Down to minimum today

[W9MV]

It's been just about a year since I had gotten my IFR ticket, and have over 250
hours since, about 25 hours in actual.

But, my personal minimums have been 1000 ft and 3 miles.

Today (Knoxville, TN) we had perfect conditions to safely fly in the soup. (NO
ICE) I got my instructor on board and we flew three approaches, NDB, GPS, ILS.
During the NDB and GPS approaches we never saw the ground, but the additional
400 feet of the ILS approach, we completed the approach to a nice touch down.

We broke out at about 300 feet above the ground.

What an absolute excellent experience. Major difference? Having the instructor
as a safety pilot eliminated any lack of confidence from entering into the
flight.

All three approaches, if you indulge me in a little boasting, where close to
perfect. I know for a fact however, if I was flying these solo, my left leg
would be shaking uncontrollably due to the addrenaline.

But with a safety pilot (CFII) to my right, my confidence was high, and my
flying, radio work, and navigation went really well.

Anyway, I just had to post, this was such a wonderful training experience.

Question, does that leg ever stop shaking? :)

Mark

[John T]

"W9MV" > wrote in message

>
> What an absolute excellent experience. ...
>
> Anyway, I just had to post, this was such a wonderful training
> experience.
>
> Question, does that leg ever stop shaking? :)

Shaking. Dancing.
Tomato. Tomahto.

Flying good approaches in actual conditions is definitely a boost. My
adrenaline usually doesn't kick in until I'm tied down and realize just how
much fun I just had. :)

--
John T
http://tknowlogy.com/tknoFlyer
__________

[W9MV]

How brilliant your response was.

>
>Shaking. Dancing.
>Tomato. Tomahto.


You have put an entirely new perspective on my left leg doing it's thing.

Actually, it doesn't happen when doing approaches, it occurs during takeoff
when I going into the clouds at a lower level, say 500 feet. I believe it's
because of the P factor and the fact that my leg is pressing down pretty hard
on the rudder.

So now what I do is use the trim and then I can significantly reduce the force
I'm pressing down with my leg.

I must tell you, when I saw the runway during the ILS approach almost dead on
in front of me, I had the biggest charge.

Good stuff.

Mark

[JerryK]

Sounds like a fun day of flying. Good job!

jerry

[JimC]

I think you pointed out the biggest factor limiting most of us getting over
the adrenaline experience during low IMC approaches - the infrequent
occurrence. It's hard to get comfortable with anything that we don't
frequently repeat. I've talked to many pilots who feel that calm day VFR
can be more difficult than usual after they have been absent from flying for
more than a few weeks.

Good job on getting the instructor and making maximum use of a challenging
flying day!

JimC
WT0J (don't often include that - but it has meaning to you)
N2233W

"W9MV" > wrote in message
...
> It's been just about a year since I had gotten my IFR ticket, and have
over 250
> hours since, about 25 hours in actual.
>
> But, my personal minimums have been 1000 ft and 3 miles.
>
> Today (Knoxville, TN) we had perfect conditions to safely fly in the soup.
(NO
> ICE) I got my instructor on board and we flew three approaches, NDB, GPS,
ILS.
> During the NDB and GPS approaches we never saw the ground, but the
additional
> 400 feet of the ILS approach, we completed the approach to a nice touch
down.
>
> We broke out at about 300 feet above the ground.
>
> What an absolute excellent experience. Major difference? Having the
instructor
> as a safety pilot eliminated any lack of confidence from entering into the
> flight.
>
> All three approaches, if you indulge me in a little boasting, where close
to
> perfect. I know for a fact however, if I was flying these solo, my left
leg
> would be shaking uncontrollably due to the addrenaline.
>
> But with a safety pilot (CFII) to my right, my confidence was high, and my
> flying, radio work, and navigation went really well.
>
> Anyway, I just had to post, this was such a wonderful training experience.
>
> Question, does that leg ever stop shaking? :)
>
> Mark

[John Clonts]

"W9MV" > wrote in message
...
> How brilliant your response was.
>
> >
> >Shaking. Dancing.
> >Tomato. Tomahto.
>
>
> You have put an entirely new perspective on my left leg doing it's thing.
>
> Actually, it doesn't happen when doing approaches, it occurs during
takeoff
> when I going into the clouds at a lower level, say 500 feet. I believe
it's
> because of the P factor and the fact that my leg is pressing down pretty
hard
> on the rudder.
>
> So now what I do is use the trim and then I can significantly reduce the
force
> I'm pressing down with my leg.
>

What kind of plane do you fly again? On climbout its my *right* leg doing
the extra work, 'til I trim it out...

Cheers,
John Clonts
Temple, Texas
N7NZ

[Jeff]

well I am glad your approach went off well today, mine sucked big green weenies.

I was at 14,000 (MEA over the mountains), after I crossed mountains, they gave me
lower when I was 20 miles from the airport (carlsbad, ca), tell you what, it was
impossible to lose 13500 ft in 20 miles. I am glad it was VMC, I had filed IFR
because the forcast was possible IFR due to ceiling and fog, but it cleared up just
before I got in. I should have put my gear down when I got cleared onto the ILS (at
20 miles out), but I kept it up, GS was about 178 kts, wasnt going to happen. I had
to cancel 2 miles from the airport and do some 360's to lose the altitude.

Jeff

W9MV wrote:

> It's been just about a year since I had gotten my IFR ticket, and have over 250
> hours since, about 25 hours in actual.
>
> But, my personal minimums have been 1000 ft and 3 miles.
>
> Today (Knoxville, TN) we had perfect conditions to safely fly in the soup. (NO
> ICE) I got my instructor on board and we flew three approaches, NDB, GPS, ILS.
> During the NDB and GPS approaches we never saw the ground, but the additional
> 400 feet of the ILS approach, we completed the approach to a nice touch down.
>
> We broke out at about 300 feet above the ground.
>
> What an absolute excellent experience. Major difference? Having the instructor
> as a safety pilot eliminated any lack of confidence from entering into the
> flight.
>
> All three approaches, if you indulge me in a little boasting, where close to
> perfect. I know for a fact however, if I was flying these solo, my left leg
> would be shaking uncontrollably due to the addrenaline.
>
> But with a safety pilot (CFII) to my right, my confidence was high, and my
> flying, radio work, and navigation went really well.
>
> Anyway, I just had to post, this was such a wonderful training experience.
>
> Question, does that leg ever stop shaking? :)
>
> Mark

[W9MV]

>What kind of plane do you fly again? On climbout its my *right* leg doing
>the extra work, 'til I trim it out...

I'm flying a 1999 Archer III, which is well equiped.

Mark

[EDR]

In article >, W9MV
> wrote:

> All three approaches, if you indulge me in a little boasting, where close to
> perfect. I know for a fact however, if I was flying these solo, my left leg
> would be shaking uncontrollably due to the addrenaline.

Only the left leg shakes?
Wow! The last time that happened to me, I was doing a tap dance with
both feet on the rudder peddles. If I had any sense of rythm, I would
have turned on the ADF for a tune.
:-))

[Doug]

Surely the approach to Carlsbad has a hold somewhere. Suggest you
"request a descent in the hold because you are above your descent
profile".

Jeff > wrote in message >...
> well I am glad your approach went off well today, mine sucked big green weenies.
>
> I was at 14,000 (MEA over the mountains), after I crossed mountains, they gave me
> lower when I was 20 miles from the airport (carlsbad, ca), tell you what, it was
> impossible to lose 13500 ft in 20 miles. I am glad it was VMC, I had filed IFR
> because the forcast was possible IFR due to ceiling and fog, but it cleared up just
> before I got in. I should have put my gear down when I got cleared onto the ILS (at
> 20 miles out), but I kept it up, GS was about 178 kts, wasnt going to happen. I had
> to cancel 2 miles from the airport and do some 360's to lose the altitude.
>
> Jeff
>
> W9MV wrote:
>
> > It's been just about a year since I had gotten my IFR ticket, and have over 250
> > hours since, about 25 hours in actual.
> >
> > But, my personal minimums have been 1000 ft and 3 miles.
> >
> > Today (Knoxville, TN) we had perfect conditions to safely fly in the soup. (NO
> > ICE) I got my instructor on board and we flew three approaches, NDB, GPS, ILS.
> > During the NDB and GPS approaches we never saw the ground, but the additional
> > 400 feet of the ILS approach, we completed the approach to a nice touch down.
> >
> > We broke out at about 300 feet above the ground.
> >
> > What an absolute excellent experience. Major difference? Having the instructor
> > as a safety pilot eliminated any lack of confidence from entering into the
> > flight.
> >
> > All three approaches, if you indulge me in a little boasting, where close to
> > perfect. I know for a fact however, if I was flying these solo, my left leg
> > would be shaking uncontrollably due to the addrenaline.
> >
> > But with a safety pilot (CFII) to my right, my confidence was high, and my
> > flying, radio work, and navigation went really well.
> >
> > Anyway, I just had to post, this was such a wonderful training experience.
> >
> > Question, does that leg ever stop shaking? :)
> >
> > Mark

[Colin Kingsbury]

Or just ask for delaying vectors, so you don't have to go through the full
"hold" rigmarole.

-cwk/

"Doug" > wrote in message
om...
> Surely the approach to Carlsbad has a hold somewhere. Suggest you
> "request a descent in the hold because you are above your descent
> profile".
>
> Jeff > wrote in message
>...
> > well I am glad your approach went off well today, mine sucked big green
weenies.
> >

[Jeff]

no, there was no hold, I think there was one for the missed, but out over the ocean, the
opposite direction from which I came.

I should have slowed down and put my gear down is what I should have done, as it was I had
gained to much speed to drop the gear which caused me have to put the nose up and stop my
decent so I could lose the excess speed to get below the gear speed. I knew better.

Doug wrote:

> Surely the approach to Carlsbad has a hold somewhere. Suggest you
> "request a descent in the hold because you are above your descent
> profile".
>
> Jeff > wrote in message >...
> > well I am glad your approach went off well today, mine sucked big green weenies.
> >
> > I was at 14,000 (MEA over the mountains), after I crossed mountains, they gave me
> > lower when I was 20 miles from the airport (carlsbad, ca), tell you what, it was
> > impossible to lose 13500 ft in 20 miles. I am glad it was VMC, I had filed IFR
> > because the forcast was possible IFR due to ceiling and fog, but it cleared up just
> > before I got in. I should have put my gear down when I got cleared onto the ILS (at
> > 20 miles out), but I kept it up, GS was about 178 kts, wasnt going to happen. I had
> > to cancel 2 miles from the airport and do some 360's to lose the altitude.
> >
> > Jeff
> >
> > W9MV wrote:
> >
> > > It's been just about a year since I had gotten my IFR ticket, and have over 250
> > > hours since, about 25 hours in actual.
> > >
> > > But, my personal minimums have been 1000 ft and 3 miles.
> > >
> > > Today (Knoxville, TN) we had perfect conditions to safely fly in the soup. (NO
> > > ICE) I got my instructor on board and we flew three approaches, NDB, GPS, ILS.
> > > During the NDB and GPS approaches we never saw the ground, but the additional
> > > 400 feet of the ILS approach, we completed the approach to a nice touch down.
> > >
> > > We broke out at about 300 feet above the ground.
> > >
> > > What an absolute excellent experience. Major difference? Having the instructor
> > > as a safety pilot eliminated any lack of confidence from entering into the
> > > flight.
> > >
> > > All three approaches, if you indulge me in a little boasting, where close to
> > > perfect. I know for a fact however, if I was flying these solo, my left leg
> > > would be shaking uncontrollably due to the addrenaline.
> > >
> > > But with a safety pilot (CFII) to my right, my confidence was high, and my
> > > flying, radio work, and navigation went really well.
> > >
> > > Anyway, I just had to post, this was such a wonderful training experience.
> > >
> > > Question, does that leg ever stop shaking? :)
> > >
> > > Mark

[Jeff]

wouldnt have worked ddont think, SoCal had already turned me over to tower,
Tower would have had to turn me back over to SoCal and probably sent me out
over the ocean away from all the incomming traffic. Carlsbad is a nice airport,
I was impressed with it. Awsome service at western flight.

Colin Kingsbury wrote:

> Or just ask for delaying vectors, so you don't have to go through the full
> "hold" rigmarole.
>
> -cwk/
>
> "Doug" > wrote in message
> om...
> > Surely the approach to Carlsbad has a hold somewhere. Suggest you
> > "request a descent in the hold because you are above your descent
> > profile".
> >
> > Jeff > wrote in message
> >...
> > > well I am glad your approach went off well today, mine sucked big green
> weenies.
> > >