First IMC flight

Hi folks,

It's been over a year since I got the rating, and aside from popping
through the
coastal stratus a few times, I never used it.

Well, yesterday I used it. 1.5 solid hours in the clouds. There
was a front
passing through Northern California. But it was all layered stratus
stuff, the
icing level was forecast 11000, and the winds were not excessive.

Popped into the clouds 2000 feet above San Carlos. Wondered just what
I'd gotten myself into as the ground went away and all the windows
turned white.
Decided then & there to order the terrain update for the GNS430.
Stayed in the clouds til I popped out at the Panoche VOR. The Valley
was severe
clear over a layer of light haze. Flew the GPS approach at FCH &
circled to land.

Flew back home at sunset, which quickly turned to night. It's DARK
in the clouds at night! The wingtip strobes were distracting, so I
turned them off. I could still see the light from the rotating beacon
reflected from the wings, but that wasn't so bad.

San Carlos was reporting light rain & 1600-foot ceilings. Flew the
GPS30 approach and circled to 12, landed on the wet shiny runway.
Lived through another one! I think I spent more time in the clouds
yesterday than in all the instrument training put together.

- Jerry Kaidor ( )