Re: Alone in IMC

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Surely I cannot be the only pilot who thinks that if you just got your
IFR ticket, you'd better get some real-life practice (as opposed to
training with an instructor next to you and on or near your home base)
in mild conditions.

hard IMC at night is hardly to be considered easy, no matter how much
night VFR experience you might have.

Just to mention one aspect: going in and out of clouds causes vertigo,
much more pronounced at night.

Recalling my first solo IFR flights, I am mighty glad I flew them at
daytime with only scattered to broken clouds or thin layers and plenty
of VFR space below.

But then perhaps I am too cautious.

Remember the adage: there are old pilots and there are bold pilots,
but there are no old bold pilots. Well, I am getting old and bald (pun
intended).

Ronald

"Kelly Bakst" <kbakst@socal.rr.com> wrote in message
news:uEwW5.403$zP.100080@typhoon.we.rr.com...
> I don't understand - is the issue you are raising that I did it at
night?
> If so - I would disagree. I fly at night a lot, feel very
comfortable at
> night, and considered the ALL the conditions before my flight.
>
> If not - what are you saying, exactly?
>
> "Ronald van Riet" <rvriet@at@rwm.dot.nl> wrote in message
> news:W9oW5.1$fL3.393@psinet-eu-nl...
> > IMHO your best decision of the day (perhaps the only right one?)
was
> > the last one: not to shoot the approach.
> >
> > If I'm correct you mention "last night" you id your first hard IMC
at
> > night with your ticket only z couple fo weeks old.
> >
> > I think that decision was really wrong to begin with: get
experience
> > before you do this kind of thing. don;t be overconfident (which
you
> > sound you may be a little).
> >
> > That way you'll live longer to enjoy more flights like this.
> >
> > "Kelly Bakst" <kbakst@socal.rr.com> wrote in message
> > news:WFgW5.342$zP.88243@typhoon.we.rr.com...
> > > Got my instrument ticket a few weeks ago, and have been waiting
for
> > a good
> > > opportunity to fly alone in IMC. Last night I got it.
> > >
> > > Flew out of Van Nuys (VNY) meet some friends a very short hop
away
> > at Santa
> > > Monica (SMO). Ceiling was high, but visibility at SMO with 1
3/4 in
> > mist.
> > > Perfect for my first encounter. Conditions were scheduled to
worsen
> > as the
> > > night went on, so I kept my eye on it.
> > >
> > > Flight out was fine. Flew very precisely, with the exception of
a
> > dip about
> > > 60' below MDA. Caught it quickly and corrected. Spotted the
> > airport about
> > > 3 miles out, and greased the landing. Dinner at Typhoon (the Ma
La
> > > Dumplings and Mi Goreng are the TICKET) and my friends wanted to
> > fly. There
> > > was an overcast just coming onshore, and it wasn't very thick,
so I
> > > suggested we go back for a quick landing at Burbank (BUR). They
> > were all
> > > over it. Off we went.
> > >
> > > Took off and got in the clouds as we neared the coast. Very
focused
> > on
> > > flying the plane. Nervous, but focused. Went to departure,
turns
> > out I had
> > > the departure frequency from the flight out tuned in. The
> > controller didn't
> > > know who I was. Duh. Sorry, and goodnight. Got with the right
> > controller
> > > and all was fine. Not a mistake I'll be duplicating. Popped
out on
> > top
> > > into beautiful clear skies, with my passengers freaking out
about
> > how
> > > amazing the view was from on top. Cool.
> > >
> > > Over to BUR for the ILS - not really required as it was VFR -
but
> > the guys
> > > wanted to see how it worked. Since it unlike ANY pilot to show
off
> > their
> > > aviating skills, I agreed immediately. Asked to keep speed up,
I
> > flew the
> > > approach about 30 knots faster than normal. Another greaser,
then
> > VFR back
> > > to Van Nuys just because. The tower controller was bored enough
> > that we
> > > told me to land on any runway, and when I told him I'd be going
back
> > IFR to
> > > SMO, he started putting the clearance together right then. Cool
> > again.
> > >
> > > Only it wasn't. He told me that SMO was overcast at 500', and I
> > just
> > > couldn't believe it had moved in that fast. I got the clearance
> > anyway, and
> > > we headed back. Established on final and descending towards
MDA, I
> > realized
> > > that not only weren't we going to break out in time, we might
> > actually still
> > > be ON TOP at MDA. Now I had to decide - try the approach with a
> > virtually
> > > guaranteed missed at night for my first time in IMC when I'm
already
> > > fatigued? Didn't sound like a great plan.
> > >
> > > So we canceled, flew back to VNY, and I drove the guys back to
SMO.
> > Not a
> > > huge drive, and a great lesson. I'd much rather get more
experience
> > before
> > > pushing the envelope than crash my first night out. I think
that's
> > a good
> > > plan.
> > >
> > > Kelly
> > > PP-ASEL-IA
> > > 260 hours or so
> > >
> > >
> >
>
>