2015 the year of IMC in Texas

[gsxrpilot]

I was going through my log book transferring everything to electronic format. And I was surprised at how much work went into getting my Instrument ticket. But I sure am glad I put in the work and got it. An Instrument Rating and an IFR certified Mooney has allowed for plenty of flying this year in Texas. Austin has had more rain days than Seattle this year. And I've only flown a couple of times in 2015 where I wasn't IMC at some point.  This is not hard IFR. In fact I've only logged two actually IMC approaches. But with low ceilings almost every day since the first of the year, the Instrument rating and a good IFR platform makes the difference between going by air or going by ground. And the Mooney, even my M20C, makes such a solid IFR platform, it would be a shame to fly a Mooney that wasn't IFR equipped.

 

My wife and I made a quick trip this Memorial day weekend out to the Big Bend area of Texas. Flying west on Saturday we were IMC for almost an hour. And were between layers the rest of the time. (The Stratus 2 paid for its self on this trip.) We opted to come back Sunday night to avoid the forecast 100% chance of Thunderstorms on Monday. Even so, there was a layer to descend through before breaking out for an easy visual approach and nighttime landing back home.

 

I'm sure at some point this summer, we will be back to VFR here in Texas. But almost half why through, 2015 has been the year of IMC.

[IndyTim]

It took me a bunch of hours as well. My IFR training was complicated by my working on projects on 4 different regions of the country, so by the time it was all done I had had seven different instructors for the IFR ticket alone.

A Mooney and an IFR rating go together like peas and carrots though - hard to do long corss countries and stay VFR all the time, unless you live in the southwest. Except this year - holy smokes it's been crappy.

[Parker_Woodruff]

This weather has been awful. I forget what a sunny day is.

[Rhumbline]

...man-made-global-warming...

[M016576]

It took me a bunch of hours as well. My IFR training was complicated by my working on projects on 4 different regions of the country, so by the time it was all done I had had seven different instructors for the IFR ticket alone.

A Mooney and an IFR rating go together like peas and carrots though - hard to do long corss countries and stay VFR all the time, unless you live in the southwest. Except this year - holy smokes it's been crappy.

So true- I've logged more actual in the last two weeks than in the last year!

[Openwheeler3]

Yep. About an hour ago I completed an RNAV approach into Killeen after a 6 hour flight from KY.

[bonal]

Just sitting here waiting for the fog to burn off so we can fly out to the coast and look for whales. If it don't clear then a trip to the Nut Tree for lunch is always a sure thing. Looking over Dallas on Fore flight looks crazy

[DonMuncy]

The weather in Dallas is crazy. In the last month, I don't think we have had more than 1 day without a forecast possibility of rain or worse.

[chrisk]

I also came back on Sunday to avoid the 100% chance of thunder storms that are now pelting the Austin area.  Glad you made it back yesterday, and are not flying now!

[jlunseth]

I have my instrument ticket too, and have about 900 hours in the 231 mostly on long cross country trips.  Glad to have the instrument ticket for sure.  But I don't get much actual time.  Maybe .1 or .2 going up through the deck and back down.  It is better on top.  Have to bring the suntan lotion though.

[markejackson02]

I'm in south Houston.  Considering floats for the 201....

[ArtVandelay]

I have my instrument ticket too, and have about 900 hours in the 231 mostly on long cross country trips. Glad to have the instrument ticket for sure. But I don't get much actual time. Maybe .1 or .2 going up through the deck and back down. It is better on top. Have to bring the suntan lotion though.

Is there anyone that just plows thru? Other than a bouncy ride, I be afraid of running into a developing thunderstorm. IMC is one thing...if convective activity is predicted I must be able to see.

[Hank]

I plow through when I have to, but not when there are embedded CBs around. That's part of why I'm upgrading my Stormscope, to get better realtime information.

 

My longest ride in the soup was roundtrip from HTW to BNA and back; we broke out on final approach at BNA, then shot an approach into HTS, broke out around 2200 msl and went back to HTW without needing to hitch a ride [no approaches at my former home field due to tall trees on each end]. Call it just over 2 hours each way, with occasional brief views of other clouds out past the wings. The icing forecast kept me from looking for the tops, I stayed several thousand below it. The ride was very, very smooth.

[IndyTim]

Is there anyone that just plows thru? Other than a bouncy ride, I be afraid of running into a developing thunderstorm. IMC is one thing...if convective activity is predicted I must be able to see.

I plow through when I have to, and this year I've had to on almost every trip it seems. But I watch then stormscope carefully, and clear it regularly especially after a change in heading. I stay at least 20 miles, usually more, away from strikes.

But if I can, I stay in the clear where I can see what's coming, and work my way around bug cells. Especially if I have passengers since they don't like turbulence in GA planes.

[IndyTim]

I plow through when I have to, but not when there are embedded CBs around. That's part of why I'm upgrading my Stormscope, to get better realtime information.

My longest ride in the soup was roundtrip from HTW to BNA and back; we broke out on final approach at BNA, then shot an approach into HTS, broke out around 2200 msl and went back to HTW without needing to hitch a ride [no approaches at my former home field due to tall trees on each end]. Call it just over 2 hours each way, with occasional brief views of other clouds out past the wings. The icing forecast kept me from looking for the tops, I stayed several thousand below it. The ride was very, very smooth.

Hank, what are you doing with your scope? I'm interested in improvements in the storm tracking function. Although I was just thinking yesterday, on my flight from Amarillo to Springfield MO, how much I valued my WX-10. It is much better than ADSB WX for providing realtime data about convective activity. *Together* with ADSB, it's a decent method for seeing the big picture and weather system movement combined with reasonably precise storm cell detection.

[Hank]

Hank, what are you doing with your scope? I'm interested in improvements in the storm tracking function. Although I was just thinking yesterday, on my flight from Amarillo to Springfield MO, how much I valued my WX-10. It is much better than ADSB WX for providing realtime data about convective activity. *Together* with ADSB, it's a decent method for seeing the big picture and weather system movement combined with reasonably precise storm cell detection.

I'm upgrading from WX-10 to WX-950. Guess I'll either trade the -10 or sell it.

[IndyTim]

I'm upgrading from WX-10 to WX-950. Guess I'll either trade the -10 or sell it.

Heading stabilization would certainly be good to have - the 950 is definitely a step up.

[Parker_Woodruff]

I'm pretty sure that storm just parked itself over my house last night.

[gsxrpilot]

It hit Austin about 2am and VERY slooooowly moved through. It was still raining at 6am this morning.

[IndyTim]

Wait a minute, I thought TX was a place full of dusty gulches and tumbleweeds.

[DonMuncy]

Tim,

You obviously have never lived in Texas. I have been here virtually my whole life, and every time I think I have something about the weather figured out, it will fool me.

[gsxrpilot]

According to the National Weather Service, Texas got 53 Trillion gallons of rain in the month of May. Thats enough to cover the entire state, 8" deep. Which means we're almost out of the drought.

 

There is a 40% chance of rain tonight in Austin and 70% chance for tomorrow.

[bonal]

I was thinking about all you guys based in Texas and around that have been getting slammed by this terrible weather I hope all your Mooney's are safe and sound. My prayers to those that have suffered loss during this inclament time.

[gsxrpilot]

There are some terrible pictures in this thread from POA.  http://www.pilotsofamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=82593 T74 - Taylor, TX just on the outskirts of Austin got hammered. There's a lot of ruined airplanes in those hangers. 

[IndyTim]

Tim,You obviously have never lived in Texas. I have been here virtually my whole life, and every time I think I have something about the weather figured out, it will fool me.

Attempt at humor - I fly to or through TX about every week. Lots of wet stuff down there.