Four days of Aviation Foreplay!

[Vance]

I spent 4 days hanging around with a bunch of pilots at the AOPA convention in Palm Springs.

I did not fly because of the promise of thunderstorms. I don’t fly near thunderstorms.

I learned a lot and had a lot of fun.

For me it was four days of flying foreplay.

When I arrived home Saturday night I checked the weather for Sunday and it looked to be a perfect day for a flight to Camarillo. Temperatures in the 70s, low eighties further south, the strongest predicted wind was 12kts.

When I was there for the Air Show I promised Mike, a CFI and ultralight enthusiast that I would take him flying. He had a longtime lust for gyroplane flight.

Ed had other plans so I called Bob. He was involved in home repair so I was on my own. I called Mike and let him know I was coming.

Prefight went well and Lockheed Martin had nothing but good things to say.

My launch was a little slow Sunday morning and I heard the magic words at noon. “Experimental 142 Mike Golf, runway 30 clear for takeoff, right down wind approved. Have a nice flight Vance.”

A right down wind departure takes us over the city so I wanted some altitude and we climbed to 2,500 feet before turning down wind.

With 12 gallons on board solo she climbed out quickly and turned to take a parting shot of the airport.

There is still no self serve at SMX so Santa Ynez (IZA) was going to be a stop for gas.

The air felt warm against my face and I marveled at the view.

A sparkle off to my right caught my attention; it appears to be a small private lake with the noon sun reflecting off of the lake surface.

I had my mission mindset so I flew direct and over headed midfield and dropped into a left pattern for 26. There was a Robinson 22 inbound on the 45 and we blended in nicely together. She gave good radio even though she was very hard to see.

Several very nice very young pilots were there at self serve and asked a lot of questions about The Predator and gyroplanes in general. That is one of the things I love about flying gyroplanes, I am never a stranger for long. We had a nice conversation until 1:00 and my stomach began to wonder what had happened to lunch. It seemed a good time to resume our journey.

Thank you, Vance

 

[Vance]

Camarillo for a late Brunch!

Camarillo for a late Brunch!

I called the Santa Barbara ATIS from the ground because it is hard to pick up until I am above the 4,000 foot ridgeline and part of the ATIS is to define the approach frequencies. I love it that I know that now and it is one less obstacle for an elegant passage through Santa Barbara’s class C airspace.

Because I had my mission focus; climb out was brisk. At 4,000 feet as I peered over the ridgeline at the Channel Islands I contacted approach with a VFR request for a transition to the East. He gave me a squawk code but was not able to establish radar contact. He was very busy and kind of officious. He became a little peevish as I neared the San Marcos VOR and he still had not established radar contact. He had me ident and I could see the light on the transponder blinking that there was an inquirer. I did not let his bad attitude discount the joy I find through the San Marcos pass as the Pacific opens up before us. I could feel and smell the ocean and it was a nice change after the horsey smells and the heat of the Santa Ynez Valley.

Radar contact was established and altitude verified as we slipped through the pass. ATC asked for my intended altitude and I told him 1,000 feet AGL. I like to hear transition approved so I asked again and in his best “you idiot” tone he said; “I did not tell you to stay out of my airspace so you don’t need approval.”

I realized that this was the controller that had told me to stay out of his class Charlie air space that motivated me to contact the tower boss and get their radar procedures modified and he had probably taken some heat over it. I hope he gets over it someday.

We found some bumpy air with a lot of lift near the hills so I stayed near them and at around 3,500 feet making 80kts indicated air speed and 87kts of ground speed with the power well back. I was still in the neighborhood of 1,000 feet agl but I felt I should modify my request. His attitude seemed to have changed and it was approved as requested.

We dodged four hang gliders that were enjoying the same lift and stayed vigilant for more. Generally ATC cannot see them on radar and I made him aware of their presence.

The shape of the shoreline, the nearby hills and the feel of the ocean has not lost its magic for me.

17 miles east of SBA I was instructed to contact Point Magu. That has not worked well for me in the past so I asked for VFR. Radar services were terminated and I was to resume own navigation and squawk VFR.

It was nice to be on my own to enjoy the weather and the view. For those of you who have been riding along for several years you know what progress this is. I used to let ATC dampen my joy if things did not go smoothly. I spent a few moments basking in the joy of the progress before checking the Camarillo ATIS and preparing for the inevitable challenges of CMA’s ATC.

There was a lot of traffic and I listened intently for potential trouble. I felt there was not enough traffic to cause the challenges they were having with go arounds and 360 degree turns for spacing. The rules for read backs have tightened up and it was clear that some of the pilots didn’t know that because ATC would have to ask several times to get the pilot’s to read back their call sign, assigned altitude and instructions correctly.

As we descended over the foothills I was careful to stay out of Oxnard’s class Delta airspace and not get too low over Ventura. Pattern altitude at CMA is 877 feet MSL.

I called inbound over the Saticoy Bridge at 1,000 feet with Alpha to land. “Experimental gyroplane 142 Mike Golf, make right traffic for runway 26 report a 2 mile forty five.” A little later I heard “Experimental 2 Mike Golf follow the freeway for a right down wind.” It was busy and I was not able to call when suddenly I heard “Bonanza N____ go around, go around. Less than a mile out a hurried nervous voice said “Experimental 2 Mike Golf overfly the runway mid field at or above you present altitude and make left traffic for 26, report established on the down wind.” I was careful to read the instructions back correctly and began a climb from my 900 foot altitude. We over flew a Bonanza on a go around who was also going to make a left pattern. I called established on a left downwind for runway 26 to land and ran her up to 90kts indicated air speed making 115kts of ground speed. The Bonanza reported established on a left down wind

Abeam the numbers I heard “Experimental Gyroplane 2 Mike Golf how fast can you reach the numbers?” I was not able to find the correct phraseology to quantify how fast I could reach the numbers so I responded “Experimental 2 Mike Golf, what is your request.” “Experimental 2 Mike Golf, expedite to the numbers, runway 26 clear to land. I will depart one aircraft before you.” I responded “Experimental 2 Mike Golf expedite to the numbers runway 26 clear to land after departing traffic.”

Number one for departure announced delay on runway and his departure clearance was canceled.

I pulled the power back and made a carrier turn descending to the runway at 90kts indicated air speed and nearly overshot the taxiway. It worked out and I heard “Experimental 2 Mike Golf expedite departure from the runway and contact ground when off.”

I contacted ground with a request for taxi to restaurant parking and heard “Experimental 2 Mike Golf, taxi to restaurant via Bravo, Foxtrot; that was cool Vance!”

A local designated examiner came out and made some small talk as I filled out my log book and secured The Predator.

The Waypoint Café was busy but the hostess found me a table outside and I called Mike. He was to meet me at the restaurant in an hour.

As I ate my very nice tritip and eggs there was a constant flow of questions about gyroplanes. One very nice Englishman who lived in the town where Cierva was killed told me of the efforts for some kind of recognition for the spot.

It seems I am never a stranger in The Predator.

I did a careful preflight and 3:00 past so I called Mike and got his voicemail. He called me back shortly and left a message. It sounded like he was in the air and getting shaken up. I could not understand him well but it sounded like he felt it was too windy for a gyroplane flight. I figured out that it was probably time to head for home.

Thank you, Vance

 

[Resasi]

Vance your professionalism, preparation, awareness and proficiency has made itself apparent to the people who work with us in safe movement around the airspace.

You have become a part of your environment.

It is a very satisfying feeling to work alongside and with people in the tower, and with whose voices become familiar in our ears, as for those whose actions have caused problems in the past, they too have their idiots.

 

[JEFF TIPTON]

Vance what is

tritip and eggs

?

 

[Vance]

Homeward Bound.

Homeward Bound.

I filled her up and called ground for a taxi to runway 26 with a North West departure. Camarillo has their own way of doing things. Ground wants to know your departure plan and then you taxi to run up. After your run-up is complete you call ground again and get in line to be number one for takeoff. Only when you are number one do you call the tower and let them know you are number one.

Because CMA’s class D airspace buts up against Oxnard’s (OXR) class D airspace a departure to the west or south gets you instructions to call Oxnard. In other words ground is CMA’s clearance delivery.

Because our departure is West North West we just miss Oxnard’s air space. When we were number one a called the Camarillo tower and heard “Experimental 142 Mike Golf, runway 26 clear for takeoff, right turn out approved.

I had to learn this the hard way so I take pleasure in managing the procedure.

We immediately ran into a 15kt head wind that grew to 20 kts. Because I was solo I ran her up to 75kts and continued to climb. We needed 4,500 feet to manage the San Marcos pass well.

We cleared Ventura and were soon in the foothills with the shoreline twisting into the distant mists.

The hills rise to 6,300 feet to our right and the afternoon shadows make them look ominous.

I found some lift along the hills and stayed close.

20 miles to the east of SBA I checked Santa Barbara’s ATIS and called approach armed with the correct frequency. They gave me a squawk code, radar contact was established and altitude verified. A transition through their airspace climbing to 4,500 feet and exiting over the San Marcos Pass was approved as requested. There was a lot of traffic but most of it was above or South of our flight path.

I was able to quickly find the traffic and none of it required maneuvering. I had a Robinson 22 behind but I had 10kts on him. He was the hardest to keep track of so I ran her up to 90 kts indicated air speed making around 76kts of ground speed.

The sun reflecting off the water was stunning and I could feel the heat on my face.

Things got a little busy over Lake Cachuma when approach lost track of four targets. Radar services were terminated and I was to squawk VFR.

The fuel level indicators were looking good for a nonstop flight in spite on the headwind.

I slowly reduced power and reduced airspeed to slow the descent.

The feeling of freedom and control left me laughing with joy as the hills rolled beneath us.

I made some 360s and watched the rotor tachometer climb over 400 rpm while maintaining altitude.

Too soon it was time to call SMX and I was to make a straight in and report three miles.

I reported in and runway 30 was clear to land.

Touchdown was one of those I could not feel.

“Experimental 2 Mike Golf, taxi to parking, monitor ground, have a good night Vance.”

I sat in the cockpit for 40 minutes replaying the flight in my mind.

I had just driven this route the day before in the M Roadster and as nice as that was it paled in comparison to the challenges and rewards of this flight. The freedom, the view and the challenges worked together to make this a flight to remember.

Thank you for coming along, Vance

 

[Vance]

Becoming a part of the system.

Becoming a part of the system.

Thank you Leigh,

I had not thought of it in those terms. I do feel a part of the system and continue to work to improve.

I find great satisfaction in managing something that used to confound me and detract from my aviation joy.

I suspect you are better able to recognize the progress because you are already familiar with the destination.


Hello Jeff,

Tritip is a cut of beef from the bottom sirloin primal cut. It is a small triangular muscle, usually 1.5 to 2.5 lbs. per side of beef.

It was popularized in Santa Maria in the early 1950s.

It is particularly flavorful and tender if prepared correctly.

It is usualy cooked over red oak.

Eggs are what come before chickens.

At the Waypoint Café the tritip is sliced thin, served with a special sauce with a large scratch made biscuit to sop up the runoff from the over easy farm fresh eggs.

Thank you, Vance

 

[jebthereb]

Thanks for all of your radio calls Vance. Since I'm working on mine right now I like to read your call and response and put my self in the PIC seat and think of what things must look like and sound like in my minds eye. I like hearding about all of the transisitons of speead and altitude. When we flew last Saturday when did several of these transitions in speed and altitude as we went over the moutains to practice Auto-entry procedures. I get to rethink all of the calls that are needed to get back into KHWD airspace.

 

[Vance]

I am still learning.

I am still learning.

Glad it helps Jesse,

I still have a challenge with radio communication and I never miss a chance to talk to controllers at the events I go to.

They have a very thick book that they have to go by and we can make their jobs easier if we know what they need.

There is different separation for VFR and IFR so it is sometimes helpful to differentiate.

I have my radio calls written out with fill in the blanks so I don’t leave anything out.

My radio call sheets also have a map of the taxiways on the back so I am less lost when they start rattling off taxi instructions. There is a recent change where they can only clear you across one runway at a time so it makes the taxi instructions more complex.

They must hear your complete N number and the via and the runway number that you are to hold short of.

Something like "Experimental 142 Mike Golf, cross runway 29 at Mike to Bravo, Alpha to 29 full length and hold shor of runway 29."

Each class of air space is different and it helps me to always tune in the next required frequency on the flip flop so I don’t have to fumble with the next one.

I also start to listen from 20 miles out in class D or better.

In Class C I call in from 20 miles out and in class B I must have permission to enter the airspace. If I exit the airspace at all like on a victor airway I must have permission to enter it again.

Oakland center can be very confusing and don’t depend on them to keep you from busting class B airspace.

Different towers develop different cultures and understanding what they expect can only come with experience.

Most controllers love what they do and want to be the best they can be.

I have found it useful to tour the tower. That is how I found out that CMA has a Mickey Mouse radar and that is why they are not helpful more than 7 miles out.

Don’t hesitate to say you are a student and they will take extra care with you.

At the AOPA convention I finally learned what it meant to maintain visual separation from a particular aircraft. I had imagined it was some magic distance depending on the aircraft and airspace. What it actually means is don’t hit them and not hitting them is your problem now that you have been made aware of their presence and seen them.

Please remember I am just a private pilot and I may not have things correct. The towers at the airports I fly into a lot take liberties like calling me by name.

They will usually grant any request as long as it doesn’t fowl up the order of things or create a safety hazard.

Thank you, Vance

 

[04 Marine]

Air Traffic Control Facilities

Air Traffic Control Facilities

Vance,

Though a Marine, my job title for nearly 25 years was that of an Air Traffic Controller. That is when the Corps did not have me flying 350 combat missions as a .50 cal door gunner in Viet Nam or as a Drill Instructor later on. I did every job from GCA finals to radar approach controller and worked ZLA center when President Regan created a shortage of ATC types. I've managed large ATC facilities and airports. But one of the things I always enjoyed was the opportunity to hear from a pilot who had been a user of my facilities ATC services. That contact provides some of the best input as to how a facility is viewed by those it serves. You can plug in and listen to your controllers, or review tapes, but it's that one moment in time that pilots can recount that may well be the best indicators of the level and quality of service provided. Your taking the time to contact the tower manager is absolutely fantastic. Your few moments of time may well improve the service for 10's if not 100's of pilots that transient that airspace each day.

Glen

 

[Vance]

Remarkable Air Traffic Controllers!

Remarkable Air Traffic Controllers!

Hello Glen,

Thank you for your service Glen.

Your attitude seems to be consistent among controllers and not at all what I expected at the beginning of my aviation odyssey.

The controllers at SMX literally asked me to go somewhere else when I explained my situation. I was signed off to solo there when my only experience had been at uncontrolled airports. I was still having considerable challenges with my aphasia from my head injury. Aviation speak was a foreign language to me.

I now understand it was because they were concerned with their services being degraded with the extra care I would need and the potential hazards I might cause because of my brain injury. They were also not comfortable with a one off experimental gyroplane.

One of the first things they said was the last gyrocopter that flew there ended up dead out over the river. I looked up the accident and it was more than 20 years ago and the pilot had literally fallen out of his gyroplane and was over the car limit for blood alcohol.

I had a very low wind limit and SMX is a very windy facility. They were soon letting me know as the wind approached my limit.

I have only been called to the tower once when I lost my radio and did not remember to use the transponder to let them know. They have been very generous about letting me try things as long as I let them know what I am going to do.

My first encounters with the additional requirements of Class Charlie airspace was not a happy experience. My first successful encounter with Class Charlie airspace felt like wonderful progress to me and brought me great joy. I still find satisfaction in managing my transitions well and joy when I decide to land and manage all the handoffs well.

Santa Barbara actually changed their procedures when the realized that having several aircraft wandering around over Lake Cachuma because they were told to stay out of the class Charlie air space was not a good thing to do. They now say; “expect radar contact as you clear the ridgeline.”

Several of the control towers take advantage of my flexibility in air speed to expedite complex traffic situations. I love making short approaches and landing on the taxiways.

I know for a fact that a few controllers say “now watch this!” before they give me some strange instructions.

I come into Santa Maria and San Luis Obispo 500 feet below pattern altitude to minimize conflict because of the speed differential.

When I climbed up to 12,800 feet to find out “how high that thing would go” Santa Barbara approach suggested the place to do it and watched for traffic. They would cheer at each 100 feet over 12,000.

It is not unusual for ATC to ask if I wish to declare an emergency when they see me making a vertical descent because they are concerned for my safety.

To sum it up; in my personal experience controllers are a remarkable bunch and most only have safety and order in mind.

I try to let them know when they have done something special to enhance my aviation odyssey.

It feels great to have someone looking out for me.

I hope you will let me know when you see I am not communicating with the tower well. Some of this is counter intuitive for me.

I would love to take you up flying if ever you have the desire Glen.

My friend Bob who flew Vietnam era Dust Off loves to wander around the skies with us and I am helping him build his own gyroplane.

I wear wings at his request to remember the young pilots who did not come back.

I am proud to have you along on our adventures Glen.

Thank you, Vance

 

[MarkG]

Vance ..... Great flying stories!! Too bad the weather didn't cooperate to allow you to fly the Predator down to the event!! Would have been cool to see you in the Parade of Planes going down the streets!!!!

 

[Vance]

It all worked out.

It all worked out.

Thank you Mark, The Predator is on the far side of 1,200 hours and seems to be holding up well.

The thunder storm hit Nipomo Wednesday night and lasted all night. Mostly dry lightning with a little precipitation. It moved quickly on to Arizona but mostly skipped Palm Springs.

I showed up at Signature Flight services Wensday morning and there was an angry pilot there because he was excluded from the parade of planes. Apparently not everyone was invited to drive up the road.

I was not comfortable with propellers turning down the middle of the street with people on both sides.

I feel I got more out of the event because I drove. Wherever I go with The Predator I seem to spend a lot of time explaining about gyroplanes.

Thank you, Vance

 

[04 Marine]

Air Traffic Control

Air Traffic Control

Vance,

From what I can see you are doing a great job with communications. Generally, controllers are just plain happy to have you talking in advance about what you need to do and when. When you have limitations give the tower a call in advance so they know what to expect. A little fore thought goes a long way. From what I've read you're doing a stellar job of communicating. In fact it could well serve as a model for others to emulate.

I am just starting the build of my tandem gyro, I'll tell you more in a PM. Which is in part why I'm not doing much with the weather vanes right now. Like many of us that served in Viet Nam, Agent Orange has been a big factor in my life as I pass through my mid 60's. That and the fact that one of those 350 combat missions came very close to making me a name on the wall, now dictates how active I can be and how long I can be on my feet at any one time.