IFR Lesson 11 - Crossfire
12/11/2007 Filed in: Flying
IFR Lesson 11 - Crossfire
Another simulated IFR XC today. This time the weather is very much VFR with a few scattered clouds. We decide to take a Katana to Crossville (CSV), fly an approach there, and then fly back.
I suspect very strongly that CFII had some inside knowledge of the winds at CSV when he suggested this destination. They were reporting 190@11G17. The runways are 08/26. So basically, if I don't have enough fun on the approach, I should have plenty when I land.
I'm in the air no longer than 5 minutes before another "vacuum failure". Fortunately CSV is a cardinal heading (East) from MQY so between that and tracking the still functional GPS it poses little problem.
CFII: You should break left and bust that little cloud.
Me: And what would I tell ATC about that?
CFII: That we're deviating for weather?
Me: (laugh)
It would be fun, but alas, I suppose technically that little solitary, rinky dink cloud fits the bill of IMC making the adventure a no-go.
As we close in on CSV, I inform ATC we'd like the VOR 26 approach. ATC clears us for the approach then advises us that there is a Mitsubishi, with whom they are not speaking, buzzing around the VOR like an angry hornet. Lovely.
In this corner! The challenger -- in the white and blue trunks, weighing in at 1220 pounds, hailing from Smyrna, TN, the IFR Master of Disaster, the MQY Murderer, the Diamond Destroyer, the Composite Killer -- Katana N964CT!
And in the opposite corner -- The current middle weight champion, weighing in today at 5340 pounds, packing more horsepower than you can shake a stick at, all the way from Isle of Japan, the Mits Mangler, the Japanese Juggernaut, the Tokyo Tiger -- Mitsubishi MU-2!
I'm expecting a fair fight. He's a got a slight 200 kt speed advantage, better reach, and twin turboprops but I've got... er... uh... hmm.
CFII keeps a lookout for the Mits while I try to fly the approach. About every 5 seconds ATC comes back to us with an update on his position, every transmission sounding more urgent than the last. The Mits is apparently maneuvering back and forth over the VOR like an agitated mother protecting her young and CFII is having no luck keeping her in sight. We finally decide to break off the approach and remove my foggles until we either spot the Mits or find ourselves caught in her tractor beam.
I finally spot it and turn the plane so CFII can keep an eye on it. We decide to continue the approach now, so back on with the glasses. Then I notice the OBS is not reacting to any input I give it. I double check the frequency and the nav selector and they are both right. Amazingly, with everything else going on, the VOR has chosen this exact moment to go tits up. Welp, looks like we have to do the GPS (overlay) approach now.
The rest of the approach is, thankfully, uneventful and I "break out" and prepare to land. Now, gentle reader, harken back to that crosswind I mentioned earlier. Between you and me, I feel like I didn't get enough crosswind practice as a private student, so this is going to be challenging. I manage to keep the airplane tracking down the centerline but I'm high and fast with more wind than I'm used to, so I call a go around.
Back around the horn and this time I keep the airplane tracking the centerline and manage a reasonable approach. The actual touchdown was pretty spotty though. If we had more time, I'd love to stay here and practice in this wind but we need to get back. Besides, we wouldn't want to attract the attention of the MU-2 now that we've escaped her deadly clutches.
CFII: A little more right rudder and left aileron and that would have been perfect.
Me: That makes sense.
On the ground at Crossville I get us clearance back to Smyrna and the trip back is decidedly less dramatic. I fly a somewhat reasonable partial panel ILS 32 to end our fun for the day. Tune in next time when we'll pick a fight with a Citation.
Another simulated IFR XC today. This time the weather is very much VFR with a few scattered clouds. We decide to take a Katana to Crossville (CSV), fly an approach there, and then fly back.
I suspect very strongly that CFII had some inside knowledge of the winds at CSV when he suggested this destination. They were reporting 190@11G17. The runways are 08/26. So basically, if I don't have enough fun on the approach, I should have plenty when I land.
I'm in the air no longer than 5 minutes before another "vacuum failure". Fortunately CSV is a cardinal heading (East) from MQY so between that and tracking the still functional GPS it poses little problem.
CFII: You should break left and bust that little cloud.
Me: And what would I tell ATC about that?
CFII: That we're deviating for weather?
Me: (laugh)
It would be fun, but alas, I suppose technically that little solitary, rinky dink cloud fits the bill of IMC making the adventure a no-go.
As we close in on CSV, I inform ATC we'd like the VOR 26 approach. ATC clears us for the approach then advises us that there is a Mitsubishi, with whom they are not speaking, buzzing around the VOR like an angry hornet. Lovely.
In this corner! The challenger -- in the white and blue trunks, weighing in at 1220 pounds, hailing from Smyrna, TN, the IFR Master of Disaster, the MQY Murderer, the Diamond Destroyer, the Composite Killer -- Katana N964CT!
And in the opposite corner -- The current middle weight champion, weighing in today at 5340 pounds, packing more horsepower than you can shake a stick at, all the way from Isle of Japan, the Mits Mangler, the Japanese Juggernaut, the Tokyo Tiger -- Mitsubishi MU-2!
I'm expecting a fair fight. He's a got a slight 200 kt speed advantage, better reach, and twin turboprops but I've got... er... uh... hmm.
CFII keeps a lookout for the Mits while I try to fly the approach. About every 5 seconds ATC comes back to us with an update on his position, every transmission sounding more urgent than the last. The Mits is apparently maneuvering back and forth over the VOR like an agitated mother protecting her young and CFII is having no luck keeping her in sight. We finally decide to break off the approach and remove my foggles until we either spot the Mits or find ourselves caught in her tractor beam.
I finally spot it and turn the plane so CFII can keep an eye on it. We decide to continue the approach now, so back on with the glasses. Then I notice the OBS is not reacting to any input I give it. I double check the frequency and the nav selector and they are both right. Amazingly, with everything else going on, the VOR has chosen this exact moment to go tits up. Welp, looks like we have to do the GPS (overlay) approach now.
The rest of the approach is, thankfully, uneventful and I "break out" and prepare to land. Now, gentle reader, harken back to that crosswind I mentioned earlier. Between you and me, I feel like I didn't get enough crosswind practice as a private student, so this is going to be challenging. I manage to keep the airplane tracking down the centerline but I'm high and fast with more wind than I'm used to, so I call a go around.
Back around the horn and this time I keep the airplane tracking the centerline and manage a reasonable approach. The actual touchdown was pretty spotty though. If we had more time, I'd love to stay here and practice in this wind but we need to get back. Besides, we wouldn't want to attract the attention of the MU-2 now that we've escaped her deadly clutches.
CFII: A little more right rudder and left aileron and that would have been perfect.
Me: That makes sense.
On the ground at Crossville I get us clearance back to Smyrna and the trip back is decidedly less dramatic. I fly a somewhat reasonable partial panel ILS 32 to end our fun for the day. Tune in next time when we'll pick a fight with a Citation.