Widespread Low IFR

[TangoWhiskey]

Today's weather would certainly challenge the "find a suitable alternate" for many GA aircraft. It's THICK here at DFW this morning! The fly.faa.gov site doesn't show any delays for DFW, but I heard no arrivals or departures.

KDFW 140853Z 03003KT 1/2SM R17C/3000VP6000FT BR OVC001 20/19 A2994 
KDFW 140953Z 11003KT 1/4SM R17C/1400V1600FT FG VV001 20/19 A2993 
KDFW 141053Z 14004KT 1/4SM R17C/1800V2400FT FG BKN001 OVC008 20/19 A2993 
KDFW 141153Z 00000KT 1/4SM R17C/2200V3000FT FG VV001 21/19 A2994 
KDFW 141253Z 13003KT 1/4SM R17C/2400V4500FT BR OVC001 21/20 A2994 
KDFW 141331Z 14003KT 1/4SM R17C/1800FT FG VV001 21/20 A2995

 

[Ted]

Plus don't forget "Ice ice baby..."

 

[OtisAir]

hopefully this'll bypass us quickly as I'm planning to fly up to Northampton, MA (7B2) from Wings (LOM) on Sunday midday. Last time I got the LHY routing at 7000 so I'm trying a more direct route at 5000 this time.

 

[jlwilson]

I was supposed to fly from HRO to 60F today, but the closest alternate was KABI and that was just too far from Seymour. I'm hoping to get to E38 tomorrow. I need to find a fuel stop between HRO and E38. Hopefully this stuff will lift a little. Heck, it's only 300 at HRO right now...

 

[SkyHog]

Clear and a million here in Albuquerque.

 

[tonycondon]

3-500 foot ceilings here and i ahve to get ready for wedding stuff, would be a great afternoon to stay instrument current.

 

[Ted]

Did they install the ILS at KEST yet?

 

[tonycondon]

Did they install the ILS at KEST yet?

lol i hope this isnt a serious question?

No ILS there, VOR and GPS approaches to each runway. There was a time when I could shoot them all from memory.

There is an ILS at Fairmont 20 miles NE and Spencer 20 miles SW.

Oh and that whole part of the state is in a radar black hole below 6-8000 feet, so dont expect vectors to anything.

and btw I'm still in Wichita today. Leaving for IA tomorrow afternoon

 

[Ted]

lol i hope this isnt a serious question?

Spoken in jest, like (most of) the rest of this reply:

No ILS there, VOR and GPS approaches to each runway. There was a time when I could shoot them all from memory.

I can let you borrow some old TV components if you want to install an ILS. That'll work, right?

I know the ILS27 at Williamsport by memory, too.

There is an ILS at Fairmont 20 miles NE and Spencer 20 miles SW.

Good to know.

Oh and that whole part of the state is in a radar black hole below 6-8000 feet, so dont expect vectors to anything.

Interesting. So below that 6-8,000 ft will they still clear you direct or will they want you to go on airways and give position reports?

and btw I'm still in Wichita today. Leaving for IA tomorrow afternoon

Have a good trip!

 

[tonycondon]

you should still get direct, there isnt a lot of traffic...sometimes they will have you make a position port abeam an airport or something.

you'll enjoy flying in the land of Cleared Direct To, as filed.

 

[sba55]

Not just for GA; it's going to affect everybody....not that many crew/aircraft CAT III certified....

 

[Ted]

Good deal, thanks Tony.

 

[OtisAir]

tisn't looking good for flying in the MidAtlantic area this weekend around Philly and up into Western MA

 

[Ted]

Sunday's looking better, but tomorrow and Saturday aren't looking like any fun. The ice makers are churning up.

 

[gismo]

Sunday's looking better, but tomorrow and Saturday aren't looking like any fun. The ice makers are churning up.

I was hoping to fly to Waukegan this morning taking my daughter on a campus visit to three universities (NWU, MSOE, and Marquette) but the borrowed Baron has no deice beyond (a hopefully working) pitot heat. It's snowing here and there's a PIREP or two for negative ice in the MPLS area but there are several reports of trace to light and one light to moderate ice in the vicinity of my destination. If I had my deiced airplane I'd go but it looks like I'd better drive even though that means missing the tour at NWU scheduled for this afternoon. This will probably be the longest road trip for me since I got the Baron. I used to drive 100k+ miles a year but that got old and I'm not looking forward to this trip.

 

[Ted]

Lance, I was wondering if you'd gotten your Baron back yet. Now I know the answer.

This is the sort of scenario I was looking at when I was considering planes about a year ago, and came to the conclusion that I needed a de-iced plane.

Sorry you'll have to make the long drive. Last Christmas my mom and I drove to Virginia, as we do every year. Not a fun drive at all, but would've been flyable. I told her "Next year we're taking the Aztec."

 

[Ark235B]

We only had 7 days in Sept without precip and less than that in October. It's been LIFR here for almost 2 months....welcome to my world and I am not IR.

 

[foka4]

Flying safely in the Midwest this week requires one of two types of equipment: a serious FIKI machine, or a Cessna 140. The WX has been above Cessna 140 minimums in central Iowa since yesterday afternoon, and is forecast to get better.

The secret? Having sufficient equipment to exploit the exclusive realm of Class Golf airpace. In this case, I'm talking about a low cruising speed. It works wonders for safely and legally navigating by pilotage underneath all the nasty stuff that turns lesser airplanes into icicles. I call it "scud walking".

M

 

[dmccormack]

Flying safely in the Midwest this week requires one of two types of equipment: a serious FIKI machine, or a Cessna 140. The WX has been above Cessna 140 minimums in central Iowa since yesterday afternoon, and is forecast to get better.

The secret? Having sufficient equipment to exploit the exclusive realm of Class Golf airpace. In this case, I'm talking about a low cruising speed. It works wonders for safely and legally navigating by pilotage underneath all the nasty stuff that turns lesser airplanes into icicles. I call it "scud walking".

M

Excellent point. I've been looking up as I drive back and forth the work realizing, "I could fly under that." Yesterday afternoon, for example, local ceilings were 1200 or so, winds were calm, 7 mile vis, with no precip.

Very flyable in a slower airplane -- especially over familiar terrain.

 

[kyleb]

Excellent point. I've been looking up as I drive back and forth the work realizing, "I could fly under that." Yesterday afternoon, for example, local ceilings were 1200 or so, winds were calm, 7 mile vis, with no precip.

Very flyable in a slower airplane -- especially over familiar terrain.

The familiar terrain part is absolutely correct. I have no problems flying under 1,000' ceilings within 50 miles of my home field, 'cause I know every obstruction. Beyond that, it becomes more of a crapshoot. Take a little too long looking at something on the map or GPS and hey...where'd that tower come from?

Speaking of which, towers are the real enemies today. Their proliferation is amazing. I can only imagine what it must have been like 50 years ago (heck, 20 years ago) before the world got tower happy.

 

[dmccormack]

The familiar terrain part is absolutely correct. I have no problems flying under 1,000' ceilings within 50 miles of my home field, 'cause I know every obstruction. Beyond that, it becomes more of a crapshoot. Take a little too long looking at something on the map or GPS and hey...where'd that tower come from?

Speaking of which, towers are the real enemies today. Their proliferation is amazing. I can only imagine what it must have been like 50 years ago (heck, 20 years ago) before the world got tower happy.

You're not kidding -- towers and Windmills are everywhere a short way east of here.

 

[azure]

Excellent point. I've been looking up as I drive back and forth the work realizing, "I could fly under that." Yesterday afternoon, for example, local ceilings were 1200 or so, winds were calm, 7 mile vis, with no precip.

Very flyable in a slower airplane -- especially over familiar terrain.

Flying under a 1200 ft ceiling is doable, but inside most cities I don't think it's legal. If the Class E begins at 700 AGL (as it does everywhere in metro Detroit, except where it goes down to the ground), then forget it since you can't maintain Class E cloud clearances AND stay at least 1000 feet above ground (or nearest obstacle within 2000 horizontal feet, and G-d knows there are lots of those in cities).

Flying VFR under LIFR ceilings isn't even legal out in the sticks. Now if those lowest layers are above freezing and you're IR and in a IFR certified plane, then maybe you could do it, though didn't the FAA ding someone for trying something like that (cancelling IFR in IMC in the Class G not far from a surface Class E field I think it was? I read it here or on the Red Board but my memory is foggy).

 

[dmccormack]

Flying under a 1200 ft ceiling is doable, but inside most cities I don't think it's legal. If the Class E begins at 700 AGL (as it does everywhere in metro Detroit, except where it goes down to the ground), then forget it since you can't maintain Class E cloud clearances AND stay at least 1000 feet above ground (or nearest obstacle within 2000 horizontal feet, and G-d knows there are lots of those in cities).

Flying VFR under LIFR ceilings isn't even legal out in the sticks. Now if those lowest layers are above freezing and you're IR and in a IFR certified plane, then maybe you could do it, though didn't the FAA ding someone for trying something like that (cancelling IFR in IMC in the Class G not far from a surface Class E field I think it was? I read it here or on the Red Board but my memory is foggy).

Clg 1200, vis 7 is VFR. The only airspace I encounter other than G or E is D at MGW and CKB. North is Class B, and I will simply avoid it in my non-electric, non-transponder airplane (even though its grandfathered).

I agree that keeping above "congested areas" while still below clouds is a bit of a challenge -- so make sure you know where the congestion is before launching.

 

[azure]

Clg 1200, vis 7 is VFR. The only airspace I encounter other than G or E is D at MGW and CKB. North is Class B, and I will simply avoid it in my non-electric, non-transponder airplane (even though its grandfathered).

I agree that keeping above "congested areas" while still below clouds is a bit of a challenge -- so make sure you know where the congestion is before launching.

Okay, I agree with that. Avoid the congested areas, or only fly where the Class E starts at 1200 AGL, and you're legal provided you can make a safe landing if your engine quits "without undue hazard to persons or property". My point was that where I fly out of (VLL) is both within a congested area and Class E above 700 AGL, which means I can't do it legally even if 1200/7 is, technically, legal VFR.

 

[dmccormack]

Okay, I agree with that. Avoid the congested areas, or only fly where the Class E starts at 1200 AGL, and you're legal provided you can make a safe landing if your engine quits "without undue hazard to persons or property". My point was that where I fly out of (VLL) is both within a congested area and Class E above 700 AGL, which means I can't do it legally even if 1200/7 is, technically, legal VFR.

Right -- you city-bound folk have to be a bit more careful! Though if you're in a Class B, you can be "Clear of clouds" and not worry about cloud sep mins. I don't have that option in the Chief. When Wx is that poor in an IFR bird, I file.

 

[TMetzinger]

It's a great day in the mid-atlantic for IFR proficiency flying. Even though the controller had a WTF moment - "N372SE, did you say you WANT to hold?".

Ceilings around 600-800, Vis 2-5 miles, light rain, above freezing up to 6000. Decent winds aloft too.

I don't care how good the hood or the sim is - reality is reality, and it's nice to get into REAL IFR now and then.

 

[wsuffa]

It's a great day in the mid-atlantic for IFR proficiency flying. Even though the controller had a WTF moment - "N372SE, did you say you WANT to hold?".

Ceilings around 600-800, Vis 2-5 miles, light rain, above freezing up to 6000. Decent winds aloft too.

I don't care how good the hood or the sim is - reality is reality, and it's nice to get into REAL IFR now and then.

6 hours of conference calls today plus a breakfast meeting that went until 10. I'd love to take the plane out, but no time to do so. Maybe tomorrow.