Why we practice degraged mode

[jesse]

"I called and received clearance from ATC via national Clc Delivery."

That was by cell phone? I want to know how to make the contact and then receive clearance while on the fly in an emergency situation.

I think he is saying he received his IFR clearance by phone before launching - not that he received an approach clearance by phone during the emergency. That'd be a poor use of your time and limited battery power, imo.

 

[dmccormack]

I think he is saying he received his IFR clearance by phone before launching - not that he received an approach clearance by phone during the emergency. That'd be a poor use of your time and limited battery power, imo.

Exactly -- doesn't everybody call for clearance from small airports ...??

 

[Richard]

Exactly -- doesn't everybody call for clearance from small airports ...??

KPRB Paso Robles is not only a small airport but it's on the sector lines 'tween ARTCCs. Establishments of NorCal and SoCal TRACONs have made it somewhat easier but still they argue who has jurisdiction. Add a looong taxi and short void times makes for sometimes extreme frustration. Oh yeah, cell coverage is better now-that's a plus.

Anyway, I hate to carry this on further, perhaps I'm missing something, but what clearance did you have to commence the approach and to land?

I'm just not seeing that and I'm seeing it as a big deal.

I understand you were at 4,000, turned to the IAF, and broke out at 2,100. Until you were at the IAF (and even after that) ATC was playing catch-up.

 

[skidoo]

Wow! I'm VFR only at this point, but I am sure glad to have the G1000 that displays both the primary buss and backup battery voltage and both current charge/discharge to each with a digital indication. I will know the condition of the batteries and charging system before takeoff and throughout.

Even so, on my first long cross country, I couldn't reach anyone on the radio to activate a flight plan nor Center for FF for a long time. Seems like I spent over 45 minutes fooling around with the radio buttons before reaching center and obtained FF. Never did activate the flight plan on a 2.5 hour leg. Seems like I can't reach either until I get to about 10k feet or higher. I can't imagine trying to fool with this stuff in IMC. Need to get a bunch of experience and KNOW my equipment well before attempting the IR rating!

 

[gprellwitz]

Anyway, I hate to carry this on further, perhaps I'm missing something, but what clearance did you have to commence the approach and to land?

I'm just not seeing that and I'm seeing it as a big deal.

I understand you were at 4,000, turned to the IAF, and broke out at 2,100. Until you were at the IAF (and even after that) ATC was playing catch-up.

As I understand it, he had a void time clearance to launch (via cell phone) and hadn't been able to establish contact after launching. Therefore, they still had the airspace cleared for him, right? And this certainly qualified under 91.3. No further clearance needed. Just get down safely on the ground and let them know the situation ASAP. ATC can play catch-up. That's their job.

 

[dmccormack]

As I understand it, he had a void time clearance to launch (via cell phone) and hadn't been able to establish contact after launching. Therefore, they still had the airspace cleared for him, right? And this certainly qualified under 91.3. No further clearance needed. Just get down safely on the ground and let them know the situation ASAP. ATC can play catch-up. That's their job.

Well stated and perfectly correct, Grant!

 

[gismo]

My electrical failure wasn't dissimilar. However I did have enough radio power to call up tower when I was 10 miles out and get them to clear me to land ahead of time. All worked out, still filled out my ASRS.

The ammeters that they put in most airplanes are awful to say the least. I'm thinking about upgrading to a digital one that gives a proper output.

In general a single ammeter is useless for determining if the charging system is performing properly as you need to know both the current coming from the alternator/generator and to the loads. Most ammeters simply show the difference between the two and if that difference is small (sounds like the case for Dan's flight) one cannot distinguish between a positive and a negative difference. For that reason alone, a voltmeter is far more valuable as the system voltage is a good indication of the electrical state of affairs. Ideally you would have all three indications (alternator out, load current, and bus voltage) and there are some aftermarket devices that provide that in one unit. In Dan's case there should have been a fairly obvious discharge indication on the ammeter once the belt began to slip while the load was substantial (radios on etc) but that indication would only last until the charge in the battery was depleted and could easily be missed unless one was in the habit of checking the ammeter quite frequently. Also if the battery was in poor condition and/or fairly well discharged to begin with it wouldn't take long to deplete the remaining charge.

 

[Richard]

As I came to suspect, Dan returned to land at his departure airport. That makes sense. But nowhere was it evident which airport he landed.

Based at KWAY, departed VVS, it was not clear to me what airport he landed. Actually, in post #36, there is a clue in the 2nd sentence of the Aftermath. (he wouldn't "put the plane away" except at his originating airport.) The deduction required for this reminds me of some of those Killer Quizzes.

Ok, I can sleep now.

 

[dmccormack]

As I came to suspect, Dan returned to land at his departure airport. That makes sense. But nowhere was it evident which airport he landed.

Based at KWAY, departed VVS, it was not clear to me what airport he landed. Actually, in post #36, there is a clue in the 2nd sentence of the Aftermath. (he wouldn't "put the plane away" except at his originating airport.) The deduction required for this reminds me of some of those Killer Quizzes.

Ok, I can sleep now.

The airplane we flew that day is based at VVS. We departed VVS and returned to VVS.

VFR was hundreds of miles away, we had only minutes of battery power left, and thunderstorms to the south (25 miles away) and west.

The choice to return to VVS using the GPS as an approach for a LOC published approach was the right choice, IMHO.

We were cleared "As Filed," but I expected to get vectors around the CB in front of us. Since ATC would have been guessing our next move, since we would have had to fly hours in a severely degraded condition with no guarantee we'd have enough residual power even in the handheld GPS to make an approach once we arrived wherever -- we really had no choice.