Run-in with Chicago Center

In article BbRUc.42104$TI1.17388@attbi_s52, "William W. Plummer"
wrote:

Getting vertical obstructions into databases is a huge huge problem.
Please don't assume that AvMap has them all.

Why is it a huge problem. At worst the FAA database can be used.

Because vertical obstructions change over time, not all towers
or other obstructions are reported, and who is going to verify
the accuracy of the reported location and height?

(btw - the FAA database would come from NIMA - or whatever they
are called now).

--
Bob Noel
Seen on Kerry's campaign airplane: "the real deal"
oh yeah baby.

Jay Honeck wrote:

My main reason for not finishing up my instrument training has been a lack
of time. A close second, however, is the fact that I have been tracking my
"weather vs. flight" ratio for several years, and it is indeed a rare VFR
flight that is cancelled because of conditions that I would feel comfortable
with flying IFR.

In addition to that, there is the need to keep current. That basically means that a
few hours of the flying you do for fun every year becomes a bit more like work.
Probably the only IFR flights I would ever make would be taken within 6 months of
getting the rating.

At least you have Mary to serve as a safety pilot.

George Patterson
If you want to know God's opinion of money, just look at the people
he gives it to.

Maule Driver wrote:

Can anyone suggest a good fuel stop in NJ? Price with a restaurant perhaps
(Solberg(?) and Blairstown come to mind.

Solberg has no restaurant. Blairstown is ok for a fast burger or something, but I
would recommend either Sky Manor (near Alexandria) or Central Jersey. Sky Manor has
good prices on gas and a nice restaurant. If you're in the mood for Italian food,
stop at Central Jersey (47N). The restaurant is a short walk (end of the driveway)
but is excellent. Fuel prices were so-so last time I checked. Both have self-service
pumps. Central Jersey also had fuel trucks the last time I was there.

George Patterson
If you want to know God's opinion of money, just look at the people
he gives it to.

"G.R. Patterson III" wrote:

Solberg has no restaurant. Blairstown is ok for a fast burger or something, but I
would recommend either Sky Manor (near Alexandria) or Central Jersey.

If you do go to Sky Manor, be a bit careful about the runway. It runs downhill to the
west. If you're landing to the east, you get the distinct impression that you're high
on final when you aren't. Landing to the west, the numbers are on flat land. Hit
right after the numbers, and everything's fine. Try to land 100' further down, and
you're likely to plant the mains about midfield. Takeoffs to the east present no
problem, other than the long ground roll you'd expect from an uphill run. For some
reason, my plane gets squirrely if I try to raise the tail at the usual airspeed (~40
mph) when taking off downhill. You might want to keep the tail down a bit longer than
usual when departing to the west.

If you're coming through on a Saturday, there are frequently enough unusual aircraft
parked around the place to make it worth the stop for that alone. There are two of
those Russian amphibian aircraft based there.

George Patterson
If you want to know God's opinion of money, just look at the people
he gives it to.

My main reason for not finishing up my instrument training has been a lack
of time. A close second, however, is the fact that I have been tracking my
"weather vs. flight" ratio for several years, and it is indeed a rare VFR
flight that is cancelled because of conditions that I would feel
comfortable
with flying IFR.

In addition to that, there is the need to keep current. That basically means
that a
few hours of the flying you do for fun every year becomes a bit more like
work.
Probably the only IFR flights I would ever make would be taken within 6
months of
getting the rating.


Seldom would I disagree so vehemently with TWO of my best buds on the 'net at
the same time :-)

Just yesterday, I had to depart the NY area early (8am) for Providence to pick
up an Angel Flight patient and fly her to Teterboro. Flight Service advised
airmets for IMC along the entire route, and from my home airport I could tell
the ceiling was low. I had signed up for the flight a few weeks ago, and knew I
was not current because, well, I'm a photographer and 90% of my flying is on
beautiful VFR days. But I knew the possibility that I'd have to go IFR was
real (and likely) so I scheduled an Instrument Proficiency Check last week, and
got signed off. Did 3 approaches, some partial panel, and some unusual
attitude recovery, and holding. Flight was 1.6, and afterward I looked the
CFII in the eye and asked, "am I safe?". He answered, "absolutely".
So yesterday, after getting my clearance, I departed into a 600 ft ceiling and
was IMC until I got above the overcast at 7000.
Flew the ILS to 23 at PVD, picked up the patient, filed IFR for the return
flight, and headed back to NY. Anyone in NY knows that yesterday was about as
soupy as it gets . . . visibility 3 miles in haze. We were IMC for the last 75
miles of the flight.
We were at 6000 ft. Even on descent, from 3000 feet, you could not see the
ground. Point is the IFR rating makes a flight like this possible, safe, and
increases the utility of your airplane significantly. (BTW, I do have weather
detection on board--a Strikefinder).


www.Rosspilot.com

Thanks! I was thinking Sky Manor when I said Solberg - that's where we
stopped last time but didn't eat. Blairstown sounds like it hasn't changed
but we used to be based there.

Central Jersey sounds like a good candidate - may try it.


"G.R. Patterson III" wrote in message
...


Maule Driver wrote:

Can anyone suggest a good fuel stop in NJ? Price with a restaurant
perhaps
(Solberg(?) and Blairstown come to mind.

Solberg has no restaurant. Blairstown is ok for a fast burger or
something, but I
would recommend either Sky Manor (near Alexandria) or Central Jersey. Sky
Manor has
good prices on gas and a nice restaurant. If you're in the mood for
Italian food,
stop at Central Jersey (47N). The restaurant is a short walk (end of the
driveway)
but is excellent. Fuel prices were so-so last time I checked. Both have
self-service
pumps. Central Jersey also had fuel trucks the last time I was there.

George Patterson
If you want to know God's opinion of money, just look at the people
he gives it to.

On Wed, 18 Aug 2004 20:01:52 GMT, "Steven P. McNicoll"
wrote:


"Paul Sengupta" wrote in message
.. .

Are you not supposed to ask for a frequency change before you leave them?

Or just let them know you're leaving the frequency?


You don't have to do either. You just have to maintain radio communications
while within the Class D airspace.


The problem is determining when you are clear of the controlled
airspace. I've heard more than a few horror stories about pilots
being clear by more than just a few miles (verified by GPS) and the
tower did not concur. I don't always "announce" my frequency change
but if not, I make sure I'm plenty far away before changing channels.
Rich Russell

In article ne.com,
Andrew Gideon wrote:

Jeremy Lew wrote:

Really, they have no business "approving" a frequency change if you're not
in their airspace. Do they have radar there?

Some yes, some no.

MMU and CDW "sort of" do, but they don't really use it. More accurately,
they don't assign squawks and differentiate traffic that way. CDW, at
least, cannot. Both MMU and CDW get feeds of RADAR from EWR.
Unfortunately, there's this ridge which creates a shadow that blocks at
least some of the pattern at CDW.

Further, the system at CDW doesn't show transponder codes. It'll
differentiate between VFR and IFR (one slash or two) and it'll show idents.
But nothing else. I've never visited the MMU tower, so I don't know
whether they've a better feed.

Other D airports have and use RADAR: TEB and RDG come to mind. In those
airspaces, you get a squawk.

Ditto for HPN.

I was at Sky Manor Tuesday. They have a self-service pump and fuel was
(IIRC) around $2.65/gal. I believe the self-service pumps @ Central Jersey
are about the same. If you go to Sky Manor, be aware that the Sky Manor and
Alexandria CTAF changed from 122.8 to 122.975 in June. I got a surprise
when I got there Tuesday (old sectional) :-( The Restaurant at Sky Manor is
closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Another surprise.

--
Bob (Chief Pilot, White Knuckle Airways)

I don't have to like Bush and Cheney (Or Kerry, for that matter) to love
America

"Maule Driver" wrote in message
r.com...
Thanks! I was thinking Sky Manor when I said Solberg - that's where we
stopped last time but didn't eat. Blairstown sounds like it hasn't
changed
but we used to be based there.

Central Jersey sounds like a good candidate - may try it.


"G.R. Patterson III" wrote in message
...


Maule Driver wrote:

Can anyone suggest a good fuel stop in NJ? Price with a restaurant
perhaps
(Solberg(?) and Blairstown come to mind.

Solberg has no restaurant. Blairstown is ok for a fast burger or
something, but I
would recommend either Sky Manor (near Alexandria) or Central Jersey.
Sky
Manor has
good prices on gas and a nice restaurant. If you're in the mood for
Italian food,
stop at Central Jersey (47N). The restaurant is a short walk (end of the
driveway)
but is excellent. Fuel prices were so-so last time I checked. Both have
self-service
pumps. Central Jersey also had fuel trucks the last time I was there.

George Patterson
If you want to know God's opinion of money, just look at the people
he gives it to.

On 18 Aug 2004 23:50:58 GMT, (ISLIP) wrote:

METARS showed some reporting stations in the 1900
overcast range, but most were at 2200 or better, and radar was clear


As we approached Dubuque's Class Delta airspace, the ceilings dropped to
their expected low-point of the trip (the Mississippi River valley usually
creates its own little weather pattern.

I had to remain at 1900
feet to be legal.

How did you stay legal (500' below clouds) at 1900" if ceilings were 220' and
sometimes lower?

Could bases are reported in AGL not MSL.