x-country solo

I'm not sure I can offer much in the way of advice. I think this kinda
thing happens periodically, and it's not the end of the world. Especially
(having read ahead) between BDR and HVN (and possibly GON, too)...

The one comment I would make is that the fact that they reported no radar
contact, IMHO, is not enough to justify cancelling the approach (or
anywhere near "unfathomable" as you describe). Had they said "Radar
Contact, 9 miles East" when you thought you were entering the pattern, I
might have been more inclined to ask for immediate help...

Mistakes happen. Those are the kinds of things that you learn from. No one
was hurt, and I'd bet you won't have any serious negative repurcussions to
your license...

The only thing I would have done differently, though is that I would have
told the instructor about the screw up. If nothing else, he might have
taken the time to review your planning and helped you learn from the
situation.



"Joe Johnson" wrote in
m:

Scenario: student pilot on x-country solo. About 50hrs.

Planning went fine. One long outbound leg (to satisfy the FARs) and
two shorter inbound legs to fulfill the three landings requirement.

Outbound leg: went great. Course maintained and all visual landmarks
nailed, within a minute of expected time. Landed, got logbook signed,
took off on 1st inbound leg.

First inbound leg was to a class D field close to home (call it ABC);
VOR on field. Dialed in the ABC VOR and looked for visual checkpoints.
Instead, approached another class D field nearby (call it XYZ). Not
to make excuses, but ABC and XYZ actually have some geographic
similarities: distance & direction from towns of about the same size,
as well as similar relation to highways and bodies of water, etc). The
visual checkpoints enroute were also close to each other. However,
student ignored two key pieces of evidence that wrong field was being
approached:

--ABC tower reported no radar contact (why student continued approach
to XYZ is therefore unfathomable).
--VOR indicated progressive deviation from course (also not
surprising).

Mistake discovered near XYZ pattern (runways obviously didn't match).
ABC tower (still in radio contact) notified. Then XYZ tower contacted,
mistake acknowledged, and profuse apologies offered. (No mention
either way of violation for busting the XYZ class D airspace.
Student's main concern is actually to learn from this error, violation
or no).

Trip continued to ABC as planned and on to home. Congratulations
offered for completing x-country solo. No mention of error by student
or instructor.

Suggestions solicited & greatly appreciated...

Thanks, Judah. Comments in line.

I'm not sure I can offer much in the way of advice. I think this kinda
thing happens periodically, and it's not the end of the world. Especially
(having read ahead) between BDR and HVN (and possibly GON, too)...

My wife & I have both worked in New Haven in the past. I was approaching
HVN from the north, over the city. I was so sure I was approaching BDR, my
mind completely suppressed all the landmarks with which I was fiamiliar.
HVN also doesn't have characteristic candy stripe painted smokestack near
BDR. As soon as I realized the error, I could finally "see" the Q bridge,
the Q river, route 34 & I-91going north from I-95, Yale, etc. It was quite
a shock.

The one comment I would make is that the fact that they reported no radar
contact, IMHO, is not enough to justify cancelling the approach (or
anywhere near "unfathomable" as you describe). Had they said "Radar
Contact, 9 miles East" when you thought you were entering the pattern, I
might have been more inclined to ask for immediate help...

Roger.

The only thing I would have done differently, though is that I would have
told the instructor about the screw up. If nothing else, he might have
taken the time to review your planning and helped you learn from the
situation.

It was dusk; he met me on the ramp, congratulated me, and said he had to
leave. I'm going to go over the NASA form with him today...

"Joe Johnson" wrote in
. com:

The one comment I would make is that the fact that they reported no
radar contact, IMHO, is not enough to justify cancelling the approach
(or anywhere near "unfathomable" as you describe). Had they said
"Radar Contact, 9 miles East" when you thought you were entering the
pattern, I might have been more inclined to ask for immediate help...

Roger.


The only reason I use the above example is because it actually happened to
me on my first night Cross Country. I was headed to Stewart (SWF), a Class
D, from HPN (White Plains) where I am based. Field in sight, called the
tower, and they instructed me to report entering a left downwind for Runway
9.

As I am coming up on the downwind, I call in - entering the midfield
downwind for 9. A few seconds later he asks me to ident. A few seconds
later he tells me he "Radar Contact, 9 miles east of the airport."

I'm looking at a runway now, figuring I'm about 2 miles out entering the
midfield downwind. After asking him to say again, I realize what's going
on... Orange County (MJG) is about 8 or 9 miles east of SWF. I'm setting up
for Runway 8 at Orange. Fortunately, it's not a controlled field, so there
was no issue of busting. Plus this was before 9/11, so it might not have
been a big deal even if it was.


But you want to know what the real kicker is?



My instructor was sitting in the right seat, had flown to both those fields
many times before, and his blinders were on just like mine were! This
flying stuff gets the best of all of us every now and then!

Judah wrote:

As I am coming up on the downwind, I call in - entering the midfield
downwind for 9. A few seconds later he asks me to ident. A few seconds
later he tells me he "Radar Contact, 9 miles east of the airport."

I'm looking at a runway now, figuring I'm about 2 miles out entering the
midfield downwind. After asking him to say again, I realize what's going
on... Orange County (MJG) is about 8 or 9 miles east of SWF. I'm setting up
for Runway 8 at Orange. Fortunately, it's not a controlled field,

Huh? An UNCONTROLLED field has radar facilities???

I don't have a sectional for this area, but is it possible you were
talking to Center / Approach or Departure rather then MJG Unicom?

Allen

No. I was talking to SWF tower - a controlled field 9 miles east of MJG -
the uncontrolled field whose downwind I was entering...

I miswrote, tho - he would have called me 9 miles West of his field...

A Lieberman wrote in :

Judah wrote:

As I am coming up on the downwind, I call in - entering the midfield
downwind for 9. A few seconds later he asks me to ident. A few seconds
later he tells me he "Radar Contact, 9 miles east of the airport."

I'm looking at a runway now, figuring I'm about 2 miles out entering
the midfield downwind. After asking him to say again, I realize what's
going on... Orange County (MJG) is about 8 or 9 miles east of SWF. I'm
setting up for Runway 8 at Orange. Fortunately, it's not a controlled
field,

Huh? An UNCONTROLLED field has radar facilities???

I don't have a sectional for this area, but is it possible you were
talking to Center / Approach or Departure rather then MJG Unicom?

Allen

Judah was talking to SWF.

I don't have a sectional for this area, but is it possible you were
talking to Center / Approach or Departure rather then MJG Unicom?

Allen

MJG is west of SWF...

Were you at POU?

"Judah" wrote in message
...
"Joe Johnson" wrote in
. com:

The only reason I use the above example is because it actually happened to
me on my first night Cross Country. I was headed to Stewart (SWF), a Class
D, from HPN (White Plains) where I am based. Field in sight, called the
tower, and they instructed me to report entering a left downwind for
Runway
9.

As I am coming up on the downwind, I call in - entering the midfield
downwind for 9. A few seconds later he asks me to ident. A few seconds
later he tells me he "Radar Contact, 9 miles east of the airport."

I'm looking at a runway now, figuring I'm about 2 miles out entering the
midfield downwind. After asking him to say again, I realize what's going
on... Orange County (MJG) is about 8 or 9 miles east of SWF. I'm setting
up
for Runway 8 at Orange. Fortunately, it's not a controlled field, so there
was no issue of busting. Plus this was before 9/11, so it might not have
been a big deal even if it was.


But you want to know what the real kicker is?



My instructor was sitting in the right seat, had flown to both those
fields
many times before, and his blinders were on just like mine were! This
flying stuff gets the best of all of us every now and then!

A momentary brain cramp... I'm more certain that we were at Orange than I
am that he called us 9 miles East of the field... He probably called us 9
miles West of the field, and I was just having a moment of dyslexic
directional capability. Sometimes I even forget that trick about taking
your left hand and making an L.




Anyway, the point was that student pilots aren't the only ones that make
those kinds of mistakes...


"Joe Johnson" wrote in
. com:

MJG is west of SWF...

Were you at POU?

"Judah" wrote in message
...
"Joe Johnson" wrote in
. com:

The only reason I use the above example is because it actually
happened to me on my first night Cross Country. I was headed to
Stewart (SWF), a Class D, from HPN (White Plains) where I am based.
Field in sight, called the tower, and they instructed me to report
entering a left downwind for Runway 9.

As I am coming up on the downwind, I call in - entering the midfield
downwind for 9. A few seconds later he asks me to ident. A few seconds
later he tells me he "Radar Contact, 9 miles east of the airport."

I'm looking at a runway now, figuring I'm about 2 miles out entering
the midfield downwind. After asking him to say again, I realize what's
going on... Orange County (MJG) is about 8 or 9 miles east of SWF. I'm
setting up for Runway 8 at Orange. Fortunately, it's not a controlled
field, so there was no issue of busting. Plus this was before 9/11, so
it might not have been a big deal even if it was.


But you want to know what the real kicker is?



My instructor was sitting in the right seat, had flown to both those
fields many times before, and his blinders were on just like mine
were! This flying stuff gets the best of all of us every now and then!

Mistake discovered near XYZ pattern (runways obviously didn't match). ABC
tower (still in radio contact) notified. Then XYZ tower contacted,
mistake
acknowledged, and profuse apologies offered.

I believe you have described the scenario that explains why moving-map GPS
has taken over the cockpit.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

I believe you have described the scenario that explains why moving-map GPS
has taken over the cockpit.

Agreed, Jay. One of the reasons I was so upset was that conditions were as
CAVU as CAVU gets. The entire terrain beneath me was like a moving-map GPS!

BTW, as a lurker here while I've been working on my private, I've enjoyed
your contributions very much. I hope to be guest of yours some day!