankfully, I was prepared and it all turned out just fine. Hopefully there are some lessons to others from this that are valuable. That is the only reason why I am posting this - as I fully expect that some are going to start flaming me for this or question my decisions. If you do, you can expect no response from me - I don't need to dignify any such statements with responses.
As to the picture, that's a bad cell phone shot of where I went. It was very peaceful and relaxing, and that part was exactly what I was going for.
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