Today's flight for 2018

[tigers2007]

Lots of ice still lurking on the Great Lakes. It didn’t make it in this frame but a USCG ice breaker was making its way toward the Mackinac bridge.

Flew a friend down to Charlevoix to see a physician. Nice clear perfect day.

Now I need to deal with freezing temps and this problem:



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[Yooper Rocketman]

We got an early start to Florida this morning.  We got off at 5 AM and landed at Milan TN before 8 AM.   Spent some time with Brad, owner of the paint/body/ interior shop making decisions on a ton of questions on my Lancair.  We were off before 9:30 and landed at Spruce Creek FL 2 1/2 hours later.   At least we saw some tailwinds this trip down.  

A couple pictures near Chicago as the sun rose and a bit of tailwind on the TN to Florida leg.

Tom

[KLRDMD]

This morning's flight, Tucson to San Carlos Apache (KAVQ-P13).

[BradB]

Erie, PA was hit by another good snowstorm last night - surprise, surprise.    The power was out all day.  My daughter’`s poor kitten was staying with me this week.  Without any hair, it is hard for her to stay warm.    By afternoon, the sky was clear.  I flew myself to Chicago Executive from Erie.  From there it was a 15 minute Uber ride to O’Hare to grab a commercial flight to Seattle.   I’ll hang with friends there before reversing the trip.   It was a great smooth day for flying.  FL220. And compliments from the tower controller about helping out with speeds during the approach .  Always makes you feel good.   These plans were made at 11:30 PM last night.  I am on the flight to Seattle now.   Love the flexibility of GA.  #whyifly

 

 

[bradp]

As alluded to in another thread I took a trip to Tx last weekend for a work meeting.  Ended up going SWA as the weather was generally crap and unpredictable (when the forecast discussion is mentioning a handful of models and saying like 3/5 agree on X so we’ll forecast Y).  I’m actually glad I went commercial this time.  Flying into Austin and the close proximity to SAT allowed me to visit my family there as well. 

 

Pictures of embedded TS at FL380 below...

However - I did get to fly after my return. I headed up for the mail run trip to pick up our little one.  Again - unpredictable weather ahead of the cold front that ended up bringing that nor’easter to the coast.  The TAFs were calling for LYH to go IFR during the late evening hours but the RDU area to hold at least MVFR until the wee hours.   However reality was opposite.  The evening TAFs came out after I arrived at LYH and were now saying that central VA would stay VFR with a nice little inversion layer and temp dew points of 6-degrees or so.  Skew-t models looked in agreement.  RDU was supposed to be MVFR/IFR throughout the evening ... but the temp dew point spreads were 0 across the region and some light rain showers were peppering the area with moisture which is a harbinger for LIFR. So when I departed LYH for TTA the destination had BKN ceilings at 1000, and then this happened:  

METAR KTTA 010255Z AUTO 01003KT 2 1/2SM +DZ OVC004 10/10 A2999 RMK AO2 P0004 60006 T00960096=

SA01/03/2018 02:35->

METAR KTTA 010235Z AUTO 00000KT 2 1/2SM +DZ SCT002 OVC006 10/10 A3000 RMK AO2 P0003 T00970096=

SA01/03/2018 02:15->

METAR KTTA 010215Z AUTO 00000KT 2 1/2SM +DZ BKN002 BKN006 OVC009 10/10 A2999 RMK AO2 P0002 T00970096=

SA01/03/2018 01:55->

METAR KTTA 010155Z AUTO 01003KT 5SM +DZ BKN008 OVC016 10/10 A3001 RMK AO2 P0001 T00960095=

SA01/03/2018 01:35->

METAR KTTA 010135Z AUTO 02003KT 4SM +DZ BKN008 BKN013 OVC018 10/10 A3001 RMK AO2 P0001 T00970095=

SA01/03/2018 01:15->

METAR KTTA 010115Z AUTO 00000KT 5SM DZ BKN010 OVC013 10/10 A3001 RMK AO2 P0001 T00980096=

SA01/03/2018 00:55->

METAR KTTA 010055Z AUTO 00000KT 5SM +RA BKN008 BKN026 OVC036 10/10 A3002 RMK AO2 P0001 T00990096=

 

I decided  that since the weather was nice VFR at LYH, it’s less than an hour and I had plenty of gas (a plan A, B and C), was proficient and rested, no external pressures, and I’d continue southbound and “take a peak” at TTA.  

The long and skinny is that I landed with a 400 ft ceiling and about 2 miles visibility.  Private pilot ground school was just letting out so I had an audience that I’m sure they thought I had broke every IMSAFE letter - but it’s much more nuanced than that.   

Things from my self-debrief:

1) it’s hard to trend in real time.  Much easier to see what’s coming in retrospect with regard to dropping ceilings.  I also had a gut feeling that things weren’t going to be as forecast when I was preflighting the plane.  Trust the gut.  No firm plans in this game.

2) I had 5 hrs of gas and knew exactly where the good VFR was without any pressure to get home. Nice if I did but not critical.  Warm bed waiting for me either way.  That was the most important safety step.  

3) I treated every part of the approach like my life depended on me executing properly and staying well ahead of the aircraft.  My primary out was if I was feeling not up to task I was going to recognize it, abort the Approach, climb to a safe altitude, and go back to VFR-land. I minimized workload and concentrated on flying (ensuring the lights were on, getting phone for cancelling on downwind instead of final, asking for a VTF instead of having to do a hold in lieu, knowing that if I’m 110 kts on downwind I’ll be screaming with the power chopped on final, etc).  No surprises.  

4) I made a pact with myself that I would not under any circumstances go missed and then try to make an approach at an airport close to home with a non-precision approach, bad lighting, and  and a lot of trees on final no matter the weather (IGX is a siren song and just a mile from my house- no thank you). If I wanted to go missed and fly to my alternate it would be to my real alternate - RDU - with better ceilings big runways and much better lighting.  Otherwise back to VFR world up at LYH.  

Anyway that’s my story.   It gives some insight to how my mind works with regard to risk mitigation and weather mins.  I chose not to fly anywhere near a big system with lots of unpredictability and a schedule to keep but had few qualms about flying at night in geographically limited LIFR.  YMMV and so may mine next time - different set of circumstances drive a different calculus wrt risk profile.  

 

[EricJ]

Went to a fly-in today at Casa Grande (KCGZ), and when we went to leave this guy did his run up right next to us.

 

[MIm20c]

On 2/26/2018 at 9:07 PM, tigers2007 said:

Lots of ice still lurking on the Great Lakes. It didn’t make it in this frame but a USCG ice breaker was making its way toward the Mackinac bridge.

Flew a friend down to Charlevoix to see a physician. Nice clear perfect day.

Now I need to deal with freezing temps and this problem:



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I flew around northern lower Michigan last weekend. Could see the tracks where the ice breaker had been around the bridge. Continued up to Drummond Island for lunch.  The airport manager was nice enough to drive the runway before I landed without being asked to.  Parked right next to the snowmobiles and ran to town for a bite to eat. 

I have the same ice problem at my hangar. I’ll need to get a tow with chains on the wheels for next winter. 

[Yooper Rocketman]

Here’s my last weekend and this weekend. A bit of a contrast.  Lake of the Clouds near Lake Superior snowmobiling last weekend and our daily walk on Spruce Creek today.  

Tom

Sorry about the sideways one.  Posting off my IPhone and can’t fix it.  

[EricJ]

17 hours ago, EricJ said:

Went to a fly-in today at Casa Grande (KCGZ), and when we went to leave this guy did his run up right next to us.

 

BTW, this was a hand-built full-size replica with an Allison engine and a solid wood wing.   Very interesting airplane.
 

 

[xcrmckenna]

Started my annual, first thing I had to do was take it for a flight to warm the oil up and be able to get a good compression check. Flew from KTTD to Tillamook, up the coast line to Astoria, back up the Columbia and back to KTTD. Beautiful day for flying.

Tach time from annual to annual is 130.4 hours, very surprised for my first year.


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[neilpilot]

This maybe a bit off topic, since the flight was yesterday and on Ryanair from EGC Bergerac, France to London Stansted.  We arrive early so I decided to check out the GA ramp at EGC.  There were 4 aircraft, all prop and 3 of them single engine.  Two of the 4 were French registered Mooneys.  I know M20s are popular in Europe due to relative fuel economy, but 50% of the ramp, admittedly a small sample.  One was F-HAZK, and I think the other was F-GSRL.  One of the 2 M20s departed while our B737-800 was loading.

[bradp]

Got the magic carpet utility out of the Mooney yesterday.   Big cold front (I’m sorry New Englanders) that had stiff winds and convective LLWS all over the place. 

Flew the little one to her grandparents house TTA to LYH.  +/-15 Kts on final and 20 kts or so across the runway.  The little one loved the bumps - big smile on her face when stuff in the cabin had little vertical excursions.   Wind was coming over the mountains and we get mini-rotors on the Lee side of the Appalachian and Blue Ridge.  Fun to see my ground speed dip from 130kts on downwind to 60-something on base.   It was fun to see a pretty impressive  crab angle that evened out nicely by short final.  Dead on centerline with plenty or rudder, but my father in law of course asked me whether I liked my first or second landing better.  ;-).  Got to see osprey #1 getting a hot fuel.  Also got to see plenty of UAA pireps including something concerning out towards my evening destination:  

DPL UUA /OV ISO225020/TM 2013/FL015/TP E135/TB MOD-SEV/RM CANNOT HOLD ALTITUDE VERTICAL STRAT CLOUD INDICATE POSSIBLE SEV TURB 030

Back home to dinner with the Mrs.  Flew to IGX Chapel Hill and had a good chat with the airport manager about the state of he airport and the latest efforts to keep it open. He also gave a shoutout to @mccdeuce for his efforts to save the airport.  This landing offered another set of challenges in the runway was relatively shielded by a line of trees but the wind sock on the same side of the tree line was pointing to the trees.  Windsock other side of the runway with the prevailing wind away from the trees.  Another case of a wind river spilling over ... chose your own adventure as the right crosswind became a left crosswind below the treeline.  Apparently opsreys have landed at IGX before, but none sighted today.   I did get to see a King Air 200 returning from a “spring break” trip from the West Coast with n=1 pax.  I wish...  I wish I was flying that thing ;-P

Off I go again for a gorgeous night flight.  All the mixing smoothed out once the sun went down and what a joy to have a 26 kt tailwind - a fun crabbed angle to follow the magenta line and a nice landing at ILM.  Osprey sighting number 2- this one had a bad transmission and was sitting looking sad on the ramp.

Next week it will be pretty much the same trip in reverse.  Go little Mooney go.  

 

[Skates97]

2 hours ago, bradp said:

Got the magic carpet utility out of the Mooney yesterday.   Big cold front (I’m sorry New Englanders) that had stiff winds and convective LLWS all over the place. 

Flew the little one to her grandparents house TTA to LYH.  +/-15 Kts on final and 20 kts or so across the runway.  The little one loved the bumps - big smile on her face when stuff in the cabin had little vertical excursions.    

My 13 yo loves the bumps. If they are good enough that his back side is coming out of the seat and I have to tighten his seat belt they put an extra big smile on his face.

[Yooper Rocketman]

We flew back to the U.P. today from Spruce Creek, Florida.  Argh......40-70 knot heads winds the whole way.  We made it down a couple weeks ago, with a pretty good detour to Milan TN to check on the Lancair paint and interior project, in just over 5 hours.  Well, those winds apparently hadn't let up since then.  It was 7.5 hours hours home.  Guess I would have been 12 in the old F model (or under 5 in the Lancair)... so be it.  It's more hours added to the logbook, it was good weather and I love flying.

First photo is my failed attempt to have one of my son's friends try to convince his parents (his dad and I coached competitive soccer together for 10 years) the boys were standing in front of Tom and Beth's new Florida home.  My son is on the right, with his 3 buddies that came down for a week of winter relief from the beautiful Green Bay March weather.  BTW, my soccer coaching partner didn't buy the stunt for a second.

I took a picture of the shore line of Daytona Beach on our way out as the sun was rising.  The picture doesn't do justice as the clouds scattered across the bottom half of the sun in the picture were amazing.  I shot of few of the Blue Ridge Mountains as we were approaching Knoxville.  Some snow on the peaks (and some clouds down in the hills) looking out Beth's window.  First time in a long time we were looking at this terrain from a breathable altitude.  Very nice.  Final picture was in front of my hangar this afternoon.  Yep.....the snow is still here.

Tom

[Yooper Rocketman]

Just for grins I planned the exact flight we did today, going back to Florida, for 90 minutes from now as a departure time, and it would be 4:08 in the Rocket and 3:02 in the Lancair, both non-stop.   Winter winds are great if you’re flying with them on your tail instead of the nose. 

Tom

[bradp]

Tom at what altitude did you fly the Rocket back to the UP? 

[Yooper Rocketman]

10k to 12k until crossing Lake Michigan.  Asked for FL180 but it was not available so took 16k across with 75 knot headwind until we could get back down.  We were still seeing 55 knots on the nose at 6k north of Green Bay.  

[Raptor05121]

I took my nieces and nephews flying. The taller one is following in my footsteps and is about to get his Student Certificate to start training with my CFI. I take him with me all the time and he is a great co-pilot. He's already got the Mooney bug for sure. Pretty sure he knows my V-speeds better than I do.

Edited March 16, 2018 by Raptor05121

[bonal]

The weather has been great for our water supply but not so for this VFR guy.  Today looked promising but the clouds were moving in and our supply run was not critical and had to spend some time switching ours with our hangar partner none other than Paul Loewen and his 252 by the time we got that done I was set to give it up but really needed to get Snoopy back in the air. My wife bless her heart said why not just fly around the patch for a while and I'll take some pics.  So out over the lake for some practice aviating get things up to temperature and back for a not to shabby landing. Hopefully the weather will improve soon.

[Andy95W]

That really is a nice looking D/C model.

[bonal]

Thanks Andy

[Yetti]

Because sunsets

 

[tigers2007]

Because sunsets
 

What kind of camera did you use?


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[Yetti]

Google Pixel cell phone camera.  

[Oldguy]

... and sunrises. On the way to KLAL this morning. 

And our new hangar there.