Odd Plane

So I looked up to see what appeared to be an airliner. It looked odd. It was either very big or flying lower than usual. Indeed, the other planes flying this morning were leaving contrails, but this one didn't. So I pulled up flightaware.com and found this. That seemed pretty odd, too. So I did a search for the identifier, BOE521, and found this as well. Turns out I was watching one of the new Boeing Dreamlifters on some sort of test flight. Cool.

What I Can Get

It seemed like only yesterday, but the last time I was up in a CAP airplane was back in January. With some time set aside to work from home, I had yet another chance to attend a CAP exercise yesterday, and basically followed up on the ad hoc training I did before.

Like most other aspects of flying, I'll take it.

This was a brief ground lesson on the Becker ELT receiver. If a plane goes down, the impact forces trigger an electronic transmitter that can help rescuers locate its position. Often, it isn't necessary if the accident occurs in a populated area or if there is a fire, or both. But with so much open land, locating a downed plane can take forever. In the U.S., these transmissions are on 121.5 MHz, which is monitored by most airliners and some ground locations. For training, CAP and other search agencies use special transmitters on different frequencies to avoid false alarms. This allows us to perform a "real" search for a transmitter in an unknown location.

When training and timing coincide, the result can be a speedier location, leading to rescue or recovery.

After working with the receiver on the ground, we took a short flight to track the training transmitter. Unlike last time, there was no visual target to look for, but we didn't know that at the time. The goal is to provide a narrow area into which a ground team (or perhaps a helicopter) can do a more careful search. In this case, it was necessary to do a few passes, triangulate bearings on the signal, and communicate the coordinates back to our mission base.

In all, a successful mission, and a bit more flying time where I'm actually able to look out the front window and not just a little portal on the side of an aluminum tube at 35,000 feet.

All Different. Again.

In the spirit of being on track to fly less than 10 hours this year, I took yet another hour long flight today. To recap, I've had only two flights in the last 8 months or so. One was the biennial in March, the one before that was a checkout in a 172 at a different flight school way back in September. Not exactly the best way to keep the skills razor sharp.

Today, work, weather, the flight school's schedule, and a little bit of extra money (so much for Christmas...) came together to allow a quick flight. Due to the slightly lower cost of the 172's down the road, I gave them a call. I didn't think to ask, but it turned out once I arrived that the two planes that they had before (one of which from my previous flight) had been sold. In their place was a newer 2001 Cessna 172 SP. This craft has autopilot and a Bendix GPS, but otherwise similar avionics. In addition, it's also fuel injected, so no carburetor heat. Oh, and it's basically now the same rental price as the DA-20...so it goes.

Adding it all up, I was now - once again - flying in a different airplane with a different instructor...and basically still at a new airport. Remember, I've only had one flight with one landing at this field before.

This instructor was the first one in a long time that actually watched me preflight the plane. Not a big deal to me, I actually was glad to have some extra eyes over my shoulder. Since I had a checkout in the simpler plane before, today's main task was to make sure I understood the different systems in this plane and do a few touch-and-go's.

The winds were light, but that just gave me a bit of false hope. I knew the forecast for today had indicated a chance of thunderstorms, but cooler temperatures had kept them at bay. Nevertheless, it was no surprise when we climbed out and started to get bounced around from the mild thermals. We had yet another distraction in the form of a fly in the cockpit...something we originally thought was a bird outside...

After going through some of the GPS and autopilot features, we turned back toward the field and I hand-flew back into the pattern. Considering the bumps, my "cruise" wasn't too bad. But once we arrived in the pattern and began our final descent, I could tell things just weren't right. This is where being familiar with a particular airplane pays off. Knowing where the power should be set, the timing of the flaps, the feeling of getting a bit too slow, and having a good sight picture of the runway for the flare, and having a feel for the force required on all the controls are all important points. Not knowing these things isn't quite enough to put you behind the airplane, but is enough to make you have to work at it.

In my case, the shifting winds and constant bumps made what was a pretty stable approach into a somewhat marginal roundout and flare. Small burbles, a crosswind, and a bit of a downdraft turned what I had hoped was going to be an acceptable landing into a wobbly touchdown...and that only with the help of the instructor.

Too long for a touch-and-go, we taxied off the runway and back for another try. This was a bit better, since it was now a standard pattern, but I still got wonky on the roundout. Good enough for an immediate takeoff, we did one more. This one was better, but still not very crisp. In all, these were really some of my poorest landings in a long time.

Lessons: fly more
fly more
fly more

Returning To Flight...Temporarily

Though I suspect that future flying will experience similar gaps as has been the case recently, it still felt good to get back up there today.

The "biennial flight review" (a bit of a misnomer according to the FAA) is the two-year checkup for a pilot certificate. They require at least an hour of ground review and an hour of flight to ensure that the pilot is up on the regulations and remains safe in the aircraft. Today was my day.

I could have done this with any instructor in any plane at any airport. Specifically, I could have done it at the local field here in a cheaper Cessna 172 with an instructor that I have only flown with one time. Or, I could make the road trip back to my original training field, fly the very familiar (and more expensive) DA-20, and see my original instructor again. I chose the latter, and I'm glad I did.

I had spent the week doing some light reading of the FAR's, the various handbooks, and the operating manual for the Diamond. I felt pretty confident of the book learning, but have been quite nervous about the time off taking its toll on my flying skills. The recent past in the 172's just hasn't reinforced that I can stay 100% ahead of the plane. With the low number of hours I've had in them, I just didn't feel that my flying was as smooth as it could have been. This, combined with the fact that I haven't been as comfortable with the instructors here, led me to spend the extra money to get some better quality review and build my confidence in the air.

And it worked out beautifully.

It has been about a year since I flew the Diamond, and nearly 18 months since I flew with my old instructor. We spent the ground time going over some real-life scenarios related to the type of flying that I've been doing and will likely do in the future. Regulations, dealing with different aircraft, flight planning, and so forth. Like in the oral exam during the checkride, it's not necessary to know everything by memory, as long as you know where to find the information.

But then we got to the flying. During the pre-flight, it all started to come back to me. I had my old checklist, and was in the same plane that I flew on my second lesson way back in July 2007. We've both accumulated a lot of hours since then. We strapped in and were ready to go.

The instructor pointed out a few updated things on the field (the controllers now have radar scopes in the tower - the better to see you with...) and in the procedures. Everything was going so smoothly. There was little wind on the surface, and the cool air made for a nice climbout.

We got to the maneuvers, and started with what was my nemesis prior to the checkride - steep turns. Sure enough, I blew the first one (let the nose get too high) and couldn't get it back in line. But the second try was dead-on - both to the left and the right. My headings were on, I gained less than 100 feet, and kept the angle of back right at 45 degrees, pulling 1.2 G's.

We moved to slow flight, power-off stalls, power-on stalls, turning stalls, and "steep" stalls. I don't know what else to call the last ones...they're not part of the regular test maneuvers, but the instructor had me do some slow banks over to 45 degrees while letting the plane slow to stall speed. I don't know that I'd want to do one of these in a Cessna, as they are more prone to spin, but it works just fine in the Diamond...and is good practice.

Then we did a bit of hood work. Typical things like turning to headings and a descending turn. But then the instructor pulled a sneaky one. He had me look down and close my eyes while still flying the plane. This was a demonstration of spatial disorientation (the danger of flying into the clouds without proper training). Let me tell you, this is a very uncomfortable feeling. I knew that he wouldn't let us get into a dangerous situation, but there is absolutely nothing nice about hearing the engine wind up (so you know you are descending), but not knowing how to correct for it, since you don't know which way is up, how fast you are turning (if at all), or where you are.

He kept this up for nearly a minute (it seemed like a very long time...) and then had me open my eyes. Holy cow! We were in a steep, descending spiral - exactly the situation that kills many pilots who become disoriented in the clouds and don't trust their instruments. Your inner ear tells you that everything is hunky-dory, meanwhile, the speed is increasing to the point that the plane could break up in flight. Without arresting this condition, it's merely a matter of what kills you first - an in-flight disintegration, or high speed impact with the ground. Scary stuff, but a very powerful lesson.

And lest you think that this could only happen to a low-time pilot or student, my instructor (a part-time charter pilot) also ended up in the same condition during a checkout flight with his examiner (as part of a similar demonstration). Experience doesn't trump our biological shortcomings.

The last order of business was some touch-and-go's. There isn't much to say here other than these were perhaps the best landings I've ever made - ever, ever. The approaches were probably a bit high and fast, but extremely stable and well controlled. One of them required a forward slip to lose some extra altitude, but the touchdowns were glass-smooth. I could have even pulled off a good crosswind landing if I had to.

I had a great time revisiting old friends (of the human and aircraft varieties). It was definitely a confidence-booster to be in familiar territory and be able to really show my stuff.

Turbulence

No, not that kind.

The kind of turbulence that affects the course of one's life. Job changes, personal endeavors, and other stressful circumstances.

As in flying, negotiating this sort of turbulence means not fighting the ups and downs. Just maintain control and a level attitude.

In my case, it means doing what I can for CAP, though that experience may come to an end as quickly as it began. It also means dealing with my now-overdue flight review, which means I'm not even current to fly as a PIC.

But it also means finding a balance between being exactly where you want to be at a given moment and being on a long-term course that will deliver you where you want to be at the end of your journey.

Flying is at the junction - the fulcrum if you will - of these two opposing forces. Starting very soon, my work will take me to Canada for a long-term project. Will I get to fly in a foreign country? Not if I don't get my review done. Will it matter? Well, probably not in the long run. But just to know that I could if I wanted to and if the opportunity presented itself, it's worth it to get the review done before I go.

And CAP?

That's a more difficult question. I've enjoyed teaching the cadets - even for such a short time. I've also enjoyed being a part of the exercises and the overall experience. But, it is ultimately a volunteer organization. I feel bad that with the local squadron (indeed, the entire wing) being so small, they will have difficulty keeping things going. But they, like any other similar group, must deal with the real-life concerns of work and family.

I will see if it will be possible to continue contributing, but it will definitely not be easy. If I were in the states, I at least could hook up with another squadron temporarily, but not up in Canada. And it's just too far away to make short trips back down south just for CAP.

So next week I'll be doing my flight review with my original instructor, and back in the DA-20. I'm looking forward to getting back up in the air as a pilot rather than as a passenger. But with so many months away, I have some studying to do. On the plus side, it will be yet another new experience along the path. And it does appear that I am headed in the right direction, bumps or not.

Advancement - Sort of

Not much to report on the subject of flying. In short, there isn't any of it going on. But things are still happening in CAP that keep the mind sharp. If you recall, there was an incident with gyroscopes a while back.

After that, I ordered four gyroscopes online, and they arrived in time for my next Aerospace lesson for the cadets. It ended up being a pretty good time. In addition to the gyros, I borrowed some defunct instruments from the local avionics shop, so I had some good hands on material. We went over more about flight instruments, gyro principles, and a bit of reading sectional charts.

Happily, two of the cadets who were having trouble passing their quizzes on this module passed them this week. Now, I'm not saying that it had anything to do with my teaching methods - after all, I think this was the third or fourth time they had attempted it. But it still felt good that we can start to move on. The next module for the cadets is aviation weather.

On a more personal note, CAP has a pretty strict track when advancing through the ranks. There are specific "time-in-grade" requirements and several tasks to perform before being promoted. For example, the lowest grade is Second Lieutenant, and normally requires six months as a member. First Lieutenant is the next step and requires six more months as a 2nd Lt. Since I have a private pilot certificate, however, I fall under one of the few exceptions and am allowed to skip the initial time and was just awarded 2nd Lt. rank. Yay!

Again, not that it really does much for me in the scheme of things (and it sure isn't helping my flying opportunities any), but it's a little glimmer of pride in an otherwise dreary day. Of course, if I had an instrument rating, I could have jumped all the way to 1st Lt. Oh well. Speaking of which, while that rating is still on my to-do list, it just doesn't make a lot of sense if you can't fly regularly to do it safely. Doesn't make a lot of sense to spend the money just to let the skills atrophy.

So lately, I've powered up the MS Flight Simulator to play around a bit. It's actually one of the few times I've used it since even starting flight training nearly three (!) years ago - and I don't recommend it for any real serious training. It's something like doing a crossword puzzle to practice writing. Yeah, the pieces are there, and you're going through some of the same mental tasks, but it's not anywhere near the same experience. And if you do too much of it, you'll learn some bad habits. But with few alternatives available, it's a cheap way to keep your head in the game.

Speaking of dysfunctional (which I was not) I'm finding out a lot more about the bureaucracy and politics involved in CAP. Basically, many members have joined over the years to take advantage of it as a "flying club" - a cheap way to get some hours in. This means there isn't much motivation for some of CAP's other missions - especially cadet training. In addition, since it's all volunteer, folks are pretty hesitant to deal with the admittedly large degree of paperwork generated by a quasi-governmental organization.

The result is a loose-knit band of pilots and other volunteers who all have different ideas about why they're there and who should be responsible for what. I can already tell that anyone who dedicates their time and really hopes to make a contribution often can get frustrated by the red tape. We shall see how it goes.

Surprise Flight

Since last week's aborted training exercise, I thought it would be a while before I got to get some more in depth training. The squadron and wing leadership instead decided to try again this weekend. Unfortunately, I had a prior commitment and couldn't make it for most of the day. I figured I'd show up to get some classroom training out of the way and check off at least a few boxes toward either a staff assistant or mission scanner role.

Staff assistant simply refers to an administrative go-fer who can keep track of the mission status and ensure updates make it to the appropriate people and places. The mission scanner role is more interesting, as that is one of the sets of eyeballs in the air during a real search.

Even after arriving so late at the exercise command post, there were still two more training flights on the agenda. With one of the hardest tasks being a trainee on an actual training mission (due to the infrequency of the exercises), it made sense for me to go up and get one of them out of the way. Most positions require at least two training flights, some require three.

I learned a few things from this mission:
- I can retain and recall something I read just once months ago (namely, some of the scanning techniques).
- I can quickly read the manual for a direction-finding radio and make some sense of it just minutes before flying.
- I need to fly more before I would ever feel comfortable in (a) any CAP aircraft, (b) especially the glass cockpit planes.

Even as a "passenger" in the right front seat, with my primary duty being interpreting the direction-finding radio to home in on a training ELT, I felt behind the airplane. This was one of the newer G1000 crafts, and I struggled to keep a glance at the instruments as a secondary backup for the pilot. Part of it is my time away from flying as of late, and of course there is the lack of experience with the Garmin G1000. I have a biennial coming due in February, and I may not even get to fly before then. It will have been five months by the time it rolls around.

On a more positive note, I was able to visually locate our target (a military parachute on the ground) even as the much more experienced pilot said, "That can't be it..." and kept circling the area looking for something else.

Weekend Emergency Services

More training today. Every so often, the CAP squadron will have a formal exercise to train, test, and practice for a real search-and-rescue event. Yesterday, with high winds forecast, the leadership decided to forgo a real exercise with planes in the air and instead just do some classroom training.

Naturally, it's not the same as being out in the field, but I couldn't argue with the logic of being inside while it was freezing and windy outside. For that matter, some of the work is necessarily administrative in nature (how to do incident paperwork, track resources, etc.) so the classroom is still a part of the overall process.

Due to the limited agenda, the meeting was also limited to senior members rather than inclusive of the cadets. That actually turned out to be a positive, as we discussed some issues regarding recruitment and meeting organization that falls to us as adult leaders to handle.

For me personally, it was a good meeting to clear up a few gray areas regarding advancement and emergency services operations qualifications (OpsQuals). I am now a trainee for a couple of operations specialties: Mission Scanner and Mission Staff Assistant. The first is a step on the way to becoming a CAP mission pilot. The second is more or less a go-fer position, but is still an important role during a real incident (think Radar from M.A.S.H. -- you remember that show, right?)

In follow up to the last post, I ordered four gyroscopes and received them today. They're the cheap kind, but they kept three kids busy for at least two hours today. I'd say that's a pretty good result. On top of that, we were able to talk about how they work in an airplane, how the gyroscopic effect keeps their bicycles upright, and learned that dogs don't like the noise of the spinning tops. Who knew?