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Rqd. long cross country today

scard

Well Known Member
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Tanya is out doing her required "long" cross country flight this afternoon for her instrument training. She is on an IFR flight plan Georgetown - Waco - Glen Rose vor - Brownwood - Georgetown, nonstop. Currently setting up an ILS approach in Waco. If you're behind a computer this afternoon, or have it nearby while drilling holes you can track along:
http://aprs.fi/?call=n4822c&mt=m&z=11&timerange=3600
 
Following along...

Thanks Scott....I have this on in the background while I'm studying. Welcome distraction.
 
I want an APRS

Scott - this is cool. I showed it to my wife and now we are going to have an APRS in our 9A. I already have an (inactive) ham license, so I'll have to figure out which unit to buy. Which one do you have?

BTW - I super jealous of Tanya getting IFR trained. I'm about to start in the Skipper and am looking forward to it. I did my first practice ILS last night.

dave
 
Figure 8's?

She seems to be doing series of figure 8's just north of Brownwood. I'm assuming this is a requirement? Forgive the stupid question but why?
 
Scott - this is cool. I showed it to my wife and now we are going to have an APRS in our 9A. I already have an (inactive) ham license, so I'll have to figure out which unit to buy. Which one do you have?

BTW - I super jealous of Tanya getting IFR trained. I'm about to start in the Skipper and am looking forward to it. I did my first practice ILS last night.

dave

It is cool isn't it. I would be bonkers having to stay at home while my airplane (oh yeah, Tanya too) was out having a ball. We have a MicroTrak 8000. Looks like Tanya is having so much fun that she had to stay and play with the Brownwood VOR for a while. Now we just need that APRS email thingy so I could send a text to a panel readout that says: "ok, enough fun. point toward home, I'm getting hungry :)."
 
She seems to be doing series of figure 8's just north of Brownwood. I'm assuming this is a requirement? Forgive the stupid question but why?

From my chair, doing 0 knots, it looks like Fort Worth Center gave her a vector to join the VOR/DME Runway 35 approach, then she did a missed direct to the VOR and a procedure turn to start a VOR Runway 17 approach (not to minimums), then another missed, etc. That particular VOR is kind of known to be her arch nemesis as she fought it hard one day. It is a critical part of the practical exam done at Brownwood, so it looks like she was just beating it into submission to be sure all would be well in a couple of weeks when she goes back there to take the exam.
 
161 mph at 7200' north of Lampasas....what kind of fuel burn do you think she's getting?

Also Scott....I can't remember if you've commented on the whole 160 hp or greater argument. If you all have the 160hp, do you ever look back and wish you had more hp?
 
161 mph at 7200' north of Lampasas....what kind of fuel burn do you think she's getting?

Also Scott....I can't remember if you've commented on the whole 160 hp or greater argument. If you all have the 160hp, do you ever look back and wish you had more hp?

Tanya isn't quite as aggressive as I am with the red knob sometimes. She aims for easy and good enough so she is doing about 7.3gph there.
Yes, it is 160hp. I don't think I have commented on that question in public. I don't wish I had done anything different except fuel injection, however I had my reasons for a carb at the time as well.
 
good job Tanya!

Tanya looks to be doing awesome. Do you guys have an IFR GPS in the plane? If not, is she allowed to use a VFR one for "situational awareness"?

I'm going 160 HP and am comfortable with that for me... care to comment on your fuel injection info above? I am planning a carb. It's great to talk to someone with the exact same plane / configuration that mine will be. Real world experience >> internet hyperbole! :p

dave
 
Tanya looks to be doing awesome. Do you guys have an IFR GPS in the plane? If not, is she allowed to use a VFR one for "situational awareness"?

I'm going 160 HP and am comfortable with that for me... care to comment on your fuel injection info above? I am planning a carb. It's great to talk to someone with the exact same plane / configuration that mine will be. Real world experience >> internet hyperbole! :p

dave

Yes, we have a GNS430W, and she knows how to use ALL of it.
I don't have any real problem with our carb, it is just annoying to watch all that engine instrumentation demonstrate just how poorly it distributes fuel sometimes.

She is going to sleep well tonight. It looks like the IFR flight plan has been canceled and random instructor entertainment has commenced. I sure hope she is paying attention since she has now well entered her personal fuel minimums.
 
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Late

I'm late on this post as I was flying myself around the state today. I do know that Tanya will do fine. This little lady has committed herself to getting her IFR ticket and I know she will. Go Tanya,

Gary
 
APRS

Tanya is out doing her required "long" cross country flight this afternoon for her instrument training. She is on an IFR flight plan Georgetown - Waco - Glen Rose vor - Brownwood - Georgetown, nonstop. Currently setting up an ILS approach in Waco. If you're behind a computer this afternoon, or have it nearby while drilling holes you can track along:
http://aprs.fi/?call=n4822c&mt=m&z=11&timerange=3600

Now I know what you guys were doing a couple of weeks ago when I was on the APRS web site and clicked the "stations currently moving" and saw that you were doing holding patterns both North and South of Brownwood.:D

Practice makes perfect!;)
 
Now I know what you guys were doing a couple of weeks ago when I was on the APRS web site and clicked the "stations currently moving" and saw that you were doing holding patterns both North and South of Brownwood.:D

Practice makes perfect!;)

Yep! Believe it or not, practice is one of our favorite things to do, no destination needed. We find great value in briefing a real flight to go out and just practice some of the basics. Our piloting and operational skills are leaping to a whole other level. I'm starting to work on my Commercial ticket now. I don't think Tanya is going to follow me into that one though :). Dual pilot IFR in an RV is totally awesome, so much so that it could make you tingle if you saw the cockpit operations in the soup :).
We're also on the bottom third of that learning curve that Paul talks about with Weather, but doing it by the book, and reaping the benefits with each new flight.
 
4822C Worked Her Magic

The training is a lot of fun, but man is it a lot of work. My brain is fried.

The first approach into Brownwood was a GPS 35 WAAS approach fully coupled with the autopilot. Scott's right, the VOR 17 approach in Brownwood is a tough one for me. The proximity of the VOR to the runway and the 'stability' of signal when maneuvering right on top of a VOR is an extra challenge. The first one wasn't so great due to a miscommunication. My instruction was that we would do one circle in the holding pattern. To me, one circle in the holding pattern was the entry, which is what is shown, and then one full circuit around the pattern. My instructor's interpretation was that one circuit was simply the entry into the holding pattern and straight into the approach. Considering this was our first flight together lost my wonderful instructor due to a cast, it wasn't the end of the world and no safety of flight issues, so we just went back to try it again with both of us on the same page. Much better round 2.

I may be a little less aggressive with the red knob, but I did remember to use a little carb heat to add some turbulence. I was getting 6.8 gph at 130 true, thank you very much.

Dave, to answer the question about a VFR GPS, yes you can use one for situational awareness, but it can't be used as a primary source for navigation. Even the IFR certified GPS notes when loading a non-GPS approach that it is to be used for situational awareness only.

If you are flying with an instructor for the first time, and he comments about how great the airplane is several times, what can you do but go for a little joy-ride after 3 hours of hard work? We had 14 gallons of fuel leaving Georgetown for the joy-ride, so there weren't any fuel worries.
 
The training is a lot of fun, but man is it a lot of work. My brain is fried.
For me, IFR training was the most intense nerve racking armpit sweating thing I've ever done. Totally worth it though. Now IFR flying is about the most enjoyable, satisfying and even relaxing (in this nice SoCal summer stratus we have here anyway) way to burn avgas.
My instruction was that we would do one circle in the holding pattern. To me, one circle in the holding pattern was the entry, which is what is shown, and then one full circuit around the pattern. My instructor's interpretation was that one circuit was simply the entry into the holding pattern and straight into the approach.
Looking at the approach plate for the BWD VOR RWY 17, I agree your instructor was being confusing. The holding pattern shown is for the missed approach. So why is he even talking about the hold to set up for the approach? You just either do the procedure turn for course reversal or not, depending on where you are coming from. On the other hand if he wants you to practice holding for a while before shooting the approach, that doesn't really look like the best place to do it, since it's not part of the published entry to the approach. Or anyway so it seems to me.

Around here, a favorite checkride VOR approach is the VOR A into Oceanside (OKB), so it is practiced a lot. (Maybe sometimes it is used if you actually want to go to OKB, but I've never seen it:)) There is a holding pattern published for course reversal on that approach. So holds get practiced a lot there too. The clearance is pretty obvious... "cleared for the approach" means do a course reversal and when returning to the VOR proceed to the airport. "Cleared to hold as published, I'll call you/call me back to do the approach" means do some turns.
If you are flying with an instructor for the first time, and he comments about how great the airplane is several times, what can you do but go for a little joy-ride after 3 hours of hard work?
These RV's are great IFR machines. A/P coupled or hand flown. Great fun.

--Paul
 
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