Author Topic: An Approach Story  (Read 6701 times)

Offline AirtransRecon

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An Approach Story
« on: January 10, 2007, 04:31:29 AM »
I just completed my exodus of Tallahassee and am now safely nestled in Lakeland Florida but before I could do so one large problem laid in the way. My car was still several hundred miles north of my location and needed to be retrieved post haste (before phsyco ex-girlfriend located and subsequently destroyed it) The car was pretty well hidden so it wasn't a major concern, plus I know a few good lawyers.

Anyway, onto the flight.

Grabbed Dad and his plane and off we go to Tally to rescue my car. Beautiful Fl weather, clear skies and amazing visibility but a facing a 20+ knot headwind at alt 3 and 6 thousand while trying to maintain 4500 the whole way. Cruise speed was about a ball park 80 mph ground which made the trip a little longer than it would have been otherwise. Made a perfect takeoff from Lakeland, a perfect cross-wind landing in Perry Fl (my first cross wind attempt), pretty good cross wind take off (again, first time) and then on to Tally and class C airspace (Lot's of firsts for me on this trip) Dad is on the radios the whole time, being the licensed pilot between the two of us, but I'm handling the bird. (By the way, it's a 172 with a STOL kit) We get vectored into Tally on runway 27 following a twin of some kind that's flying significantly faster than us so no real factor. I set up the approach and I get us lined up beautifully, coming in over Tally on 27 the approach takes you directly over a water treatment center and from there it's only a few hundred feet to the runway. So we're over the crap farm as I referr to it, I'm on glide slope, pulling the power back, no flaps (slow enough without 'em) everythings looking perfect. Just as I pull the carb heat, tower calls our N number and instructs us to terminate our approach and turn left for re-vectoring to 27. Damn it all to hell, an Embrier (I think) on long approach caught up with us faster than expected. Dad has the plane and I'm watching for traffic, slightly annoyed as I had a text book perfect approach dialed in. We do a quick turn and a REAL short final in which I'm mirroring the controls and feeling the right way to do this. Back on the ground to the FBO a lone red black and white 172 sat amongst Corporate sleds painted in what seemed to be variations of white and grey. She kind of stood out amongst the other plumage. Line guy rolls up in a golf cart and puts down a red carpet pad (evidently standard practice for every arriving aircraft at this FBO, classy joint) on the pilots side. I must say a first for this aircraft, owner, and son. Great trip.

Recovered the car and started my four hour migration back to the south. Somewhere around an hour or so after I roll out, Dad calls and he's back in Lakeland already.

He had a 174mph ground speed.

KW

fireflyr

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Re: An Approach Story
« Reply #1 on: January 10, 2007, 02:22:19 PM »
174 MPH :o
I'll bet your dad was going "YEE HAAAA" all the way home ::cowboy::---and grinning when he called you!!!

Offline Frank N. O.

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Re: An Approach Story
« Reply #2 on: January 10, 2007, 04:09:50 PM »
LOL that was a great story. And that must be a land-speed record for a small Cessna. Btw a STOL kit is that the kit I've seen online that has small wings on the engine cowling and a larger engine?

Frank
"When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return."
— Leonardo da Vinci

undatc

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Re: An Approach Story
« Reply #3 on: January 10, 2007, 07:07:37 PM »
Had a few similar expereinces to this.

I was on my solo Xcountry to Bismark, and center handed me off to Bismark tower, and they cleared me for a right base to final approach, i was number one with an MD 80 about 5 miles out.  I confirmed and set up the approach as I was turning final, the controller called up and canceled my landing clearence and told me to continue the turn for an extended down wind (basicly to make a 270 degree turn).  As I turned I glanced out my window and saw the MD 80 not more and a mile or so away and heading right for me!  Full throttle and pitched to almost 50 degree of bank.  He called the MD and gave him traffic, in the back ground of the call I could hear his TCAS going off, and I laughed.  I made 4 more landings there and then continued on to Jamestown and back to the Forks.

On another practice flight, I was coming into Grand Forks.  We have 3 runways here, two parrell (35/17) and 8/26.  I was coming in from the west and was cleared to fly a left cross wind, cross 35L, for 17L.  As I was crossing center line of 35L, a learjet went missed as he was touching down and started his climb out.  Oh shit.  Before the controller called, we were already making a right 180 back towards the west.  However when he called, he said make a right 180 towards Minnisota. (which is east)  We called back and laughed at the guy, as we knew what he meant, but none the less scary.  Ended up just making another 270 and landed on 17R.

A few miles to our west, we have Grand Forks AFB.  A squadren or two of KC135's are out there and like to do a lot of pattern work for some reason.  Granted the pattern for them is huge, but its fun to watch.  Anywho, im on with approach, which is actually the RAPCON at the AFB, transitioning through the AFB airspace, and KC-135's are doing touch and goes right underneath me.  It waws fun, however when i went out the other side, they had me only 500' above their pattern level.  So im puttin a long at a fast 90kts, and here comes this Heavy 135 right for me.  Thats enough to change the color of your underwear.

And probably the coolest thing thats every happened to me here involves the Happy Hooligans.  They are an F-16 squadren outta Fargo.  There are a couple of MVAs up here they play in.  Well im on a Xcountry and center calls me up and asks if i want to participate in an exercise.  Sure I say.  They tell me to maintain between 4 and 6 thousand and an approximately west heading.  About 30 min later, right when im thinking they were messing with me, two f-16 rocket over the top of me, and pull straight up, and head for the sky.  Amazing.  Later I found out from a friend they do it quite often, center calls up the base and tells them they have a threat at this mark and they scramble the jets to intercept and destory.  So i died that day, unless my warrior had some special weapons i didnt know about.

Offline chuckar101

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Re: An Approach Story
« Reply #4 on: January 10, 2007, 07:38:07 PM »
Great stories.  Here are a few of mine.

On a solo xcountry was doing a touch and go at Pinal.  Boeing has an Apache facility there.  I was on base when an apach calls a five mile final.  I extend my downwind and get to say on the radio Cessna 9672V will extend downwind and hav the Apache in sight.  Thought it was funny coming from a little 172.

One day went out to the practice area.  Got set up for slow flight, pointing into the wind.  Wind was pretty strong and got a ground speed of 20 kts.
And yesterday we flew over Phoenix Sky Harbor and counted a total of 16 jumbos backed up for  takeoff and a total of 10 corporate planes backed up on the other side.

WOW I did that!

Offline Gulfstream Driver

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Re: An Approach Story
« Reply #5 on: January 10, 2007, 07:49:38 PM »
The Hooligans got their first C-21 yesterday.  There aren't many F-16's left in Fargo.
Behind every great man, there is a woman rolling her eyes.  --Bruce Almighty

undatc

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Re: An Approach Story
« Reply #6 on: January 10, 2007, 09:53:58 PM »
The Hooligans got their first C-21 yesterday.  There aren't many F-16's left in Fargo.

C-21?

I know they were talking about going to a complete UAV squadren soon, but didnt know when.

Offline Gulfstream Driver

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Re: An Approach Story
« Reply #7 on: January 10, 2007, 10:14:12 PM »
No, thank God they talked the Pentagon out of that maneuver.  They'll have C-21's until about 2010 along with the UAV's out of Grand Forks.  I think there are only 6 F-16's in Fargo now, which means the whole border from Wisconsin to Montana will be protected by the ANG out of Duluth.   ::banghead::
Behind every great man, there is a woman rolling her eyes.  --Bruce Almighty

Offline AirtransRecon

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Re: An Approach Story
« Reply #8 on: January 11, 2007, 12:44:03 AM »
Frank, in this case the STOL (short take-off or landing) kit on the Cessna consists of vertical strips on the top of the wing that keep air flowing over the ailerons, and leading edge cuffs on the front of the wing that act as slats, although fixed in position. Causes the plane to fly slower, but that means you can stall at a much much slower speed than factory built, hence really really really short landings.

I've actually seen the airspeed needle zero out and the plane kept flying once. You basically have to force a stall to happen in this bird.

KW

fireflyr

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Re: An Approach Story
« Reply #9 on: January 11, 2007, 02:13:59 AM »
No, thank God they talked the Pentagon out of that maneuver.  They'll have C-21's until about 2010 along with the UAV's out of Grand Forks.  I think there are only 6 F-16's in Fargo now, which means the whole border from Wisconsin to Montana will be protected by the ANG out of Duluth.   ::banghead::

I'm worried now, what if them Canadians decide we're easy pickins and decide to invade, EH?

Offline Gulfstream Driver

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Re: An Approach Story
« Reply #10 on: January 11, 2007, 06:28:12 PM »
Don't worry.   ;)  I can see the border out the office window.  If they start anything, I'll let you know.   ;D
Behind every great man, there is a woman rolling her eyes.  --Bruce Almighty

fireflyr

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Re: An Approach Story
« Reply #11 on: January 11, 2007, 06:30:20 PM »
Don't worry.   ;)  I can see the border out the office window.  If they start anything, I'll let you know.   ;D
Well, if anything starts, remember to aim low in case they're crawling  ::rambo::