Sender: <marv@lancaironline.net> (Marvin Kaye)
To: lml
Date: Mon, 20 May 2002 08:37:35 -0400
Message-ID: <redirect-1242327@logan.com>
From: Sky2high@aol.com
Subject: The Flight of Two Madmen - Reno 2001 - Part 5
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Day 9 - Monday, 9/17/01 - The OGD->RAP plan.

Oops, the weather has grotesquely deteriorated in 24 hours.  East of the=20
Ogden mountain range we will encounter rain, 20000 to 25000 foot tops and=20
icing above 14000 feet.  We plan to go further North to avoid the dreaded <
thunder storms> and choose to fly at 13000 feet route to Rapid City, SD for=20
re-fueling.  The RAP arrival forecast isn't too bad if we can get going and=20
the altitude is not a problem since we both carry oxygen when flying in the=20
mountains.  We can't scud run because there is no code for that in an IFR=20
flight plan.  Also, we only have current Jepp plates for the North Central=20
Region and all the intervening area plates are "sold out" at the local FBO.=20=
=20
No kidding, just another FAA trap.  Luckily, Arnie and I have plates for RAP=
=20
from a previous life - the trip out.

After receiving the same weird clearance (we were ready for that), we are=20
off, single file, Arnie leading.  We are each soon turned on course, shortly=
=20
after reaching a safe altitude.  This is  "fun" since we are only 30 miles=20
apart and can hear each other's communications with center.  However, there=20
are some difficulties; I'm too old to be fighting the weather and Arnie, an=20
excellent pilot, will be hand flying with no autopilot.  Wait a second, he's=
=20
a year older than me and I'm sitting pretty with a GPS guided AP. =20

It's getting ugly East of the high mountains and the blasts of noise in my=20
headset signify something more unusual than mere p-static from the visible=20
moisture (clouds) in which we are flying.  Hold on, why am I picking up ICE=20
at 13000 when Arnie hasn't complained of any (Arnie was flying airways and I=
=20
was GPS direct)?  My request for lower is quickly honored by ATC and the ice=
=20
instantly melts off at 12000 - this is where I will stay for a while, thank=20
you very much. =20

During this stretch, the charged clouds were creating havoc - incredible=20
snaps in the headset and loss of GPSS guidance from time to time requiring a=
=20
recycle of the AP.  And, gulp, the time when I experienced the complete loss=
=20
of the autopilot.  How did I notice this?  By looking up from an enroute=20
chart and finding myself in an unusual attitude - a 45-degree bank in a=20
rapidly descending left turn.  Surprise!  The recovery was not my finest=20
piece of flying - I snaked my way into an unstable step climb, slightly=20
disoriented, gleefully hitting a bit of clear 1300 feet above my assigned=20
altitude.  Settling down somewhat, I got a semblance of a scan back and=20
returned to the cloud laden 12000 foot level and trimmed out any imbalances.=
 =20
Ok, either this all happened quicker than I thought or ATC didn't care about=
=20
my excursion; no one said a word. =20

The autopilot would power up, but not complete it's self-test.  Now I was=20
sweating because the AP was my sole vacuum system backup since it used the=20
electric turn coordinator for stabilization.  The turn coordinator was=20
working but the AP was not.  Remembering Arnie's recent pump failure and the=
=20
fact that our tach times were pretty close left me feeling "uncomfortable."=20=
=20

Lesson #14 - Don't rely solely on Otto, thus forsaking the trinity of you,=20
the plane and its' future flight path.  Ergo, I have formulated this rule:=20
For every =BD hour of autopilot managed flight, shut off the AP, re-trim the=
=20
aircraft and hand fly it for five minutes to ensure retention of some basic=20
scan ability.

Approaching Casper, WY I lost touch with Arnie because he had just changed=20
his center frequency.  Suddenly, I entered a large clear area (the so called=
=20
sucker hole, probably 15 miles across) that enabled me to see the Casper=20
airport.  I requested landing there because of my difficulties.  After they=20
approved my request, I asked them to tell 96AC that I was going into CPR.

You see, I did officially land first, although not at our planned airport. =20
Arnie had no problem in getting re-directed to CPR even though the rules=20
under which we were flying should not have allowed either of us to change ou=
r=20
destination in flight.  The avionics shop knew exactly what the problem was;=
=20
a blown soldered miniature fuse that they would have fixed by morning.  The=20
FBO invited us inside their hangar for the night since more rain was coming.

On the shuttle ride to the hotel, Arnie noticed several cowboy bars and I=20
could see that look in his eyes.  Nah!  "Arnie, I don't have my belt knife=20
with me." I said.  Anyway, the hotel restaurant (and bar) worked out just=20
fine.

To Be Continued.

Grayhawk