The Better Part of Valor

I decided that the best approach today for getting from DC to Bridgeport was the train. Here's why:

The green icons are pilot reports of icing. The orange icons are pilot reports of turbulence. I concluded that it wasn't worth arguing with. Unfortunately, that means I'll be back on the train Friday. I do so look forward to the advent of consistent above-freezing temperatures aloft.

Friday Night's Flight

As I was leaving KBDR, the TAF for DCA (issued at 1800Z) was still valid and calling for better than 6 miles visibility and scattered clouds at 3000 feet at my planned arrival time. After I got off, I zoomed out the XM Weather NEXRAD display on my Garmin 396 and saw lots of green and yellow stuff just south of DC, with the leading edge maybe 1/2-way between DC and Richmond. Since I had 2 hours of flying in front of me I figured there was a good chance that the weather would get to where I was going before me. Time to brief the approach plate.

It was VMC most of the way down. I started out at 8000 feet going over to Sparta and down to Solberg (that keeps me above the EWR arrivals) and there was a pretty good headwind at that altitude. I knew from the winds aloft forecast that the winds were quite a bit lighter at 6000 so as soon as I was handed off to Allentown Approach I asked for and got 6000. That got me about 9 more knots of ground speed.

The undercast went solid just north of Baltimore. Passing BAL headed south they took me down to 4000. That had me under the cloud layer where it was showery and maybe 3 or 4 miles flight visibility. The approach controller asked me what approach I wanted at VKX and I asked for the RNAV 6. 

On the way down to Nottingham VOR, Potomac Approach brought me down to 3000, then to 2000 and with each descent the visibility got a bit worse. I went through a couple of pretty enthusiastic showers where it was probably around 1-1/2 miles, and prevailing visibility in the light rain was about 2-1/2 (I estimate).

So...I clear Nottingham and the controller says, "Depart Nottingham on a 270 heading, expect the visual at VKX."

EXPECT THE VISUAL??? IS HE NUTS? IN THIS SCHMOO?

So I said, "Umm...there was some talk with the previous controller about shooting the RNAV 6 into Potomac...", and he said, "Well, there's a lot of traffic coming up from the south tonight -- maybe you can pick up the airport. If not we'll get you vectors to WOBUB." (Note: WOBUB is the IAF for the approach)."

"OK," I said, "we'll see what happens."

Needless to say, I got within 4 miles of the field at 2000 and saw NOTHIN'. So, he turns me to a 240 vector paralleling the final approach course, offset about a mile and a half to the southeast. I get abeam of WOBUB and he clears me direct, cleared for the approach. I already had the approach loaded in the GNS-530, so I just hit Direct WOBUB and away we go. But...it occurs to me that the 530 wants me to get to WOBUB and turn southwest to fly the hold-in-lieu-of-procedure-turn, and Mr. Controller may not want that. I ask, "Do you want me to take a turn in the hold at WOBUB or turn straight in?" He responded, "Thanks for asking! Turn straight in at WOBUB." Fine. Now I have to figure out how to convince the 530 to skip the hold.

Well, necessity is the mother of invention. I got to the IAF, hit the FPL button, highlighted the FAF and hit Direct. The 530 didn't miss a beat, turning northeast onto final. I descended to 1500 and started watching for the airport. I crossed the FAF, which is a bit over 4 miles from the threshold -- still no joy. Started my descent to MDA (680 in this case) and about 3 miles out I saw the red lights of the PAPI...so I stopped descending and waited for some white lights. Runway lights showed up and the actual landing, in light rain, was uneventful.

This was maybe the fifth time since I got my instrument rating that I flew an approach because I had to. It's fun! The Garmin GNS-530 is a wonderful machine. Approach controllers are the nicest people. And it's nice to know that the ILS approach to the 7000 foot runway at Manassas is in your back pocket if you need it.

Here's the flight, by the way.

Annual Inspection (VI)

The parts are in and I've been assured that I'll have an airplane at 5 PM to fly to DC. I am fully aware that I am going off on a longish cross-country flight immediately after maintenance. In my defense I will point out that the weather is VMC and the sun won't be setting for quite some time -- so if I get any maintenance-induced failures, I'll have options.

I've filed for the usual routing...Sparta to East Texas to Lancaster to Baltimore to home...and the computer is predicting 2:18 en-route. If I can get out soon after 5:00 PM I should arrive at KVKX around 7:30.

Next week I'll bring the airplane back to Three Wing to clean up a couple of exterior items:

• Address the bit of corrosion on the belly;
• Paint one of the VHF antennae.

Thoughts on the ELT

The installation of an Emergency Location Transmitter (ELT) was mandated by Congress in 1973 in the aftermath of the disappearance of Rep. Hale Boggs' flight in Alaska. N631S still has installed the ELT that was delivered with the airplane in 1977.

Like most airplanes of a certain age, this ELT is designed to be activated by the deceleration forces associated with a crash and to broadcast a signal on the designated emergency frequency, 121.5 MHz. For some time, this signal could have been detected by an orbiting satellite that would provide location information to search-and-rescue (SAR) agencies who would then further localize the signal and effect a rescue. At least that was how it was supposed to work.

In fact, the 121.5 MHz ELT's are quite unreliable. They cannot be counted on to activate in the event of an accident. In fact they are so bad that they are being superceded by a new generation of ELT's that will operate at 406 MHz and will provide much improved performance. (These new units will also emit a signal at 121.5 MHz so that the SAR folks can deal with the last stages of the search without needing to procure all new direction-finding receivers.)

As part of this transition to the 406 MHz technology, the orbiting SAR satellite stopped "listening" for 121.5 MHz signals on February 1, 2009. Now, if you crash and your old 121.5 MHz unit activates (a very big if) you are dependent on passing aircraft monitoring that frequency to detect you.

So, what are the options?

• Upgrade to a 406 MHz ELT and enjoy the benefits of the new technology. This will set you back about $2,000 (including cost of installation) for a basic unit or about $5,000 for one that is coupled to your GPS and will, when activated, broadcast the lat-lon of your crash site.
• Keep the old 121.5 MHz unit in the airplane, for what it's worth, and invest about $500 in a 406 MHz Personal Locater Beacon (PLB) to carry with you on every flight. The drawback of the PLB is that you have to be conscious and capable of activating it manually -- it has no self-activation mechanism.
• Just keep the old 121.5 MHz unit. It complies with US regulations (though not with Canadian nor Mexican regs) but you probably should not count on it to get you rescued with any speed.

If money were no object, I'd be having a 406 MHz unit installed in N631S right now. Even with money being a rather significant object, if my missions involved extensive flights over mountainous or desolate terrain, I'd be upgrading to a 406 MHz system.

But with virtually all of my flying being done in the "civilized" environs of the Northeast and under IFR (therefore in virtually constant contact with Air Traffic Control), I feel comfortable keeping the old unit in place, and maybe acquiring a PLB. Thus, during the current annual inspection we are replacing the ELT's battery as the regs require. It's just a brick, but it's a legally necessary brick.

I'll discuss PLB's in a later post.

Annual Inspection (V)

Now we are waiting for the arrival of two parts. The flexible boot for the inlet duct was supposed to arrive yesterday -- but didn't. And when the mag that was due for its 500 hour inspection was opened up, the impulse coupling was found badly pitted so we have one of those in transit. If the brown truck brings the needed parts mid-morning then there is a good chance I am flying south today. If not, I am on the train.

Other than that, there have been no additional unpleasant surprises. This is coming together as a pretty low-stress annual. Further, anon...

Annual Inspection (IV)

As of this morning Mike the IA has finished everything except the nose gear. Not much in the way of bad news today:

• The ELT battery is due for replacement. I need to make a separate post on my thinking about the ELT.
• There is some corrosion starting on the belly behind the battery drain; needs to be cleaned up, alodyned and touch-up painted -- but maybe not this week.
• The pilot's side seat rails have worn to the point where the applicable AD requires that they be inspected at 100 hour intervals rather than annually. No further action at this time.

The expander boot for the carb inlet air duct is due in today; we are still working on the assumption that the airplane will be done and available Friday (tomorrow!) afternoon.

Annual Inspection (III)

As noted earlier, it's time to replace the bellows-thingy in the carb inlet air duct. Normally I would dig out my parts catalog and look for the part number, then search on CessnaParts.com or on "I Want Cessna Parts" (aka Premier Aviation) to check price and availability. But I'm here in Connecticut and the parts catalog is back home in Virginia.

Once again, it is Cessna Pilots Association (CPA) to the rescue! CPA is a "type club" (and an excellent one, at that). It maintains an extensive web site with a very active members forum. I posted a query in the "Maintenance" section and in a couple of hours I had a response from a member in California that provided the part numbers I needed.

Y'all pay 'tenshun here: If you fly a Cessna you cannot make a better expenditure than the few bucks ($55, I think) for annual membership in CPA. Every year without fail, I learn things that save me far more than the membership fee. CPA is a Very Good Thing!

Anyway, now I know that I need p/n 0752016-7, officially an Expander Boot. Either of the previously referenced sources will sell me one for about $75. By the way, it is most fortunate that I only need the silicone rubber boot and not the entire assembly including the associated aluminum bits. The assembly would cost $1,318.50. (Ouch!)

Let me put in a few words of praise for the Cessna Aircraft Co. on the subject of parts. OK, they aren't cheap. But as a matter of policy, Cessna sees to it that I can get the parts I need to maintain my 32 year old airplane. Not every owner of an older airframe has that comfort level.

I shared the results of my research with Three Wing and they assure me that they are on track to get the boot in-house in time to support completion of the annual by Friday.

So far, so good...

Annual Inspection (II)

The annual proceeds apace. I stopped at the hangar this morning and reviewed "squawks thusfar" with Mike the IA. Mostly trivial. Three items deserving of note:

• The flexible bellows in the carb inlet air duct in the lower cowl has chafed through rather badly. Not judged repairable. So they are starting to research getting a new one, which may generate a separate post on the cost of Cessna parts. Also, the actual replacement of the bellows is a fussy little job -- a bunch of rivets.
• One of the Slick magnetos is due for its 500 hour inspection.
• There's a crack in the baffling at the forward end of cylinder #6. Looks like an aluminum L-shaped doubler and a couple of rivets are in order.
  

Mike expects to finish up the inspection later today (or tomorrow morning at the latest). It is looking reasonably likely that I can have N631S back by Friday for my weekly trek to DC.

"One-One Thousand, That's Eleven Thousand"

On my northbound commute from DC to Bridgeport, I get routed over Kennedy Airport (KJFK) and so get to listen to the estimable New York Approach controllers doing their thing. In assigning altitudes to their departures and arrivals, they state the numbers twice, in different ways, like: "American 79 Heavy, climb and maintain one-one-thousand, that's eleven-thousand." (The flight crews will usually read back the instruction using the same phraseology.)

A question showed up on another blog concerning the rationale behind this phraseology, which got me to googling -- and led me to the ASRS analysis that I've linked to the title of this post. It turns out that the "(varied) numbers twice" procedure is a tool to minimize miscommunicated and misunderstood altitude assignments. Click on the title and read the analysis -- good stuff there.

By the way, Order 7110.65 (the Controller's Bible) permits but does not require use of this phraseology.

Annual Inspection (I)

The flight yesterday morning from VKX to BDR was a longish 2.3 hours. On arrival I taxied to the Three Wing maintenance hangar and handed the airplane over to the wrench turners.

I stopped off at the airport this morning to check on progress. N631S is in the hangar, with all of the inspection covers opened, the cowling removed and the interior stripped. Mike the IA said he really had only just started inspecting, but that the cylinder compressions were all acceptable. Other than the need to replace a couple of stripped screws, he's found nothing so far to cause concern.

I've told the folks at Three Wing that this year's watchword is Frugal. Given the current economic conditions, we are going to defer anything that is deferable, consistent with making no compromises on airworthiness. They say that they "get it", and that every owner/operator is telling them the same thing.

I shall visit them again tomorrow, by which time Mike should be nearly done with the inspection.

Another Round Trip

N631S and I left KBDR at 1730 local time on Friday afternoon and had (unusually) a tailwind for the trip down to VKX. The 2.2 hours logged pushed me over 800 hours as P.I.C. It looks like there will still be a northerly flow tomorrow morning for the trip back to Connecticut, so I can expect a bit of a headwind. Then the airplane goes to the shop for this year's annual, about which more anon.

Reference Map for AIRMET/SIGMET Vertices

It occurs to me that I may not be alone in needing a tool to help visualize the geography of a textual AIRMET or SIGMET. Click on the title of this post to get to a very nice reference map from the Aviation Weather Center folks, in .gif format. I keep a printed copy in my flight bag.

Plans Change

The shop at Three Wing has gotten backed up with emergent work. (Mainly, they seem to have had an annual on a Navaho blow up on them, in the process dynamiting their schedule.) In any event they have not yet started on N631S's annual. So, I have suggested pushing it off to next week -- and that's been accepted with alacrity and appreciation. I get to fly home on Friday evening and back here on Monday morning. Cool!

The only rub is that right now I have about 48 hours on the oil. A round trip home will add about 4.5 hours more. Skip (Three Wing's maintenance jefe d'oro) says that's no problem but I am not accustomed to running oil that long -- However, I've been flying regularly and the engine seems very happy, so I will accept it.

Daily FAR

I've just added a "Gadget" at the bottom of the page that (if I understand it correctly) displays a randomly selected section from the CFR Parts applicable to aviation. I have set it to use Part 61 and Part 91 for source material -- it also has Parts 121 & 135 available but those are not of current interest to me.

You can have a look by pressing your "END" key. I'll keep it there for a while and see how it works out.

Since Grandma was an O'Rourke...

...I would be remiss in not saying,

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!