Lesson #11

Log Book - 3/10 C150 IA24 KCID IA24 5 1.4

The weather has been crappy all day with low ceilings and rain. The TAF’s for CID show that the weather is supposed to improve about an hour before we are scheduled to fly. I call Dale around 11:00 and make sure that everything is set. I get to the airport to find out that once again I need to add fuel. We discuss our plan for the day and I decide I want to get better with the ILS approaches. I feel that my overcorrecting needs to be fixed and that the first thing that I want to do is get it corrected before it starts to diminish my other skills. We depart Green Castle and contact CID APP in hopes of getting vectors for multiple ILS 27 approaches. I get the squawk code and then get vectors for downwind and base for the approach. We do everything to identify the ILS frequency and finally get it. I am given vectors to the FAF and watch the LOC needle swing back and forth. At this point, I start to wonder if the gauge is working correctly and then I get a call from APP letting me know that I have just flown through the LOC. I acknowledge them and let them know that I am correcting. I finally get the TO flag and get the LOC needle centered, waiting for the GS needle. I am getting frustrated as once again I am chasing the needles. Sometime I wonder if some of the problem is me or the crappy equipment that I am using. I get down to the DH and call a missed and get vectors back for another approach. As we make our way back to the FAF, Dale and I discuss the last approach and I explain that some of the reason behind blowing through the LOC was the issue that we are having with the navigational equipment. I tell Dale that if I have the same issues on the next approach that I am calling it quits for the day. We get the call for final approach vectors and wait to see what the instruments tell me. I have the altitude pegged and once again wait for the LOC needle to move. WooHoo, it seems to be working this time. I find myself flying this approach much better. Corrections aren’t over done this time and I am keeping the LOC and GS needles within a bar. I am feeling much better this time, and get down to DH within reach of the runway. 2 more similar approaches and its back to IA24 for the day. When we get back to the office, Dale and I discuss our options for my next lesson Saturday and decide that we will work on longer flights to different airports to get away from the same thing over and over. Plus, it will help me gain some more X/C time to obtain the required 50 hours prior to my check ride. We are also thinking that we will take the Arrow out for a flight on Saturday. The Arrow brings DME to the table where I haven’t used it since the 172 went to the shop.