First trip by private plane

[dm]

Hey, small world. Washington Courthouse was one of my nav checkpoints on my first solo cross country.
Sounds like you guys had a good trip. It's nice when the trip can be moved if the weather is poor, etc. Seemed a bit breezy yesterday, I hope you guys didn't get bounced around too much.

We had to stay low for about 75miles due to the overcast, but didn't get bounced around to much. The only exciting part of the flight was when I was switching tanks and the engine quit for a few seconds. I had run the tank that I was switching to pretty low on the way out and I guess I had some air in the line. My wife didn't know what was going on and was not real happy. But she say's she is ready to go again, just keep the engine running.

 

[REWahoo]

The only exciting part of the flight was when I was switching tanks and the engine quit for a few seconds.

Not good, not good at all.

In my 8+ years of military flying the only times I experienced how quiet it was to fly a glider was when my instructor intentionally shut down to practice setting up an emergency landing. And that was early on before I experienced first hand the beauty and logic of having two - or four - engines.

 

[Dawg52]

My Dad loved flying. He bought an old wreck and rebuilt it with another guy's help. I was in elementary school at the time and enjoyed going up with him. Went up once later in life with my brother after he obtained his license. He did fine but I was thrilled when we landed. I must have been running low on my med's as the nerves were simply not there.

 

[Nords]

And that was early on before I experienced first hand the beauty and logic of having two - or four - engines.

That reminds me of the old joke "If that last engine dies then we're going to be stuck up here all day!!"

 

[Koolau]

dm, I'm still living vicariously your experiences. Thanks! I've missed flying and continue to think of taking some dual even though I know I'll never purchase another aircraft.

Your experience with the fuel interruption reminds me of the first time I demonstrated a spin to DW (to be - at that time). I told her we were going to do a spin. I thought she heard me (over the roughly 95 dBA engine). She did not. I still recall patting her leg and assuring her we were fine as we plummeted toward the ground. It was kind of surreal.

Regarding safety of GA, a lot of the safety depends upon the pilot being willing to sit on the ground and out-wait the weather. In short, know your limitations and abide by them. With those ground rules, GA is pretty safe. I still have a poster showing an early airplane smashed into (and stuck in) a tree. The caption reads "Aviation is not inherently dangerous. But to an even greater degree than the sea, it is terribly unforgiving of any carelessness, incapacity or neglect." Words to live by. May your God always be your co-pilot.

By the way, is that a T-6 in the photo background?

 

[Cessna5354]

Not good, not good at all.

In my 8+ years of military flying the only times I experienced how quiet it was to fly a glider was when my instructor intentionally shut down to practice setting up an emergency landing. And that was early on before I experienced first hand the beauty and logic of having two - or four - engines.

DM & REWahoo,

Nothing else like the sound of silence to get you completely wide eyed & fully engaged !!!

I always like flying over the bays on the east coast, some 19 miles across, when shortly after crossing the water I hear the engine sounding rough in anticipation....

 

[jim747]

We lived in Iowa a number of years ago and decided to fly home to Ludington, Michigan. I decided flying through Chicago airspace was just as dangerous as crossing Lake Michigan. The lake is 60 miles wide from Manitowoc, WI to Ludington so I climbed to 13K as I passed over the shoreline. I calculated there was only five miles that I would not be able to glide to shore. It sure makes you pucker the first time you do it. I crossed a number of times after that and felt better but never totally comfortable.

 

[dm]

dm, I'm still living vicariously your experiences. Thanks! I've missed flying and continue to think of taking some dual even though I know I'll never purchase another aircraft.

Your experience with the fuel interruption reminds me of the first time I demonstrated a spin to DW (to be - at that time). I told her we were going to do a spin. I thought she heard me (over the roughly 95 dBA engine). She did not. I still recall patting her leg and assuring her we were fine as we plummeted toward the ground. It was kind of surreal.

Regarding safety of GA, a lot of the safety depends upon the pilot being willing to sit on the ground and out-wait the weather. In short, know your limitations and abide by them. With those ground rules, GA is pretty safe. I still have a poster showing an early airplane smashed into (and stuck in) a tree. The caption reads "Aviation is not inherently dangerous. But to an even greater degree than the sea, it is terribly unforgiving of any carelessness, incapacity or neglect." Words to live by. May your God always be your co-pilot.

By the way, is that a T-6 in the photo background?

I believe it is, lots of old planes around these small airports. At my local small uncontrolled field is a T-6, a C-47, and a old bomber among others.

As to the engine quitting for a second, it really didn't seem like a big deal. I had used 17.5 gal from my 19 gal usable aux tanks. But I had filled them back up before I left. Maybe if it hadn't restarted right away it would have bothered me more. I talked with some other Bonanza pilots and they mentioned that when they run their aux tanks low like that they hit the boost pump when they change tanks to help get the air out of the line. I have also read where some will run a tank dry in order to use all the fuel in the tank. I'm not really planning on going that far though. And it helps that I am in nice flat farm country. Lots of fields below me most of the time.

I have now passed the 100 hr point. We are flying to my grandmothers 101 birthday party on Saturday. I'm trying to fly at least once a week now. And I'm thinking of working on my instrument rating this winter.

But the plane stays on the ground if there is any question on the weather. We don't have to be anywhere, were retired.

 

[Walt34]

I always like flying over the bays on the east coast, some 19 miles across, when shortly after crossing the water I hear the engine sounding rough in anticipation....

Oh, they all do that. It's called "automatic rough".

The joke I always liked was the night time emergency landing procedure if the engine quits:

Establish normal glide, go through the engine restart procedure, and if that doesn't work head for a dark area where hopefully there aren't any buildings to run into. When you get about 200' above the ground turn on the landing lights. If you don't like what you see, turn the lights off.

 

[lowflyer]

We lived in Iowa a number of years ago and decided to fly home to Ludington, Michigan. I decided flying through Chicago airspace was just as dangerous as crossing Lake Michigan. The lake is 60 miles wide from Manitowoc, WI to Ludington so I climbed to 13K as I passed over the shoreline. I calculated there was only five miles that I would not be able to glide to shore. It sure makes you pucker the first time you do it. I crossed a number of times after that and felt better but never totally comfortable.

I've had the pleasure of flying pressurized singles - both piston and turbine - for a couple thousand hours and there's nothing like flying over the mountains and/or lots of water at FL200 or higher. Of course, more than one engine can be a comfort too. After flying at higher altitudes, flying over places like Lake Michigan at lower altitudes, gives me the creeps and my goal is to not do that anymore.

Back when I learned to fly, when talking to my CFI about flying over big water and/or at night, his comment was that "the airplane doesn't know it's night." Interesting thought, but I'm not so sure!

 

[Koolau]

And it helps that I am in nice flat farm country. Lots of fields below me most of the time.

I'm currently visiting the old "home stead". Most times I come back this way, I go out to see my own personal "Bermuda Triangle". It's simply a half acre farm field (Saturday, it was in shriveled corn, but back in Dec. of '68, it was winter wheat). That year, my 5th flying lesson, we blew an engine and had to put the aircraft down in that muddy wheat field. 19 years later or so, my first balloon ride drifted across that exact field and we were hit by a strong frontal wind which blew us away from the chase truck and to the edge of a large forest. The pilot had to spike the balloon into the ground to avoid the trees and power lines (we were out of fuel). Not sure that this story is particularly instructive (other than that I DID survive, heh, heh). I Just think of it whenever I'm back in the midwest and also whenever the conversation turns to GA. YMMV

 

[Milton]

Note that some FBOs provide a course for spouses in how to land a plane in an emergency, giving enough instruction that in combination with the radio the non pilot spouse can likely get the plane down safely.

This is a good idea, and will help your wife become more comfortable in the air (it's not easy for people to fly with single pilots, feeling that if the pilot conks out, there is nothing they can do to get the aircraft on the ground safely). I know my own wife benefited. If you can involve her in the navigation, that will give her something to do and long cross countries won't be so boring.

A couple more suggestions:

1. Search out Frank Kingston Smith's books (Weekend Wings, etc.) in the library. You will find them to be amusing and inspiring.

2. Get your wife a subscription to Pilot Getaways magazine. She will find the issues full of nice places to visit.

 

[REattempt]

Flying over places like Lake Michigan at lower altitudes, gives me the creeps and my goal is to not do that anymore.

Back when I learned to fly, when talking to my CFI about flying over big water and/or at night, his comment was that "the airplane doesn't know it's night." Interesting thought, but I'm not so sure!

The Great Lakes are more dangerous to fly over than one thinks. I avoided flying over unless I was able to fly at a sufficient altitude to glide to shore.

Your CFI is correct: The airplane doesn't know it's night. Your probability of mechanical failure is no different at night vs. during the day.

As a CFI, my counsel to my students about flying at night is related to your ability to find a (more) suitable place to land in the event of emergency. One typically can't tell, until it is too late, that the site you picked at night that looked good from altitude, was infact a tall stand of trees.

 

[dm]

We have gone on several day trips so far. Today was another first, we flew from St. Louis to Amana Iowa. And landed at a grass strip. It really was no big deal, but I had never done it and would have liked to try it with someone who had some experience first. But they were starting Octoberfest there and the wife was wanting to go. So off we went. We had a good time and a nice flight.

 

[samclem]

The joke I always liked was the night time emergency landing procedure if the engine quits:

Establish normal glide, go through the engine restart procedure, and if that doesn't work head for a dark area where hopefully there aren't any buildings to run into. When you get about 200' above the ground turn on the landing lights. If you don't like what you see, turn the lights off.

That's very good!

 

[clifp]

We have gone on several day trips so far. Today was another first, we flew from St. Louis to Amana Iowa. And landed at a grass strip. It really was no big deal, but I had never done it and would have liked to try it with someone who had some experience first. But they were starting Octoberfest there and the wife was wanting to go. So off we went. We had a good time and a nice flight.

Sounds like fun. One of the less fun things about flying is it sure cramps the drinking for things like Octoberfest. The FAA rules of 8 hours from bottle to throttle, I think do a really good job of keep pilots from drinking and flying.

I know there are exceptions, but I've know plenty of pilot who've told stories about they got drunk and stupidly drove home with no memory of the event.

However, I've never heard pilot tell a story of harrowing landing after having a few before take-off and precious few of pilots of relating stories of other drunk pilots.

 

[dm]

Sounds like fun. One of the less fun things about flying is it sure cramps the drinking for things like Octoberfest. The FAA rules of 8 hours from bottle to throttle, I think do a really good job of keep pilots from drinking and flying.

I know there are exceptions, but I've know plenty of pilot who've told stories about they got drunk and stupidly drove home with no memory of the event.

However, I've never heard pilot tell a story of harrowing landing after having a few before take-off and precious few of pilots of relating stories of other drunk pilots.

Nothing but Ice Tea for me. I got way to much invested to take any chances now.

 

[Nords]

However, I've never heard pilot tell a story of harrowing landing after having a few before take-off and precious few of pilots of relating stories of other drunk pilots.

That might be due to a severe case of survivor bias...?