A Perfect Day for IFR Practice

[donkaye]

Sometimes being located in California has its benefits, and today provided one of them.  In the summertime coastal fog provides a good opportunity to go out and practice approaches in actual conditions.  Although unusual, this autumn day was even better with a thick layer of fog.  With a nearly 30°F inversion the cool fog was held in in the Monterey Bay and tops were 1,700 feet with bases from 500 feet near Monterey to 700 feet near Salinas.  With four airports nearly on top of each other the opportunity exists for a whole range of approaches.  What really surprised me was that there was not one other airplane taking advantage of this day.  That meant I had one controller nearly to myself.  After doing a couple of new LPV approaches to minimums at Salinas and the required holding, I made things more interesting with the full VOR approach into Salinas, own navigation.  A friend of mine told me that fuel prices at Marina were $6.00/gallon (who would have believed a year ago that that would be the lowest price around), so I ran the LNAV approach and broke out at near minimums for a full stop landing.  

Once on the ground I advised ATC to close my flight plan, told them I was stopping for fuel, and asked them if I could just pick up a clearance from them when I was done without filing, since they would be working me for my next few approaches into Monterey.   They said that would not be a problem.  That was the first time I tried that, and it came off without a hitch when I was ready to leave.  It was sort of like a pop up clearance, but on the ground.  Marina is usually a small quiet airport, but this day a big hangar was open, 50 or more people we hanging around, and I saw a huge electric helicopter in there.  I wish now I had thought about taking a picture, but then again, maybe that would not have been appreciated.

Once ready to go, I called for my clearance, was given a void time, and, shortly thereafter was released.  I finished off my 6 approaches with a couple of ILSs to minimums into Monterey.  After that,  I got a clearance back to San Jose.  Approaching the final approach course for the RNAV Y Rwy 30L, ATC queried my on my speed which was 160 knots.  For the second time this day they told me to slow down by 20 knots (the first time it was 40 knots), an unusual request, since I'm usually requested  to "keep your speed up".

Having upgraded the LHS 100B to the LHS 200C yesterday, I got the altitude callouts, and touched down at the 0 foot callout.  Taxiing back to my hangar,  I was thinking of the great instrument flying day, and all those who missed the opportunity to sharpen up their instrument skills.

[hammdo]

I can't wait for Texas to get a few of those autumn days here! That sounded like a fun day!

-Don

[McMooney]

we had a great one today, too bad i was stuck at work.

[carusoam]

Great pirep of autumn flying Don!

Thanks for sharing the updated pirep for the new version of the LHS!

That WAAS spectacular! 
 

A very motivating post…

Best regards,

-a-

[jlunseth]

Sounds like a great day to fly! My plane comes out of the shop today after install of some new avionics, among them the 200-C. I don’t mean to derail this thread, but I am wondering about your experience with two of the new features. One is that, with a connection to the GPS it is possible to get altitude callouts based on GPS altitude starting at 3,000. It seems to me that might be useful for just exactly what you were doing Don, which is flying approaches. Our typical approaches here in MN start at around 3,000.  The other I am not sure will be as useful is ground speed callouts. This also is derived from the GPS. But the important readouts during an approach and landing are really indicated airspeed - are you doing what is necessary to keep the plane in the air - GS probably only has an effect on how long your rollout is going to be once you are down. Any thoughts?

The LHS really has helped my landings in that last two feet where you have to sort of hold an attitude and wait for the aircraft to settle down. I know I am at 2 feet or 1 foot rather than 5 or something higher, so I can just let it settle on its own.

Edited October 14, 2022 by jlunseth

[Pinecone]

I just had the 200-C installed also.  I did not do the GPS hook.

But first landing was SWEET.

[donkaye]

59 minutes ago, Pinecone said:

I just had the 200-C installed also.  I did not do the GPS hook.

But first landing was SWEET.

I, too, just did the exchange without adding the two wires.  It was going to take the better part of a day to tear into the electonics and my installer didn't have the time.  It only took about 1½ hours to do the simple exchange and get it working as before.  I hope to get the other wires installed in the next few weeks.  There is now an option to have either a male or female voice and the callouts begin at 200 feet.  The audio did need the audio low attached to ground to get the volume to work as before.

[ilovecornfields]

I think the weather today was pretty similar. I got cleared for the ILS 40 miles out.

Anyone have recommendations for shops to install the LHS in California? I got a 16 hour quote from a shop in Lancaster just for the CB and audio wire (not including gear or GPS).

Another shop I’ve used before offered to let me “owner assist” it but I have no idea even how to get the panels off.

[Sue Bon]

I love weather like that. Here in Switzerland, it's called "hochnebel" or high fog. Breaking out on top is just magical  

What is void time?

[donkaye]

36 minutes ago, Sue Bon said:

I love weather like that. Here in Switzerland, it's called "hochnebel" or high fog. Breaking out on top is just magical  

What is void time?

So airspace is not restricted for an unlimited amount of time after a plane is released on an instrument flight plan at an uncontrolled field, ATC gives a specific amount of time for you to takeoff after you are released.  If you're not off by that time your clearance becomes void.  In other words you can't take off.  It usually goes something like this: "N9148W, you're released for takeoff.  Your clearance is void if not off by 1730. Time now 1725.  If not off by 1730 advice ATC by 1800 of your intentions."  If not heard from by 1800 Search and Rescue operation will be initiated.