David B. Cole wrote:

Matt and Guy,

Thanks for the advice. I read Weather Flying by Buck and Instrument
Flying by Taylor before starting the rating, I think it's time to take
another look at them now that I have my IFR license to learn.

I also own and read both years ago, but probably a re-read is in order.
It has been 10 years since I read them. I also liked Peter Dogan's
instrument flying book. I found it one of the most understandable early
in my training and just read it again as a refresher. I need to get a
new version as I have the original and it is pretty dated with regards
to airspace and other such things and it was pre-GPS.

I made my first flight in actual yesterday from ELM to BFD and back.
Shot the GPS to BFD and weather was below minimums so I got to shoot a
real missed approach in actual, something I'd never done before. We
didn't plan to land at BFD anyway, but it was fun to fly along at the
MDA and seeing next to nothing. My instructor did catch a glimpse of
the runway as I was climbing out, but we'd have never gotten down to it.

I did learn one lesson. If center doesn't clear you to change to
advisory frequency, suspect something. I assumed it was because the
weather was below VFR at BFD and plus my flight plan had a remark that
we were only shooting the approach and missed at BFD and then returning
direct to ELM. I was cleared for the approach and then heard nothing
else. My instructor commented that it was odd we didn't get "handed
off" to CTAF frequency, but he also rationalized it as due to the really
low weather and no plans for us to land there. Well, I called missed
approach and still no response from center. I was just about to call
again when Cleveland called and asked what I thought I was doing. I
told him I was flying the missed. He then, in a very sarcastic tone,
asked how I knew what altitude I was climbing to. I replied that it was
charted on the missed.

He was very busy and I think he just forgot about us. I reminded him
that my flight plan said I planned to shoot the approach, fly the missed
and then direct to ELM. He then said "climb to 7000", but gave no
aircraft ID. I waited to see if another airplane replied as I assumed
it was for someone else and the ID had been stepped on. After maybe 20
seconds, I called again as asked if the 7000 was for me. He said
something like "I assigned it to you some time ago." The next
transmission came from a different voice, and a much less grouchy one I
might add, and cleared me direct ELM. Still not sure what happened, but
I think he was overloaded, forgot about us and didn't hear the missed
call. Next time I'll call if I don't get the "frequency change
approved" call within 10 miles or so of the field. Every flight is a
lesson...


Matt