The family was scheduled to drive out to MI for a family birthday with my in-laws. I really wanted to go, but I do have a lot of things going on and felt that it would be better from a work/life balance perspective to keep going, especially since some of the activities are of the away from home variety anyway.
So, instead of driving 11 hours, I suggested that I fly them to Toledo and return home. They picked up a rental car in TOL to drive the remaining two hours, and I flew back to Leesburg. The flight out was very uneventful with very little haze or clouds. We even had a slight tailwind.
The return flight was equally uneventful except that the time to climb was noticeably shorter. I made a PIREP just west of the BSV VOR. After the report I checked back in with Cleveland center and decided to monitor 121.50. Much to my surprise, I was receiving a very strong Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) signal. This was a first for me. I reported that to the Center controller who said that he had received other reports at all altitudes as well. A quick check of the GPS showed that I was passing over the New Philadelphia airport (KPHD). I suspect there was an airplane transmitting a signal on the ground there.
Friday, August 18, 2006
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Flight of the Guinea Pig
I was selected to participate in a NASA research study a few weeks ago, so yesterday I flew down to Newport News (KPHF) for an interview with the research team. I also spent some time wearing the Oculometer for calibration purposes. The goal of the study is to evaluate GA piloting performance while interacting with datalink weather services.
The flight down was mostly uninteresting until just northwest of the airport. Apparently there was some maneuvering traffic below me that I passed over and avoided, but never saw. Visibility was pretty bad and I will log a good portion of the flight as actual. The haze was thick until I got closer to Norfolk.
Upon rollout and landing on runway 20, I turned onto Charlie and taxied to Mercury at about 1:2opm for a 2:00pm appointment. The sequence was textbook in terms of the utility of GA flight in action. The project folks had arranged a car for me. I parked the airplane with directions from the lineman, hopped out, grabbed my bag, closed up the airplane and put the cover on. I grabbed the keys and jumped in the rental car, drove the 11 miles to the facility and was on time for my 2:00pm appointment, which was interesting and fun. I learned a lot about the MX20, a device I have really never touched. I will be using it a lot when I pilot the NASA Stationair around VA NC and/or WV next month.
By 6pm, I was following the Garmin 3200 directions back to the airport in the rental car. I filed a flight plan enroute, and despite the heat and humidity, learned that the storms prognostication for 4pm onward would be no factor on the way back to Leesburg. After a quick human refueling courtesy of the golden arched restaurant, and some bio-recycling, it was time to taxi.
The clearance was HPW RIC COATT4, but nearing BRV, it was fly a 340 heading forever. The flight at 6000 was punctuated by continuous light chop from RIC to BRV, most likely somewhat a by-product of some intense convective activity NE of our position. The other noteworthy part of the cruise portion of the flight was the RJ flying the COLIN departure from RIC that was capped at 5. I was in the way at 6. Once in sight I approved the controllers request for visual separation and the jet streaked by about 2 miles ahead climbing to 9000.
Passing HEF on the western tour to JYO, and now well inside the ADIZ, I cancelled the IFR to join the Route 15 arrival at 1400'. The nice surprise, in addition to the direct destination, was the 141 knot groundspeed, which during cruise had been stuck at 121 knots. With the beacon in sight at 8 miles, I called it in with ATC and they dropped radar services and approved the frequency change. The airport was very quiet, so, I joined the crosswind for the 17 downwind, and completed a very uneventful flight.
3.1 hours on the meter.
The flight down was mostly uninteresting until just northwest of the airport. Apparently there was some maneuvering traffic below me that I passed over and avoided, but never saw. Visibility was pretty bad and I will log a good portion of the flight as actual. The haze was thick until I got closer to Norfolk.
Upon rollout and landing on runway 20, I turned onto Charlie and taxied to Mercury at about 1:2opm for a 2:00pm appointment. The sequence was textbook in terms of the utility of GA flight in action. The project folks had arranged a car for me. I parked the airplane with directions from the lineman, hopped out, grabbed my bag, closed up the airplane and put the cover on. I grabbed the keys and jumped in the rental car, drove the 11 miles to the facility and was on time for my 2:00pm appointment, which was interesting and fun. I learned a lot about the MX20, a device I have really never touched. I will be using it a lot when I pilot the NASA Stationair around VA NC and/or WV next month.
By 6pm, I was following the Garmin 3200 directions back to the airport in the rental car. I filed a flight plan enroute, and despite the heat and humidity, learned that the storms prognostication for 4pm onward would be no factor on the way back to Leesburg. After a quick human refueling courtesy of the golden arched restaurant, and some bio-recycling, it was time to taxi.
The clearance was HPW RIC COATT4, but nearing BRV, it was fly a 340 heading forever. The flight at 6000 was punctuated by continuous light chop from RIC to BRV, most likely somewhat a by-product of some intense convective activity NE of our position. The other noteworthy part of the cruise portion of the flight was the RJ flying the COLIN departure from RIC that was capped at 5. I was in the way at 6. Once in sight I approved the controllers request for visual separation and the jet streaked by about 2 miles ahead climbing to 9000.
Passing HEF on the western tour to JYO, and now well inside the ADIZ, I cancelled the IFR to join the Route 15 arrival at 1400'. The nice surprise, in addition to the direct destination, was the 141 knot groundspeed, which during cruise had been stuck at 121 knots. With the beacon in sight at 8 miles, I called it in with ATC and they dropped radar services and approved the frequency change. The airport was very quiet, so, I joined the crosswind for the 17 downwind, and completed a very uneventful flight.
3.1 hours on the meter.
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