Carl S

I am starting to plan on attending one of the MAPA Safety Foundation's Pilot Proficiency Programs this year. Tucson in April would be nice and let me visit my Alma Mater. However it is out as my wife has a convention in San Diego the same week. June in Denver looks pretty good but I have family in Fredericksburg VA, so Roanoke also looks interesting. Who else is planning on going this year and to which venue(s)? 2014 PPP's Melbourne, FL - Feb 14-16 Tucson, AZ - Apr 25-27 Denver, CO - Jun 27-29 Roanoke, VA - Sep 5-7 Branson, MO - Oct 10-12 --Carl

I flew my first mission just before the Christmas holiday. Richard was quite vociferous at first but settled right down as soon as the wheels came off the ground and he didn't bark again throughout the flight and transfer. My Dobie size crate would not fit in the Mooney so I wound up just placing him in the aggage hold and in spite of my worry that worked just fine. He went from here in TX through multiple legs and eventually got to Oregon where, I understand, his new human is working with him in scent training. (Not sure if it's for interdiction or S&R). Carl

Missed this before Christmas, still had me rolling. If you liked the Chuck Norris joke thread, this may be something you are interested in: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lr4C19eqcQA

Thanks for that. -- Carl

For weather on this flight I used DCT Duat,, and the NOAA site (ADDS?). I also checked the charts (from NOAA) on Foreflight as we were driving to the airport (I was in the back seat.) Freezing level graphics looked to be at 9000 or better. There were no Pireps for icing in the area. I either missed or misread something so I have gotten the weather books out again and am re-reading. Knowing that the wing can carry an inch of ice on the leading edge is cold comfort so I plan on staying out in the future.

I flew my wife down to Houston over the weekend so that we could visit with her cousin and family. The flight from GKY to T41 was uneventful and quite pleasant. I finally got to demonstrate the usefulness of having a current IFR aircraft and rating, we got about 8 minutes of actual as we punched out of Arlington and I mentioned that if we were flying VFR, we would have to drive. In another thread T41 was mentioned as a good alternative for landing and it turned out to be a perfect choice. Cody at Tri-Star aviation was friendly and got us situated after landing as we waited for our ride. We were a bit late getting out of T41 but I felt we'd still be able to get back into Arlington before sunset. However, ATC decided to vector us way out to the west before turning us north to head on up to LOA.DODJE4. Passing THING we were lowered into the clouds and shortly after DODGE and then vectored toward the ILS. ATC asked us to maintain as much forward speed as possible; we were being sandwiched into the turbo and jet traffic coming in for the Cowboys game. ATC cleared us to the ILS and asked that we maintain at least 150 Kts until MYKES, better if we could manage, and contact tower. (Still being relatively low time Mooney pilot with not much actual IFR, I have been practicing approaches like a 182 or Warrior type pilot.) As we passed through about 2900' or so I noticed that the windshield was starting to pick up a little ice. I pulled the defrost knob immediately and got established on the localizer by 2300'. ASOS said the overcast was at 1700 feet so it was quite a relief when the glideslope came alive. I looked up to check and saw the windshield was white - except for a little hole about 5 inches in diameter where the defroster was keeping the Plexiglas warm enough. At MYKES I was still hot and now going downhill. Too fast for the gear I forgot everything I had read and popped the speed brakes up. That got us slowed down enough to get the gear out and that helped to slow us further. Soon, we popped out of the clouds and I could see the PAPI -- all white, and my nose pointed to the east of centerline. I had been concentrating on slowing down so much that I was not paying the glideslope as much attention as I should have. However, rather quickly, the first white turned red and then the second turned red too quickly after that. I added throttle as the third turned red and then more to keep the fourth just at white. I used even more throttle and noted that my airspeed was only 80 Kts and slowly dropping. Now, at about 100' the fourth PAPI was red and I pushed the throttle in further to drag us across the threshold. The landing was not the very smoothest that I have ever made but it was surprisingly gentle after all of that. No bounce and just a bit of side drift from the crosswind. When tower cleared us to taxi to parking and monitor ground I think I finally started breathing again. Or, at least that is when I noticed I was breathing again. I also noticed the ice on my wings. It didn't look too bad but I started thinking that the weight of the ice, in addition to its effect on the airfoil shape must be what caused me to have to use so much more throttle than normal on the final. However, when I shut down and switched off the master I heard the tell-tale THUNK of the speed brakes retracting. I really thought that I had retracted them after MYKES but whether I forgot, or the ice had kept them up, they were out for the entire final. Then again, they are so far aft of the chord line I am not sure they played much of a role below 100 Kts. After thinking about it for these past few days I cannot say that I am glad for the experience. However, I am at ease with myself in the way that I flew the situation. I think I have captured and learned from my mistakes and I'll go up and practice approaches to FAF at higher Mooney speeds. I'll also take a more critical view of the weather and what it might do if I am late in getting launched.

We decided to use T41 due to its proximity to Pasadena and it worked out well. We were a little late getting out of there though and as I descended into Arlington I got a little unforecast surprise. I was already in the soup and ASOS said skys were overcast at 1700; 1300 feet below us. Except for finally having to face my worst fear - the flight down and back was great and my wife is now convinced that having an IFR plane is something we should keep.

1.1 hours flight time (probably 1.4 Hobbs). My inlaws are visiting from South Africa so I took three of them up. Original plan was to fly out for lunch but i felt conditions at destionation too dicey for their first flight and just took a long circle south and showed them what it looked like from a few different altitudes. Unfortunately, it was a bit bumppy and my wife had talked two of them into taking drammamine.

Thanks Dave! Sorry for the late response, I must have missed the notice that this post had been replied too. I'll read through the material this weekend. Carl

Thanks for the suggestions. The in-laws have arrived so the house is busier than vet in foaling season. I'll run all of these past my wife when I can.

I am looking at flying my wife to Houston (Pasadena) to visit with her cousin. It will probably be a day trip and the map makes it look like HOU or AXH are okay options. I looked at EFD also but the reviews were less than kind. Would HOU or AXH both be good choices? Any other recommendations? Carl

Just wait, you'll love the letter from the tax department....

Is anyone planning formation clinics in Texas? The last formation flying I did was with my Long EZ and it would be nice to get current again. Do I need a card nowdays? Or, like a high performance sign off, am I "grand fathered"?

See also, for example http://s.wsj.net/media/xms_santaflight_091223.jpg

Plus one Flyboy. The drivers license medical will do me about as much good as the three year Class III did - going into effect the year after I became inelegible. Now, if I could substitute an IPC every couple of years for a medical, that might be worth supporting.

One of the excercises my check out instructor did with me is partial power climbs from take off. The practice was done in in a flat area but the excercise was t demonstrate that eve with partial power we could climb (slowly) enough to dramatically increase our landing options. I know this is contrarian but the point was that unless total power was lost, heading straight ahead may not be the best option. If there were fire or smoke, getting down fast is paramont - otherwise, there might be options.

My last medical was just the opposite. I had my number but the Doc's office was way behind the curve. They said I'd get my medical cert in 3-5 days and I had to argue and show them how to use the system to print it out right there.

Major thread creep warning: Having had nothing but Doberman Pinschers since 1990 I would comment that, in general, if you do not feed them for a day or two, they will welcome the first person into your house as a long lost friend and show them where the food is kept. (If they haven't figured out how to open it already.) Now, maybe you have a fully trained Schutzhund certified (or similar) dobie. If I had spent the time and $$$ to train one it would probably be going with me. By the way - what happens when a small girl gets into the dobies area? See attached... Apologies, but I love this breed and get a bit sensitive when their "Hollywood" side is mentioned. Back to the thread at hand.

And to think the world first learned of it in that lumminary apiarian publication, "Gleanings in Bee Culture." Mr Root did have a way with words, such as this excerpt,"...Imagine a locomotive that has left its track, and is climbing up in the air right toward you – a locomotive without any wheels, we will say, but with white wings instead, we will further say – a locomotive made of aluminum.” “Well, now imagine this white locomotive, with wings that spread 20 feet each way, coming right toward you with a tremendous flap of its propellers, and you will have something like what I saw. The younger brother bade me move to one side for fear it might come down suddenly; but I tell you friends, the sensation that one feels in such a crisis is something hard to describe.” By the way, in addition to his publications, Root sent the article to "Scientific American" who rejected is as not worthy of publication.

Nice idea. My dad (88) had some problems getting up on the step and then into the seat. I'll remember your process for th next time.

Yup, I got my initial Instrument Rating in SOCAL and they can get a bit worked up at times. But, every once in a while, even they had their moments on the lighter side.

I took an IPC this weekend and got some good instruction. Part of the exercise was to increase my work load substantially with a diversion from Ardmore to Gainesville, with an approach and circle to land, (perfect landing btw) then a set up to another approach to Denton right after, with a return to Alliance and another approach right after that. All in all my procedures, setup, and flying were good even with the fast pace of things. However, if one had been listening in on ATC one might have heard something like: Fort Worth Approach: Mooney 123, cleared for the Denton ILS RWY 18, maintain 2500 feet until established, return my frequency on missed. Advise Denton tower how you will terminate and intentions on missed. 123: Cleared Denton ILS RWY 18, 2500, advise Denton tower, Mooney 123. 123: Denton tower, Mooney 123 is with you in-bound ILS 18, 7 miles, will end in a missed and then leave your airspace returning to Alliance. Fort Worth Approach: Excellent Mooney 123! That’s just what I want you to tell Denton Tower when you switch frequencies to 119.95. 123: DOH! <edit - I think I could hear the chuckle in his voice ...>

Night IFR in a twin: http://www.ntsb.gov/aviationquery/brief.aspx?ev_id=20131208X92103&key=1, earlier this month, December 2013.

Amazon is your friend. I just picked up a used 2nd Ed. copy at $4.40 including shipping and there are plenty of used copies of first and second edition available at under $10. http://www.amazon.com/Peter-Dogan/e/B001KCSCMA/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1 As for power settings, I have an excel file at home that I'll try to upload later - one more point of reference. Cheers! Carl

Lacee: One thing that I have found to help with check rides or proficiency rides (BFR's/IPC's) is to talk through what I am doing. On my instrument check ride the examiner even commented that he liked that I was "letting him know what was going on." For example, FE says, "Give me a 360 degree steep turn to the right." Me: (I was under the hood) "Three-sixty degree steep to the right. Have you cleared right for me?" FE, "You are clear." Me, "Okay, we are heading one-two-zero, a little rudder and rolling right, 45 degrees, adding a little power, applying back pressure to keep altitude. Trimming to ease pressure. Ninety degrees into turn, correcting altitude a bit. ... Passing through one hundred eighty degrees, adjusting trim. I'll start rollout with a 30 degree lead, rolling out, rudder, adjusting trim..." etc. Use your judgment, but I think this has helped me and I continue to do it when out practicing manuvers by myself. (I just can't always be point A to point B, not even in the Mooney.) Carl