- Joined
- Oct 30, 2003
- Messages
- 18,374
- Location
- Santa Maria, California
- Aircraft
- Givens Predator
- Total Flight Time
- 2600+ in rotorcraft
It looked like a nice day to fly.
Santa Maria had winds 310 at 18, 9 miles visibility, sky cover 2,500 scattered and 58 degrees F.
San Luis Obispo was better in every way.
I called Lockheed Martin and VFR was not recommended along the route of flight.
The Terminal Aerodrome Forecasts (The people who have a window to look out of) predicted nothing but slightly bigger winds and VFR till sunset.
I walked down my hangar row and could see the sky over San Luis Obispo 22 nautical miles to the North West so I suited up and did a careful preflight inspection. I checked the sky again when I was ready to go and it still looked good.
She fired right up and I quickly worked my way down the list.
Lean for taxi, alternator on, transponder to standby, radio to ATIS, Spot on, GPS on and set destination, listen to ATIS and call ground. I had not flown since last Sunday so I was ready to get back to that magical place.
I called ground for a taxi to runway 30 and he came right back with “Experimental 142 Mike Golf, Taxi to runway 30 via taxiway Alpha.”
I taxied slowly to let our Lycoming warm up for the magneto check and waved at the tower as we passed by.
Temperatures and pressures were in the green when we reached run up and the magneto check went well. Transponder to mode C and change to tower frequency. I reset the trip computer and set the GPS for SBP. It was too windy to release the rotor brake and I reported ready for departure, holding short of runway 30 and requested a straight out with a slight right.
“Experimental 142 Mike Golf, straight out with a slight right approved, runway 30 clear for takeoff.”
I felt excited as I richened the mixture, advanced the throttle, released the rotor brake and pressed the prerotator button. The winds had picked up and I saw a couple of bounces to 30kts IAS when were barely rolling. The blades came up quickly and we soon rocked back on the mains. The balancing seemed second nature and required movement of the cyclic back and forward to manage the gusts. I had exactly the right amount of rudder in as she stepped off the runway and she climbed out nicely. As soon as the mains broke ground I had that rush of freedom. Off to my left were low clouds rolling in around 30 kts. As we reached 800 feet MSL I could see some ugly clouds directly ahead.
I pressed the push to talk; “Experimental Gyroplane 142 Mike Golf requests a right cross wind departure.” It was approved as requested.
I backed her down to 2,150 rpm and we continued to climb. We were at 2,200 feet MSL before we hit the edge of the air space. I looked down to see a solid layer of clouds rolling our way and what appeared to be rain at the river.
I checked ATIS and it had not changed. “Experimental 142 Mike Golf 10 miles to the north east with information Victor inbound to land, request special VFR” Special VFR was approved and I was to make right traffic for runway 30 and report mid field. We were pushed down to 600 feet a couple of times to remain clear of clouds.
Before I could report mid field we were cleared to land, wind 320 degrees at 20kts gusting to 32kts.
I plopped her down from about a foot when the gust stopped and I felt like my freedom had been snatched away. I taxied to parking and monitored ground.
As I filled out my log book I realized the entire flight was three tenths, AKA 18 minutes. I did not get out my camera until we were at the edge of the air space so the pictures were over around six minutes. I checked ATIS after I reached the hangar, the field had gone IFR with 500 foot ceilings and they were using the DME back course for runway 12. I would have landed with a 30kt gusting tail wind.
It was hard to let go of the freedom after all that foreplay. I could have made it to San Luis Obispo but would have probably had to spend the night there.
For a change I was pleased with my Aviation Decision Making.
I was glad I decided to depart right cross wind because I could have climbed over the inbound clouds but I would have had fewer options on the return. I was pleased with my decision to turn around and my decision to ask for special VFR.
For the sharp eyed SMX is ahead and slightly to the left in pictures 7&8.
Thank you, Vance
Santa Maria had winds 310 at 18, 9 miles visibility, sky cover 2,500 scattered and 58 degrees F.
San Luis Obispo was better in every way.
I called Lockheed Martin and VFR was not recommended along the route of flight.
The Terminal Aerodrome Forecasts (The people who have a window to look out of) predicted nothing but slightly bigger winds and VFR till sunset.
I walked down my hangar row and could see the sky over San Luis Obispo 22 nautical miles to the North West so I suited up and did a careful preflight inspection. I checked the sky again when I was ready to go and it still looked good.
She fired right up and I quickly worked my way down the list.
Lean for taxi, alternator on, transponder to standby, radio to ATIS, Spot on, GPS on and set destination, listen to ATIS and call ground. I had not flown since last Sunday so I was ready to get back to that magical place.
I called ground for a taxi to runway 30 and he came right back with “Experimental 142 Mike Golf, Taxi to runway 30 via taxiway Alpha.”
I taxied slowly to let our Lycoming warm up for the magneto check and waved at the tower as we passed by.
Temperatures and pressures were in the green when we reached run up and the magneto check went well. Transponder to mode C and change to tower frequency. I reset the trip computer and set the GPS for SBP. It was too windy to release the rotor brake and I reported ready for departure, holding short of runway 30 and requested a straight out with a slight right.
“Experimental 142 Mike Golf, straight out with a slight right approved, runway 30 clear for takeoff.”
I felt excited as I richened the mixture, advanced the throttle, released the rotor brake and pressed the prerotator button. The winds had picked up and I saw a couple of bounces to 30kts IAS when were barely rolling. The blades came up quickly and we soon rocked back on the mains. The balancing seemed second nature and required movement of the cyclic back and forward to manage the gusts. I had exactly the right amount of rudder in as she stepped off the runway and she climbed out nicely. As soon as the mains broke ground I had that rush of freedom. Off to my left were low clouds rolling in around 30 kts. As we reached 800 feet MSL I could see some ugly clouds directly ahead.
I pressed the push to talk; “Experimental Gyroplane 142 Mike Golf requests a right cross wind departure.” It was approved as requested.
I backed her down to 2,150 rpm and we continued to climb. We were at 2,200 feet MSL before we hit the edge of the air space. I looked down to see a solid layer of clouds rolling our way and what appeared to be rain at the river.
I checked ATIS and it had not changed. “Experimental 142 Mike Golf 10 miles to the north east with information Victor inbound to land, request special VFR” Special VFR was approved and I was to make right traffic for runway 30 and report mid field. We were pushed down to 600 feet a couple of times to remain clear of clouds.
Before I could report mid field we were cleared to land, wind 320 degrees at 20kts gusting to 32kts.
I plopped her down from about a foot when the gust stopped and I felt like my freedom had been snatched away. I taxied to parking and monitored ground.
As I filled out my log book I realized the entire flight was three tenths, AKA 18 minutes. I did not get out my camera until we were at the edge of the air space so the pictures were over around six minutes. I checked ATIS after I reached the hangar, the field had gone IFR with 500 foot ceilings and they were using the DME back course for runway 12. I would have landed with a 30kt gusting tail wind.
It was hard to let go of the freedom after all that foreplay. I could have made it to San Luis Obispo but would have probably had to spend the night there.
For a change I was pleased with my Aviation Decision Making.
I was glad I decided to depart right cross wind because I could have climbed over the inbound clouds but I would have had fewer options on the return. I was pleased with my decision to turn around and my decision to ask for special VFR.
For the sharp eyed SMX is ahead and slightly to the left in pictures 7&8.
Thank you, Vance