Expanding my flying comfort zone

Prior to getting my RV-6A I had perhaps 250 hours over 20 plus years. My cross country experience was limited. I did not like to talk to ATC. I had never flown in the mountains in all the years I had lived in Colorado and less than ideal/good weather flights were avoided. I considered myself a wuss when it came to bad weather and was very proud of it. The following parts will detail how this grasshopper went from a relative newbie pilot to one that is far less newbieish. This will be provided in multiple parts for several reasons.

Part 2

After getting the RV I gradually expanded my cross country experience. Going to La Junta was a cross country technically but timewise trivial in the RV. I took trips that could be done there and back on one tank of gas then those where I needed fuel at the destination. Then I took trips where more than one tank was needed. In the process of gaining this experience I got the Flight Guide books from Airguide Publications and the WAC version of the Air Chart Systems aviation maps. These provided a lot of the info that I needed to conduct cross countries.

At first I avoided MOAs but now fly through them. Some are little used and not a concern but others like Vance I use flight following to ensure separation. While I don’t normally file a flight plan I do use flight following with ease now. Talking to ATC or going into controlled fields is not a concern.

I have made day trips to see Devil’s Tower, Mt Rushmore, Meteor Crater/Monument Valley/Shiprock NM, etc. Longer trips have been made to Monument Valley and Death Valley, Kitty Hawk, Key West and the Bahamas.

To overcome the mountain barrier to the west I took the mountain flying course from the Colorado Pilots Association. The classroom work plus the mountain flying with an instructor gave me the basics to safely fly in the mountains. It was one of the best courses that I took since it has opened up my flying to a region that is beautiful beyond what many pilots will ever experience.

Part 3

The weather issue remained the biggest limiter to cross countries as recent as three months ago. While I did take instrument training (never got the rating), seeing fronts that extend from the Gulf to the Great Lakes with radar returns of rain all over was an automatic NO GO for me. Then I planned a trip to Memphis for an air race, Kitty Hawk, Key West, Bahamas and Crystal River to swim with manatees. I took off knowing that the weather was not my normal “ideal.” Some rain was forecast as were lower than 12,000’ ceilings. The initial region of lower clouds was in Kansas or Oklahoma and I did consider turning back. But I kept going since forward visibility was good, I was not scud running and I kept checking six to ensure the 180 degree turn option was good.

My fuel stop in Siloam Springs AR gave me the first real opportunity to make a bad decision over continuing. The direct path to Memphis placed me over terrain that may have come too close to clouds for my comfort. So I diverted to the south towards Little Rock then followed an expressway towards Memphis. This option only took 10-15 minutes to clear the terrain and I got to General DeWitt airport easily.

Two days later I had to encounter more lower than desired clouds to get to Kitty Hawk from Atlanta. What made it worse was that I had to get low (2500 feet (?)) over water which I was not fond of. That made me rethink whether I would make the trip to the Bahamas. A tropical system that passed north over the Bahamas cancelled the Bahamas and Key West portions anyway and a charging system issue had me heading home.

On the way home I had the chance to overfly a cloud layer or try to skirt it. Since it was of limited width (100-150 miles), well above the ground, thin (300-500 feet) and temps well above freezing, I overflew it. All conditions were acceptable and had I needed to descend through it in an emergency I had my Trio autopilot to help maintain a wings level attitude. It was a non-issue.

My overnight stop was Springfield MO. It was late in the afternoon and I was headed towards the west. Ahead I saw what I thought was a cloud layer so I descended. Turns out it was just haze but I felt better being a bit lower so that I could use the ground below me for attitude reference. While I learned to fly in Georgia, haze had since become a complicating factor for flight decisions. When you can see mountains 100-150 miles away, going back east is a dramatic change. Nonetheless, I arrived home with my comfort zone enlarged.

Part 4

A month later the Bahamas, Key West, manatee goals remained unmet and I took off again. No issues until I got to Florida. I had been watching the haze and noted that it had a uniform appearance that may differentiate it from all clouds types. I got a briefing from Flight Watch but without current satellite info, I elected to descend below rather than get stuck above the clouds. I flew about 2500’ MSL from there to my unplanned fuel stop in Cross City then on to Ft Pierce. Visibility was around 10 miles so I was never in MVFR conditions but certainly marginal from what I consider normal in Colorado.

The next day saw yucky conditions to the east so I elected to try Key West instead of the Bahamas. I knew that there were rain showers in and around Key West. Launch to the south and instead of flying direct I flew a bit west to fly over water in sight of the Keys.

The following picture shows some of the upper Keys off to the left:



When I contacted Key West Approach they mentioned significant rain in and around Key West. I elected to do a 180 then decided to land at Marathon since it was below me. I checked the radar and talked to a pilot who had just come from there. Based upon recent info, I proceeded to KEYW and did have to get low and pass through some light rain as you can see in this picture that shows the airport ahead and to the right:



This is on final to KEYW:



After going to the southernmost point of the US, Hemingway’s house and a neat butterfly “zoo” I headed back to Ft Pierce.

Part 5

The next day the morning weather was better so I finally put my apprehensions on hold and started the trip to the Bahamas. I initially headed south towards West Palm Beach then in that area turned east towards Grand Bahamas. This is the Florida coastline looking north as I commit to going out over the ocean:



The next picture shows the GNS 430 screen shot well out into the ocean with MYGF (Freeport) as the destination:



This shows only ocean (plus clouds) below (no land):



Here I am approaching Grand Bahamas:



At this point I made the turn from Freeport to North Eleuthera Island (MYEH)



Another shot of just water for landing although there are strips of land in the distance:



At last I am on final to MYEH:



Here is the plane at the White Crown FBO. Note the official looking large N numbers:

Part 6

My objective on this island was to see Pink Sand beach. Take off the shoes and socks and walk around in the water. Take pictures. Enjoy the view. Unfortunately it was not as pink as I had hoped although it is still a nice beach:





The trip back two hours after landing was not a problem. I did not violate the ADIZ and was able to open my flight plan as I headed towards Grand Bahamas. This picture shows the Florida coast near West Palm beach:



Here I am flying north along the coast to Ft Pierce. I am not sure about whether I had to land at West Palm Beach if I crossed land there so I stayed off-shore until I got closer to Ft Pierce.



The weather was not suitable for getting to Crystal River after I cleared customs so I stayed at Ft Pierce another night. The next morning was rainy. It was just in that area so once the weather cleared to the south I took off that way with the initial thought of skirting the rain. Once airborne I decided that it looked promising “on top” so I climbed up to 10,500’ and was able to get over the localized clouds. This picture shows a plane going into Orlando and why I use flight following. On the first day out I had a FedEx L1011 type aircraft heading almost right at me but he was told to stay BELOW me until he was past. That would have been a much better picture to support the use of flight following.



The next morning I swam with manatees which was a great experience. Back to Crystal River airport and looking at the adds.aviationweather.gov cloud cover with VFR/MVFR/IFR condition circles I knew that trying to head northwest was not in my newly expanded comfort zone. The weather towards Atlanta was better so I went that way. Spent the night at my brothers then made it from Atlanta to 00V the next day in about eight hours (a record for one day). Total flight time was 29.2 hours. In addition to further expanding my piloting comfort zone, I got to do some neat things....all thanks to a great airplane.

With that I will leave you with a picture that I took at the Homosassa Springs State Park south of Crystal River:

Ron,
Excellent write up and pictures. I can certainly identify with your thoughts on expanding your personal flying envelope. What is the quote? "Go from the known to the unknown - slowly".
Nothing wrong with being a fair weather pilot either. That's what I consider myself. I'm in it for enjoyment, not to beat the airlines or stick to a schedule. Prior to the start of any X/C trip, I tell my passenger (son or daughter) that this will be an adventure and things may not go as planned but we will have fun anyway and return with great stories and fond memories.

Ron,
Enjoyed the write up...I can relate to the concept of being a timid flyer. When I bought my first airplane, a PulsarXP in 2004 I had 105 hours. Even then it took me a long time before I stretched my legs and flew a significant distance. The Pulsar wasn't comfortable to fly for long periods of time, but I did it anyway to expand my comfort zone.

Ron, Thank You.

Ron:

Excellent write-up & photos. Thanks for taking the time to share.

I'm totally with you Ron. I'm very slowly doing the same envelope expansion. Much slower than you though. Woah, those pictures of nothing but clouds and water with the GPS waypoint at 80mi. sure would make my heart race. I would definitely need a nap after that leg . Thanks for sharing.

Group Flying Trips

When I lived in Southern California we had a good flying club at the John Wayne/Orange County Airport. In 1982 the club started organizing what they called fly-ins as often as once a month during the season of less member airplane use to help keep the usage up. I was a low time pilot and I was not interested in their new fly-in idea. However, their very first fly-in to the Furnace Creek Inn in Death Valley preempted my scheduled use of one of the club planes. I was told I could use the plane if I trook it on the fly-in. After an appropriate amount of sulking I decided to take them up on the offer. It was a fantastic experience. I flew through the Trona gap going and Baker and Daggett coming back. After that it was hard to keep me out of any fly-in they planned. I flew to places I would never have gone to if left to my own devices. Much later I served a couple of terms as the fly-in organizer. Once the "unknown" barriers were broken down by being forced to face the demands and plan the trip to deal with them the utility of general aviation for travel emerges as a reality instead of a "Walter Mitty" hobby. Ron You are to be commended for doing it on your own and sharing the experience.

Bob Axsom

Great story. I am juts past my second solo and have been spending a lot of time thinking about whether I will ever be comfortable bringing someone I care about in the plane. It's good to know other people have the same experience as far as "stretching your legs (or wings)" is concerned.

I feel better!!

Trip screw-ups

Actually not many. I was not able to get a weather briefing at North Eleuthera so my flight plan allowed 15 minutes more time to get back than it took to get there. Once at cruising altitude (14,500') it became obvious pretty quickly that I would get back faster than planned.

I knew that I had a 30 minute (plus/minus) window on my arrival at FPR but at the groundspeed I was going (nice tailwind going west) I would bust that so I called someone (can't remember who) and asked that they update the arrival time with customs. In the meantime I had to slow down to about 100 mph IAS to avoid maybe getting in trouble.

Then since I was using flight following Miami center asked me to go to another Miami frequency when I was about 12 miles from FPR. I told them that I had the airport in sight which I assumed would release me to VFR status and the guy got irate. I don't know if that is because I was coming in from overseas but I was only with the next frequency for about two miles before being directed to contact FPR tower.

When I went from Atlanta (LZU) to home I only filled one tank. I had forgotten about using the other and as a result had to make a fuel stop at other than my desired $3.00 a gallon stop. It was obvious as soon as I started the engine and checked the engine monitor so it was not a safety issue...just a financial one.

The decision to go under the clouds in Florida on my initial trip into FPR also mandated an unplanned fuel stop at Cross City. I normally cruise in the 10,500' to 12,500' range without oxygen and burn less than eight gallons per hour. Dropping low increases the fuel flow a lot.

Weather was the deciding factor in what I did on most days. I would plan on something the night before. Reevaluate that morning and in the event of Key West diversions were made in real time.

Get there-itis was never a driving factor although I did push the envelope getting to Key West. In that case I always had the 180 degree option open. Of course just getting to FPR in the first place flying low (for me) with 10 mile visibility also pushed the envelope.

I ended up buying a Low Altitude IFR/VFR flight planning map because my WAC level map did not provide a "big picture" view of my route. With all the MOAs and restricted areas in that area, it was a useful planning tool.

That's great progress. I just bought a -6A in October and had some transition training that I finished up just after Thanksgiving. I've only taken my wife up since on small trips and plan on expanding more and more. It is taken a little get used to flying in the LA Basin as there is a lot of airspace to be concerned with here.

Ron Lee said:

The decision to go under the clouds in Florida on my initial trip into FPR also mandated an unplanned fuel stop at Cross City. I normally cruise in the 10,500' to 12,500' range without oxygen and burn less than eight gallons per hour. Dropping low increases the fuel flow a lot.

Click to expand...

On a propeller aircraft, for any given weight, the best range will occur at the CAS for minimum drag. And, ignoring changes in prop or engine efficiency with RPM, or changes in wind, the range performance will be the same at all altitudes, in theory. In theory, assuming no change in winds, you can get the same range down low as you can up high. However, the TAS for best range will be lower at low altitude than it would be at high altitude. Even at the lower TAS, if you can avoid a fuel stop the total trip time might be less than it would be at a higher TAS.

Of course the above is all "in theory". Yogi Bera said "In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are different". At higher altitude, the throttle will be further open, and that might allow the engine to be very slightly more efficient. But the difference should not be too big.

Manatee swim

I did this with Birds Underwater in Crystal River. I was very pleased with their operation and recommend them if you ever try this. The baby manatees seem particularly attracted to people and will turn over so you can rub their tummy. They can also move your hand down with their front flipper...scratch me here! The adults are huge and not aggressive at all.

The folks at Crystal River airport are nice. The pic was taken with a disposable underwater camera and did not turn out well but it does show that they are right there with you.

As far as the info posted by Kevin above, I can't argue with it. I do believe that had I stayed high I would have made FPR non-stop from Jasper AL. Once I went low, either the fuel flow was not adequate to make FPR or I elected to refuel as a hedge based on the "low" visibility. Regardless of how much my abilities have improved over the last five years, I still am conservative about my flying and have no desire to do anything stupid despite my genetics.

Thanks for the great flight report. It's post like this that keep me going on my build. I can hardly wait to get the project completed and in the air!

Me, too....but with XM weather

Ron,
Great post. Thanks for sharing your experiences. I've taken a similiar, conservative path to expanding my flying comfort zone....and I'm still on it. I haven't flown over that much water yet. My engine always seems to start making funny noises when just crossing Galveston Bay!

When I moved to D.C., I bought a used Garmin 396 with XM Weather lite to help protect me from accidentally wandering into a pop-up TFR. But, it has probably increased my cross-country comfort zone more than any other single change I've made. As I fly, I can scan ahead to see what the weather is at destination. When deciding whether to go over the top or run underneath a solid cloud layer, I check out the METARS ahead to find out how far I would have to go for a VFR descent. Boy, does it make flying over the top more comfortable! Just about every cross-country I've take, I've congratulated myself on deciding to pick-up the 396.

Thanks, Ron. Great trip write-up.

I know weather has always been intimidating for me. I hate the thought of being trapped by it. I think the XM weather would help me, too, Louise. That may be my next major purchase.

Roberta

Great write up

Hey Ron,

Great write up. I would highly advise investing in a 496 with XM weather. The prices are down to the low 2K range. Install is easy as is learning to use it.

The XM weather gives a real time picture of what is going on so you can eliminate the guessing. In many cases the weather is not as bad as it may appear out the windshield. Plus you can Zoom out to see what is way ahead of you.

On my trip from Oshkosh to South Carolina I got the FSS briefing and it looked pretty good. When I got in the air it was pretty grim. I used the 496 to guide me West to clear the weather and then South/Southeast to South Carolina. Had I not had the 496, I would have just gotten back in line to land at OSH.

Congrats on expanding your horizons. Your comfort factor will rise with each trip. Thanks again.

Next purchase

I do see the utility of XM weather on board. Trying to visualize what is ahead just based upon getting reports while airborne is not as great as seeing a satellite photo of cloud cover, radar and METAR/TAFs. Based upon my flying, I am not sure that I could justify the XM weather subscription.

However I do want a Trio altitude hold. The Trio autopilot helps reduce fatigue, should prevent a spiral dive if I had to enter clouds and makes really straight lines on my Lowrance Airmap 500. But I do tend to stray from a constant altitude when I look at a map, make a sandwich, etc.

Next Purchase

Ron:

Nice write up. I recently bought a used 396 that included the auto database/chip for under $1400. Go ahead and spring for the weather, Even if you only use it once or twice a month like I do, you'd only blow the money on something else anyway! (Gas?)

That's what I thought

Ron Lee said:

I do see the utility of XM weather on board. Trying to visualize what is ahead just based upon getting reports while airborne is not as great as seeing a satellite photo of cloud cover, radar and METAR/TAFs. Based upon my flying, I am not sure that I could justify the XM weather subscription.

Click to expand...

I didn't think I would use the weather enough to justify the cost, but I really wanted the updated TFR information in this area. But, just about every out-of-state trip, the weather has proven its value. On the recent trip to Plattsburgh, NY, there was a hurricane to the east over the Atlantic Ocean. As I flew north, I saw some serious clouds a very short distance to the east of me. If I hadn't had the cockpit weather, I probably would have landed or even turned around. However, the METARS told me the rain and overcast was consistently about 35 miles to the east of my path. The animated radar showed me that it was not moving towards my path. I carried on and made an uneventful and relaxed flight (although I did keep checking the weather...just in case). Without the XM Weather (Lite version), I would have been sweating the whole trip to the point of possibly turning around.

Thanks Ron

Thanks for the write up Ron!

One of the best...

...aviation posts I've read, anywhere. A great story that many of us relate to and can inspire those that have yet to really stretch their wings.

I found that owning a plane, even my Aircoupe, and having a GPS, really helped me take the longer cross-countries. Of course long in an Aircoupe and in an RV are two different things, which is why I'm going to start an RV-9A QB next month.

Ditto with Louise - on that's what I thought too.

Louise Hose said:

I didn't think I would use the weather enough to justify the cost, but I really wanted the updated TFR information in this area. But, just about every out-of-state trip, the weather has proven its value. On the recent trip to Plattsburgh, NY, there was a hurricane to the east over the Atlantic Ocean. As I flew north, I saw some serious clouds a very short distance to the east of me. If I hadn't had the cockpit weather, I probably would have landed or even turned around.

Click to expand...

Ron, excellent write up - thanks for sharing your experiences and the great photos. Sounds like you had a lot of fun. I hope to make the Bahamas trip one day too.

In my pre-RV days, being a VFR pilot mostly owning slower bipes, going on real true RV style X/C's wasn't as much fun and consequently I didn't do them as often. Like you Ron, after I built the RV, I began expanding the envelope to the point that doing a halfway across the US trip in a day, while not routine, doesn't bring on the "I can't get to sleep the night before this big trip-itis" like it used to. Glad to see you are expanding the envelope, but I agree with Louise in that I feel a whole lot safer with XM weather and this is something you ought to consider. I used to think, "Ah what can a 396/496 really tell me that FSS can't?" Well, a lot really. Nothing worse than hearing Flight Watch in a "foreign" locale rattle off airports and towns that you've never heard of in a attempt to draw a verbal picture for you. I can't express how much seeing a visual picture of WX in relation to where I am has saved my bacon already at least twice. Maybe not literally, but at least turned what could have been a very stressful trip with a panicked call to FSS into a mild diverson around the weather because I could see it (nearly) real time in the cockpit vs. what I had just seen in the briefing room a total of 3 hours later on a longer X/C.

Now there is nothing like going on a X/C and seeing the weather ahead for hundreds of miles so that I can see what is developing and check the METARs, winds aloft, and Nexrad en route. Takes most of the stress out of the WX guessing game.

Congrats on all of your recent big trips and thanks for sharing in your fun,

Rob

Great write up and photos, Ron.

Enjoyed it very much, thanks.

AOPA article that is relevant

Source: http://www.aopa.org/pilot/features/2001/ounce0110.html

1) "Speaking of the territory, also factor in what you're accustomed to ? 10 miles' visibility out West makes you feel like the walls are closing in, but on the East Coast, it seems like ceiling and visibility unlimited (CAVU)."

Exactly. The ten mile visibility I had going from Cross City FL to Ft Pierce FL was far from what I am used to.


2) "We are taught that we can manage the risks associated with flying; otherwise few of us would get into an airplane. Those with low time and little experience flying in adverse weather may underestimate the risks associated with flying in marginal conditions. Since we are preached confidence in our abilities, the mix can be deadly."

While I may not be low time like I was five years ago I am certainly not experienced in flying in the conditions I saw going to Ft. Pierce. I did slow down, was very vigilant for planes and towers and knew where airports were if I felt uncomfortable with the situation.

Plus I did do a 180 AND land at another airport when faced with possible bad conditions going to Key West.

Was it Clint Eastwood who said something like "Sometimes a man has to know his limits."

I did test and expand my limits but I still have respect for marginal/bad weather.

Get the weather brief and fly, observe and respond

Get the weather brief and fly, observe and respond works for me. If there is a thunderstorm threat or an icing threat I don't go there. If you are instrument rated and current you can be prudent in your launch decisions and be reasonably safe. You do not have to give up flying IFR because some new unaffordable (for me at least) technology has been developed. If you can afford it that's great but a two thousand dollar margin over my already costly flying bill is not a trivial consideration.

Bob Axsom

Agree with earlier comments: great write-up and an inspiration to those of us just behind you -- getting ready to enlarge our comfort zone to include extended cross county journeys. Thanks.

Howdy Ron

Ron, good write up. I will tell you about my flight from T27 to 00V when I get home Saturday. See ya.

Brad

Ron,

Excellent write up! You are to be commended for trying new things, with caution of course, because there are a bunch of pilots who stay in their comfort zone and never learn how many fun things there are to see and do. You are also right to be careful when flying through MOAs. I flew in them for years and when dogfights are in progress I can guarantee that you will not be seen by the military pilots. They are ingrossed in looking for each other. It has something to do with, "He who loses sight, loses fight."! If you wander through 00C give me a holler and we'll swap some (true) stories.

Jim Thornton

Great story!

Ron,

Thanks for the write-up and the pics. I have been flying since 1983, but in the last 3 years have less than 10 hours. I am a commercial pilot with airplane multiengine land: instrument airplane ratings. My longest trip was to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

Due to the lack of time in the last 2 1/2 years of building, I, too, am a fair weather flyer. Your story reminds me that it is time to start slowly, and progress to the type of flying I used to enjoy.

Thanks for telling your story.

Jack Dekkinga

RV's expand your cross-country flights!

Ron,

Thanks for the good trip write-up and the photos. You do things the way I do when it comes to documenting RV trips.

I learned to fly in the West Palm Beach, Florida area in 172's and 152's. I started my RV-9A project in October 2002 and completed it in June 2005 with the first flight on June 9, 2005. The phase one testing was completed on July 2nd and the airplane went into the paint shop on July 5th. I got it out of the paint shop on July 23rd and took off on my first LONG cross country trip the next day - - TO OSHKOSH and beyond! The story of the 8-day trip begins here: http://www.n2prise.org/rv9a151.htm

During my pre-RV days of flying Spam-cans, I would always be back at the place of origin on the same day. Trips from KLNA to KOCF were about as far as I would go, usually with a stop at KISM and even the scenic tour at the Shuttle Landing Strip (fly-over). This was in the late 1990's.

Now, I don't think anything about a day trip from Chattanooga to Fort Pierce, and BACK in the same day in my RV-9A. http://www.n2prise.org/rv9a236.htm#May12

Your attitudes about flying change when you fly an RV!