Lesson #5

Log Book - 2/27 DA40 CID IOW CID 2 0.6

As you can see it’s been over 2 months since I had any IFR time, so I was ready to get back up in the plane and fly under the hood. As you may have noticed from the plane type, I changed planes for this flight. I have been getting checked out in a Diamond DA40 and we figured now that I was almost competent to fly the airplane except for x-wind landings, we may as well use some of the extra dual time required by the insurance company to fly simulated instruments. We had just finished up steep turns, power on and power off stalls at the SW practice area which is just west of KIOW. After we were done, we decided to go ahead and do a touch and go in Iowa City (KIOW). Before we started our turn to IOW, Jim asked me to find your way to IOW using the instruments that are available to you. By the way, did I mention the plane is equipped with a Garmin 430/530 radio stack and a Bendix/King KAP140 Auto Pilot with altitude preselect. Well, that is another story. So, I go to the 530 and select direct IOW so it shows the magenta line to IOW. As we start our turn, Jim asks if I want to have a go at flying the IOW GPS 30 (Link located below) approach into IOW. What do you think I would say, no? 8^) So using my knowledge of the 530 (which appropriately enough was obtained using it in FS9 & FSX) I was able to plug in the GPS 30 approach into the 530 and started my approach using OCUCI as my IAF. This approach did not require a procedure turn which made it a little easier. I didn’t use the auto pilot for any of this approach as I wanted to hand fly the approach. The Garmin 530 does an excellent job of pointing me in the correct direction. It also alerts you to when to start your next turn prior to reaching the waypoint, which is really nice. While the 530 does an excellent job of heading input, it doesn’t do anything for altitude on anything other than ILS approaches, so I am still required to make sure that altitude is within the approach requirements. The KAP140 will make that a snap if and when I would ever use the AP for an approach. After the touch and go, we then headed back north to Cedar Rapids (KCID). I hadn’t done any x-wind landings in the plane yet, so we figured this would be a good time to do that. Winds were 310/16G24 so this was a perfect day for x-wind landings. After contacting Approach Control, I asked for vectors for the ILS 27 approach, which was granted. “N316LV, fly heading 070, maintain 3000’.” I responded and went to work configuring the Garmin 530 for Vector for ILS 27 (Link located below). While waiting, Jim told me some interesting features of the 530 once the approach is set. The unit will auto tune the ILS frequency and alert the pilot of the correct OBS setting for the HSI. I could really get used to flying this plane in IFR conditions. 8^) After getting some more vectors, we finally received “6LV, fly heading 290, descend to 2700’, maintain 2700’ til established, cleared for the ILS 27 approach. Contact TWR 118.7”. After contacting TWR, it was time to get ready for the approach. GMPS is my acronym for the DA40 (Gas Mixture Prop Switches) and I then slowed to 90 knots and 1 notch of flaps prior to reaching the FAF. Given the stiff x-wind, my heading on the ILS varied from 290-300 while descending down the glide slope. Nolan asked after the fact why I was swinging the nose back and forth rather than just keeping it at the same spot. I told him that I was making small corrections via the instruments, rather than having a visual aspect of the approach. After reaching 1100’, I took off the Foggles and there was the runway. I added the 2^nd notch of flaps and did a touch and go as Jim wanted me to do several more x-wind touch and goes. After a couple more on RWY 27, we then decided to switch over the RWY 31. On base leg of the approach and cleared for the touch and go, Jim cut the power and I then called TWR to say simulated engine out. The planes glides better than anything that I have ever flow. The only thing that I can do now is trim for best glide speed and wait. As I approached the numbers and I knew I had the runway made, I extended the flaps and did another touch and go. Once more loop around the pattern and we called it a day.

http://flightaware.com/resources/airport/IOW/IAP/RNAV+%28GPS%29+RWY+30/pdf

http://flightaware.com/resources/airport/CID/IAP/ILS+OR+LOC+RWY+27/pdf