Godspeed, John & Sheri Horn

Jay,
I am very sorry to hear about the accident, my deepest sympathy to
you, Mary and all the friends and relatives of the pilots. The
accident touched me deeply because John and Sheri sounded just like
us, another couple who share the love of flying.
We may never know the cause of the accident whether it was
something mechanical or weather related. Since the Horns were
experienced pilots, I had no doubt that they had prepared well for the
flight but something unexpected had happened.
The anticipated 'unexpected events' happened to us in our flight
last Wednesday from NY to MI. We monitored the weather continuously
before the trip. All the TAFs had predicted good VFR weather at our
destinations. In anticipating unpredictable weather, we planned for
three different routes, printed out approach charts for dozen or so
airports along the way, and picked out several alternate airports for
each stop. The front appeared to move out East much faster than
predicted. We were in solid IMC with light to moderate rains and
light turbulence for most of the trip. The headwinds were also much
stronger than forecasted with the ground speeds dropped to 75/80kts
over Canada. We got off ATC frequencies several times to check the
weather ahead. Each time the weather briefer asked us to confirm that
we were flying IFR.
Approaching our final destination, we learned that the ceiling in
Muskegon was down to 300' but Grand Rapids area was improving with
ceiling lifting from overcast at 1000' to scattered at 1400' and
overcast at 2300'. Although we love shooting ILS approaches and had
done few down to minimum (with instructors onboard), doing the KMKG
ILS 24 approach with 300' ceiling would require more efforts than I
was willing to try after bouncing around in IMC for 3.5hrs! It was
an easy decision to head to Y70 near KGRR instead of KMKG. The
scattered layer lifted up to 1700' for an easy radar-vectored VOR A
approach. We cancelled IFR while on RWY 27 final.
My weariness evaporated instantly the moment the wheels softly
kissed the paved runway. It was a challenged flight but I felt elated
in accomplishing the mission. John and Sheri must have felt the same
way many times before. It is tragic that they did not complete their
last mission. We, their flying brethrens and sisters can only take
comfort in the fact that they spent the last moment of their lives
together doing something that they both loved.

Hai Longworth

"Longworth" wrote:

The scattered layer lifted up to 1700' for an easy radar-vectored VOR A
approach. We cancelled IFR while on RWY 27 final.

My weariness evaporated instantly the moment the wheels softly
kissed the paved runway. It was a challenged flight but I felt elated
in accomplishing the mission.


Yet some people say that IFR takes the fun out of flying. I don't get it.
There's more than one kind of fun.


--
Dan
T-182T at BFM

On 7/6/2007 3:31:49 PM, "Dan Luke" wrote:

Yet some people say that IFR takes the fun out of flying. I don't get it.
There's more than one kind of fun.

I agree. It is the age-old character flaw that makes some people believe "if
you aren't doing what I deem as fun, then what you are doing cannot be fun."
It ultimately boils down to a failure to accept others' differences.

--
Peter

"Peter R." wrote in message
...
On 7/6/2007 3:31:49 PM, "Dan Luke" wrote:

Yet some people say that IFR takes the fun out of flying. I don't get it.
There's more than one kind of fun.

I agree. It is the age-old character flaw that makes some people believe
"if
you aren't doing what I deem as fun, then what you are doing cannot be
fun."
It ultimately boils down to a failure to accept others' differences.

Quite.

For some of us, breaking out on top, or below, is AWESOME.

Dan Luke wrote:
"Longworth" wrote:


The scattered layer lifted up to 1700' for an easy radar-vectored VOR A
approach. We cancelled IFR while on RWY 27 final.


My weariness evaporated instantly the moment the wheels softly
kissed the paved runway. It was a challenged flight but I felt elated
in accomplishing the mission.



Yet some people say that IFR takes the fun out of flying. I don't get it.
There's more than one kind of fun.


No, it takes the fun out of flying. On our return from the same ANS
convention I was flying and the weather was fair at best. In earlier
times I would have stuck it out VFR, but I decided this was NO FUN and
landed. Ron filed and flew home. I didn't get to fly anymore that day.
HE had fun, I sat in the right seat.

Of course even with the rating the day after Memorial Day I woke up in
my bed in Herndon, VA, my car was in Culpeper and my plane was in
Richmond. Oh well, we got home, in the rental car...

Margy

"Margy Natalie" wrote:


HE had fun, I sat in the right seat.

Well, need I tell you the remedy for that?

--
Dan
T-182T at BFM

Margy Natalie wrote:
Of course even with the rating the day after Memorial Day I woke up in
my bed in Herndon, VA, my car was in Culpeper and my plane was in
Richmond. Oh well, we got home, in the rental car...

Now that, is a true tale about instrument flying!
You can get close enough that a rental car will have you home an hour or
two, pick up your own car the next day and pick up your airplane the
following week.

john smith wrote:
Margy Natalie wrote:
Of course even with the rating the day after Memorial Day I woke up in
my bed in Herndon, VA, my car was in Culpeper and my plane was in
Richmond. Oh well, we got home, in the rental car...

Now that, is a true tale about instrument flying!
You can get close enough that a rental car will have you home an hour or
two, pick up your own car the next day and pick up your airplane the
following week.

Actually, up until the time we bailed out at RIC, we were in severe
CAVU. Unfortunately there was a line of thunderstorms sitting on
the route of flight into our home airport. We stopped off at RIC
to let them pass by, but by the time it our home field (CJR) was
beginning to go below minimums. One major reason we bailed at RIC
was that it would be a convenient place to get a rental. Actually,
the drive from RIC to home, is about the same amount of time as
flying from RIC to CJR and then driving home (faster if you don't
count putting the plane away, etc...).

I just drove down the next evening and by the time I was off it
was dark. VFR but dark. Now I fly extensively around the DC
area at night and it's pretty bright, but in the summer haze
staring at rural Virginia and the Applachians in the background
I was glad to have my IFR skills.