{"id":4855,"date":"2024-09-07T08:19:22","date_gmt":"2024-09-07T13:19:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.airdorrin.com\/?p=4855"},"modified":"2024-09-07T08:20:57","modified_gmt":"2024-09-07T13:20:57","slug":"september-6-2024-chasing-zero","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.airdorrin.com\/?p=4855","title":{"rendered":"September 6, 2024 – Chasing Zero"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Update to the Avidyne UTC Mismatch Issue:<\/strong> I’m still experiencing this on the first startup of the day. While having Avidyne review the logs, they found an issue with my JDM monitor being connected to port 3 of the IFD. I paid to have it changed to Port 4, and like usual, the avionics shop broke something else while doing it. My right engine Fuel Flow is now intermittent. I’ll go back next week after all the TFRs are over due to our Cadaver in Chief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Confidence Builder:<\/strong> I got a call from the Avionics shop yesterday afternoon about an opening they had the next morning. I grabbed it because I want to get the port changed and finally achieve zero squawks with the radios and the airplane. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The next day I arrived at my hangar (KILG) in Wilmington expecting low overcast for the departure and marginal VFR on arrival at Lancaster (KLNS). I was surprised to see clear skies overhead, and low clouds to the north. This was the opposite of my expectations, but I got the airplane ready and was actually looking forward to an actual instrument approach into Lancaster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TFRs Everywhere: <\/strong>Aside of the weather, I had to contend with TFRs here in Wilmington and Philadelphia that would affect my home airport for 4 days. If I couldn’t get back by 5:00 – I’d have to divert to Summit (KEVY) and leave the airplane outside for 4 days. Likewise there was an airshow at Lancaster Airport, and that would close the airport from 2pm to 4pm for an airshow. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

First Attempt: <\/strong>I updated my charts and verified they were properly loaded and ready. I did see a UTC mismatch inside the hangar, but it reset itself when I powered the unit off and repowered after engine start. Ok – looking good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Departing Wilmington on an IFR flight plan, I entered IMC at 600′ and broke out around 1500′. With a clear shot to Lancaster, I dialed in the weather and heard surprising news. Visibility was less than a mile and vertical visibility was 200′ \/ ceiling indefinite. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once I was passed onto Harrisburg control, I requested direct DALAC on the ILS8. ‘N833DF has information Charlie and requests a hold at 4,000′ to allow the weather to improve (as everyone expected)’. This was granted and I circled a few times. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I considered flying an approach just for the fun of it, but opted not to tempt myself with the vertical visibility still so low. I continued in the hold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once it became obvious that the weather was clearing fast enough, I thought it better to use my time doing an instrument approach back in Wilmington. Weather there had gone down to 600′, but there were plenty of places to run if the weather truly tanked, and I had 5 hours of fuel onboard. That is enough to reach the Carolinas with a healthy reserve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I flew back to Wilmington and logged a vectored ILS1 approach; exited at Kilo and taxied to my hangar for a cup of coffee. I called the avionics guys to let them know I was delayed and would try again in an hour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zero Squawks for the moment: <\/strong>I was thoroughly enjoying the radios – everything worked very well and I made all the right moves easily. I’m just back from recurrent and it shows. I prepare for departure and lock the door, but something happens. The door handle goes further than normal and feels different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a known weakness in the Twin Comanche door handles. They are white metal like those used in 1965 cars, and wear out with time. I was able to close and lock the door, or so I thought, and departed once again for Lancaster. The METAR up there was 200′ overcast and 2sm visibility. It was improving and I’d fly the approach and see. Time was of the essence today, but not so much that I’d compromise my safety. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once airborne, there was a slight vibration and increased noise level that told me that the door wasn’t secure. It was holding though, so I continued. In the meantime, however, I moved papers and my phone from the right seat just in case the door opened. I’ve had that before and it can get really loud and distracting. The yoke vibrations increase to a concerning level due to the disrupted air flowing over the tail, and the noise level makes it hard to focus. I prepared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the door were to open there is not a damn thing that will work. Slipping is suggested in the old manuals, but I couldn’t get that to work when it happened to me. Get it on the ground and then close the door. I prepared myself and the cabin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Same approach again this time, but there were three of us flying it this time. Two guys were practice approaches, and I was a full stop. Harrisburg kept those other two high and long, and vectored me in first. I flew down to 400′ before seeing anything and broke out just above minimums. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

My full flap landing technique is now to put both hands on the controls after the engines are at idle, giving me more power and the smoothest flare I can manage. It works really well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

T-Routes: <\/strong>Clearances out of Wilmington now have been T-routes. To get to Lancaster, they cleared me as follows: ‘CHAZR T307 PADRE LRP DIRECT’. That’d mean I’d fly south first to join the T-Route, and then head north. That meant there would be several large turns right after takeoff in IMC. In each of the four flights I’ve done since noticing this trend, the clearance has not been followed. They’d give me a heading to follow and issue direct destination, or nearly so. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zero Squawks – Maybe:<\/strong> I warned Chris, the avionics tech, that I’d been here several times to fix various things. In virtually every case they fixed something, but something else was broken when I left. Please be careful. They changed the port, tested the fix, and sent me on my way. I filed IFR to 33N to get the door fixed and finally achieve zero squawks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since I had already lost zero squawks with the door, I took Paul Phillips up on his offer to look at it next. He provides me excellent support and keeps me moving. I departed Lancaster before the airshow and cleared the area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Right Fuel Flow Intermittent:<\/strong> Zero squawks would not be achieved today. Chris must have disturbed a wire or bumped a connector, but the right fuel now goes in an out. I know it is a tight working space in these airplanes, but it is expensive and frustrating when this happens. I’ll address it next week by scheduling another visit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Landing at Delaware Airpark (33N), I caught up with Paul and he fixed the door handle in 5 minutes. I had a ball flying instruments today, and will keep working to get to zero sqauwks! Looking forward to doing this again. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fly safe!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Frank<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Update to the Avidyne UTC Mismatch Issue: I’m still experiencing this on the first startup of the day. While having Avidyne review the logs, they found an issue with my JDM monitor being connected to port 3 of the IFD. I paid to have it changed to Port 4, and like usual, the avionics shop […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4626,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"gallery","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4855","post","type-post","status-publish","format-gallery","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-home-page","post_format-post-format-gallery"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.airdorrin.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4855","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.airdorrin.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.airdorrin.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.airdorrin.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.airdorrin.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4855"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.airdorrin.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4855\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4860,"href":"https:\/\/www.airdorrin.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4855\/revisions\/4860"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.airdorrin.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4626"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.airdorrin.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4855"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.airdorrin.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4855"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.airdorrin.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4855"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}