Instrument Rating

[Brandontwalker]

It was long overdue, but I finally got my instrument rating yesterday. I had a flight scheduled for this morning for business. Without the rating, the flight would have been scrapped and I would have spent 8+ hours in the car today. With the rating, off we go.

 

 

 

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[Bryan]

Taken and passed my written and working on my practical (in the air) in my new 231.   Look forward to being able to fly in a lot more weather.

[Guest]

Congratulations on your new rating!  Your flights will be faster if you get those ailerons rigged.

Clarence

[Brian Scranton]

Congrats!!!! 

[carusoam]

Way to go Brandon!

Did you get to fly the approaches on the business trip?

Best regards,

-a-

[Brandontwalker]

Way to go Brandon!

Did you get to fly the approaches on the business trip?

Best regards,

-a-

I did not. I broke out at around 3,500 on the way there. I thought I was going to have to fly the approach coming home, but ATC had a pirep and cleared me to descend to 2,500 (ATIS was reporting 1,400) where I broke out and flew the visual.

 

 

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[Brandontwalker]

Congratulations on your new rating!  Your flights will be faster if you get those ailerons rigged.
Clarence

It does appear the ailerons are rigged in reflex now. Is rigging ailerons a big undertaking and what kind of gains would you expect? I haven't worried about it to this point because I'm truing at 159-160kts and have been pretty happy with that.


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[rbridges]

Congrats on the instrument rating!  That's quite an accomplishment.

[flight2000]

Congrats!   I don't know about you, but I'm always disappointed when I can't end an IFR flight with an approach...same thing happened to me yesterday, broke out at 2,000 and flew the visual the rest of the way in.  Should have just said I'm still IMC and done the approach anyway... 

Brian

[peevee]

Just now, flight2000 said:

Congrats!   I don't know about you, but I'm always disappointed when I can't end an IFR flight with an approach...same thing happened to me yesterday, broke out at 2,000 and flew the visual the rest of the way in.  Should have just said I'm still IMC and done the approach anyway... 

Brian

I can't remember the last time I flew an approach because I needed to. Usually it's up and over and clear when I get to where I'm going

[gsxrpilot]

Your was probably typical of 95% of instrument flights. You'll take off into weather that is keeping all the VFR birds on the ground. Then you'll cruise in the bright sunlight and smooth air to your destination and finally be disappointed that it's just a simple visual approach that gets you back on the ground.

But you flew it instead of driving it! Congrats on the rating. I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I do mine.

[gsengle]

Your was probably typical of 95% of instrument flights. You'll take off into weather that is keeping all the VFR birds on the ground. Then you'll cruise in the bright sunlight and smooth air to your destination and finally be disappointed that it's just a simple visual approach that gets you back on the ground.
But you flew it instead of driving it! Congrats on the rating. I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I do mine.

Exactly, actual instrument flight is for the most part, as long as you don't set off into unreasonable weather, a lot more pleasant and easier than being under the hood!


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[flight2000]

1 hour ago, peevee said:

I can't remember the last time I flew an approach because I needed to. Usually it's up and over and clear when I get to where I'm going

So how are you staying current?  My preference is to fly in actual IMC conditions versus under the hood to meet the currency requirements.  That can be a little dicey in Reno given it's either severe clear or just off the charts type WX with wind shear/icing/turbulence....that's why I was disappointed in myself for not flying the approach yesterday just south of Portland, OR.  I imagine that the WX on the front range is just about the same for the most part, but you guys tend to get the big boomers more than we do out here.  Can't remember the last time we saw a T-Storm blow through Reno.

Cheers,

Brian

[peevee]

When you live in an area with icing all winter and thunderstorms and ice in the summer it's a challenge in a non fiki airplane. 

Usually hood and simulator.

We had some good IFR weather this week but the plane was down for MX.

[flight2000]

Just now, peevee said:

When you live in an area with icing all winter and thunderstorms and ice in the summer it's a challenge in a non fiki airplane.

Ain't that the truth.  I'm looking forward to moving back to the east coast next month, if I can get around those pesky midwest storms... 

At least you have a turbo to help get above some of the crud.  I was running out of steam getting up to FL160 yesterday, but that was out of the clouds (tops were at 150) and I was almost 450 pounds under gross, so that helped.  That's the highest I've flown so far and probably where I'll top out in the future as well. 

Cheers,

Brian

[peevee]

1 hour ago, flight2000 said:

Ain't that the truth.  I'm looking forward to moving back to the east coast next month, if I can get around those pesky midwest storms... 

At least you have a turbo to help get above some of the crud.  I was running out of steam getting up to FL160 yesterday, but that was out of the clouds (tops were at 150) and I was almost 450 pounds under gross, so that helped.  That's the highest I've flown so far and probably where I'll top out in the future as well. 

Cheers,

Brian

Dunno how you take the heat. I flat refuse to fly after about noon around here, partly heat, partly storms.

[flight2000]

17 minutes ago, peevee said:

Dunno how you take the heat. I flat refuse to fly after about noon around here, partly heat, partly storms.

I tinted the rear passenger and baggage area windows with Gila Peel and Cling (bought at Lowe's) and it made a huge difference.  I also use the IceBox Portable A/C unit (http://switchboxcontrol.com/icebox/).  That's the only way to fly in the summer out here if you can handle the bumps from all of the thermal's.  Most of the time, I'm targeting getting airborne no later than 8 am.

http://csobeech.com/windowtint.html

Brian

[peevee]

hey, that's in KUAO. Been there a bunch.

[flight2000]

Yep, just dropped the plane off yesterday for the new Lynx NGT-9000 and PMA450 audio panel install. 

[peevee]

Just now, flight2000 said:

Yep, just dropped the plane off yesterday for the new Lynx NGT-9000 and PMA450 audio panel install. 

how is it since they opened the tower? I haven't been in a couple years.

Got my private at KMMV down the road and have family close so I still go back once in awhile.

[flight2000]

Should have included a link to the Gila Static Cling window tinting I used.  Fairly easy to apply once you get over the first window learning curve....

https://www.lowes.com/pd/GILA-36-in-W-x-78-in-L-Black-Privacy-Control-Static-Cling-Window-Film/1065343

No reason to think it won't work on the Mooney's windows.

Brian

[flight2000]

Just now, peevee said:

how is it since they opened the tower? I haven't been in a couple years.

Got my private at KMMV down the road and have family close so I still go back once in awhile.

No real issues and pretty friendly.  Made closing the IFR flight plan easier and will make getting the clearance going out easier too....

Lot of jet traffic in there yesterday. 

[peevee]

Just now, flight2000 said:

Should have included a link to the Gila Static Cling window tinting I used.  Fairly easy to apply once you get over the first window learning curve....

https://www.lowes.com/pd/GILA-36-in-W-x-78-in-L-Black-Privacy-Control-Static-Cling-Window-Film/1065343

No reason to think it won't work on the Mooney's windows.

Brian

I like the idea of having something we can remove if we want. I'll pick some up.

[peevee]

Just now, flight2000 said:

No real issues and pretty friendly.  Made closing the IFR flight plan easier and will make getting the clearance going out easier too....

Lot of jet traffic in there yesterday. 

P08 could always hear you on the ground there, getting a clearance never was too hard. It's been a busy little airport since the training at hillsboro ramped up I guess.

[Browncbr1]

+1 on Gila static cling tint.  Huge difference.  

Regarfing the IR, it's pretty awesome not being a nervous wreck watching weather constantly.   This morning, I made a trip from East TN to NE Ohio that I wouldn't have been able to do safely vfr.    The IR helps this time of year, but other times it's kind of useless due to ice.