June 13, 2005
Chris gets his IFR Rating!
After several months of intensive training, Chris got his instrument rating in late May!
Karl Liang, the proud CFI, congratulates his student. Note the Orga-knee-zer and clicker, two key tools for proper IFR instruction.
The DPE was Mike Shiflett. Fortunately, it was a nice, sunny day with stable air, which made it much easier to stay within the PTS. Mike made me plan a flight to Red Bluff, which provided a good framework from which to talk about airspace, routing, etc. Icing levels, reporting points, lost communications procedures and airspace were emphasized. Departure procedures from uncontrolled airports were also discussed along with a number of other items.
For the flight portion, Mike chose SCK GPS, SCK ILS, TCY VOR-A partial panel. At SQL, he gave me a clearance on the ground which I flew, and then enroute I started getting set up for the approaches since they'd be coming at me quickly. Mike let me use the autopilot as much as I wanted, which I did to reduce my workload and reduce the chance of accidentally violating the heading requirements of the PTS. I got weather info at both airports, tuned and identified as many of the navaids as possible, and got the approach loaded into the GPS. Mike called approach and got us into the system, and cleared us to start with a hold at the IAF for the SCK GPS.
From there, the radios were my duty. I did a turn in the hold, then got cleared inbound on the second turn. The GPS approach was coupled, and went perfectly. Mike was watching that I didn’t descend below the MDA like a hawk, and I had to fly along for a good 1.5 mi at the MDA, so that was probably the most nerve wracking part. After going missed, we got vectored back around for the ILS, which went fine. After a touch and go, I "lost" my vacuum pump during the missed approach procedure from SCK and I had to do a few compass turns while getting vectored to the VOR-A approach to TCY. After going missed there, we went over the Livermore valley for some unusual attitude recovery. We debriefed on the flight back, and shut down, and that was it: I became an IFR pilot!
Posted by Chris at 05:24 PM | TrackBack
June 09, 2005
First Solo in IMC
Gabe Somma, a recent IFR rating recipient took 236SP out for a flight in IMC today for the first time, gaining valuable aviation experience. Here's his account:What up guys! I just got back from a really cool little IFR flight to SAC and back. IFR all the way, I was on top at 5k until SAC.
Weather was broken at SAC but got good practice with the VOR approach to rwy 2 followed by the ILS. I was planining on a round robin flight back with an approach at SCK but since I was running late, I requested a clearence back to SQL.
Clearance after the ILS was fly hdg 250 vectors SAC vor, V334, SUNOL, direct. climb 5k expect 6k in 10min. Of course, after intercepting V334, I was given vectors away from it and told to expect vectors for the GPS into San Carlos.
They took me farther south and slightly east of ALTAM and then started turning me into SQL. Solid overcast at 5k all the way back. Beautiful and clear on top. Picked up the Atis and then past SUNOL, They took me down to 5k, and then to 4k. I was solid in the soup!
I was expecting to be vectored into the final approach fix, but they had me pass final approach at 90deg and then vectored back in. The surprise was that the controller then said proceed direct AMEBY. I had activated vectors to final on the approach so I had to go back and reset the approach and then scroll down to select AMEBY, direct, enter. Phew! Now I was square.
All this solid in the clouds, pretty exciting! I was briefing the approach out loud all the way. Got cleared for the approach, and broke out about 8 miles south at 1500 feet or so. It was quite something flying alone kissing the tops and then going in and out of imc and then solid IMC. Definitely a cool flight. It was good to go today since we're in the backside of the weather, and it was improving at SQL.
It was quite something flying alone kissing the tops and then going in and out of imc and then solid IMC.
Posted by Chris at 03:58 PM
April 18, 2005
N236SP is back from a 1,000 nm trip!
Day 1: San Carlos - Santa MonicaThis week-end, I made an amazing trip around California with Karl Liang. This trip was also my long IFR cross-country trip. We flew 955nm in 3 days from San Carlos to Santa Monica, Mojave, San Diego, Santa Anna, Santa Barbara and back.
(click on the pictures for a larger image)
At SANTY intersection, over Monterey Bay
Santa Cruz
Karl and Elie
California Central Valley
Level at 7,000ft in a well organized cockpit
Arriving in the Los Angeles basin at 27 miles from the OHIGH intersection - Level at 9,000ft!
Enjoying the IFR ride
Click here for Day 2 >>
Click here for Mojave plane graveyard tour >>
Click here for Day 3 >>
N236SP flew to Santa Monica, Mojave, San Diego and back. Read more and see pictures of Elie's long IFR cross-country trip
Posted by Elie at 02:50 AM
Trip Day 2: Santa Monica - Mojave - San Diego Montgomery Field
(click on the pictures for a larger image)
In Santa Monica, parked in front of the FBO, doing the flight plan on the trunck of our car
Santa Monica beach, after take-off and a few turns
Edwards Air Force Base, seen from the border of the restricted area
Mojave desert
In front of the Mojave control tower
N236SP in front of the famous plane graveyard / mothball
Click here for a tour of the plane graveyard >>
Arrival in the San Diego area
Parked at the Montgomery Field FBO
Click here for a tour of the plane graveyard >>
Click here for Day 1 >>
Click here for Day 3 >>
Day 2: Santa Monica - Mojave - San Diego Montgomery Field
N236SP flew to Santa Monica, Mojave, San Diego and back. Read more and see pictures of Elie's long IFR cross-country trip
Posted by Elie at 02:46 AM
Trip Day 2: Mojave plane graveyard
(click on the pictures for a larger image)
Swissair Asia (the sister company Swissair Asia was set-up so to fly to Taiwan, so that Swissair "main company" could continue to fly to China)
Mothballed planes with all windows, doors and engines taped
Scaled Composite - Burt Ruthan company. SpaceShipOne was stored in this hangar
Building a plane for the Reno Air Races
Unique helicopter from an Arnold Schwarzenegger movie (which one?)
Click here for Day 1>>
Click here for Day 2 >>
Click here for Day 3 >>
Day 2: Mojave plane graveyard
N236SP flew to Santa Monica, Mojave, San Diego and back. Read more and see pictures of Elie's long IFR cross-country trip
Posted by Elie at 02:45 AM
Trip Day 3: San Diego Montgomery Field - Santa Anna - Santa Barbara - San Carlos
(click on the pictures for a larger image)
In Santa Anna - John Wayne Orange County Airport - Notice the MD-80 taking off behind me...
John Wayne is a very busy airport (alternative airport to Los Angeles and for Disneyland) - N236SP taxiing with the big guys
View from the hold short line on runway 19L
Patience... Line for take-off
VFR to Santa Barbara - "Traffic above you, 5,000 feet, is a Boeing 737"
Traffic below you 2,000ft
Platform off-shore from Long Beach
Long Beach and the Queen Mary
Over LAX
Downtown Los Angeles and a mountain (which one?)
Santa Monica airport
Point Magoo
Point Magoo air base
Arrival over Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara Airport
Short final in Santa Barbara
Tied down in Santa Barbara
Flying to Passo Robles VOR with the autopilot! Look at the GPS, the heading bug and the bottom unit of the radio stack
The sun is setting over Monterey Bay. It is time to go home with great memories...
Click here for Day 1 >>
Click here for Day 2 >>
Click here for Mojave plane graveyard tour >>
Day 3: San Diego Montgomery Field - Santa Anna - Santa Barbara - San Carlos
N236SP flew to Santa Monica, Mojave, San Diego and back. Read more and see pictures of Elie's long IFR cross-country trip
Posted by Elie at 02:44 AM
March 30, 2005
Russ Lata solo
Russ Latta soloed in N236SP, under the expert and proud supervision of his instructor Steve Gauvin.
Congratulations!
Russ Latta soloed in N236SP, under the expert and proud supervision of his instructor Steve Gauvin. Congratulations!
Click here for more pictures
Posted by Elie at 11:44 AM
March 07, 2005
The first wash
Last Saturday we gave its first wash to our plane. We scrubbed the outside, we waxed the fuselage and the wings, and we cleaned the dashboard and the leather seats. The plane is now shiny and smells good!
Last Saturday, we gave N236SP its first shower
Posted by Elie at 11:25 PM
February 26, 2005
N236SP is online!
At last. We have been dreaming of owning a plane since we were old enough to think.
We have been drooling on planes since we started to fly a few years ago.
We have been actively searching for a nice plane since June 2004 and finally here it is: our dream Cessna 172sp with color GPS, autopilot, leather seats, etc.
Read more about our plane specifications here:
Join us for a first flight. If you like our plane and can't stop flying it, we will give you a special rate. Visit our rate page.
Thank you for flying with us on our exciting "first plane ownership" adventure.
At last. We have been dreaming of owning a plane since we were old enough to think.
We have been actively searching for a nice plane since June 2004 and finally here it is: our dream Cessna 172sp with color GPS, autopilot, leather seats, etc.
Posted by Elie at 01:12 PM