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"Florida" Trip

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kitfoxfugit(at)yahoo.com
Guest

Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2007 10:54 pm Post subject: "Florida" Trip

Re

Lynn Matteson <lynnmatt(at)jps.net>

Subject: My "Florida" trip

Pilotage

Radio Use

Turbulence

Crosswinds



Some thoughts:



A pilot is supposed to access "all information" before

flight.  Of course by the time you are done, you have

to start over due to conditions becoming stale during

the time lapse.  All joking aside, there are some

important things to check.  That includes weather

conditions, your route, prohibited airspace,

alternatives, and the condition of the aircraft,

including making sure parts like seats are properly

fastened (like pilot seats on many Cessnas that can

slide back upon takeoff).  Remember, the pilot in

command usually is assigned the blame.



Many of us who started flying before GPS, and without

radios, learned pilotage.  Still good to know.  You

can find landmarks almost anywhere, can determine your

heading and groundspeed and make compass corrections

(if those were not calculated on preflight or differ

due to changed conditions or a wrong forecast).  Other

options besides GPS are vectors from ATC, or

intersecting readings from two VOR's.  One should be

able to determine and hold a proper compass heading

over featureless terrain.



Radio use is just like landings, it takes practice. 

Like you, I liked to stay out of busy places and was

not comfortable with radio use, because I learned and

flew without ever using it much.  But, it can be

convenient to pass through certain airspace and

usually you will not get reprimanded if your technique

is not perfect.  Visit an ATC facility sometime.



If you fly into bad conditions, there is usually a

real good option, better exercised earlier rather than

later: the 180.  Normally it is better where you came

from and you can go back there.  Proceeding is not

worth dying for or breaking up an airplane, although

people do both in T-storms or severe weather

conditions of some type that, often, they could have

flown away from.  The longer you continue into the bad

conditions, the more restricted your options usually

become.



If you arrive someplace that has a crosswind beyond

the plane's (or pilot's) limitations and have to land

soon, you may have a couple of alternatives to

potential damage from a beyond-limits crosswind

landing.  If you have an AFD or GPS (and it is not too

bumpy to read it and you know where you are) you may

be able to find a strip with more favorable runways. 

Another option some pilots have used in a strong

crosswing is to land across the runway/taxiway or on

the ramp, depending upon the facilities and

conditions, as the rollout should be short.  After

landing, you may need to let the plane weathervane and

get help walking the wings in and tying down to avoid

blowing over on taxi.  Being closer in is an advantage

for that.  Some runways have sheltered areas on the

runway due to terrain or buildings.  You can look for

clues or drag the runway first, but watch for

windshear in the transition.



__________________________________________________

Float Flyr

Joined: 19 Jul 2006
Posts: 2704
Location: Campbellton, Newfoundland

Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2007 3:30 pm Post subject: "Florida" Trip

Lynn:



Don't worry too much about your radio "technique" The important thing is to

be on the right frequency listening to the correct information.  That's what

it's all about.  I've only once heard about anyone getting written up over a

lapse of radio procedure.  On the ham bands where the contact is the

important thing then procedure is really appreciated but that's another

quintal of fish.



Noel



[quote] --

_________________
Noel Loveys
Kitfox III-A
Aerocet 1100 Floats

Guy Buchanan

Joined: 16 Jul 2006
Posts: 1204
Location: Ramona, CA

Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2007 8:22 pm Post subject: "Florida" Trip

At 04:30 PM 4/23/2007, you wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		  Don't worry too much about your radio "technique" The important thing is to

be on the right frequency listening to the correct information.  That's what

it's all about.


	


I'm going to encourage Lynn to work hard on his technique, because 

I've found it makes a big difference for the following reasons:



1. Most importantly it makes a difference in how ATC and control 

towers handle you. If your technique is spot on you get many more 

benefits than if it's even a little off. If you're really pedantic 

you can get parked in the boonies, or sent around airspace, or 

extended downwind, or denied flight following, or any number of other 

nuisances.



2. When at a busy field it is very easy for frequencies to get bogged 

by slow, incomplete transmissions. At non-towered fields this can get 

worse than frustrating, it can get quite dangerous as location calls 

start getting missed or simply ignored. At towered fields it just 

means fewer people get to operate.



3. Finally, it's really easy to have good technique. Learn a few 

simple rules and practice.

Guy Buchanan

San Diego, CA

K-IV 1200 / 582-C / Warp / 100% done, thanks mostly to Bob Ducar.

_________________
Guy Buchanan
Deceased K-IV 1200
A glider pilot too.

kitfoxmike

Joined: 05 Dec 2006
Posts: 373

Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2007 6:41 am Post subject: Re:

This is cool stuff.  When I flew over to arlington last year(airshow in washington state)  I was watching the weather like a hawk.  I didn't like what I saw, I had the info on computer for the passes and all the airports along the way.  If you go to the national weather site you can acces airports that have weather reporting, very cool stuff.  In fact the state has cameras set up in most the passes, I was able to see first hand what those looked like.  When things cleared, by friday, me and the wife jumped in the plane and set off. 



Now for pilotage.  I have the IQ3600a and will say this unit is amazing.  But I don't like only one option, so I had an old gps one of the first small garmin no III something like that, I had behind our head with fresh batteries for a back up.  I had current charts for the route and a washington state ground map.  As I was flying the wife had both the other maps and following our progress while I flew the plane and kept an eye on the GPS and the charts.  When I fly I go IFR(i fly roads, railroad tracks, rivers)  That's where the ground maps come in, I want to know what rivers, roads are under me, the main roads are on the GPS, but I want to make sure that I'm following the proper stuff.  Dead reckoning is cool but can be pretty tough sometimes, but will get you out of a pickle.



Main thing is, you need to have all the options open and available to you.  Don't rely on luck, go on skill.  My instructor once told me that when you first start out you have a big bag of luck, what you need to do is replace that luck with experience.  Learn what you can, when you can, and practice, practice, practice.  Replace that luck in the bag with experience.

kitfoxmike

Joined: 05 Dec 2006
Posts: 373

Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2007 8:10 am Post subject: Re:

I hope this comes through right, but here are some links for weather at local airports and most important AOPA's flight planner, very cool.



The flight planner:

http://www.aopa.org/flight_planner/



for the airport weather, this one is for Osh.

http://weather.noaa.gov/weather/current/KOSH.html

The easiest way to get your airport or one close to you is at the end of the tag replace the KOSH with yours, I think you need to use caps.



like maybe this one in michigan:



http://weather.noaa.gov/weather/current/KGDW.html



Like I wrote, hope the url's came out right.

kitfoxmike

Joined: 05 Dec 2006
Posts: 373

Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2007 8:13 am Post subject: Re:

Woops, how did I get that one.



try this one:

http://weather.noaa.gov/weather/current/KFPK.html

kitfoxmike

Joined: 05 Dec 2006
Posts: 373

Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2007 8:15 am Post subject: Re:

KGDW is an airport, just not supported I guess.

Lynn Matteson

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 2778
Location: Grass Lake, Michigan

Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2007 12:41 pm Post subject: "Florida" Trip

Many thanks, John, for all the tips...I printed your message out, but  

forgot to thank you. I did indeed learn pilotage, and enjoy using it,  

because I actually love doing the math, writing down the est. times,  

actual time as I cross them, etc. I find it gives me something to  

keep my mind on rather than just staring at the little airplane on  

the screen which is not seeming to go anywhere...unless I have a  

60-70 mph tailwind!



Lynn

do not archive

On Apr 23, 2007, at 2:53 AM, John Allen wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		   



 Re

 Lynn Matteson <lynnmatt(at)jps.net>

 Subject: My "Florida" trip

 Pilotage

 Radio Use

 Turbulence

 Crosswinds

_________________
Lynn
Kitfox IV-Jabiru 2200
N369LM

Lynn Matteson

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 2778
Location: Grass Lake, Michigan

Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2007 1:43 pm Post subject: "Florida" Trip

Mike, none of the urls came through on the last two posts, or this one.



Lynn

do not archive

On Apr 24, 2007, at 12:15 PM, kitfoxmike wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		   

 <customtrans(at)qwest.net>



 KGDW is an airport, just not supported I guess.



 --------

 kitfoxmike

 model IV, 1200

 speedster

 912ul

 Do not archive





 Read this topic online here:



 http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=108931#108931

_________________
Lynn
Kitfox IV-Jabiru 2200
N369LM

Lynn Matteson

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 2778
Location: Grass Lake, Michigan

Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2007 2:07 pm Post subject: "Florida" Trip

I've found that even on short trips around here, that I carry a road  

map of Michigan so I can see an insignificant road where someone  

lives, etc. And even on the charts, you really have to squint to see  

the VERY fine printing that is the road number on even major highways.



Lynn

do not archive

On Apr 24, 2007, at 10:41 AM, kitfoxmike wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		  


	


    ***snip*****

 	  Quote: 	
		   Main thing is, you need to have all the options open and available  

 to you.  Don't rely on luck, go on skill.  My instructor once told  

 me that when you first start out you have a big bag of luck, what  

 you need to do is replace that luck with experience.  Learn what  

 you can, when you can, and practice, practice, practice.  Replace  

 that luck in the bag with experience.



 --------

 kitfoxmike

 model IV, 1200

 speedster

 912ul

 Do not archive





 Read this topic online here:



 http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=108902#108902

_________________
Lynn
Kitfox IV-Jabiru 2200
N369LM

kitfoxmike

Joined: 05 Dec 2006
Posts: 373

Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2007 2:07 pm Post subject: Re:

I use the web base system.  Copy this url or click on it whatever works 



http://forums.matronics.com/viewforum.php?f=8

kitfoxmike

Joined: 05 Dec 2006
Posts: 373

Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2007 2:14 pm Post subject: Re:

lynn I'm going to try and put the url's in a different way.  try this:



flight planner

http://www.aopa.org/flight_planner/



osh weather:

http://weather.noaa.gov/weather/current/KOSH.html



If you replace the ending tag osh with another airport identifier like FPK in caps:

 

http://weather.noaa.gov/weather/current/KFPK.html



hope this worked

Float Flyr

Joined: 19 Jul 2006
Posts: 2704
Location: Campbellton, Newfoundland

Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2007 3:30 pm Post subject: "Florida" Trip

Your points are well taken. 



 The point I was trying to make, I believe Lynn has already come to, was

that the first thing is to be on the frequency.   Technique will come with

practice....  Practice will come with being on the right frequency.



Living so far down in the woods that I have to come out to hunt sometimes

has it's advantages.  Fewer low flying aircraft is one of them.  Airports

that are not racked and stacked is another.  This is a great place to

practice! 



Noel Loveys, RPP 

Campbellton, Newfoundland, Canada

Kitfox Mod III-A, 582, B box, Ivo IFA

Aerocet 1100s

noelloveys(at)yahoo.ca

 

[quote] --

_________________
Noel Loveys
Kitfox III-A
Aerocet 1100 Floats

Guy Buchanan

Joined: 16 Jul 2006
Posts: 1204
Location: Ramona, CA

Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2007 4:20 pm Post subject: "Florida" Trip

At 04:29 PM 4/24/2007, you wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		  This is a great place to

practice!



Noel Loveys, RPP

Campbellton, Newfoundland, Canada

Kitfox Mod III-A, 582, B box, Ivo IFA

Aerocet 1100s

noelloveys(at)yahoo.ca


	


Thank you Noel, and thank you to everyone else who modified their 

signatures to include their Kitfox information.

Guy Buchanan, Kitfox List Moderator

San Diego, CA

K-IV 1200 / 582-C / Warp / 100% done, thanks mostly to Bob Ducar.

_________________
Guy Buchanan
Deceased K-IV 1200
A glider pilot too.

Lynn Matteson

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 2778
Location: Grass Lake, Michigan

Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2007 4:55 pm Post subject: "Florida" Trip

Yup, this time they came through loud and clear...thanks, I'll check  

them out.



Lynn

On Apr 24, 2007, at 6:14 PM, kitfoxmike wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		   

 <customtrans(at)qwest.net>



 lynn I'm going to try and put the url's in a different way.  try this:



 flight planner

 http://www.aopa.org/flight_planner/



 osh weather:

 http://weather.noaa.gov/weather/current/KOSH.html



 If you replace the ending tag osh with another airport identifier  

 like FPK in caps:



 http://weather.noaa.gov/weather/current/KFPK.html



 hope this worked



 --------

 kitfoxmike

 model IV, 1200

 speedster

 912ul

 Do not archive





 Read this topic online here:



 http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=109021#109021

_________________
Lynn
Kitfox IV-Jabiru 2200
N369LM

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