AirDorrin: Saturday, January 28th, 2006 Flight Log
Kate and I have been trying for 6 weeks to find the time to get her instrument training going. Its been 6 weeks off for her, and 3 weeks off of flying for me. This has mostly been winter related - too much cold, frost, wind, night, and sniffles running around. Flying in winter can add significant preparation time to every flight.

We had planned to get two fundamental instrument flight lessons in this weekend; one Saturday morning, and another Sunday morning. This plan was complicated when my son Frank and his wife Susan called and asked me to fly over to Arlington and drop off some equipment Susan needed for her school. They didn't put any pressure on me at all, but its hard to resist taking advantage of having an airplane to help the kids - and just fly for a reason....

I floated the idea of Kate coming along either before or after her Saturday lesson. I thought it might be interesting to have her experience flight into the Washington Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), and then into the Flight Restricted Zone (FRZ). It had been quite awhile since I've used the secret squirrel process, so it was a good time for me to shake off the rust as well. She let me know we would be flying to Potomac together, so late Saturday night I called and filed the necessary steps for the next day.

The inset at left shows a simple ride from 33N out to pick Kate up in Ocean City, NJ (26N). I got to my airplane around 8:15 am, preflighted and taxied over to the fuel pumps to top off. There was no frost to deal with this morning, and the airplane fired right up. I had been somewhat concerned that the battery might show signs of wear after sitting unstirred for 3 weeks. No problems though. My mechanic warned me to watch for the first signs of a slow or low battery, so I'm watching.

I took on 28 gallons of fuel and made my way over to the runup area. Time was getting tight if I was to make Ocean City by 9:00 am. I took extra time to pull out my checklist and go through it slowly. Mistakes are made when easily when you haven't flown for awhile. Takeoff was uneventful, and I decided not to talk with Dover or anyone else on my way over there. It was an awfully beautiful morning - so I leveled off at 2,000', turned on the XM radio, and twisted my coffee open. It couldn't get any better - - - but wait. My groundspeed was jumping up over 155kts.... I was screaming right along and being low let me get the real sensation of it all. It took me slightly more than 10 minutes flight time to make it over to the coast (26N), so I'd be early after all.

Approaching Ocean City, the first signs of rust show up. It took me what seamed like forever to remember what a right hand pattern looked like. How many of these have I done over time?? I finally figured it out and did a nice wheely landing on the short field with a perpetual crosswind.

Kate is right there and we get loaded up on the ramp. Kate has control of getting the airplane preflighted and ready for takeoff, and I'll call for the clearance. This is a secure clearance and I want to be sure I do this just right. Not doing it right means getting all the way across the bay, only to be told we cannot continue. This happened on a previous ADIZ/FRZ flight, even though I followed all the rules. I had gone to great lengths to do everything right. I pulled out the approach plate for Ocean City, where the clearance delivery frequence is noted. I wanted to try to get the clearance on the ground, as I remember some rule being made that said you couldn't pick your secure clearance in the air. My plan was to first use the clearance delivery frequency while on the ground, the second attempt would be made over my cell phone, and finally we'd pick it up in the air while flying the course.

I was pleasantly surprised when the first call to clearance delivery was met with an immediate response and a strong radio signal. That is often NOT the case with these clearance delivery frequencies. Kate did the preflight, and we got ready to go. The inset image describes the flight plan.

N8260Y is cleared to victor kilo xray. Fly direct Smyrna, then as filed. Climb and maintain 2000, expect 4000 in 10 minutes. Frequency 124.6; squawk 4706.

ATC gives you a block of time to get airborne, during which they clear the airspace you will be using. You eventually learn when the best times are to call for the clearance, depending on what airport you are operating from, and other factors. Out of Georgetown - I developed the habit of picking up flight plans in the air for efficiency.

So basically you can see how they are clearing the airspace for you, and giving you limits on how long they will hold others clear of your space for you.

NOTE: During all of my training and particularly everyday commuting out of Georgetown, I have received clearances this way dozens of times. Only once, a few weeks ago out of my home field, did I EVER receive a clearance time that was other than IMMEDIATE. Be careful to note this clearance time and NOT takeoff before you are cleared to. Thanks to Dover for emphasizing there was a delay on a particularly nasty weather takeoff recently. I hope I wouldn't have missed it, but I may well have.

We are airborne now and Kate checks in with Atlantic City approach. Atlantic City; cherokee 8260Y with you out of 1000 for 2000, direct Smyrna. Six Zero Yankee; Dover has given me a new clearance for you; advise when ready to copy. 60 Yankee is ready to copy. 60Y, your new routing is present position direct Smyrna, direct CHOPS intersection, then as filed. Climb and maintain 5000' for now.

Not a big deal, this constantly changing clearances right after takeoff. I go into such detail here because I want you to be ready to copy and ready make adjustments as you go. These changes could be the result of my not knowing enough or spending enough time to know the preferred routes, or it could be just because those routes change constantly. No matter - I have gotten comfortable adapting to changes to routing.

The rest of the flight into the FRZ is uneventful. Kate does a wonderful job working the radios, holding headings and altitudes, and looking for traffic. Upon passing Nottingham (OTT) VOR, our clearance became a series of radar vectors around Andrews Air Force base, down as low as 2,000'. They took us further south than planned, but the day was so beautiful that we were able to see the Washington monument over 20 miles away. Kate flew the same path today as I have flown in actual IMC several times. This was a good learning experience for her, and even though it was VFR - the experience is the same.

Kate had a challenge actually seeing the runway today - we were low and approaching what amounts to a housing development from the south. I had been here before, and therefore knew what to look for. I took the controls and did the landing - which was rather nice if I might say so myself. Frank and Susan met us there to receive the luggage Susan needed, and by our agreement, stayed away from the airplane until I signaled them closer.

Here is where we upheld the ridiculous; to avoid being the next pilot to achieve infamy by closing an airport or raising a ruckus over nothing. I stayed with the airplane while Kate took a break - - we always had someone securing the aircraft. Frank and Susan waited with me, until it was my turn. Both Kate and I signed in, and our photo IDs were evaluated. I made a phone call to the Leesburg number, and picked up my clearance outbound for a VFR departure on an IFR clearance.

The return clearance can be seen on the inset chart at the top as the northern most course. We departed VFR (no clearance void times) and picked up our clearance in the air. Note that within the FRZ, it is imperative you actually pick up the clearance over the phone. Only already having done this saves me from going to jail. Our route on the way home is POLLA, GOLDA, ENO, AND HOME.

Maintenance note: While doing a last minute walk-around before our departure from VKX, I found the left front cowling clamp had broken half-way off. I trusted its integrity to get us home, but decided to cancel Kates lesson we had planned after getting home. If the clamp were to break in the air, Kate and I agreed before hand that I'd take the aircraft and minimize the airspeed until I set it down at the nearest airport. I sent a text message in mid-air to my mechanic, Paul Phillips (PhillAir), letting him know I'd be dropping it off. He was good enough to fix it early Sunday morning, but weather had moved in and made fitting the Sunday flight we had planned difficult.

fed 1/28/2006