Don't forget that Snakes On A Plane starts Friday. I'll be camping out at the local AMC for this one.
It's really refreshing that the motion picture industry is embracing aviation and producing quality work like "Snakes On A Plane".
My friend Tim called this afternoon. He was hired by Express Jet in June and called to check on my progress and update me on his.
He's almost done with his ERJ-145 training. One more sim check ride, then a break-in sim flight with a fresh captain and he'll be on the line! Pretty exciting. Hearing details about the Express Jet training program really made my day.
Although the training in Houston is intense, he said that they are thorough and fair. Out of about 20 new hires, only 3 or 4 have washed out. He said that one guy failed a written systems test and was given 8 hours of one-on-one instruction with a check pilot. They invest a lot in new pilots and it's good to hear that they are such a fair company to work for. Kudos to Express Jet.
It really is encouraging to hear from a personal friend that is having such a good experience and it makes me realize that I'm really not that far off. Calls like his really help motivate me. Tim's call was just what I needed at exactly the right time. Instrument Stage 3, End-Of-Course and FAA Check Ride, here I come. Thanks for the call, Tim.
Part Two
Taking off from Carlsbad, we followed the DP out over the Pacific. I actually got in some IMC! If you're from Arizona, that's a real big deal.
We had checked the weather before hand and were advised by the FSS to go via Julian, Blythe, Buckeye and Phoenix. When we reached Ramona, we were advised by SoCal to reroute to Imperial, Yuma, Gila Bend and Phoenix instead. This took us about 100 miles out of the way.
Flying over El Centro, the smoke from the fire earlier in the day had created IFR conditions from the ground to well above our max altitude. Although it smelled bad and made our eyes burn, it was more IMC time. We passed through it after about 20 minutes only to see TCU in the distance slightly north of our heading. We called Flightwatch and they informed us that north of us from Indio to 100NM past Blythe was fully enveloped with convective activity and that our route was beginning to look sketchy.
LA handed us off to Yuma a few minutes later and that's when the lightning really became active. Cloud to cloud and serious cloud to ground strikes. We watched one spark at brush fire on the shore of the Colorado River. We filed a pirep, which Yuma thanked us for and called in. As we go over Yuma, we started seeing distant lightning east of us in the direction of our filed flight plan. CRAP.
I'm a monumental chicken. Scud running isn't in my blood. Especially under thunderstorms with 59,000 foot tops. I've felt what down and updrafts feel like in a small developing storm, and as large as these were, had no desire to tangle with these storms. We cancelled our flight plan and asked for vectors to Yuma. We thought we'd top off, stretch our legs, have a soda and it would clear up in an hour or so...or so we thought.
By the time we landed it was dark. We asked for progressive taxi to an open FBO. They sent us back to Bet-Ko which had closed already. Okay. Untie, start up again and contact ground. First lets, find out if any FBO is open. Fortunately, Sun Western Flyers was open, so we taxied over.
We got gas, waited an hour only to see the storms develop even further. CRAP. We talked Armando, the graveyard guy, into giving us a ride into town for dinner. If you're ever stuck in Yuma, there's a very nice outdoor shopping and dining area with about 20 restaurants and 50 stores. We settled on Buffalo Wild Wings and kicked back for a few hours...only to see the storm grow in intensity and come closer to Yuma. CRAP!
Armando came back to get us. When we got to the airport, the wind was blowing at about 35-40kts. We went to double check the tie-downs on the plane and decided that we really were tired. By the time the storms pass, it could be 1 or 2 a.m. We had already been up since before 5 and made a good decision. I gave Armando $10 and thanked him for the ride.
Now we need a hotel. Simple enough, right? Wanna bet? I called 5 hotels before I actually found a place with a double. The Shilo Inn. Sounds decent enough, but what an ordeal just to get a room. It's kind of funny, so I'll tell the story:
Clerk 1: Thanks for calling the Shilo Inn Yuma, may I help you?
Me: Yes, I'm looking for a double. Anything with two beds and non-smoking.
Clerk 1: Sir, I don't have any doubles, but I do have a room with two queen beds. But it's only non-smoking.
Me: slight pause (The sarcastic side of me is brewing. I consider saying: "As long as it's two queen beds, and not two queen's bed I'll take it", but I'm trying.)...um ok. The room with two queens non-smoking sounds great. I'll take it. We need a ride from the airport. Do you have a shuttle?
Clerk 1: No sir, we don't have one.
Me: Okay then, I'll have to call somewhere else because we do need a ride.
Clerk 1: Hold on sir...
Clerk 2: Thanks for calling the Shilo Inn Yuma, this is ######, may I help you?
Me: slightly longer pause...(be cool, you're tired and need a room.) Yes, I need a room with two queen beds and a ride from the airport. Can you help me?
Clerk 2: We have a double sir. But it's non-smoking and has two queen beds.
Me: OKAY! That sounds excellent! Do you have a shuttle to pick us up at the airport?
Clerk 2: Sorry sir, out shuttle is only available for pick-ups at Yuma International Airport.
Me: What a coincidence! We're at Yuma International Airport right now. And we need a ride to your hotel.
Clerk 2: Are you a guest here, sir?
Me: Not yet, but I'd like to be. Can we get a ride please?
Clerk 2: We can only pick up guests from the airport, sir.
Me: Okay, if we go to the airport, will you pick us up there?
Clerk 2: Sure. We'll be at the airport in 20 minutes. That should give you enough time to get there.
Me: Super. We'll leave for the airport now. I think we might make it.
I swear that is the way the conversation went. It was like a freakin' Abbott & Costello scene. I swear you could stub your toe in her family's gene pool.
We finally get there and the woman at the front desk gives us a warm snaggle-tooth welcome. Here's a few excerpts from that conversation:
Snaggle-Tooth: I thought you only needed one double. I can get two. Sign here on the Sky West page.
Me: Uh, we don't think Sky West would appreciate paying for our room. We don't work for them.
ST: You're silly. Of course you do.
Me: Um, really we don't. I'm trying my best to be an honest guy here and you're making it difficult. We don't work for Skywest and have to pay for our own room. What is your best rate?
ST: I can put you in a room with two queens for $139.
Me: I just saved your job and that's the best rate you can give me? Is this The Shilo Inn or The Marriott?
ST: We do have a Government rate, do you work for the government?
Me: The IRS deductions from my payroll tell me I do.
ST: Okay, I can give you the government rate of $75.
Me: Done!
ST: They Skywest shuttle leaves at 6:30 am.
Me: Okay, we're on it. Thanks for the heads up. (More water just evaporated from the gene pool)
The room was clean, the a/c worked and it had two beds! Go figure.
At 6am we got up, showered, had a delicious complementary breakfast and hopped the shuttle back to the airport.
Our flight home was uneventful. Just what we needed.
9.7 Hours time logged, 1 hour actual IMC, 9.0 simulated all PIC. I'm up to 125 now.
This weekend, it will be stage check #3, which is an IFR Cross Country from IWA to RYN Tucson. It shouldn't be too big of a deal. I still need to take my FAA written. I just haven't had the time yet. I think I'll do some Gleim practice this weekend and take it Monday. After Stage 3, it's the end of course stage check, which is a simulated FAA check ride. I think I'll have my instrument rating in the next 10 days.
I've learned to appreciate instrument. I'm no longer intimidated by it and look forward to having the rating. It's definitely a safer way to fly long distances.
If you've made it this far, thanks for hanging in. It was a long trip and an even longer story.
This morning, we returned from YESTERDAY'S cross country after a restful night's sleep at The Shilo Inn in beautiful Yuma, Arizona. How did we end up overnighting in Yuma? Read on.
I mentioned earlier that I had combined my last two instrument cross-country flights into one. This was intended to be beneficial for several reasons including time savings, the possibility of actual instrument meteorological conditions, flying in some of the busiest airspace and something to look forward to besides the same 7 airports. Sometimes, learning to fly is like that movie Groundhog Day (cue: "I Got You Babe"). A trip to San Diego would be the cure.
We filed for a 17:30Z departure and got off just fine. No ATC delays, no revisions. Our route was files as IWA PXR V95 GBD V94 POTER V66 BRD IMP HAILE MYF. Approaching Yuma, we both received a call from Mother Nature and not liking the Piper lavatory, decided to divert to Yuma. After landing, we parked at Bet-Ko Air took advantage of their low fuel price and answered the call.
Back in the air, we picked up another clearance to Montgomery Field and got back on course. There was a huge fire near Calexico with smoke towering to about 25,000 feet. LA center gave us permission to go around. At about Jacumba, we encountered some developing Thunderstorms. We encountered a little chop and one updraft that that helped us climb from 8,000 to 10,000. It lifted us about 500 feet in 30 seconds. That's a lot of climb for a crap weasel Piper Cadet at that altitude!
On final approach for the ILS24R approach at Montgomery Field, we were surprised to see that they had a Cessna 172 doing a parallel approach directly abeam us on 24L. I'm glad that I wasn't flying single pilot IFR. I know tower had visual, but those runways are close. I wish I had my camera. We parked at Gibbs Aviation, ordered fuel and checked out the weather. TCU distant East. Radar was returning moderate to heavy precipitation. The forecasts looked like thunderstorms for the next 3-4 hours over the coastal mountains.
We decided to take a long lunch and fly to Carlsbad a little later. We rented a car and took it to one of my favorite places to eat in San Diego, Point Loma Seafoods. I ordered a crab sandwich for myself and one promised to my friend Rex (sorry, man). I brought a soft cooler for water and Rex's sandwich. My instructor isn't a seafood fan, so I got mine to go and we went in search of something to satisfy his palate. We ended up at In-N-Out. Since they've expanded to Arizona, it hasn't been the same for me. We ate our lunch at In-N-Out and headed back to Montgomery Field.
We said goodbye to Gibbs Aviation (nice people) and filed a quick IFR plan to Carlsbad McLellan-Palomar (CRQ), which is only about 20NM from MYF. We figured with spacing and vectoring, it would take us about 20 minutes for the flight. Ahem.
We followed the DP and we're vectored about 4-5 miles out from the coast by SoCal approach. Then they sent us direct to Oceanside VOR. Twice we had traffic alerts for other traffic at the same altitude within 1/4 mile. One was another Cherokee coming right at us. RADAR GOOD. EYES BETTER. Just south of Carlsbad, we were vectored east. Nice, they're taking us right to the localizer. WRONG. They took us all the way to Ramona, then turned us back. Then they had us cross the localizer and do another 360 around Escondido. Finally, we were cleared for the ILS24 approach. They cleared a GIV when were were on a 1 mile final. Caution WAKE TURBULENCE, you insignificant little Piper, was the tone of the controller. We survive the wake turbulence and our 20 minute turned 1 hour+ flight to Carlsbad is over.
We won the lottery by getting the one remaining tie down at transient parking. Some Barney Fife looking and acting security guard rapidly approached us with a look on his face like we just popped out of a Sanford & Son re-run. What are YOU doing HERE?
Yes sir, we don't want to make any trouble for the private jets, we just want to buy some gas and be on our way. He directs us to one of the FBO where they promptly charge us almost $6 for LL100. I think they refer to it as Low-Life 100. Ick, it's not for jets. We ask for some bottled water and they said, "We don't have free bottled water". Ok, I'll buy two, please. That will be $2.50. I hand over the cash and they hand over 2 of those mini 1/2 bottles of water you get on an airline. They did have the FBO's logo printed on the label, so I guess it was worth it. Gee thanks. Surprisingly, they offered a golf cart ride back to the plane. I think they all wanted our Cadet gone. Again, ick.
I'm getting Carpal Tunnel, so I'll post part 2 soon.
Stage 3 is happening really fast. Yesterday, was from Gateway to Ryan Field (KRYN) in Tucson. The stage 3 check is to Ryan, so it's one that is usually done for a cross country. The approach is an NDB/DME approach. There's a DME arc to intercept the NDB, with a circle to land. We did the published miss and then shot the ILS and had stopped for lunch. (The Monte Cristo is really good)
On our return, I filed a pop-up IFR plan from Ryan to Gateway. Tucson approach told me to climb to 5,000 before joining the victor airway. Well, he handed us off to another approach frequency who then snapped at us for blowing through the airway. Not wanting to argue, we re-intercepted it and continued our climb to our assigned altitude of 8,000. Creeping up to 5,000, Tucson approach tells us to expedite to 6,500. We were at Vy and could barely make 200FPM. It was a little embarrassing to say the least. The Cadets we fly are allergic to density altitude. How I wished I was in a 180HP 172SP.
We finally get near Gateway and are being vectored for the ILS 30C approach. Phoenix approach vectors us inside the FAF! Gee thanks. Anyway, it was a smooth day and all went well.
Wednesday, I'm combining my final two cross country flights into one so I can fly to San Diego. Hopefully, I'll get some actual IMC and some good experience with Los Angeles ARTCC.
I have to do 4 different approaches on this trip, so here's how I'm planning it: Gateway to Yuma (GPS Approach), Yuma to Montgomery Field in San Diego (ILS-DME), Montgomery to Carlsbad Palomar (ILS), Carlsbad to Casa Grande (VOR) and Casa Grande to Gateway (VOR).
My initial calculations have this trip taking 139 hours, 12 minutes in the Cherokee. I think it should only take 54 hours to reach MEA. I'm actually thinking about spending the extra money to rent a 172 for this one.
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My friend Dana came by last night and had dinner with my family. Her CFI practical test is this Sunday and she leaves for Europe on Monday. She needed someone as a guinea pig to help go over some of her lesson plans.
Hopefully I was able to help her somewhat. Anyway, good luck Dana!
Well Stage 2 has finally come and gone. It wasn't too bad. It began with a little excitement. We got to see a company Cherokee's belly from 100 feet. It had taken off about the same time as us on a parallel runway. I'm not sure if they were cleared to change from runway heading or not, but they came up and over us. No separation notice from the tower. Thank goodness for a mode S transponder and Garmin 430. They came right in on our blind spot.
After cooling our nerves, we started with a DME arc from the IWA VOR. Then I made the mistake. I second guessed myself entering a GPS hold parallel instead of teardrop (I know...I know...GPS approaches tell you exactly what to do!), probably because I was being tested and had some nerves. After correcting my error, the GPS Rwy 23 approach to Casa Grande (KCGZ) went fine. Next, we did the VOR Rwy 5 approach at Casa Grande. I couldn't believe it, there was absolutely nobody else at the Stanfield (TFD) VOR. One procedure turn, failed DME and DG and that was it. Smooth and easy. Did a nice touch and go and headed towards Chandler for the NDB 4R approach. Other than a mild disagreement with Chandler Tower about executing our missed approach, it was fine. Then the instructor had me do 16 DME arc to the north to intercept the 30C ILS at Gateway. I started my FAF time 10 secnds late, but he excused that because of heavy communication with Gateway tower. Trimmed out for 90kts, he had me go visual 10 feet above DA and it was picture perfect.
The oral exam was fairly smooth, I transposed a few things on service volumes for Localizers and Glideslopes, but nothing worth failing me over.
Overall, he gave me a 95%. I'll take that any day.
Stage 3 will be fast. This morning, we did the final approach lesson by hitting 3 airports (Deer Valley, Scottsdale and Falcon Field) during Sky Harbor's busiest time. It was really not that bad.
I'm taking tomorrow off to sleep in and catch up at my real job.
Saturday, we have our first instrument cross country. We're going to Tucson. Monday or Tuesday is San Diego. I'm looking forward to that, even if I don't get to see much.
With a little luck, I should be an instrument rated pilot by August 15th. That will work out well, commercial ground school's dates have been revised and it begins 8/21.
Nothing much to say, other than it should have happened a month ago. 6 a.m. for the flight, 9 a.m. for the oral exam. It's getting late and I'm not sleepy yet. I'll probably lay awake all night busting altitudes and trying in vain to break in the constant stream of voices talking to approach.
The good news is that ground school ended today. I passed my final exam. Now all I need to do is schedule my FAA exam. I think I'm going to take the CFI-Instrument (II) exam the same day.
If all goes well tomorrow, it's on to stage 3. Stage 3 is really quick. 3 cross county flights and then it's time for my FAA check ride. Hopefully, I'll be done with instrument in a few weeks.
I'm really burned out with instrument right now. I'm looking forward to commercial, where I can actually look out the window. Foggles suck!
