Current Once Again

Today started out like any other day, get up at 5am, find my way to the kitchen with Ziva girl, clean the cat box, get a scoop of food for Ziva and feed her, refill her water bowl.  Today I added feed the cats since Mary wasn't feeling good.  Once the zoo is squared away I get on the computer and update our banking and pop in on facebook while the accounts update. Once that task is complete I get cleaned up and dressed for work.

I wish I could say work was normal....but, I was contacted by the client and advised there are changes to the plans.  Great....our concrete footers have already been placed and we are getting ready to make another day of it placing concrete to finish up the foundation walls. Ughhh...insert screeching car tires....crash and an eyeroll.

The steel guys are inserting hollo bolts (expansion bolts for steel members) for the roof members, and I can check torque numbers tomorrow. The concrete crew is stuck in a holding pattern, no pun intended, so they are pretty much done for the day.  I'm outta here, time to head home, find a safety pilot and go fly.

Time to Fly

I sent Chet K a text and he was available for some flight time. We agreed to meet up at the airport and off I went, iPad in hand, ready to see how much rust had really built up on the instrument skill set. I was a little tense about work but I knew flying would clear my mind and focusing on the approaches would melt the rest of the world away.  I called for fuel and brought 08Romeo back to fifty gallons, check that off my list.  I finished up my pre-flight and the hangar was now windy and cold with the door open. I waited to pull the preheat extension cord and blankets until my last task before tugging the plane on the ramp. 

Chet hopped a ride from the terminal with the fuel truck which made for a few laughs.  All tenants have a card to come through the gates but he always parks in the terminal lot. I'll have to get him to come inside and park. I uncovered and Chet pulled the nose plugs as I hooked up the tow bar and tugged the plane out.  

traffic inbound on the GPS 14 approach

 

I should mention I turned the preheats on this morning so we didn't have any wait time for engine warm up. I picked up the latest weather and taxied out. Chet and I discussed the plan of attack; three approaches at Ocean city then a couple at Delaware coastal followed by the return home for two more. In that plan I would do a turn or two in the hold and mix in vectors to final as a change up to the typical GPS, fly by the numbers.

 

Departing on runway two-zero I climbed out for the initial approach fix GOBYO on the RNAV GPS 32 approach. Over the ocean at two thousand feet I follow on course, hold steady altitude, simulating breaking out of the clag at six hundred feet vs the decision height of two sixty one.

I powered up, climbing out to the designated missed approach fix, PFAIR. After knocking out the hold requirement I shot the RNAV GPS 14 approach to minimums, seven hundred feet. Surprisingly I didn't feel rusty at all.  Following the approach for GPS 14, I climbed out to  the south and the initial approach fix CIRAN for the procedure turn for RNAV GPS 2.

Trying to change it up, we pointed 08Romeo towards Delaware Coastal. I mixed in with the state police helicopter also shooting approaches, and was number two on the RNAV GPS 22 approach. I wanted to do another round but decided on two more back at ocean city. I set up for the GPS 14 but changed it up by role playing ATC and using vectors to final. Another low pass and a climb out for the GPS 2 approach set me up for another round of VTF and a fun approach resulting in an entry for the left down wind two-zero. 

I managed a smooth landing to close out today's flying and taxied clear, now headed to the hangar.  Special thanks to Chet for his safety pilot services!  It feels great to be current again!