Flight Aware anomaly!

[KSMooniac]

Here is a puzzling FA track from my flight yesterday:

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N11MH/history/20130812/1745Z/YBKE/KAAO

 

This was a VFR trip that originated in Rifle, CO (KRIL) and terminated in Wichita, KS (KAAO).  Weather in the Rockies was sufficiently dynamic that I chose to fly VFR at 13,500' using routes published on the Colo Pilot's Association map instead of climbing up to 17,000 for IFR routing.  I filed an IFR plan to originated at Black Forest VOR (BRK) near Colorado Springs just in case the weather didn't improve in KS.  Turns out that the skies cleared nicely, so we stayed VFR on flight following at 13,500' burning 7.5 GPH and enjoying 150-166 knot goundspeeds.  Winds were lighter at lower altitudes, so I stayed high and used O2.

 

On the way out there, I filed IFR to get out of KS since we had weather, but had hoped to cancel and go VFR to Rifle.  Turns out the clouds popped in the Rockies before we got there and I stayed IFR and had to go high.  There is a pretty direct route via airways, but they had a 16400' MEA and ATC climbed me to 17,000'.  Density altitude was ~18.5k so I couldn't have gone much higher!  It took a long time to climb up that high of course, but it worked out and I had intermittent IMC and even got a trace dusting of ice in-cloud.  It all worked out, but I really wish I had a turbo!  Fortunately the winds aloft were pretty light and we did not experience updrafts and downdrafts like I've had before.  IFR in the Rockies is not the best choice in a non-turbo single and if it was anything more than scattered clouds I would've landed short and driven the rest of the way in.  Having said that, seeing CO from a Mooney is spectacular!  

[Dave Marten]

You filed IFR to orginate at a VOR. Flightaware can't handle that as it only recognizes airfields so it picked the airfield matching the BRK identifier. Looks like FA tracked your position correctly once you picked up VFR flight following.

 

Ditto the beauty of the CO mountains from a Mooney. Just flew across their recently enroute to OSH.

[KSMooniac]

Ah, that makes sense.  Strange that it won't recognize a VOR, but will recognize an intersection!

 

BTW Dave, my friend Bryan just relocated back to Edwards... you might run into him sooner or later!

[N9453V]

FlightAware will try to match the first location on your route as an airport. The IATA code for YBKE is BRK (same as the Black Forest VOR in CO) which is why that happened. The FlightAware folks know about this issue.

 

-Andrew