Crappy weather blues...

[Houman]

Well, I thought I would be flying every chance I get during the holidays, that has been exactly 0 till now, freaking f... crappy weather, everything from fog to completely covered for days on end, and when there is a hint of sunshine, the cross winds are like 25 to 34 kts, it has been like this since Friday afternoon when I finally got on vacation.

 

Sorry, had to vent a bit... back to my IFR ground course reading materials and some eggnog...

[DAVIDWH]

Understand Santa put his sleigh down at 11:35 pm in Jackson Ms. last night. 400 overcast with

 

30 knot crosswinds. Donner was a bit agitated, but Rudolph and Santa continued to party on.

 

Now Montreal, that's a different story.

[aviatoreb]

Well, I thought I would be flying every chance I get during the holidays, that has been exactly 0 till now, freaking f... crappy weather, everything from fog to completely covered for days on end, and when there is a hint of sunshine, the cross winds are like 25 to 34 kts, it has been like this since Friday afternoon when I finally got on vacation.

 

Sorry, had to vent a bit... back to my IFR ground course reading materials and some eggnog...

 

I feel your pain - and so close as you know.  If it makes you feel any better - I have been canceling commercial pilot check rides since the beginning of December when I got the sign off to take the final test.  5 times cancelled for weather and once cancelled for a sick kid I had to stay home for.  Its hard getting sharp and ready for a check ride, studying all the crazy faa material and then having to reschedule - again and again.

[Houman]

Good luck in your check ride Erik, hope the weather improves for your flight...

[flyboy0681]

Well, I thought I would be flying every chance I get during the holidays, that has been exactly 0 till now, freaking f... crappy weather, everything from fog to completely covered for days on end, and when there is a hint of sunshine, the cross winds are like 25 to 34 kts, it has been like this since Friday afternoon when I finally got on vacation.

 

Sorry, had to vent a bit... back to my IFR ground course reading materials and some eggnog...

 

 

If the winds die down and the overcast persists, I would recommend going up with your instructor to get hands-on experience in flying approaches in IMC. It's one thing to practice under the hood but an entirely different experience in the real stuff.

[aviatoreb]

If the winds die down and the overcast persists, I would recommend going up with your instructor to get hands-on experience in flying approaches in IMC. It's one thing to practice under the hood but an entirely different experience in the real stuff.

 

A lot of the IMC can be real ice practice if not careful this time of year.  That is not good practice.

[gsxrpilot]

The weather here in Austin on this Christmas day is about perfect for flying. It's cold, clear, with a stiff breeze right down the runway.  But the house is full of family from out of town, and if they weren't here, we've still got boxes stacked in the garage from the move into the new house over the weekend. And they won't unpack themselves. 

 

Regardless, come Sunday, we're off to Valle de Bravo in Mexico with the hang gliders for some flying of a different sort.

 

Here's wishing everyone some airtime before we all go back to work and start it all over again in 2015.

[yvesg]

Preparing my short Florida trip. If all goes to plan, will take off tomorrow early. Can't wait to get some nice weather (heat) and beach time.

Yves

[eman1200]

Yeah WX can be aggravating. It's been kinda nasty round here but I was lucky enough to get out today for some pattern work.

[aviatoreb]

The weather here in Austin on this Christmas day is about perfect for flying. It's cold, clear, with a stiff breeze right down the runway.  But the house is full of family from out of town, and if they weren't here, we've still got boxes stacked in the garage from the move into the new house over the weekend. And they won't unpack themselves. 

 

Regardless, come Sunday, we're off to Valle de Bravo in Mexico with the hang gliders for some flying of a different sort.

 

Here's wishing everyone some airtime before we all go back to work and start it all over again in 2015.

 

Show off!

[aviatoreb]

Good luck in your check ride Erik, hope the weather improves for your flight...

 

Thanks.  Well - its not like thee hasn't been unflyable weather all this time.  Its just that each time we schedule a check ride....

[Houman]

Have fun Yves... !!!!

[Houman]

Erik, if the weather improves on the weekend, I was going to fly to the states, maybe if you are free I can drop by and have a coffee and talk Rockets !!!! if not, then another time !!!

[chrisk]

The weather here in Austin on this Christmas day is about perfect for flying. It's cold, clear, with a stiff breeze right down the runway.  But the house is full of family from out of town, and if they weren't here, we've still got boxes stacked in the garage from the move into the new house over the weekend. And they won't unpack themselves. 

 

Regardless, come Sunday, we're off to Valle de Bravo in Mexico with the hang gliders for some flying of a different sort.

 

Here's wishing everyone some airtime before we all go back to work and start it all over again in 2015.

 

The weather is perfect in Austin!  65 degrees and clear blue skys.  Unfortunately I can not move from over eating and drinking a few glasses of wine.  --I love Christmas.  If the weather is good tomorrow, I'm going up to work on commercial maneuvers.

[Danb]

Erik you've gotta try to get in before classes start and your wx gets real nasty....yrs ago when I took my instrument check ride I cxed it a few times and ended taking it on a windy day..at least it was all worth it. Good luck..

[aviatoreb]

Erik, if the weather improves on the weekend, I was going to fly to the states, maybe if you are free I can drop by and have a coffee and talk Rockets !!!! if not, then another time !!!

 

I would love to take you for coffee talk in Potsdam talk about rockets.  Weather should be reasonable in the weekend - we have the same weather you and I - 30nm between us - it will take longer for you to land and talk to the nice border agents in Massena than to actually fly.

 

Sat and Sun are both reasonable weather and schedule - I have family in town but I can certainly take a couple of hours out - please drop me a PM and we can arrange.

[aviatoreb]

Erik you've gotta try to get in before classes start and your wx gets real nasty....yrs ago when I took my instrument check ride I cxed it a few times and ended taking it on a windy day..at least it was all worth it. Good luck..

 

I know - I know!  I was oh so close in October, then November, then December....   I'll get er done.  Eventually - Right now I have family in town and bad weather...  I have a reschedule now for Jan 5 - one day before my classes start.  HOPEFULLY that's the day we make the flight.  Thanks for good luck - at this point the good luck I need is mostly for weather, eh?

 

In past years, at some point snow usually makes a week or two where I can't fit down the taxiways with my low wings between snow birms.  With today's melt its hard to imagine that will be a problem - but anything can happen between now and Jan 5.

 

Right now - I am simply not going to fly until next week and take a break and then maybe fly 3 times or so next week in prep for the 5th.

[Cyril Gibb]

If the winds die down and the overcast persists, I would recommend going up with your instructor to get hands-on experience in flying approaches in IMC. It's one thing to practice under the hood but an entirely different experience in the real stuff.

I'll second that.  I spent 4 days IFR training last week flying from Waterloo to Tennessee, Missouri, Wisconsin and back to Waterloo doing multiple approaches, misses and holds (published and unpublished) on each leg, both precision and non-precision. Many were very close to minimums and IFR conditions existed almost the whole trip.  Visibility was so bad in Waterloo on the way out that there was a ground stop.  Had to wait 2 hours to improve to taxi and takeoff minima.

We also deliberately chose awkward and busy situations including high traffic areas.  My somewhat sadistic instructor often threw in a few simulated equipment failures at critical times.

I feel REALLY comfortable and confident now. Much more than I did with my previous under-the-hood time.  Next step is to "train for the test".

[bonal]

I've been on vacation since thanksgiving and have been grounded due to weather for the whole month except for a couple local rounds to keep the cobwebs from forming and finally a nice day that allowed for a 1.5 hr trip to pick up a friends daughter from college. The wind kicked up we have super clear but it knocked down the fence so I'm out in the mud to fix. Bummer

[Marauder]

I've been on vacation since thanksgiving and have been grounded due to weather for the whole month except for a couple local rounds to keep the cobwebs from forming and finally a nice day that allowed for a 1.5 hr trip to pick up a friends daughter from college. The wind kicked up we have super clear but it knocked down the fence so I'm out in the mud to fix. Bummer

I want your job!

Let's see...

1) Been on "vacation" since Thanksgiving. If this were me, I would be calling it a "lay off".

2) You are picking up a friend's college age daughter. I'm not even going to comment on this... Imagination will...

3) You're fixing a fence knocked down by the wind. I would rather be doing that than trying to make up $1.2M of slowed sales due to unfavorable seasonality.

Can I have your life

[bonal]

I want your job!

Let's see...

1) Been on "vacation" since Thanksgiving. If this were me, I would be calling it a "lay off".

32 years at the same company its a good job for sure but unbelievable stress

2) You are picking up a friend's college age daughter. I'm not even going to comment on this... Imagination will...

My wife's friend and she went with

3) You're fixing a fence knocked down by the wind. I would rather be doing that than trying to make up $1.2M of slowed sales due to unfavorable seasonality.

I am lucky that my job provides steady income but I will never be wealthy from it. A real middle class success story.

Can I have your life

[blaine beaven]

I'm hoping the weather holds - I need to ferry a Supercub from CYAV to CZBA (basically Winnipeg to Toronto) in the next couple days. I expect to freeze most anything not covered up, and I'm getting used to +150kt. Not sure how much I will enjoy the 95mph in the Supercub. At least I don't have the tundra tires or floats on it for this trip.

Stay warm everyone!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[N9405V]

I'll top your misery.... Bought a new to me Mooney at the end of September, between maintenance issues and the insurance check out requirementS, I didn't get signed off until the Monday before thanksgiving to fly by myself. Then I got the flu for two weeks, had to get the annual done, and then the holidays were here. I was able to sneak one flight in on the 15th and am heading out the door right now to go fly, but it her than that, it's been crummy weather or family/work obligations....