Quick Tips: Planning

Alan W, the Beech Aero Club Newsletter editor asked if I could contribute some ForeFlight tips for the club publication. I figured what the heck, I'll put something together and it will help me become even more familiar with the Software. Besides, if one person learns something new and flys safer...it's a win.

I have been a faithful ForeFlight user since day one. I tried the free trial of other software but I always felt FF was the easiest and has the best customer service if you have an issue.  It's really hard to put a price on good customer service.

I thought I would try something simple that serves both VFR and IFR pilots. Entering your departure and arrival airports and utilizing the ROUTE tab on the flight plan screen seemed like a good place to start.

Foreflight Tips 

While reading many of the flying forums, I always seem to be drawn to the ForeFlight and GPS  “how do I do this” scenarios.  Alan asked me to share a few of those tips in our newsletter so here goes.

 

Most folks like to type in their route and fly.  ForeFlight offers so much more for our flight planning.  Yes, most of the information I like to read about is geared more toward IFR flight but these tips will make your VFR flight safer and provide a better knowledge of routes, terrain and airports.

 

When flight planning I like to have an overview of the terrain, especially on a new to me flight/route.  Let’s take a look at a flight from Ocean City, MD to Wilkes-Barre, PA. 

Highlighting the menu button (top left)the flight plan is blank and ready for your input. I’m going to enter KOXB KAVP.

Next, select ROUTES on the menu. Choices are AIRWAY or ATC CLEARED. Often I select airway unless something really provides a shortcut and it’s in my operating range and not previously cleared for a commercial flight in Class A. Selecting EZIZI V29 LVZ, the route is plotted and seems pretty straight forward.

Next, I like to check elevations. On the left side of the flight plan is a button for altitude, currently my button is at 6000.  Click on that button and your ‘altitude advisor’ pops up. Our lucky day, tailwinds across the board! It’s a gorgeous day so I’m going to enjoy the scenery at 3000’.

 

On the bottom of your flight plan menu is the PROFILE button. Let’s click on that and see what the route has in store for us. As you can see our flight at 3000’ will only provide us with a 400’ clearance in the area surrounding KAVP.

Another quick check while on this screen is to point your finger at a random spot along the route.  I selected a point close to the WHITT intersection and the terrain map highlighted that point with a lat/lon white line while displaying the corresponding clearance on the right side of the screen.Tap the screen once again to clear the point you selected.

With the winds looking great I would increase my altitude for this flight 6500’ and still enjoy the view and tailwinds while providing ample ground clearance.

A simple quick tip for taking advantage of ForeFlights flight planning and adding a safety factor to your flight. Not sure what next month holds in store or if BAC wants another post.  For now I have a few more tips tucked away for my blog, maybe I'll make it a regular segment.

Fly Safe!!

Flight Planning Potential Destinations

With the house back to normal and all the Christmas decorations packed away, I thought it would be a good time to do some flight planning. What I have listed is in no specific timeline order, just brainstorming destinations.

Mary and I have signed up for the 2016 BAC Fest that will take place in Branson Missouri sometime in late September early October.  The original plan was to head to Waco Texas and visit the shops of Magnolia for the TV show 'Fixer Upper' and stay at their new B&B. The second leg would be to visit Sandra (Flights of the Mouse) in Plano Texas before heading to BAC Fest.

Recently Sandra said she would be attending the BAC event so our plans have changed. The new plan, after a careful selection process, is to spend time in Memphis Tennessee before heading to Branson. The detailed planning is underway.  

After a few days checking out various attractions like the Zoo, great BBQ eats and the home of the King, Graceland, we would eventually make the hop to Branson. We haven't given much thought to the return trip.  Maybe a run for the coast and the last bit of warmth in Charleston SC or Nags Head NC before winter sets in.

Mary and I have also given much thought to joining a few BAC members for a hop to the Bahamas out of Ft. Pierce KFPR.  This would be a great trip and really show us how sweet it is to travel GA. For this trip we may combine a two day stop on Jekyll Island then head to Fort Pierce. Chris (Photographic Logbook) offered some info on Jekyll that we will take advantage of for our hotel stay and island exploration.

It's a short hop to Ft. Pierce and we'll be fresh for our crossing. Once we are squared away for the Islands we'll load up and go with the thoughts of spending a long four days. Geoff (Family Flying) posted so much info on his trips, I'm sure we'll follow his lead.  He steered us to a great stay in Key West so he's batting 1000.

We're working on a trip to Boston to start off our year of travel.  Mary and I want to catch up with her family and our friends Mike and Kim. I want to fly the Boston airspace with Mike B. If we're lucky we can coordinate with Adam B and his Bride Jeanine and work a visit in too while up north.

At least we started working the numbers and getting some ideas on paper. Frank D (AirDorin) and his wife Bev are also looking to get away at least one weekend a month, it will be fun to catch up with them. Seriously, catching up....I'll need at least a half a day head start on his Twin Comanche.

First Flight 2016

Finally the rainy and windy weather clears and I can get 08R out of the hangar. Mary has a dentist appointment this morning so I'm solo today. The plan is to get in the air, enjoy the view and try some FlightStream 210 uploads to my Garmin 530W.

It's quiet at the airport this morning, very enjoyable as I soak up the sunshine and concentrate on my tasks at hand. Every flight requires the reposition of our airport buggy (VW Cabrio) in order to free 08R, its a PITA. Next, the plane, I disconnect my battery maintainer, Reiff preheats and pull the moving blankets clear of the cowl. On to the preflight checks and a detailed once over all surfaces since its been a few weeks since we tangoed.

I closed up the hangar and once again pulled the nose plugs, this time storing them away in baggage until we get to Cape May.  Once buckled in I provide 08Romeo's required prime and in a few blades she's purring along. I pick up the current winds and altimeter setting and dial everything in for departure.

I taxi for departure runway three-two and complete my run up, all systems are go. With the advance of the throttle I call out air speed alive, all gauges green. 08Romeo feels good and sounds good! The density altitude was -2000 and temps around 30*, 08Romeo was a climbing machine leaving OXB behind us.

I keep the coast off my right wing tip while pointing the nose for Cape Henlopen. On a previous post, More Buttonology,  I showed how to create a user waypoint on the 530W and mentioned the ease of utilizing the iPad and Foreflight. Drag the magenta line with your finger tip to the desired location, if not a specific point requested by ATC, then select the coordinates and there it is, right in your plan. Next I selected ((+)) to upload to the 530W.

The plan transferred without a hitch along with the user waypoint.  The Garmin 530 did change the name from the Foreflight coordinates to CX006.  The flight plan looked complete so I continued for KWWD.

It really was smooth today as I flew along making mental memories of the beautiful coastline below.  A quick peek up the Delaware Bay rewarded me with a string of oil tankers that looked like little toys and a clear view of the Salem nuke plant cooling tower, forty five miles, absolutely outstanding!

Since I was busy enjoying the view I now had to circle down in order to land at Cape May. When I finally did turn final I knew I was still high, I'm thinking this should be fun. I had slowly pulled the power so as not to shock cool but I now needed to completely take power out. Adding two notches of flaps, I even started to slip the last mile and a half trying to loose altitude.  No luck. I made a radio call advising a low pass only and with a plane waiting to depart runway one zero I climbed out, entering a left down wind for one-zero.  The departing plane climbed out and I turned final making a nice landing.

I had a chance to catch up with my former coworker Joe C, the guy that takes all the nice shots of 08Romeo. We chatted a bit and then he gave me a tour of the construction work that's ongoing...cue up the dream music...I missed the field work, I felt at home, insert needle scratching across a record sound.  Yikes, somebody slap me, I'm retired and don't miss any of the attached aggravation with projects. Joe dropped me back off at the terminal and I headed in for breakfast. Good eats, I just couldn't finish all that food.

I did a quick walk around 08Romeo then saddled up for Ocean City. I would climb out of Cape May and climb on station until reaching 6,500 then cross the bay. Once again the view was gorgeous and the ride smooth.

Once safely across the Bay I let down for 4,500 and watched the coast line pass by. I like to do the what if scenarios and look for a place to land.  Today would have been the beach or the ocean highway, watch out below!

08Romeo is rock solid and I make my familiar position calls at ten and five miles. I sailed across mid-field and made a left turn for the ocean entering the down wind for runway three-two. Another good landing, intentionally long, for the last taxiway close to my hangar. Total for today 1.4 hours.

More Buttonology

I have been reading posts on the POA forum about training scenarios. The first questioned DME fixes for the Garmin 430/530.

The scenario:

I'm in Inverness Florida, headed to Tallahassee. I tell Fore Flight KINF-KTLH, and ask its route advisor what ATC's been giving for clearance between those two points. The "Airway" option that it gives me is ridiculously routed, but the "ATC Cleared" list gives four really good routes between the two airports. Trick is, they all involve navigating to a DME fix. One of them reads:

KINF-SZW128R/081-KTLH

Take off, and go directly to the 81 DME spot on the 128 radial of the SZW VOR, then KTLH. Easy. Except I don't know how to tell the Garmin to do that. I could stick a user waypoint there, but I can't legally navigate to that user waypoint in IFR. If it were a named fix or intersection, that would be pretty straightforward. But it's not.

An ATP buddy tells me that entering "SZW 128/81" will do it on the FMS in his Embraer, but the GNS 430W not so much.

Anybody know how to do this? I haven't gotten a clearance like this yet, though I know it's coming - just trying to stay ahead of the airplane.

The Solution:

Lets take a look at this then chug and plug away on the Garmin 530 online sim. Please excuse the ancient online sim, it still lists Iverness Florida as X40 instead of KINF.



On the 430/530 you select the WPT menu with the large outside knob on the bottom right. Once on the WPT menu you use the small inside knob and select the last screen as seen above.



Once the waypoint is created you will have to go to FPL and get it entered for your flight. Once in FPL highlight the first open entry and select the user waypoint you created and named A. When you select it you may be asked to verify duplicate waypoints, select user waypoint.

Once A is selected and confirmed your FPL screen should now show the first leg of your flight. Add the final destination for this scenario, KTLH - Tallahassee and you're ready to go.

Now if you have Foreflight and the Flight Stream 210 you can save all the chugging & plugging on the 430/530 and upload from the iPad. For this flight I opened up the Foreflight flight plan and in the edit mode entered the following; (X40)KINF SZW/128/81 KTLH. I hit the ((+)) and uploaded to the 430/530.

Just some fun reading today online and useful what if scenarios to practice on the ground instead of in the air and IMC. If you have some good practice sim ideas please feel free to share.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year!!

Time is much like a flowing river, no water passes beneath your feet twice. Much like the river, moments never pass you by again, so cherish every moment that life gives you and the people in your life that you love.  Have a healthy and happy New Year.

Departure Alternates

A departure alternate is an airport and approach you'll fly if trouble finds you after you enter the clouds.

Honestly, I haven't planed this before and usually figure on getting below a layer and picking the best landing place I could find. However, if I had enough altitude I normally would have used the OBS function and dialed in the runway heading, intercept it, and ride that until I drop out of the clouds and hopefully make the runway. If not, the best place I see to set the plane down will work. I normally don't depart unless I have 1000-1200' ceilings.

I will say some of the worst conditions I have taken off in, have been out of Ocean City. Noting our recent trip out to Dubuque Iowa, it started at 800'overcast, visibility 4 miles and mist. I launched below my minimums, but with good visibility below the layer and armed with the emergency plan to turn back and drop out of that forecast and make for the pre-planned runway. As a secondary option I would pick a spot along the highway, or if all else is no-go I would shoot for the coastline. None of the above was a comforting thought in an emergency situation, but at least I had a plan ready when we took off.

Having read through the latest online IFR Focus #7, my Ocean City departure scenario kept running through my head. I should have used more of the options my avionics could have provided me.

If we have altitude, setting up a pre-planned approach can be a viable option. So lets do a little planning, while still on the ground, for that what if situation.

I failed to video the process required to delete the approach portion once safe and on your way.  It's a simple few clicks on the Garmin 530W.

Click on the FPL button to bring up your complete plan. 

                                      

Click on Push CRSR then turn the outside knob until you find the approach you selected.

Click on CLR, confirm you are removing the approach selected and then click on ENT.

It seems pretty easy to take advantage of this procedure with the Garmin series GPS units. I'll be adding it to my pre-flight flight plan set up.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good flight!

 

To all our readers...

Merry Christmas from our home to yours.

ForeFlight, Flight Stream, Connectivity with Garmin

From Foreflight...

ForeFlight Mobile connects to Garmin avionics via the Flight Stream 110 and 210, Garmin’s Bluetooth wireless gateway, enabling convenient two-way flight plan transfer, and the display of subscription-free ADS-B weather, traffic, backup attitude, and GPS position on your iPad and iPhone.

Wirelessly transfer your flight plan between ForeFlight Mobile and Garmin GTN and GNS navigators when connected via the Garmin Flight Stream 210, and the Garmin G3X Touch display.

Load a simple route, as well as approaches, SIDs, STARs, routes with airways, and search and rescue patterns. ForeFlight Mobile also receives route changes made on the Garmin navigator, keeping your panel and iOS device in sync.

Today, with the help of Mike B, we are going to show the creation of a flight plan, transfer of that plan from the iPad to the Garmin 530W, amending the route and send it from the 530W to the iPad and add an instrument procedure.

If I had to add a comment it would be on the load from panel segment for the approach. I think it would be faster to 'clear all' on the Foreflight, flight plan menu, before you load from the panel/Garmin 530. This will give you a clean slate and load the approach without having to edit the iPad plan.

I hope this helps pilots who are just getting started with this system and those on the fence wondering how easy it really is and if it really does work.

Thanks Mike B for the intro, camera work and buttonology on the 530W.

Questions?  Leave me a comment!

2015 Year in Review

2015 Totals

Hours: I surpassed 1000 hours! TT 1048.4

ASEL: 118.6
97 Landings (97 Day), 20 Approaches
Approach ILS: 2 

Approaches Localizer:

1

Approach RNAV/GPS: 16 
Approach VOR/DME: 1 
Cross Country: 96.8 
IMC:  7.4 
Simulated Instrument: 5.9 
PIC: 118.6 
Total Time: 118.6

New Airports:9
KCDI,KVPZ,KDBQ,KLYV,KRAP,KLXN,KIXD,KHSB,KMRB

New States:6
Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas

Fun Flights:
Kayla's Foster Flight - Mid-Atlantic English Springer Spaniel Rescue (MAESSR) flight. 
Lucy Finds Her Forever Home - Mid-Atlantic English Springer Spaniel Rescue (MAESSR) flight.
BACFest Dubuque,IA - Annual get together for Baby Beech owners. Record turn out; 33 planes and 88 people.
Rapid City, SD - Cross this off of our bucket list.  We finally got to see Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse!
Olathe, KS - Mary and I wanted to stop in and say hello to our friends in Kansas.  Mary helped out in January taking care of their new born twin girls when they were in Ohio, so this was a great reunion with their family.

Airplane:
I went ahead and had the ADS-B added to 08Romeo. Equipment installed is a Garmin GDL88 and the FlightStream 210. This upgrade really has added to the Garmin 530W usability with flight planning. The ADS-B traffic is amazing, the weather, meh. I'll keep my XM weather subscription.
A new Alternator was required following annual. The existing Kelly quit in flight and a new Hartzel unit was ordered and installed.

Notes:

It was a strange year as Mary and I entered into our retirement. I thought I would be flying more but the weekend hops to the beach were now old news since we were living here full time. There wasn't much need to fly north with no home to go to.

 

Through the first three months up until retirement in March I had just 13 hours. Thinking my flight time would still increase, I saw a slight rise after the first quarter. New house projects became the norm and occupied most of my time. From April through the end of September I noted only 46 additional hours for a total of 59 through nine months.

 

With the house renovations completed and a fresh third class medical in hand, we decided to head west for BACFest. The group dubbed our trip BAC to BAC since a few of us decided to add on Rapid City, SD then for some members on to Colorado, for us Kansas City, so it was BACk to BACk adventures.

 

October through December was very busy, racking up an additional 59.6 hours despite being down for annual, the ADS-B install and an alternator replacement that required a VFR only day to fly back to the shop.

 

I'm not really sure what's in store for 2016. Mary and I want to travel more and we would like to attend the next BACFest in Branson, Mo. If we do make Branson we would like to visit Sandra in Plano Texas and then head south to Waco Texas and tour the shops of one of our favorite tv shows, "Fixer Upper".

 

We still have Jekyll Island, GA and Mackinac Island, MI on our list of places to visit. We love the Florida Keys and there is talk of a BAC flight to the Bahamas in the Spring. So many places to visit and explore!

Training, Part II

Day two of flight training torture. Mike B and I were out at the airport early this morning so we could get another day of flying in. I had taken on twenty gallons of fuel last night so I could sump this morning and be good to go.  Pre-flight checked out and the engine was nice and toasty. We tugged 08Romeo out on the ramp, closed the hangar and got the fan turning.

Winds had already started to pick up since we arrived at the airport. It looked best to take off runway two-zero so I taxied to the far north west end for my run up. We launched for Millville NJ-KMIV, working our way up the coast passing over the deserted summer beach destinations. Great visibility today as we made our way to Cape Henlopen to cross the mouth of the Delaware Bay towards Cape May NJ and then turn to Millville.

As we crossed the Bay we aligned ourself with the winds and road along at times hitting 156 knots. I did manage a shot at 148. Once crossing Cape May I set up for the GPS 32 approach into Millville. Winds were really blowing as I descended for the approach turning for initial fix, LAYIB. I took advantage of the no procedure turn coming from the VOR Sea Isle (SIE)and continued on. I was shooting the LPV approach and was cleared to 380' but instead broke off early and did a circling approach at 700' to runway two-eight for the winds. Mike mentioned on final that I should see the crab angle...great I'm missing all the fun views. I made a nice crosswind landing.

We took a breakfast break at Flight Line and made plans for the remainder of our flying day. Neither of us wanted to cross the mouth of the bay at 55knots going home so we decided to fly to Summit airport, KEVY. The over water portion was much narrower and we'll get to feet dry quicker since were crossing where the river opens to the bay.



As we crossed the river Mike B wanted me to fly partial panel so I broke out the covers and had at it. This would also be a great time to use the iPad and Foreflights AHRS.  We covered the attitude indicator, Directional Gyro (DG) and the turn and slip indicator.

It's been awhile  so it took a few minutes of straight and level to digest this new view of the iPad and my new scan. Muscle memory kicked in and I kept trying to set the heading bug on the DG. It took me a bit to register that I needed to keep cross checking the Garmin 530 course and what I was tracking, as I always do, but now transfer that to a heading I need to hold on the iPad. I did pretty darn good and shot the GPS 35 approach to a low pass.

 

 

No relief in sight as we kept the covers on and proceeded to Delaware Airpark for the GPS 27 approach. Another nice job flying the approach partial panel in the gusting wind conditions. For you IFR pilots out there I have to say as the box got tight the winds really gave me fits, pitch & power inputs were almost happening faster than two hands could move and still keep the eyes and brain in the same loop.  Truly one of the hardest approaches I have flown and did it partial panel. I went missed and climbed back out, now pointing home. A chance to take a breath!

We finally peeled the stickers off and returned to normal, I think my eyes were still spinning like a carnival toy. Mike flew some of this leg and he shot the next approach, the Localizer 14 back into Ocean City, KOXB. The winds were kicking pretty good as Mike made his way in. Check out the crab angle around :48!  I took this with the iPhone so its not the best.

We all went out to dinner at a new to us place called KY West, pronounced Key West. Great service and food. We'll be back to this place and try to get the happy hour bunch to try it too!

Catching Up & Training

Over the last week or so I've traded text messages with my friend Mike B. Since I retired and moved to Ocean City it was difficult to coordinate our schedules and get flight time together. Between my retirement and now Mike and his Bride relocated to the Boston area it's even harder. Talk about coordinating schedules.

KGED GPS RWY 4

All the pieces fell into place and Mike hopped a 6:30 am flight headed to Salisbury by way of Philly. It was great to see my friend and flying partner in crime.  We headed straight for the airport and 08Romeo. I had the pre-heats on since last night so she was ready to fly.

Turned out towards the Delaware Bay after circle to land, T&G runway 28

The plan was to head to Cambridge, KCGE for lunch and then shoot some approaches.  Mike settled right in and we transferred controls after I climbed out, 08Romeo knows him well. I briefed the GPS 34 approach, set up radios and confirmed the weather.  Mike did some ATC role play and vectored me to the approach. The area was busy with traffic but everyone seemed to coordinate for the pattern very nice. So much for my string of nice landings, I planted one big-time.

Heading to IAF HUVOX for procedure turn GPS 22

We both enjoyed our lunch and catching up, it's been way to long. With full bellys we once again climbed aboard 08Romeo and pointed towards Delaware Coastal, KGED.  The next approach was the GPS 4 with a circle to land runway two-eight. Actually it was a touch and go with a climb out towards the Delaware Bay to set up for the GPS 22 approach. This approach terminated in a low approach only, followed by a climb out in order to set up for ocean city's localizer 14. 

heading back to KOXB

Mike took the first round and his approach was a low approach only. Someone not talking on the radio jumped the pattern, very annoying.  We were circling to land at 700' and there was bonanza shooting the GPS 32. We were number one, the Bo number two less than ten out and a Cessna entering down wind number three, everything coordinated between aircraft. It's 2015 people! Get a radio and use it, ocean city is a busy place!.  I know, see and avoid, we did.

Mike had shot the one approach then I tried my hand back into the home field again with the same localizer approach. I did a nice job and circled to land for runway three-two bringing today's flying  to an end with a better landing than what I started the day with at Cambridge.

As always, it was a fun day of flying with Mike. I've missed our training flights, lunch runs and debrief sessions.  We tucked 08 Romeo in for the night, refilled the tanks and switched the pre-heats on. Tomorrow will be another day of flying fun and adventure.

After getting settled in at the house we all decided on dinner at Fagers Island. Dinner and service was very good. Having some time to break bread together and catch up with what's going on in our lives is priceless. We missed you Kim, hope we can ALL get together this summer.