Tuesday, March 08, 2011

Instrument Work Out

As my friend Ted DuPuis said so eloquently, "If you don't feel beat up after some instrument training, I think the instructor isn't working you hard enough." I decided it was time to get some approaches in so I could increase my comfort factor prior to our Charleston trip. With a plan in place and Mike B (CFII) on board we were soon climbing out for some radar vector role play, climbs and descents and tracking. We headed south towards Dover Delaware and after multiple climbs and descents while turning me in circles I finally pointed 08Romeo to Summit Airport, KEVY and the RNAV GPS 35 approach.  Direct WENDS with a planned parallel entry to the procedure turn (PT), I was thinking miles ahead of the plane, Mike's comment.
I crossed WENDS and turned outbound on a 175* heading, correcting for the wind. Outbound for 4 miles then a right turn back to a heading of 035* to intercept the 355* inbound heading.  I flew a tight PT a followed with a really nice approach.  Mike suggested flying the approach normal speeds configuring for 90 knots within three miles of the final approach fix (FAF) and adding flaps when the landing is assured.

The speed change was different from my training but it felt much better then the slow motion flight for such a long time, besides, most airports with jet traffic want you to keep your speed up. This first round ended in a low pass followed by going missed.  I climbed out to EPKAW for a lap in the hold then shot the RNAV GPS 17 approach back into Summit. Another low pass followed by a missed.
We headed back to Wilmington, KILG and I set up for the ILS RWY 1. My first round on the ILS went very well.  I held the needles in the bubble and ended the first round into Wilmington by going missed.  I headed back south parallel with the final approach into KILG for a final round on the ILS. I road the rails down to around 500 feet and a mile from final when I blew left of the localizer by three dots. I was closing on the Missed Approach Point and really did a poor job of correcting, I went missed.  The second ILS did have a tailwind of 11 knots but that was no excuse, I let it get away.

I entered the right down wind for one nine, number two to land behind a jet doing pattern work. 1.4 simulated instrument, 4 approaches, holds, procedure turns and tracking.
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3 comments:

  1. D.B.March 11, 2011 9:36 AM

    I don't know about 08R, but 49C does not like to fly at 90kts in level flight. The engine is doing about 2250 RPM, and it seems to set up an uncomfortable sympathetic resonance somewhere. And it wallows around in a very unhappy fashion, even more than at 80 kts and 2000 RPM, my normal downwind pattern setting. So I do most of my approach at 2400 RPM, and only slow down a minute or two prior to descending - about when the glideslope comes alive on a precision approach. Then I go to 1600 RPM which gives me 500 ft/min down, at 90kts, avoiding that awkward in-between zone.

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  2. GaryMarch 11, 2011 9:54 AM

    08Romeo fly well at 90 it just seems like slow motion and approaches take forever.

    For the most part I like that feeling, it's great to be ahead of the plane. I am going to work on keeping my speed up until just outside the FAF then configure for the 90 kts. Once I have the field I willadd flaps as needed.

    Here are my numbers...

    Approach level:
    2200rpm, 90kts, lvl, no flaps,
    My Precision Descent:
    1900rpm, 90kts -5*, no flaps, -500ft/mn
    NP Descent:
    1600rpm, 90kts, -7*, no flaps, -900 ft/mn

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  3. D.B.March 11, 2011 10:33 AM

    Noticed an error in my post 1600 RPM and 500 ft/min down gives me 80 kts, not 90. The same descent at 90kts needs 1900 RPM, same as you.

    On a precision approach I don't add flaps until I transition to landing speed, and event then rarely add more than 1 notch - with 7000 ft of concrete I don't really need all that drag, and I park at midfield anyway. Might as well let it roll out to the exit!

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