IR Lesson 15 DME Arc's, Checklists

I got a late start today as I ran out the door 15 minutes behind the normal schedule. I placed a call to the flight school to let Brian know I was running late. My cell phone rang about ten minutes out from the school and it was Brian checking on my ETA.

Today I started somewhere over Lake Erie and worked on my DME Arc procedures. It's kind of scary but I was dealing with winds from the south at 10-18 knots if I remember correctly and doing a pretty darn good job. Since I started the IR I have noticed my overall awareness has increased, my headings are much more consistent and although I struggle from time to time with sim altitude it's getting better. Today I was holding with in two hundred feet maybe twice usually holding to within 100 feet or less and heading was on the money. I worked with setting up the no. 2 vor to track my progress on the DME Arc and turn to station at ten degree increments (keep the arc consistent).

As I turned to a 242* heading to intercept the ILS I was feeling pretty confident, never a real good thing when still a student. I was centered with the localizer and waiting to intercept the glide slope when I decided now was the best time to complete my landing checks. Mixture was full rich when I descended from 3200 to 2800 once established. Fuel pump was switched on at that time too. I added my landing lights and switched tanks to the left side since it had a bit more fuel then the right side. All this while 'trying' to maintain my scan, keyword trying. I drifted slightly off center and lost my 500 feet per minute descent rate and was now above the glide slope. Normally when getting a full scale deflection I would have to go missed but since this is sim time I made my correction and continued on. I broke out around 1100* almost forty seconds prior to the Missed Approach Point and 120 ft above my decision height.

We reviewed checklists and I was instructed that once in the aircraft we will "polish the skills" of flying and procedures. I think of it more as juggling all the balls at one time (cue up the circus music). I am up again this Saturday and then it will be a dash to my baseball game. I have almost completed the King knowledge test DVD's for a second time and will take some Sporty's practice tests this weekend. I want to get the written knocked out ASAP.