Flying IFR - Lesson 59 - A Pre-Checkride With Possibilities

So I pre-flighted N8570F and got ready for today's lesson.  Wind was out of the West gusting at 290-320 around 13-20 knots.

The problem with deciding what we were going to do today is the winds for Friday are forecast to be out of the East.

This means the examiner will not do the route he had originally selected on the day of my oral and discontinued checkride.

The problem is also this:  The VOR at Flint is down for maintenance and will be down until August 12.

The examiner has also not done an instrument checkride with winds out of the East since the VOR dropped on June 21. The upside is this takes out of play the Lapeer VOR-A approach which sucks rocks so that's a good thing.

So it is a bit of an open question as to what he might do for this ride, as he used to use the VOR 18 or 36 with a circle  to land at Flint, do an ILS at Flint and then back to Pontiac for a Partial Panel RNAV or ILS/Localizer approach.

So we tried to prepare for the unexpected by doing the unexpected with the wind out of the west rather than east.

Since the clouds were low around Flint we filed IFR.

Planned a route to 9G2 (Lapeer) to do the RNAV 27 circle to 9 (again there is no actual circle there but the examiner simulates one), then to Flint for the RNAV 18 Circle to 27 and then back to Pontiac for then RNAV 27L and the Localizer Backcourse 27L.

Lapeer comes up pretty quickly after takeoff and we got passed quickly by Detroit Approach to great lakes Approach, but by then we were practically at the initial approach fix.  We got clearance to do the approach and then remain in Flint's Class C and head on 300 degrees to do the Flint approach.

Oh, and we went into IMC conditions as we headed to Lapeer. 

This time I stayed solidly on the instruments, decided the world outside did not exist (in a cloud it really doesn't anyways) and did a good job of controlling the plane.

Did the approach at Lapeer, did a really good circle to 9, and as we had a heckuva tailwind only went lowish on final but had the runway made if I wanted it, and then went missed.

Then went and did the Flint RNAV 18 to 27, into IMC again, then popped out and did another really good circle and went missed.

Then back to Pontiac with an nice tailwind and a bit of bouncing around, with winds swaying from 280-300 and back and forth, and went for the RNAV 27L which went really well, and the Localizer Backcourse which also went really well and did a nice landing to finish it off.

Overall, I'd say it was a very positive flight and I feel ready.

Let's hope for good weather flying conditions, and preferably calm winds from the west on Friday, but I'm confident I can handle whatever he might try to throw at me if winds are from the east as well.

That's 1.8, with .5 actual, 1.0 simulated, 4 approaches, and a very nice landing.

Flying IFR - Lesson 58 - Now With Actual Spatial Disorientation

So today clouds were kinda low and started getting lower as we flew.

The examiner had announced the route we would take for the checkride, assuming the wind is blowing from the west so we did that starting with VFR flight following to Troy and back to Pontiac.

First off to KVLL Troy, where I did a perfect entry into the hold, had announced I was turning inbound, and I then got cancelled off the approach by Detroit Approach due to arriving IFR traffic that got priority.  Flew 360 degrees north for awhile then got vectored back in and did the approach. Overall good but had stayed too close and too high during the circle, but still would have made the landing so it was good enough.  Next time fly a little farther downwind before turning base and I need to announce leaving minimums when I turn base bit other than that it was good.

Next was the RNAV 27L at Pontiac starting at KUHNA.  The approach went pretty much perfectly if I do say so myself.

Then the Localizer Backcourse 27L.  And that's when it began to go sideways, and up and down, too.

Clouds had dropped and at 2,500 feet and we were then in and out of them and I was not comfortable not being an IFR flight in that even if we had ground contact we clearly were not within VFR conditions. I told the instructor I'd rather get an IFR clearance as there was no visibility to the front nor sides at all.

So I got the clearance, climbed to 3,000, then Detroit Approach had me do a turn to 360.  I then got the worst case of spatial disorientation in the turn and climb that I had ever had.  My body, completely irrationally, had become extremely convinced that I was pointed straight up, even though the instruments showed we clearly were not nor had we been before entering IMC. Heading control was crappy as was altitude and even totally focusing on the instruments I was having a ridiculous amount of trouble and could not hold the heading as I normally would off by the tens of degrees and swinging every which way.

That was not good.  Nor was it a particularly pleasant feeling, and that was a bust of an approach.  Finally settled down and got back and lined up and finished it up for a good missed approach but needed to do that again.

Then went to do it again.  

Much better the second time, even in IMC, I had good heading and altitude control.  Much lighter grip on the controls, I then started verbalizing everything and had it right where I wanted it. Not absolutely perfect headings but within range, altitude was good, and I brought it right in for a really nice landing, and all was well.

So yep, still not perfect, probably made my instructor think I completely suck (assuming he doesn't think that already),  and that's rather annoying. Well yet more stuff to work on.

Good actual practice and learning how to deal with unwanted and sudden onset of some impressive spatial disorientation.

That's 1.9 with .7 actual instrument time, .9 simulated, 1 hold, 4 approaches and a really nice landing.  With any luck, only 1 more lesson before the continuation of the checkride.

Flying IFR - Not Exactly The Checkride

So this morning, bright and early, I got up and did all the calculations -- by hand --for a pretend route of flight from KPTK to KMDW via the CCOBB2 Departure and PANGG3 Arrival. That's the preferred route from Pontiac to Chicago Midway per the Chart Supplement, so I could easily defend that choice of route.

Why did I do that route?  Because I was assigned that as the test route for my checkride and today was the day.

That took about a bit over an hour and a half to get all the wind correction, heading adjustment, speed, flight time and fuel burn calculations in for the 2 pages worth of the Nav Log for the flight .  I also calculated time and fuel burn to my selected alternate, KDPA. An eraser and choice language was used quite a bit.

I also drew the route in pencil on the paper Low-Altitude IFR map.

Note that in the real world, you do this in Foreflight or another flight planner application in about a minute, and it will be more accurate.

I had previously done the weight and balance by hand this weekend in preparation for the "flight" and had that all written out and ready to go. Again Foreflight makes that a lot quicker.

I also ran and pulled a full flight brief and downloaded that as well.

Then I had a couple eggs for breakfast and headed to the airport and checked in at DCT and set myself up in the test room at 9.  The test begins at 10, but DCT wants you there an hour early.

Looked like a nice sunny day but with a fair bit of wind. 

Unfortunately DCT didn't have the airplane logbook all tabbed out for the test so that was a major PITA finding everything, especially as it didn't arrive before 10 am.  Very fun and off to a great start.

So I got logged into IACRA, produced all my documentation proving who I was, and that I was qualified to take the IFR checkride and the oral portion of the checkride then began. 

I correctly answered question on what I need to be able to legally fly, what the airplane needs to legally fly, weather, lots of IFR related questions, IFR chart questions, how an altimeter works (it has aneroid wafers inside which is the key answer there) etc.

We went over my flight plan and he ran it and the numbers worked, so I passed my flight planning.

But, I still had a couple brain fades and got stumped on some questions, including this one:

"What is the white D in the black square in the airport diagram at the bottom of the approach plate?"  

I actually knew the answer to this question back in January, but it apparently left my mind in the meantime and never registered that it was gone and needed to be re-memorized. So with all attempts at mind data retrieval failing, I had concede that I had to look it up. 

Yep the D at the top of this diagram:

I proceeded to tell him everything else that was on that entire approach plate not, just this small diagram that was a part of it, but could not remember for the life of me what the fargin' D was for

That D means that declared runway lengths are available to look up for the airport.   So now you know too.  This will clearly make your life better.

As a GA pilot I will never actually use nor need to use declared runway lengths and you don't need them to fly GA IFR, so this is all part of the mind-f___k that is the oral portion of a checkride. They keep asking you stuff until you can't answer it, regardless of its actual utility to show you that you don't know it all. 

I already know rather well that I don't know it all, thank you very much. The stuff I don't know can and does fill volumes.

So, after that bit of demoralization, I then learned I had passed the oral.

I then went out to preflight the plane, and noticed the winds were getting pretty gusty, as I was doing so got a text from my instructor whoi was up flying with another instrument student that the wind gusts were pretty bad, it was very bouncy and turbulent along the route and hard to maintain altitude, and that I should probably discontinue the test at this point.

After all, if turbulence drops or lifts you beyond the 100 foot above, zero below the set altitude you still fail regardles that it was turbulence rather than you that did it.

So what to do?  I had the feeling of get this checkride-over-with-already- warring with the feeling do -not-screw-this up  and I chatted with Mr. B for some advise.  After all, when in doubt, consult a friend.

I also called Flight Service to see what they had and they reported rather gusty at ground level and no sign of it letting up.

I did end up deciding to discontinue as it would have been dumb to go up on a checkride with conditions stacked against me.

Unfortunately, the examiner's next availability is not until July 15, even as tomorrow's weather is forecast to be perfect.  So I will be hoping that July 15 offers better weather. 

So, yet again, this is not over. It's going to take yet more time, require more lessons to maintain proficiency, and as usual take much longer than I would like which seems to be a recurring pattern with my flying instruction.

There's 60 days available in a discontinuance and after that I have to do the whole thing again and pay a whole 'nother full fee for it, so I'm hoping I get an opening and decent weather at the same time in the next 60 days, which is gonna be hard as he's booked solid.

There may be an end to this, but it sure ain't here yet.

Flying IFR - Lesson 57- Can You Hold Please?

Yesterday, I did the remedial flight. I decided to really focus on keeping the altitude under control no matter what.

I did the preflight for N9570F and requested fight following for approaches at Pontiac.

So I got passed off to Detroit Approach, starting with the RNAV 27 full procedure starting at GUZVY.

Did the full procedure at GUZVY with a parallel entry and did a nice approach to 27L.

Then up and did it again.   I kept the altitude pretty much within specs or corrected it if it started to get out of the 100 foot permissible range. Still the plane wouldn't trim out perfectly, but by always going back to the altitude indicator, I at least caught it as it tried to get out of the permissible range. Hard to do when having to do multiple things at once, but I may have finally got that part figured out.

Then I did a Localizer Back course for 27L this time with the full procedure turn, about the first time I've done that as I normally get vectors.  Once established then the G5s were turned off and I did it partial panel and did it rather well.

Then I did it again, again with the procedure turn and partial panel, and came in for a landing.

That 1.7,  4 holds, 4 approaches, and 1.4 simulated and a very nice landing.

Flying IFR - Lesson 56 - More Pre-Checkride Practice

Wind out of the west, sky clear, nice and hot out, time to go flying.

This time I actually got N8570F and did the preflight and we then were off to the the Troy-Pontiac IFR loop.

Did the approach and circle at Troy pretty much perfectly, didn't go too high nor too low, and would have nailed the landing no problem.

Then back to Pontiac for the RNAV 27L with the hold at GUZVY.

Which aside from the hold procedure I did perfectly.

The hold I then proceeded to f-up nicely.

I was about to enter the hold and figured it for a teardrop, when the 430W announced it would be a direct and gave a course heading that was weird, which was weird as it should have been a teardrop.  Rocky said that wasn't right and while we were discussing it I got in the hold and we figured on doing it as a via teardrop, but I dropped almost three hundred feet while futzing around, talking to him, seeing his iPad which showed the course (mine isn't allowed to show position for the test, because really stupid reasons)  turning, and trying to figure out what was off with the GPS and then got back to altitude.  Not good.

Need to watch the altitude constantly as the second I get distracted something always happens. I do scan for it, but this time I got distracted and it was a mess.

Carried on and did the rest of the approach just fine.

Then I did the Back Course 27L and did it very well if I say so myself without issue, probably my best back-course approach yet, everything was pretty darn well perfect.

Then we went out and did the RNAV 27L again, this time without a problem.

So, I need to go back Saturday and get another lesson in as that one wasn't acceptable due to the altitude loss.  FML.

Flying IFR - Lesson 55 - Pre-Checkride Practice, Now With Lotsa Holds

Had N1689H this morning as they switched me to it form my much preferred N8570F (the plane I'm taking the checkride in) so it would a been nice to actually, you know, practice in it.

Instead I get the fargin' seat slipping (yes it did again), misrigged, mis-throttled, beast of N1689H yet again.  If I can fly that crate, I can fly anything.

Sky was clear, sun was bright, and it was bumpy and windy AF as the kids say.

Serious gusts out of 300 degrees and lots of bumping around at altitude including uncommanded ascents and descents and a really strong tendency to push the plane around, and we did end up flying sideways at times.

Flew to KVLL first and did the full procedure approach and did that well.

Then back to Pontiac and did the Localizer BC 27L partial panel.  Wind busily blew me off as I was trying to get established which really made it interesting.  Once established I was copacetic and did it fine.

The then did the RNAV 27L with a full procedure at Guzvy and it sucked.  Got way, way blown off the procedure turn hold, but again, once I lined up on the approach it was then ok, but that's not good enough. Figured out what I was doing wrong, and we did it again - but better, yet there was a catch.

So went to do it  again,  but Detroit Approach had other ideas.  They first had us fly north and then do VFR holds at LEHRA due to heavy traffic.  Then they had us do VFR holds at GUZVY due to heavy traffic.

And then they shifted controllers and seemingly forgot about us completely.

So I got a lot of hold practice in and got the wind correction down which is a good use of time while flying in interminable race track patterns.

After awhile, We called in to Detroit Approach and then they had us head right in once they remembered we were out there. 

Came in and did the approach like it was on rails.

Just as I was landing I got blasted by a gust right as I landed so landing while soft and smooth ended up a little undercrosswind corrected and side-loaded landing.  Drat.

Overall it was yet another 3.6 Roentgen flight, but not good enough to pass had that been the checkride due to getting blown out of the hold, but otherwise ok.

So 2.2, 1.8 simulated, 3 good approaches, 1 not good, a lot of holds, and 1 meh of a side-loaded landing.

Flying IFR - Lesson 54 - The Pre-Checkride Checkride Checkride

Yep, today I was up again.  Beautiful day, wind only 4 knots out of 300, beautiful sunny and nary a cloud in the sky and none anywhere that would make an issue.

Preflighted N85470F and Alec met me and let me know we would be doing the KPTK-KVLL Troy-KPTK loop.

Got flight following, did the preflight and we were off.

Had Detroit Approach route us to Celub for the full procedure for the KVLL RNAV 9(10) circle to 27(28).  

You get to Celub real fast and there's little to no tie to setup.

Unfortunately Detroit Approach did not have us switch channels to check the AWOS and as the examiner (for some dumb reason) does not let you split frequencies (listen to two radios at once) so technically I was supposed to ask them if I could drop off the frequency to get the weather and come back to it so  a minor error for me there.

Then did the procedure turn at Celub and headed inbound and let Detroit Approach know, then got on the advisory frequency for Troy and all was well.  Did a pretty good circle if I say so myself and would have had the landing made.

Went missed and back to Pontiac, first for the RNAV 27L. That went fine.

Then for the Backcourse 27L  partial panel.  First approach I technically failed because I didn't turn the OBS onto a heading of 275 for the localizer but kept it on 041 so I could switch to the Salem VOR if he did something tricky like cover the GPS DME so I couldn't know when I was crossing the final approach fix. 

The Localizer is the honey badger of the approach navigation aid world.  It doesn't care what your OBS is set to, its going to broadcast one signal, your VOR receiver will get it and it will line up regardless of what OBS you have.

In fact other instructors had told me to keep it on 041 for just that reason so you can always switch to the VOR and the needle will line up when you cross the intersection that is the FAF if you were lined up on the localizer.

Apparently I'm not supposed to do that.

Also needed to be more of a dive bomber on that approach, I had stayed at the required 3,000 until established and it took awhile to get established so I have to work on dropping faster. I mean I still would have had it made as a landing, but need to work on that.

So that was sucky.

Then up to do it again and it went much better this time.  Did the setting, got everything lined up, did an appropriate dive bombing run down to minimums and in for a landing no problem.

Overall Alec thinks I'm ok and just need to practice the KPTK-KVLL Troy-KPTK loop until its second nature.

Basically it felt like a 3.6 Roentgen Flight - Not great, not terrible.

So that's 1.6, 1.2 simulated instrument, 4 approaches and a good landing.

The Pre-Checkride Oral Exam

So this morning I met up with Alec to go over the oral component of the IFR checkride as a prerequisite to taking the checkride.

Went very well, I apparently have at least some idea what I'm talking about and got some good tips on wha tthe examiner is looking for.

First important tip:  The examiner was paper and lots of it - paper IFR charts and Paper chart supplements.  Never mind that all of this is available on Foreflight, I now need to go out and buy paper copies for the exam.  Blech.

Second:  You need to really know your paper chart symbology.  I was fine with that as I had studied expecting that to be the case.

Third:  Need to know how to explain how the Garmin G5s actually work - solid state gyroscopes, accelerators and air data computer.  We apparently don't need to know how to disassemble and replace the internals so there's that. 

Fourth:  Everything is fair game and there is a heckuva lot of it

Upside:  I passed and now have the checkride booked.

I do now have yet another pre-checkride requirement: a required pre-checkride flight with Alec to do this Friday, so I better not mess that up.

There may just be a light at the end of the tunnel, but it may very well be an oncoming train.

Flying IFR - Lesson 53 - The Pre-Checkride Checkride

Time for the pre-checkride checkride. Went to DCT and found they had swapped out N8570F for N5337F yet again, so this would make it a bit more challenging.

Raining as I drove to the airport but then it stopped and conditions became winds calm with a layer at 3,000 feet.

I preflighted N5337F and I had Bobby Carr as my pre-checkride instructor.  Never flown with him before but a nice guy.

He stated we would got to Flint, do the VOR 18 circle 9, then Linden for the RNAV 27 full procedure, then Pontiac for the Localizer Backcourse 27L and then the RNAV 27L with a procedure turn at GUZVY.

Amazingly I managed to get N5337F close to being trimmed out fro altitude so I just had to deal with the right turning tendency. Finally got the altitude issue under control.

So I took off and headed to Flint.   Controller just had us keep flying outbound from the Flint VOR for-flipping-ever, which always messes with you a bit as you're not doing the procedure turn as planned and you have to ignore your GPS and approach instructions and just keep flying all the way out on the outbound radial.  Then I finally got to turn inbound and did the  approach and circle and it went pretty well, even as I was doing a little s-turning to get on course. The circle was nice and tight and I had the runway made if I wanted it.

Then to Linden and another full procedure there, and I handled that one pretty well even though I fell for the GPS parallel turning trap but now that I know what it is (in short the displayed track heading is not the track heading you want when doing a parallel) we're all good.  Good approach and no issues.

Back to Pontiac and the Localizer 27L and did it partial panel and did it really well, which was good.  Got a couple tips to improve it. 

Then I went missed and did the RNAV 27L with a procedure turn at GUZVY and did a nice approach and landing.

Managed to do the trifecta of hold entries - a direct, a teardrop, and a parallel all in one flight.  Sheesh.

I passed the pre-checkride checkride.  

Now for the pre-checkride ground portion and  then I can book the checkride, again, finally, maybe, whatever.

That's 2.1, 1.9 simulated, 4 approaches, 3 holds and a good landing.

Flying IFR - Lesson 52 - Getting Rather Winded

So today I was up with Rocky in N6288J.

Downside - 6288J lacks a Garmin 430W but has the newer touchscreen one without a NAV 1 radio, so I got to try to mess with that a bit.

More Downside:  It was really rather windy and turbulent today, so a touchscreen really, really sucks for making selections - especially when you're not completely familiar with it as well.

Nothing like getting pushed side to side as well as getting lifted up on the regular to enjoy a flight.

Even more downside - The PTT switch on my yoke stopped working properly and was very intermittent even when being mashed down, so Rocky had to do all the radio work.

So yes, winds rocking from 200-240 at 16-22kts made for an interesting ride.

Went to 9G2 Linden and did the RNAV 27 and simulated a circle to 9 as we didn't want to be head on against local traffic as the wind was favoring 27 but the examiner will do a 27 circle to 9 at Linden now if the wind is blowing the other way,

Then to Troy, did a good approach but was getting constantly pushed around by the winds, very hard to drop altitude on the tight circle and the wind really pushed me over ,which sucks as you can't compensate as you're not allowed to be be more than a mile from the runway on the circle downwind or you fail.  As such, on turning base I got pushed hard past the runway  and had to gently come back.  Not great and I said so and that I would be going around from that approach.

Then to Pontiac for the Localizer Backcourse 27L.

First one sucked so hard as I get constantly blown this way and that, very crappy conditions, so we decided to do it again.  Partially the fault of Detorit Approach not quite vectoring me in right and then had dropped me way off the localizer and I had to fight hard to try and acquire it.

Second time was the charm, I rode it like it was on rails and down to a nice gusty crosswind landing.

Apparently, I redeemed myself sufficiently even with the prior mess-up that I will be getting the pre-checkride checkride soon once that can be arranged.

That's 1.9, 1.5 simulated instrument, 4 approaches, and 1 rather decent landing.

Flying IFR - Lesson 51 - Approaching Acceptable Approaches

Overall I'd say the practice on my own has paid off.

Approaches today were considered to be very good by Rocky, now I just need to fix altitude and heading while cruising as I was constantly up and down and couldn't get the trim on N5337F to trim the plane out level, nor would the bugger stay straight as it had a pronounced right turning tendency for me.  

As to staying level, it would not do it, either slightly up and or slightly down was the best I could manage, and often got both at the same time, which really shouldn't occur.

Since winds were out of 9 we went to Flint and I did the ILS 9 and the VOR 36 circle to 9 which was a fun change from the typical VOR 18 circle 9.

Did not bust minimums on any of them, did a good circle kept it in tight and would have had the landing made no problem so good there.

The back to Pontiac and did the Localizer 9 partial panel and did it just fine, had the minimums and held them and all was good.

Then back around for the RNAV 9R with one heckuva vectoring detour due to traffic and then rode the RNAV down like rails and then landed long as instructed by Tower, went all the was to the end, crossed 27R and parked the plane.

Overall, much improvement.

Unfortunately the examiner is apparently getting tricky and now adding the possibility of an RNAV at 9G2 followed by a circle to the other end of the runway.

Problem 1 - there are no circling minimums at 9G2, its an RNAV at either end so this is technically questionable but since you're doing the test under VFR conditions apparently you can do it.  That add some extra complexity to the test and now we need to have another lesson to practice that approach, yay, not.

So another lesson has to be flown, and if it goes well, then it will be time for the pre-checkride checkride.

 That's 1.7, with 1.3 simulated instrument, 4 approaches and a decent landing.

Flying IFR - Lesson 56 - Getting Better, Maybe?

Finally I was flying N8570F again, and it agreed with me. Still had Rocky for this hop as the instructor.

So today the conditions were still light precipitation with the winds from the East and overcast at 8,000 per the ATIS and Metars.

However, at around 3,000 there was an  unforecast solid foggy layer where you could see ground contact below you, but forward visibility was nil, zip, zilch.

So I picked up an IFR pop-up clearance in the air as a result, and was told to climb to 4,000, just as we entered the soup, which lasted until we were close to Flint when visibility improved back to VFR conditions just as we got to the Final approach fix for the ILS 9.

Headed to Flint and did the ILS 9 approach and I did it rather well, got kinda blown off in the procedure turn again following the GPS instruction so I need to figure that out as apparently it lies, but not always.  Did it well, stayed in parameters and all was good.

Then it started getting pretty choppy, bit I did the VOR 18 Circle to 9 and had it pretty good except again dipped just under the 1,300 circle to land minimum while I descended to it.  You basically need to touch it and bounce off of it and I keep having trouble doing that as I either go up too much over 1,400 which is a fail, or I don't pull up enough and go a skosh under which is also a fail, so  it still doth suck.   Anyways, I did the circle and was in a perfect setup to land on 9. 

Then back to Pontiac and into the soup again, now with some light turbulence.  This heading into the soup caused confusion as Great Laes Approach had us remain VFR but as we did the hand-off we headed into IMC conditions.  Managed to get it confirmed with Detroit that were were still an IFR flight and Great Lakes hadn't bounced us out of IFR to VFR flight following. 

Then went to Pontiac did the Localizer 9R approach partial panel and had it going well (did start the timer late but I'll fix that next time) but then Tower had me side step to 9L which ended that approach a bit early.  Personal critique - I need to descend a little earlier, but not too early.  Landing was good.

Rocky said I did a ton better than last time and just need to improve a bit more.  

Yep, I'm back to the purgatory of being "almost there".  Woop de doo.  Better than epic failure from last time, I guess.

So now what? 

Well, I've decided I'm not taking lessons next week as this is basically a control problem and no point paying for an instructor and flight school rental rates when I can fly my "own" Archer.   I have the radio and procedures down, I know what I'm supposed to do, the problem is doing it within the altitude tolerances.

So, next week I'm going to shoot the approaches just on my own VFR and may even have a safety pilot aboard so I can wear foggles while doing so and get control practice in. 

I think that once I can fly the approaches with no deviations and fully within standards then it will be time to go back and get a final lesson or two in and get signed off and be done.  Until then there's just no point.

That's 1.5 with .6 actual and .6 simulated instrument, and a great landing.

Flying IFR - Lesson 55 - Double Drat

Well I had high hopes for today. 

 I even had a plan. 

 I even did visualization and studied the plates I expected to use.

 I even did some studying last night for the orals just to keep all this crap in my head that will never be used again after the test.  I did all that and well, not so flipping much.

Weather was stable air with low clouds/fog and rain. Wind out of the east so off to Flint.

Some weirdness before the flight: I was chatting with Rocky my instructor and he noted their preferred examiner (who I have issues with but they want me to use...) has suddenly sprung having instrument examinees fly to D95 Lapeer and do an RNAV followed by a circle approach.

When looking at Lapeer's charts that's kinda funny as the circle approaches are weird.  Both 18 and 36 each have their own RNAV approach, so circling to them instead of following the RNAV in to the  runway makes very little sense, and circling is not allowed to the grass field 9/27, so it makes you even wonder why there's a circle for them in the first place --- just fly the other RNAV approach and use the guidance and safety benefits a nice RNAV approach provides.  Well, we'll circle that approach when we get to it, I suppose. Which won't be any f'ing time soon.

Yep, best laid plans have been known to fail, and fail hard.

Took off in N5337F and while it was officially called VFR flight conditions I'd beg to differ.  I could see down to the ground for the most part but forward visibility got worse and worse so I called for a pop-up IFR clearance.  Got some actual time in.  So far so good.

Went and did the ILS 9 at Flint.  Was ok-ish. Got a little off coming back in the hold as the GPS instruction was off which was interesting, so took awhile to get on the ILS but once on it I was fine.     I thought it was rather good.

Then on to the VOR 18 to 9 Circle, again ok, actually it turned into really breaking out at minimums which was neat as I couldn't see the runways until minimums but need much better  heading control and still a very right hand turning tendency on that plane.  

Could be the airplane has a major right turning tendency, even hands off it would turn right.  Getting stuck flying a variety of planes each with their own quirks is kinda sucky.

Then on to the RNAV 9R back at Pontiac.   Heading control was again pretty off, and got worse once he failed the G5s.  Was high on the course because I was too low initially and over corrected and then didn't come down fast enough. Still made out the runways and was set for the approach, and then Tower had us do a sidestep to 9L.  Thanks for that.  Came in high-ish but actually did a nice greaser of a landing, so there's that.

Rocky has no idea why I was doing so terrible, nor do I for that matter.  

Procedures and radio communications are great, briefing the approach, doing all the things that need to be done, yet it is aircraft control that hoses me again and again. That and whoever set out a 100 feet altitude max deviation up and 0 down in for the test, thanks for that, you jerk.

So yep, going nowhere fast and if anything going in circles, with some circles ascending and some descending.

1.7 with 3 approaches, 1.4 actual instrument, and 1 landing. and yet more frustration.

Flying IFR - Lesson 54 - Drat

Well, for Lesson 54 someone moved me back to 88J with the touchscreen GPS.

Not good, so I was able to get N1689H with the auto-moving seats, messed up turn coordinator and all that, but at least it had a 430W.

Since the wind was out of 130 it was off to Flint.  It was also kinda bouncy out so that added to the fun.

Did the VOR 18 Circle to 9 approach full procedure, and it went rather well, was a little high on final due to making a tight turn in but would have been a do-able landing.  Did it nicely even after getting delayed to do it due to traffic.  So far, so good.

Then did the VOR 18 Circle to 9 approach again, but by vectors. overall very good but on the circle I went above 1400 feet with the circling minimum at 1300 feet.  Actually then made a really great approach and figured out where to begin the turn to base, so something was learned anyways  Unfortunately going over 100 feet above minimums is not good, technically a fail.

Then back to Pontiac for the ILS 9R which I handled rather perfectly. 

Then the RNAV 9R at  Pontiac and Detroit Approach started vectoring me everywhere but the approach course. First towards it, then away, then towards and away again.  Fun with traffic management.  As I did it, Rocky made it a partial panel approach and it was ok, but again i was kinda high on final.  Did a decent landing even so.

Well, with screwing up the circle approach I can't do the practice check-ride yet so I'm rather annoyed and frustrated.

This will never end.

That's 1.8, 1.3 simulated, 4 approaches, 1 hold, and 1 landing.

Flying IFR - Lesson 53 - More Approaches

Today's plan was of course, more approaches.

Decided to do the Troy/KVLL to practice for the checkride as that tends to be the destination of choice for the examiner when the winds are blowing west, and today the winds were blowing 280.

Unfortunately, I had N6288J which has the new Garmin touchscreen GPS and lacks the NAV 1 conencrtion for the G5.

By the way, touchscreens kinda suck in even light chop conditions as the plane is shaking and you're trying to scroll and instead it thinks you pressed the section.  We couldn't find the track only page in the GPS and used the Map, which was nice, but they won't let you use that on your exam because they're a bunch of technophobic examiner idiots. For example you can't have own ship running on Foreflight as it would show your plane on the approach chart thus increasing your situational awareness which apparently is bad for an exam, but which you like everyone else will use once you pass.

If the plane has the technology, you should be allowed to use it, much the same way that if the plane has an autopilot they will make you use it so fair should be fair.  

Whatever, in short, there was a fair bit of fighting with the touchscreen and I've requested yet again to stick with the 430Ws as that's what I would be using for the exam etc.

So took off and headed to Troy, did a really good first approach, then did the published miss and then did the approach again for more practice.  

I should have quit while I was ahead. On the second time around, I dropped slightly under the circling minimums (about 1350 vs 1400 minimums) which is a fail and which sucks. Need to work on that. Finished the approach and still did it well except for the one dip.

So then on to Pontiac for the Localizer backcourse, essentially partial panel as the GPS and G5s can't do a Localizer approach with the new GPS which is a huge step back technology wise. Good practice and a good approach, but need to be better on using the timer.  

Then on to the RNAV 27L approach and as we were being vectored we had a traffic conflict issued by Detroit Approach with someone not talking to controllers,  and had to descend rather quickly to 2,500.  Fun.  So I did the approach and it went quite well, very well lined up, good descent profile following the glideslope and that was that with a decent but not wonderful landing.

So, one more flight then a mock checkride and mock oral and then a check ride, maybe, eventually, perhaps, potentially, someday.

Now I'm at least signed up only for 430W equipped aircraft, but that included 1869H so I'll be askew but with a fully functioning 430W.  Beggars can't be choosers and all that. 

That's 1.9, 4 approaches, 1.3 simulated instrument, 2 holds, and a decent landing.

Flying IFR - Lesson 52 - Finally It Actually Went Well

 Today winds were out of 110, so Runway 9R and 9L would be used at Pontiac.

Rocky stated we would do the VOR 18 circle to 9 at Flint and then back to Pontiac for the ILS 9 and the RNAV 9 as that's what the examiner tends to do when the wind is blowing in that direction.

Got stuck with N1869H again as that's all that was available.

Seat of course slipped, and the turn coordinator's a tad funky, and yoke not rigged straight, but if I can fly that I can fly anything.

Took off and headed to Flint. 

Kept everything really well under control, good scan, good altitude and heading control and doing all the things I'm supposed to do. The air was mostly calm, but then very choppy in spots with no rhyme or reason.

Flint was insanely busy.

Got sent to the VOR and to expect the approach, but didn't get cleared for the approach.  Got to the VOR and was still not cleared in.

Learned something new:  If you're told to expect the approach, then once you hit the VOR you should fly out on the VOR outbound radial (basically 180 degrees from the inbound course)  until they call you in.  Did not know that but I do know it now.

Then I did a very nice VOR approach, solid, on the altitudes, excellent chop and drop descent profile, not allowing it to exceed 100 feet and not dipping below, then did the circle and that went well.

Went missed and back to Pontiac and did the ILS and it went great, did it all quite well. 

Then out for the RNAV 9 and it all started well, was going great, Detorit Approach asked us for best forward speed, and we were about to do partial panel. . . and then Tower had us break it off due to traffic and do an early sidestep to 9L. So, no partial panel practice but everything was quite nice and a great landing.

Considering I was going to hang it up if this lesson went bad, that it went very well is good, I suppose. Apparently, if I do another this well Rocky will schedule me for a mock checkride then we can schedule the actual checkride.

That's 1.7, 1.1 simulated instrument time, 3 approaches, 1 hold, and 1 really nice landing.

Flying IFR - Lesson 51 - The Turbulent Grind

Weather conditions were hardly great for today. Low clouds and winds 15-30 out of 300. Snowing a tad as well.

Clouds lifted a tad but we filed an IFR flight plan anyways.

Did a checkride prep and failed it miserably.

Did all the radio and procedures just fine and I know what I'm doing but the basics screw me over yet again.

So off I went and climbed runway heading to 3,000 feet to KVLL. Ended up just under the cloud layer as it had lifted a tad, so I got to put the foggles on.

Did the full procedure at KVLL and for the first time in a long time, got totally blown off the RNAV and had a full deflection which would be a fail.  It did not take much.  Continued the approach anyways as I fixed it for practice and did the circle to 28 and again I need to get down faster.

Went missed and then headed to Pontiac where I did the Localizer Backcourse 27L and it went overall ok, but was doing quite a bit of S-turning as I kept getting blown off course a lot.  Again a little too high on final and need to get down more.

I'm likely leary of busting minimums and so staying too high, plus the winds and turbulence added to the fun and it actually pushed me up on occasion.

Altitude and heading control was maybe a little better, but still not where it needs to be. Still climbing too much and getting rocked around by turbulence didn't help matters.

Then for a partial panel for the RNAV 27L which I actually did quite well and landed fine in gusty conditions with a bit of side-loading as a gust just caught me as I was touching down.

So one decent approach and two not so good.

Only positive was it was quick, so it was wasting less money on this quixotic attempt to get this rating.

That's 1.3 with 1.0 simulated instrument time, 3 approaches, 1 hold, and 1 decent landing.

Probably Not Flying Today

Yesterday a front moved in with winds gusting well over 45 kts.  Windy as all get out, trees whipping around etc.  Buddy of mine that is a lot more experienced than I am who had a flight planned to Boston yesterday wisely cancelled and drove his family instead.  Very good call.

Today, when I'm scheduled to be flying, winds are forecast at 23-35 kts at 240 with rain, making for a 17.5 crosswind factor at a minimum.  

Winds are currently going 12-22 kts at 220 and if it stayed at 220 and then increases to the forecast 35kts it would make for a 26.8 crosswind factor. That's a lot, and while I've done that before with an instructor, it's really not a lot of fun at all.

The book gives the Piper Archer a maximum demonstrated crosswind factor of 17.

Would I personally fly in these current and forecast conditions?  NO.  They are beyond my personal limits.

Does that make me a tad too cautious and conservative?  Perhaps.

Do I care?:  Also, NO.

After all, whose tail is going to be in the plane?  Mine.

In short,  unless we get a dramatic change in the opposite of forecast directions, this is going to be a Simulator lesson.

Flying IFR - Lesson Flying IFR - Lesson 50 - So, Does This Ever End?

Lesson 50! FML.  

Did not expect it to take this fargin' long and still no end in sight. 

Beginning to consider packing it in and just saving the techniques for emergencies as this is getting beyond ridiculous but we're really in the sunk cost phase now.  I think whatever next rating I get it will just be an intensive week course instead of this forever stuff.

On the upside I had N8570F, and flying the Zero Foxtrot bird is the only way to fly, as everything works on it.

9L was closed so everyone had to use 9R and it was a conga line to the run-up area.  Very busy as a result.

Overall  nice day to fly with relatively light winds and a tad choppy in some spots.

Headed to Flint and did the VOR 18 circle to 9 with a miss but a good approach overall; then back to Pontiac for the Localizer 9R and a miss; and then a partial panel RNAV 9R to land.  Came in really high for landing and landed a bit long, need to really come down from minimums faster.

Procedures are quite good, radio work is quite good, except for one transmission I missed when I inadvertently knocked my headset controller off, which made things rather loud as well.

Anyways approaches were good but not good enough. Again altitude control wasn't great and was getting bounced around my heading a fair bit.

Hilariously, and to put a perfect end to the flight, my yoke mount spontaneously dissembled itself after we landed.  three of the four screws that holed the Ipad-holder to the mount all fell out together and disapparated. At the next annual they're gonna be really puzzled how they have three leftover small screws.  New screws have been procured, and I'm going to put them in with some red blue (thanks Mr. B!) Locktite.

So yep I'm apparently close but not close enough, which is the story of my flying life. Once I get close enough there will have to be another practice checkride and then maybe an actual exam.

That's 1.6 3 approaches, 1 hold, and 1 landing.

Flight Review Complete

After the match, I grabbed a quick bite, and headed over to the airport.

Met up with Alec and checked out N55EM for the flight review.

Could not ask for a nicer day for it.  Ceiling and visibility unlimited, winds light and variable and just a perfect day to fly.

Flew to Romeo and did some pattern work.  Been awhile since I've done pattern work as I've been focussed on IFR and it showed a bit.

Buggered up the approach for the first landing as I was in too tight and went around.  Romeo and I have issues.  

Then I settled down and got it done, did a series of takeoffs and landing sin the pattern.  Did some maneuvers and all was well.

Then back to Pontiac for some Power Off 180 practice as I haven't done those in a long time.

Did it both with and without flaps and that was very useful practice for emergency engine out scenarios.

It was a good flight review, Alec is a very good and helpful instructor.   Sadly he's full during the week when I'm available, otherwise Id have him as my IFR instructor as well.

Flight Review is now complete, so I'm legal for flying VFR yet again, and legal to take the Instrument Test, so that's something.

That's 1.9, with 7 landings.

Kinda tired and sore at the moment, but got lots of stuff done.