Lesson #19

Log Book - 5/11 C172 IA24 KALO KCID IA24 2 1.5

When the day started I wasn’t sure that I would be able to fly tonight. The weather was calling for scattered thunderstorms in the area and that is something that I didn’t want to be a part of. As the day progressed things were looking much better and at the time when we were going to depart, CID was showing a light wind from the NW and an overcast base at 1500’. Another great day for flying in actual instrument conditions. As I mentioned in an earlier blog, I would like as much of my training in actual conditions. From the first flight in actual conditions, there is no comparison between actual and simulated. We got the plane pulled out of the hangar and over to the fuel pump. 13.6 gallons of 100LL and we were ready to go. The conditions were VFR at IA24, so I was able to get my earlier filed flight plan once we were airborne. After checking all of the radios, etc after runup we taxied to RWY 33 and departed. Shortly after getting airborne I called CID APP for my clearance instructions and squawk code. After getting that, I was vectored over the CID airport for incoming and outgoing traffic. I was in and out of the clouds around 2000’ and had filed for 4000’ so I knew that the majority of the flight would be done in actual and wouldn’t need the Foggles. Once vectored around, I was given proceed own nav on V67 to ALO. Soon I was handed off the ALO APP and given an assignment to descend to 3000’. In doing so, I had descended out of the clouds and back into VFR, so I donned the Foggles. I asked for the LOC/BC 30 (Link located below) approach. This was the first time that I have tried a Back Course approach. For those not knowing what that is, you are using the localizer from the runway on the opposite side (ie, RWY 12 at ALO has an ILS RWY 12 approach). Given that, the LOC needle works in reverse. You need to make sure that you remember this or when you think you are correcting to fix a moving CDI, you are actually going farther away than you wanted. This worked very well for me and I didn’t have any issues with this at all. Once I reached the DH, I took off the Foggles and proceeded to do a touch and go (required to log the flight as a x/c flight). I once again received my clearance while airborne for the trip back to CID and received altitude and heading instructions from ALO DEP. Once I was clear of their airspace I was given a vector to proceed back to CID on the V67 airway. I had filed for 3000’ and we were in and out of the clouds, so I figured it would be wise to keep the Foggles on. Shortly after getting on the airway, I was given an altitude assignment of 4000’ from ALO DEP. That worked well for me as the extra altitude put us back in the clouds. I was given vectors for the ILS 27 (Link located below) approach. The approach went well with the exception of I was a little high. As I glanced over to the tach, I was able to see why. I was about 1500 rpm above my usual ILS descent of 2200 RPM. Once that was corrected the approach was flown to DH and a missed was announced to TWR. We made our way back to IA24 under the cloud deck and I made one of my better landings on the narrow 27’ wide asphalt strip. Dale and I then discussed the next couple of training sessions and what we would work on. One session will be more partial panel work, a session doing a DME ARC approach at a local airport and then some VOR and airway hold patterns. I have my x/c schedule and am still working on a route that Dale and I will be comfortable with.

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N7717U/history/20100511/2130Z/IA24/KALO (1st Leg)
http://flightaware.com/resources/airport/ALO/IAP/LOC+BC+RWY+30/pdf
http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N7717U/history/20100511/2225Z/KALO/KCID (2nd Leg)
http://flightaware.com/resources/airport/CID/IAP/ILS+OR+LOC+RWY+27/pdf