IR Lesson No. 4 ILS Approach

Another early start to a beautiful day. It is sunshine blue sky today and the air is crisp with a clean fresh smell. Other then not having 679er available it would have been a GREAT day to fly. 679er is headed home from the shop with a fresh oil change and one new mag rotor that had to be replaced. I'll try to get some left seat time prior to our departure for vacation on Monday.

I made a quick stop for cash today at the local Wawa, no additional fee when you use their ATM. I met a nice lady, who I held the door for, that asked if I was from Wisconsin. I was wearing my Packers fleece pull over today with a pair of shorts. I politely said no but informed her that I was a Packer backer since I was wee high (hand motion to a toddler's height). She then asked if I had been to the stadium. I happily said yes, that I have been on the tour, shopped the pro shop and was in the audience for a Mike Holmgrem (ex-coach) TV show. I also let her know I have a friend in Appleton that took me to see all the local attractions, heck I even had a Brat(rhymes with lot). I jumped in the SUV and headed to the school, it had to be a good lesson day, the karma was feeling great!

Brian arrived just after I parked out front. We immediately got to the business at hand with a preview of today's lesson. Today we were going to start adding to the list of things to do. I was given instruction for a departure runway two seven and turn north to 360* maintaining 2500'. I quickly noticed Brian shorted my fuel load after I had completed my pre-taxi and run up checks. On climb out he said this bird really wants to climb today and I said it should on half the fuel load. He gave a muffled laugh and said very good.

As Bo Boggs often says (Flights of the Mouse), "she was climbing like a homesick Angel." I climbed out to 2500 and once passing through 500 I turned north to the 360* heading. Brian kept things pretty simple with no added workload of the radio. The ILS RWY 29 Approach plate notes RADAR REQUIRED, this means you will be receiving vectors to final in order to intercept the ILS. We had reviewed the plate prior to takeoff discussing important facts for the lesson. This however was not a "briefing" of the plate since we will get into that as the lessons progress. I did note the important facts, the frequency is 108.5, the missed approach (MAP) is 910'/ 3/4, and going missed calls for a climbing left turn to 2400 direct to the modena (MXE) vor. I also noted the final approach fix (FAF) to MAP at 90 knots is timed at 3:20.

I intercept the ILS and announce localizer is alive and with gentle corrections track towards the Moses Outter Marker (OM). I verbally call left or right of course and announce glide slope is alive when I get some movement. The Outter Marker beacon sounds and I set my timer to zero and hit it again to start my clock. On course, below glide slope to intercept, speed 90, now adding first notch of flaps. Stable, 90 knots, 500 feet per minute descent, on course, on glide slope, things are looking good. Altitude is now falling through 1100' as I call out looking for 910', on course on glide, speed 90, 500 fpm descent. At just above 950 I break out and locate the runway, right of center. I add the second notch of flaps and make an ok landing a tad fast.

Brian resets and I do two more approaches with the last getting screwed up. I was lined up looking good as my altitude came through 1950 I brain farted and thought it was 950 and announced going missed. No sooner I added power I caught my mistake and continued on with the published missed.

Brian paused the sim so we could discuss options. Ok, you are going missed, which you can at any time if the need is there but now when and where do you start the climbing left turn and why? My eyes must have been rolling around in my head like a cheap amusement park prize for knocking over the milk bottles. Ok, focus and answer the questions step by step. I am located between the OM and the MAP at 1950' full power and climbing out. I can NOT turn left until the MAP which I will determine when I hit 3:20 on my timer (Thank God I started my timer) at that point I will turn left to approximately 110* direct to MXE vor that I set up prior to my approach in nav 2 standby. Ok, time in, get back in there and fly the missed. I am tracking 110* TO the vor and will fly the published hold. A quick look at the plate reveals a teardrop entry on my current heading. The outbound radial is 149* so I contiune to track 110*. As I cross the station I hit my timer to fly outbound for 1 minute. At one minute I make a standard rate right turn to intercept the 329* radial. The session ends.

We sit and talk about the lesson, the need to time the ILS and how to use my equipment as a way to double check. Brian suggested setting up nav 2 so that I would have localizer if nav 1 failed plus it provides a back up. I was correct in having nav 2 dialed in for my missed which made the work load a bit easier by just needing me to hit the flip button to start tracking. Next lesson we will work on procedures on a more in depth level, talking about when to brief and how to make use of your time flying single pilot IFR.

Next up Tuesday morning 7am!