I had a beautiful IMC flight recently on which I re-learned some important truths, the most significant of which is that our capability to operate in the IMC world is a wonderful blessing. It filled me with such a sense of awe of the beauty of God’s sky and clouds and the wonderful machines man’s inventiveness has put at our disposal so we can move safely through this environment. A mere man could become a poet! So this is not a story of drama concerning near misses or close calls. It is a story of how the aviation community - all of it - has created something marvelous that few humans have been able to experience and enjoy.
Daughter Jenny’s birthday is December 21; I decided I would like to spend her special day with her and her greyhound rescue friends at a meeting place south of Atlanta. Of course, December 21, 2014, was IMC over most of the southeast.
My route was from Headland (0J6) to Fulton Co. (FTY) planning on using the Diffi Two Arrival. At my cruise altitude of 7,000, I had a nice10-kt tailwind factor. At 0J6, the ceiling was about 900. I picked up my clearance from Cairns Approach via cell phone: “Cleared as filed, climb to and maintain 3,000. Expect 7,000 in 10 minutes. Departure on 124.5 Squawk 2631. Enter controlled airspace on course. [Then after discussing how soon I would be ready] Time now 13:32, void at 13:40, if not off by 13:40, call us and advise.”
Takeoff was normal, the engine was happy, and about the time I entered the clouds, I turned on course, climbing at 850 fpm. I checked in with Cairns, was radar identified and cleared on up to 7,000. Passing through about 6,200 I advised Cairns that this was where the tops were. At 7,000, I set cruise power (63%, 2550 RPM, 12.8 GPH) and settled back to enjoy a few items from Frances’ “goody bag.” We will certainly never get hungry on our trips!
Right after level-off, Cairns changed me over to Atlanta Approach on 125.5, and I checked in with him. On top is really beautiful! Tiini is on both the Arrival chart and the ILS 8 plate. At 9 AM Eastern on a Sunday morning, the frequency was really quiet. I began setting up for my arrival at FTY: ATIS and Tower set in #2 Com, and reviewed the charts. I got information Tango: wind 080/7, 900 broken, 2 miles in mist, using ILS 8.
I noted that one of ILS 8’s IAFs, Tiini, is a part of the Diffi Two Arrival. Nice. I asked for direct to Tiini and soon that was granted, as well as a descent to 5,000 and then 3,000. Could barely see the Glory as I descended into the clouds. I tuned the localizer frequency and identified it, set up the autopilot for the approach and all was well. Mr. S-Tec (autopilot) did another fine job of following the localizer and glideslope while I managed the power and speed. I landed and taxied in to Guy Hill’s FBO (another story from the ‘50s), shut down, gave my fuel order, met Jenny and off we went. Just about one hour from takeoff to landing.
We had a great visit and lunch and then it was time to head south. I had told Jenny I wanted to depart not later than 4 PM Eastern so I would get back to Headland by about 4 Central, 45 minutes before sundown. That turned out to be a really good plan.
I filed for 8,000 coming back: direct to CSG, direct to 0J6. My clearance was the usual: “Radar vectors to CSG then as filed.” Atlanta Departure warned me he’d “box you around for the climb.” Indeed he did. After takeoff on Runway 8, I was told to turn left to 360; then after getting above 3,000, he turned me right to 090 and, upon reaching 5,000, we turned south to overfly ATL.
After getting a few miles south of one of the nation’s busiest airports, I was given direct to CSG and then allowed to climb to 8,000. As you can see by the photo, it wasn’t quite “on top” going home and there was a little Stormscope activity scattered around my route, but nothing that required deviating. The return flight was beautiful, nonetheless.
The arrival in the Dothan area was really fun. I began picking up the Dothan ATIS around Columbus: Info Kilo, 2126Z (3:26PM local), wind 060/8, visibility 1 1/2 with mist, 300 overcast, temperature 12, dew point 11, altimeter 3006, using ILS 32. With that information, I was able to formulate my plan.
The Headland LPV 9 Approach minimums include a decision altitude (DA) of 274 feet and 7/8-mile visibility; the Dothan ILS 32 minimums are a DA of 200 feet and ½-mile visibility. Thus, when Atlanta changed me over to Cairns, I said I would like direct to Dekke for the Headland GPS 9 and that if I didn’t get in, I’d request vectors to the final for the Dothan ILS 32. Cairns concurred with all that and gave me alternate missed approach instructions: runway heading up to 3,000 and back to him on his frequency. A few minutes later, Cairns cleared me to Dekke and started me down.
When I was a few miles from Dekke, Cairns cleared me for the approach; I crossed the fix and did the holding pattern in lieu of procedure turn. As I crossed Dekke inbound, the LPV approach annunciated on the GPS and showed the glideslope indicator on the PFD. Mr. S-Tec captured the glideslope again, and we started down with me managing flaps and power for the airspeed.
We crossed Eruca at about 1,700 as advertised and began seeing the ground - in and out - at about 550 AGL. At 350 AGL, we had the airport in sight and I advised Cairns that landing was assured and to cancel IFR. And then - the final good thing of a wonderful flight - as I rolled out I saw flying-buddy Dave’s truck and heard him on the CTAF welcoming me home. He had seen me coming home on Flight Aware.
Headland’s LPV 9 Approach is almost as good as an ILS, and he figured that if I didn’t get in to Headland he’d go over to Dothan and pick me up to reunite me with my car at the hangar. What a guy! Thanks Dave!
As I drove home, the sun set and the temp-dew point spread went to zero. Getting on the ground before sundown was the key to getting in to either Headland; or Dothan. Absolutely no drama, but a really fun IMC day, with a treasure trove of awe and fulfillment!