Grounded Again!

October 26th, 2007 •

Just as I thought I was getting into a spell of flying I am grounded again – this time by the local wildfires. Numerous fire TFRs and, basically, why would anyone want to get in the way are keeping me on the ground for a while. I’m hoping next week or the week after I can do my night currency and some sight-seeing, maybe fly over the burnt areas and see just how depressing it all is.

2.3 Hours of Sim Time

October 16th, 2007 •

Went to the airport first thing this morning to catch up on my instrument currency in the club’s Frasca 142. Two point three hours later my currency is extended 6 months:

1. Montgomery Field to Brown Field, VOR approach and full missed approach
2. LOC approach at Gillispie, usual missed approach (as opposed to the published)
3. VOR approach at Oceanside, including extra holds, full missed approach
4. ILS approach at Carlsbad
5. VOR approach to Brown Field, partial panel to missed approach
6. LOC approach to Montgomery Field and full stop landing

Quite a work out but the good news was that my skill and knowledge were still pretty sharp, didn’t make very many mistakes (well, that my CFII caught!). I’m now all caught up except for night currency which will come this week or next depending on the weather.

Airports That Scare Me

October 8th, 2007 • 1 comment

There are a few places I want to fly into but so far have not for one fear or another:

• Big Bear – tales of high winds over the mountain pass to get into the Lake Arrowhead area have put me off flying into here. Oh, and in the summer density altitude is scary, and in the winter I worry about ice and snow on the runway.
• Sedona – it’s very busy, it’s uncontrolled, and usually you land in the opposite direction to the take off. I think I have this image of me on final with another guy playing chicken towards me. Oh, and of course it’s a carrier landing, downdrafts and all that.
• Santa Ynez – mostly this is due to tales of crazy antics, mass disregard to the procedures for getting in and out of an uncontrolled field, just sounds crazy dangerous.

I’ll get to them some point, and perhaps Big Bear for my birthday later this year, but they definitely stand out.