- Joined
- Oct 30, 2003
- Messages
- 18,374
- Location
- Santa Maria, California
- Aircraft
- Givens Predator
- Total Flight Time
- 2600+ in rotorcraft
I checked the weather on Monday and Tuesday was supposed to be a repeat with a cold wind blowing 20kts gusting to 28kts.
I had a Tuesday ten o’clock appointment with my CPA who is just a little over a mile from the airport so I felt I might go flying afterward despite the apparently less than ideal weather.
As is my way with work I waited till the last minute to start down the hill beneath the overcast skies.
I find it is hard to be grumpy wandering over the back roads in our M Roadster and I was pleasantly surprised with how warm the air was that came spilling over the windshield.
I hoped to make quick work of the meeting so I could fly up to San Luis Obispo before the winds were supposed to come up at 13:00 Pacific Standard Time. I was not successful as we got bogged down in all the forms and some changes that did not make sense. I left with the parting words; “we will see if we need to go looking for the small dollars, you are on the edge.”
After that I needed an aviation fix and as I watched the airport gate slide open I felt like it was pealing back any dark thoughts I harbored.
I had done a particularly thorough post flight Monday afternoon so the preflight went smoothly.
I called Lockheed Martin and there was AIRMET Sierra for ceilings below 1,000 feet and mountain obscuration just off the coast, AIRMET Tango for moderate turbulence and AIRMET Zulu for icing. The Terminal Aerodrome Forecasts (TAFs) were calling for winds 320 degrees at 20kts gusting to 28kts at both SMX and SBP from 13:00 to 19:00. Current winds at Santa Maria were 320 degrees at 12kts and San Luis Obispo was similar.
I added an extra layer under my flight suit for Zulu and pushed The Predator out of the hangar.
I exchanged some words with my friend Mitch who was busy installing the freshly rebuilt Continental in his Mooney and he showed me how the rebuilder had matched the gold color of the case with the gold color of the cylinders. To say he was excited would be an understatement and his excitement helped to lift my spirits.
I climbed into The Predator and worked through my prestart list.
On my recent drive to Cincinnati I had dropped off my helmets at Headsets Incorporated in Amarillo, Texas to have the active noise reduction (ANR) installed in Ed’s helmet and refurbished in mine. I picked them up on the way back and have been very pleased with the results. At the first touch of the button the IO-320 burst into life with the sound that echoes off the metal hangars wonderfully muted by my refurbished headset. The wind noise during flight is also quieted more effectively.
I checked ATIS and runway three zero was in use with winds 290 degrees at nine knots. I called ground for a taxi from Mike to runway three zero. Ground came back with the familiar “Experimental 142 Mike Golf; Runway three zero Mike to Alpha to Alpha eight.”
The magneto Check went well and I switched the transponder to mode C, changed to tower frequency, started my trip computer and taxied up to the hold short line.
I asked for a straight out with a slight right and I heard the magic words; “experimental 142 Mike Golf, runway three zero clear for takeoff, straight out with a slight right approved.”
The rotor came up to speed nicely and I switched on my landing lights, anti collision lights and nav lights just before the nose lifted. She lifted off straight and true and I marveled at the way I seemed to leave the minutia of life on the ground.
As we reached 800 feet MSL (500 feet AGL) I could see the blue of the pacific in the distance. It has been covered with fog on my recent flights. I started to rethink my planned route and was about to ask for a slight left when the tower asked me to make a slight left for a King Air inbound on the ILS for runway one two.
I reported negative contact on the King Air and switched the destination on the GPS to Oceano and changed the frequency on the flip flop to the Oceano CTAF. I was abeam the King Air before I saw him and reported him is sight.
“Once the King Air is passed you can make your slight right Vance,” the tower shot back.
“Experimental 142 Mike Golf, the beach looks nice, I would like to amend my departure to a slight left.”
“Experimental 2 Mike Golf slight left approved; have a nice flight Vance!” was his reply.
Monday it had been much colder at 800 feet MSL than on the ground and the cold wind seemed to cut through to my skin. On this flight the air felt warmer as we crossed the Santa Maria Valley 500 feet above the fields and the usual temperature drop as we approach the Pacific Ocean was absent. The air felt silky smooth with a steady 15kt wind and I called ATC to tell them I would be doing some maneuvering just outside their airspace between 800 and 1,800 feet. This area is on the edge of the DME back coarse approach for runway one two so if someone is off course and below altitude there could be a conflict. ATC is very nice about looking out for me even though I am just outside their airspace.
I practiced some turns around a point, some S turns over a road and then got really silly and started tracing the strange geometric shapes of the fields that cover the Santa Maria Valley. I love the precision The Predator is capable of and reveled in the freedom of the skies.
I experimented with tight turns at 30 kts and was soon spinning like a pinwheel maintaining altitude with just a little over the power needed for 65kts straight and level. I found it difficult to maintain situational awareness and thanked ATC before I changed to the CTAF for Oceano.
After listening to silence for a bit I reported; “Oceano area traffic; white gyroplane five miles to the south, transitioning north along the shore line at 500 feet and 50kts; Oceano”. I reported each odd mile and never heard a word from anyone.
I marveled at how quiet and serene The Predator seemed.
Three miles to the north of Oceano I made my last call; “Oceano area traffic, white gyroplane three miles to the north transitioning north along the shoreline at 500 feet and fifty knots, climbing to 700 feet and changing frequencies, Oceano.”I checked the ATIS at SBP and information Quebec had moderate turbulence in all quadrants reported. I called SBP ATC at 700 feet over shell beach with information Quebec inbound to land.
Conditions were wrong for good radio and I had to repeat that I had Quebec, ident and was to report inbound on the forty five.
I love the view from 700 feet over Shell Beach. I can see all of Avilla Bay and the rugged shoreline is ever changing. The whitewater of the crashing waves adds a kinetic element that I can’t capture in still pictures.
We rocked and rolled through the Avilla Pass and just as I was entering the Edna Valley a different controller asked; “Experimental Two Mike Golf, what is your location and altitude?” The radar is blocked by the hills at that point so it is not unusual for that inquiry. I let them know I had just rounded the hill and was inbound on the forty five. I was to report downwind abeam.
There was a slightly confused Bonanza pilot coming in from the North West and ATC restricted him above at or above 2,200 feet. He had a lot of trouble saying the required acknowledgments and ATC struggled with him and made me aware of him.
I never did see him as he flew directly over me on my left downwind when he was supposed to be making a right downwind for runway two nine. I love the way ATC looks out for me. I hope I don’t meet this Bonanza pilot at an uncontrolled airport.
I was given three gratuitous wind checks and each had the wind blowing over twenty knots in a significantly different direction. As I crossed the threshold my GPS was reading 17kts faster than my indicated air speed. The midfield windsock abeam my touchdown point was showing a direct cross of at least 15kts so I decided to continue but kept some power in incase I needed to abort the landing and go around. I could feel a significant wind shear at 300 feet and saw my airspeed indicator bounce through 15kts. My descent was not as smooth and steady as I would have liked.
The landing was one of those magical experiences where I could not feel the handoff from flying to rolling.
“Experimental Two Mike Golf, thanks for your help Vance, cross Alpha to resteraunt parking.”
I sent Ed a spot, filled out my log book and secured The Predator.
My mind kept returning to the heavens and my recent airborne ecstasy as I worked my way down my post flight check list.
I watched the Bonanza pilot make an inelegant landing on his third attempt. I marveled at the strength of his landing gear.
As I wandered through the Spirit of San Luis restaurant on the way to the rest room to wash up a nice man dressed as a biker kept repeating; “that was really cool, that is really cool, and I like the shark’s mouth!” The first time through I didn’t realize he was taking to me.
We had a nice chat about how The Predator is my motorcycle in the sky. He completely understood the allure of the smells and temperature changes that can only be felt when you are out in the open. He had given up his motorcycle several years ago and was now a Jet Ski enthusiast because the water is much softer than the pavement when things don’t work out.
Several people in the dining room gave me a thumbs up on my way back out to the patio.
I had a very nice lunch and watched the windsock drift in every imaginable direction. I soon found myself longing to return to the heavens.
I had a short discussion with a Cessna 152 pilot who spoke English as a second language (I think he was speaking Farsi to his lady friend) and was unfamiliar with SBP. We talked about the winds in the Edna Valley and the beauty of the area. I love the universal language of aviation and found pleasure in our brief exchange.
I performed a slow, careful preflight and called Lockheed Martin for an update on the weather before I taxied to self serv. All the AIRMETS were still in effect and now there was a chance of precipitation.
I called ground for a taxi to self serve and was told to cross Alpha to Echo, cross runway 29 at Echo then Echo, Juliet, Mike to self serve. It was almost faster than I could write but I read it back correctly and was rolling quickly. I find joy in being familiar with SBP and find the airport map on the back of my radio call sheet very helpful when given complex taxi instructions.
Thank you, Vance
I had a Tuesday ten o’clock appointment with my CPA who is just a little over a mile from the airport so I felt I might go flying afterward despite the apparently less than ideal weather.
As is my way with work I waited till the last minute to start down the hill beneath the overcast skies.
I find it is hard to be grumpy wandering over the back roads in our M Roadster and I was pleasantly surprised with how warm the air was that came spilling over the windshield.
I hoped to make quick work of the meeting so I could fly up to San Luis Obispo before the winds were supposed to come up at 13:00 Pacific Standard Time. I was not successful as we got bogged down in all the forms and some changes that did not make sense. I left with the parting words; “we will see if we need to go looking for the small dollars, you are on the edge.”
After that I needed an aviation fix and as I watched the airport gate slide open I felt like it was pealing back any dark thoughts I harbored.
I had done a particularly thorough post flight Monday afternoon so the preflight went smoothly.
I called Lockheed Martin and there was AIRMET Sierra for ceilings below 1,000 feet and mountain obscuration just off the coast, AIRMET Tango for moderate turbulence and AIRMET Zulu for icing. The Terminal Aerodrome Forecasts (TAFs) were calling for winds 320 degrees at 20kts gusting to 28kts at both SMX and SBP from 13:00 to 19:00. Current winds at Santa Maria were 320 degrees at 12kts and San Luis Obispo was similar.
I added an extra layer under my flight suit for Zulu and pushed The Predator out of the hangar.
I exchanged some words with my friend Mitch who was busy installing the freshly rebuilt Continental in his Mooney and he showed me how the rebuilder had matched the gold color of the case with the gold color of the cylinders. To say he was excited would be an understatement and his excitement helped to lift my spirits.
I climbed into The Predator and worked through my prestart list.
On my recent drive to Cincinnati I had dropped off my helmets at Headsets Incorporated in Amarillo, Texas to have the active noise reduction (ANR) installed in Ed’s helmet and refurbished in mine. I picked them up on the way back and have been very pleased with the results. At the first touch of the button the IO-320 burst into life with the sound that echoes off the metal hangars wonderfully muted by my refurbished headset. The wind noise during flight is also quieted more effectively.
I checked ATIS and runway three zero was in use with winds 290 degrees at nine knots. I called ground for a taxi from Mike to runway three zero. Ground came back with the familiar “Experimental 142 Mike Golf; Runway three zero Mike to Alpha to Alpha eight.”
The magneto Check went well and I switched the transponder to mode C, changed to tower frequency, started my trip computer and taxied up to the hold short line.
I asked for a straight out with a slight right and I heard the magic words; “experimental 142 Mike Golf, runway three zero clear for takeoff, straight out with a slight right approved.”
The rotor came up to speed nicely and I switched on my landing lights, anti collision lights and nav lights just before the nose lifted. She lifted off straight and true and I marveled at the way I seemed to leave the minutia of life on the ground.
As we reached 800 feet MSL (500 feet AGL) I could see the blue of the pacific in the distance. It has been covered with fog on my recent flights. I started to rethink my planned route and was about to ask for a slight left when the tower asked me to make a slight left for a King Air inbound on the ILS for runway one two.
I reported negative contact on the King Air and switched the destination on the GPS to Oceano and changed the frequency on the flip flop to the Oceano CTAF. I was abeam the King Air before I saw him and reported him is sight.
“Once the King Air is passed you can make your slight right Vance,” the tower shot back.
“Experimental 142 Mike Golf, the beach looks nice, I would like to amend my departure to a slight left.”
“Experimental 2 Mike Golf slight left approved; have a nice flight Vance!” was his reply.
Monday it had been much colder at 800 feet MSL than on the ground and the cold wind seemed to cut through to my skin. On this flight the air felt warmer as we crossed the Santa Maria Valley 500 feet above the fields and the usual temperature drop as we approach the Pacific Ocean was absent. The air felt silky smooth with a steady 15kt wind and I called ATC to tell them I would be doing some maneuvering just outside their airspace between 800 and 1,800 feet. This area is on the edge of the DME back coarse approach for runway one two so if someone is off course and below altitude there could be a conflict. ATC is very nice about looking out for me even though I am just outside their airspace.
I practiced some turns around a point, some S turns over a road and then got really silly and started tracing the strange geometric shapes of the fields that cover the Santa Maria Valley. I love the precision The Predator is capable of and reveled in the freedom of the skies.
I experimented with tight turns at 30 kts and was soon spinning like a pinwheel maintaining altitude with just a little over the power needed for 65kts straight and level. I found it difficult to maintain situational awareness and thanked ATC before I changed to the CTAF for Oceano.
After listening to silence for a bit I reported; “Oceano area traffic; white gyroplane five miles to the south, transitioning north along the shore line at 500 feet and 50kts; Oceano”. I reported each odd mile and never heard a word from anyone.
I marveled at how quiet and serene The Predator seemed.
Three miles to the north of Oceano I made my last call; “Oceano area traffic, white gyroplane three miles to the north transitioning north along the shoreline at 500 feet and fifty knots, climbing to 700 feet and changing frequencies, Oceano.”I checked the ATIS at SBP and information Quebec had moderate turbulence in all quadrants reported. I called SBP ATC at 700 feet over shell beach with information Quebec inbound to land.
Conditions were wrong for good radio and I had to repeat that I had Quebec, ident and was to report inbound on the forty five.
I love the view from 700 feet over Shell Beach. I can see all of Avilla Bay and the rugged shoreline is ever changing. The whitewater of the crashing waves adds a kinetic element that I can’t capture in still pictures.
We rocked and rolled through the Avilla Pass and just as I was entering the Edna Valley a different controller asked; “Experimental Two Mike Golf, what is your location and altitude?” The radar is blocked by the hills at that point so it is not unusual for that inquiry. I let them know I had just rounded the hill and was inbound on the forty five. I was to report downwind abeam.
There was a slightly confused Bonanza pilot coming in from the North West and ATC restricted him above at or above 2,200 feet. He had a lot of trouble saying the required acknowledgments and ATC struggled with him and made me aware of him.
I never did see him as he flew directly over me on my left downwind when he was supposed to be making a right downwind for runway two nine. I love the way ATC looks out for me. I hope I don’t meet this Bonanza pilot at an uncontrolled airport.
I was given three gratuitous wind checks and each had the wind blowing over twenty knots in a significantly different direction. As I crossed the threshold my GPS was reading 17kts faster than my indicated air speed. The midfield windsock abeam my touchdown point was showing a direct cross of at least 15kts so I decided to continue but kept some power in incase I needed to abort the landing and go around. I could feel a significant wind shear at 300 feet and saw my airspeed indicator bounce through 15kts. My descent was not as smooth and steady as I would have liked.
The landing was one of those magical experiences where I could not feel the handoff from flying to rolling.
“Experimental Two Mike Golf, thanks for your help Vance, cross Alpha to resteraunt parking.”
I sent Ed a spot, filled out my log book and secured The Predator.
My mind kept returning to the heavens and my recent airborne ecstasy as I worked my way down my post flight check list.
I watched the Bonanza pilot make an inelegant landing on his third attempt. I marveled at the strength of his landing gear.
As I wandered through the Spirit of San Luis restaurant on the way to the rest room to wash up a nice man dressed as a biker kept repeating; “that was really cool, that is really cool, and I like the shark’s mouth!” The first time through I didn’t realize he was taking to me.
We had a nice chat about how The Predator is my motorcycle in the sky. He completely understood the allure of the smells and temperature changes that can only be felt when you are out in the open. He had given up his motorcycle several years ago and was now a Jet Ski enthusiast because the water is much softer than the pavement when things don’t work out.
Several people in the dining room gave me a thumbs up on my way back out to the patio.
I had a very nice lunch and watched the windsock drift in every imaginable direction. I soon found myself longing to return to the heavens.
I had a short discussion with a Cessna 152 pilot who spoke English as a second language (I think he was speaking Farsi to his lady friend) and was unfamiliar with SBP. We talked about the winds in the Edna Valley and the beauty of the area. I love the universal language of aviation and found pleasure in our brief exchange.
I performed a slow, careful preflight and called Lockheed Martin for an update on the weather before I taxied to self serv. All the AIRMETS were still in effect and now there was a chance of precipitation.
I called ground for a taxi to self serve and was told to cross Alpha to Echo, cross runway 29 at Echo then Echo, Juliet, Mike to self serve. It was almost faster than I could write but I read it back correctly and was rolling quickly. I find joy in being familiar with SBP and find the airport map on the back of my radio call sheet very helpful when given complex taxi instructions.
Thank you, Vance
