IFR flight Sunday

I flew up to Abilene (ktpl-kabi-ktpl) to pick up my daughter Sunday...

I took off at about 4 into 200 and 1 1/2. I had gotten there early
and planned to do a couple of approaches before I left, but I decided
to go ahead and top off (had about 3.5 hours in the tanks), and there
were a couple of inbounds I had to wait for, so I scratched the
approaches. Climbing out I broke out on top at about 3500, on my way
to 8000. Forgot to bring my sunglasses as usual! The cloud layer
underneath me ended in a well defined line running NE-to-SW just past
Hamilton. The rest of the way was clear.

On the way back conditions were still about the same-- 200 and 1 3/4.
Enroute I was considering my options if we couldn't get in, and they
weren't very good-- Waco was 200 ovc, Killeen skylark weather was out
of service, and Gray was 400 ovc, but GA is not really allowed there.
So my fallback position would probably be west, back to VFR Hamilton
or Comanche or Burnet or something. Or, hold and hope for
improvement. But I was very glad that I had topped off the tanks and
would still have 4 hours in the tanks upon arrival to Temple instead
of 1!

As I descended into the deck nearing Gatesville, I was also happy that
the HSI needle had been working the entire flight. I resolved though
to cross-check it diligently with the GPS. About 5 miles from MOODY I
activated the AP combo HDG/APR mode. I let it make the intercept and
it did fine. But as I waited for glideslope intercept I decided that
I just couldn't let the autopilot have all the fun! So I hand-flew it
on down. Though it was very smooth, at one point we were between
layers, and then when we entered the lower layer there was a
distinctly different wind correction. Did I mention that I was really
glad that the HSI needle was working!! We crossed the marker at 1700
feet and I was right on. DA is 882. As we went through about 1200 I
bobbled a bit right then left (maybe 1 1/2 dots), but recovered
nicely. I didn't even look out the window til about 925-- I could see
the glow, and yes, the rabbit. And now there's the threshold lights.
So we're good to land, and I start to adjust according to what I see
out the window, but it seemed a bit strange so I had to tell myself
"OK, no major corrections here, just hold what you got until
everything is REALLY obvious, the runway is plenty long". And sure
enough it got a lot easier once I was past the numbers and about 50
feet altitude. So I landed just past the ILS landing target marks,
but still made that mid-field turn off anyway.

Nicole said "Nice job Dad! Awesome the way the lights just 'appear'
out of the fog!"

We had landed at about 0030Z, and within 30 minutes it went to 100 OVC
and 1 1/4, and mostly stayed that way til 11:15 pm.

Cheers,
John Clonts
Temple, Texas
N7NZ

KTPL 110555Z 18006KT 1 3/4SM OVC009 12/09 A3016 RMK AO1 10120 20100
401200070 54000
KTPL 110535Z 18006KT 2SM OVC009 12/09 A3015 RMK AO1
KTPL 110515Z 18005KT 1 3/4SM OVC009 12/09 A3017 RMK AO1
KTPL 110455Z 18004KT 1 1/2SM BKN001 OVC009 11/09 A3017 RMK AO1
KTPL 110435Z 18003KT 1 1/2SM OVC001 11/09 A3017 RMK AO1
KTPL 110415Z 19003KT 1 1/2SM OVC001 11/09 A3017 RMK AO1
KTPL 110355Z 20005KT 1 3/4SM OVC002 11/09 A3016 RMK AO1
KTPL 110335Z 00000KT 1 1/2SM OVC001 11/08 A3016 RMK AO1
KTPL 110315Z 19005KT 1 1/4SM OVC001 11/08 A3017 RMK AO1
KTPL 110255Z 19006KT 1 1/2SM OVC002 11/08 A3016 RMK AO1 52003
KTPL 110235Z 18008KT 1 3/4SM OVC002 11/08 A3015 RMK AO1
KTPL 110215Z 18009KT 2SM OVC002 11/08 A3016 RMK AO1
KTPL 110155Z 18008KT 1 3/4SM OVC002 11/08 A3015 RMK AO1
KTPL 110135Z 17008KT 1 1/2SM OVC001 11/08 A3015 RMK AO1
KTPL 110115Z 16008KT 1 1/4SM OVC001 11/08 A3014 RMK AO1
KTPL 110055Z 16009KT 1 1/4SM OVC001 11/08 A3014 RMK AO1
-- KTPL 110035Z 16009KT 1 1/2SM OVC002 11/08 A3014 RMK AO1 --
KTPL 110015Z 17009KT 1 3/4SM OVC002 10/07 A3014 RMK AO1
KTPL 102355Z 17007KT 2SM OVC002 10/07 A3015 RMK AO1 10100 20070 57007

And that is what an instrument rating is all about...
making flights possible that otherwise would not be.

I consider sunglasses a mandatory item for flight. You can literally be
blinded without them.

Doug wrote:
I consider sunglasses a mandatory item for flight. You can literally be
blinded without them.


Same here.

After forgetting them once or twice, I've dedicated a nice set to
flying. They live in my flight bag, in a crushproof case, so I can't
forget 'em!

"John Clonts" wrote in message ups.com...
:I flew up to Abilene (ktpl-kabi-ktpl) to pick up my daughter Sunday...
:
:...snip
:
: Nicole said "Nice job Dad! Awesome the way the lights just 'appear'
: out of the fog!"
:
: We had landed at about 0030Z, and within 30 minutes it went to 100 OVC
: and 1 1/4, and mostly stayed that way til 11:15 pm.
:
: Cheers,
: John Clonts
: Temple, Texas
: N7NZ
:

Good job, options were clear. Great flight...

"John Clonts" wrote:

Nicole said "Nice job Dad! Awesome the way the lights just 'appear'
out of the fog!"

Totally cool. It just doesn't get any better than that!!