Cleaner air after Volcano!

I took my plane into the air today to perform my own ash pollution experiment. The weather looked like this:

Experiment: I wiped off the front windshield before I took off for a 50 min flight. The left wipe is the result of the airplane flying some 4,5 hours on the 12th April 2010 (BEFORE ICELANDIC VOLCANO ERUPTION). The windshield has been covered in the hangar with a thick blanket until today. The flight commenced into the MES (Mesnali) VOR at 7000 feet for some 30 minutes before returning home. Airborne 1930, landing 2020 local time.

After landing I wiped off the windshield with the wipe to the right. As you can see there is no ash whatsoever.

Conclusion: The air in which I flew is cleaner than I have experienced before. I consider it safe to fly VFR in Scandinavia as long as we keep away from the clouds.

Learning The Air Commander is 100% responsible for its plane, crew and passenger at all times. The authorities can never guarantee safe flight, although they have tried very hard since the Icelandic Volcano eruption.

Nail that ILS!

I found this trick in a magazine. It is simple and can be used enroute as well. The trick is how many degrees to correct final approach Track (FAT) when windspeed is known.

Formula: Max Drift Angle = (60/KTAS) x Windspeed

Example: wind is 250/15 kts. KTAS = 120 kts

MDA=60/120*15=7,5 degrees

If wind-direction is more than 60 deg off your FAT, use 7,5 degrees

If wind-direction is 30 deg off your FAT, use half MDA, 3,25 degrees

Other wind-directions: Interpolate

So if FAT is 220, heading is 223,25 degrees. Works fine!

This comment was entered a late night from Washington to Dallas @ FL340! Cool!

From Cool to Fool in one sec!

This Air Commander did a very good job in pulling the ejection handle, some prior decisions may have room for improvement. 20,4 MUSD of carefully shaped metal and composite parts built into a tight formation and working perfectly together went up in smoke. Next time this Air Commander will probably calculate the altitude needed for a loop somewhat better.

This is a strong reminder to all aviators: If you plan to be extremely cool, the distance to becoming a fool may be quite short!

Read more here: http://gruntdoc.com/2004/01/thunderbirds-accident-report-released-with-photo.html

Well said!

Truly superior pilots are those who use their superior judgment to avoid those situations where they might have to use their superior skills.

Aviators! You start with a bag full of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience before you empty the bag of luck!

More at http://www.class56p08.org/aviation_advise.htm

Scandinavian Weather Links

I have been asked so many times about good VFR weather links. Here they are;

Nordic VFR visibility and cloud base: http://www.lfv.se/sv/LFV/Flygtrafiktjansten/FPC/AISMET/Kartor/VFR-Chart/
Nordic Significant Weather (SIGWX) GND-FL400: http://www.lfv.se/map.asp
Nordic Snow/Rain Radar: http://www.yr.no/radar/norden.html
Nordic TAF/METAR: http://www.lfv.se/sv/LFV/Flygtrafiktjansten/FPC/AISMET/

Please comment on your favourites! I might add them!

Why fly abroad?

Some VFR pilots hesitate to fly outside their home airfield. That is too bad! Flying abroad to unknown airports gives you a whole new arsenal of good moments!

• You meet fellows that are as hooked on flying as yourselves
• You can often stay over in facilities operated by the local aeroclub, and it is even cheap!
• You gain much better flying experience

GET your plane airborne and go for it!

How to fly VFR from Norway to Sweden

You can fly your airplane from any airfield in Norway to any airfield in Sweden subject to following a few rules;

1. Create an Operational Flightplan to your dream destination abroad!


2. File an ATC Flightplan (www.ippc.no) and call ACC Briefing on +47 6481 9000 to verify the receipt of your Flightplan.


3. Notify Customs in Norway 4 hours before departure on tel: +47 2217 1817 or fax your ATC Flightplan to them on +47 2286 0800. You can also mail them the ATC Flightplan on desken@toll.no . They prefer e-mail.


4. Notify Customs on telephone above if changes to departure/landing times.


5. You are not allowed to takeoff before filed EOBT and land before flightplan estimate. If you land before estimated landing time, remain inside aircraft until landing time is passed!


6. ONLY taxfree goods can be carried onboard. Max 10 pax, MTOW 5700 kg


7. Go flying!

I do not know if this works for Micro/UL aircrafts. You can read more on the rules from Customs in Norway here: http://toll.no/templates_TAD/CircularLetter.aspx?id=119154

Aircraft Icing - Check this one!

This is a twin approved for Flights Into Known Icing (FIKI). The Commander of this flight has a valid comment: "One of the most scary moments in my life.."

Myself as a test pilot

Below is a little story I wrote for myself after a test-flight verifying the Vne (Max speed) for my aircraft after 2000 hrs repair work.It took place in the early summer of 1998.

A DAY ON THE TEST-RANGE

I'm in the middle of my test-program on the Cozy and have developed Flight Test Cards for each and every flight to cover the mandatory 25hrs after rebuilding the Cozy. I arrived the airport early one sunday morning and found the place deadly silent. I stopped outside the hangar for a few moments; Today was one of the most adrenalin-pushing excercises on the kneeboard, Vne verification and flutter testing. What could I find of errors and malfunctions on the Daily Inspection that would stop me from having great fun up in the blue.. I pushed the hangar doors aside and there she was sitting.. Nose on the ground and an agressive look. I pushed her out and did a thoroughly DI and found nothing that should stop me from brushing her hair with 190kts of wind in her face!

"Frya Traffic, Lima November Uniform Sierra Alpha entering RWY for flight in the Training Area, backtracking 28 and into position"

There were no one else on the channel today, just me and my plane, I checked the two compasses against each other, adjusted the flight instruments and cross-checked the instruments while backtracking RWY 28. The wind was approx. 300/05 and overcast in 9000 ft. I read the Before TakeOff Checklist while taxing down the RWY. Emergency Canopy Access Door - CLOSED, Fuel Caps - LOCKED & ALIGNED, Fuel Selector - FULLEST TANK, Controls - FREE & CORRECT, Trim, SET FOR TAKEOFF, Speed Brake - UP, Circuit Brakers - ALL IN, Generator - ON, Flight Instruments - SET, Aux. Fuel Pump - ON. I Lined her up on RWY 28 and advanced power to 1700 RPM to do check the Mags, Carb. heait and engine instruments. All systems in the green. Oil temp was coming up nice and slowly. A final check on the Flight Test Card and the excercise was mentally put in front of my brain, no squawks found, so I advanced the power lever to max RPM and "LSA taking off RWY 28, Climbing straight ahead to 200ft initially". 20kts - all systems OK - 40kts - rudder is effective - 60 kts - Rotate! I was airborne in 400m - positive rate - GEAR UP - 90 kts climb speed established - passing 1200 ft(630ft AGL) here I was safe, I could manage with engine out from here, the 180 turn from this altitude would bring me safely back on the ground - passing 1000ft - Aux. Fuel pump OFF - Climb power SET and I'm up where we belong. As, allways, beatiful scenery was all around me and my Lady was performing as expected in all matters, maybe I shouldn't be so suspicious... the years of flying have made me so..

"LSA 2000ft climbing for 9000ft, heading for the Training Area"

I verified engine parameters and continued climbing. No turbulence today, the price you win from early morning flights in this area. "LSA arriving Training Area". I leveled off at 9000ft approx. 1000ft below a stratus layer and initiated a 60 degree left turn and reversed it after 180 degrees to verify control harmony was where it should be. All systems GO. Today's excercise was to do a dive and increasing the dive speed by 5kts increments and verify control pressure for each dive. The rule for the days was keep on pushing for more speed unless light stick forces or stick shaking occured. The first dive was done at 160kts IAS and good feel all through, I pulled 2,5G after the dive to buy back some altitude. Engine instruments Checked, all in the green, dived again at 5kts increments until the 6th dive with 185kts on the clock when I felt light turbulence hitting the plane. Was it turbulence or maybe a flutter.... I was in doubt. I decided to do the test one more time on 185kts and she was stable as a knife in butter. Thank you baby, lets continue! Tke rising sun had created light turbulence at 5000ft that took my mind for a ride for a few seconds!

I kept on diving and climbing until the final dive speed of 190kts was fixed on the clock. The adrenalin was going and the turbulence experience hadn't quite left me.. She was stable! Great stuff baby, you're holding up just fine. I climbed back to 8000ft and completed the Flight Test Card.



"LSA leaving the Test Range, 8000ft descending for Left downwind 28 for a low approach"

I kept the speed below 160kts while descending for a wind-check on the field before shooting a few touch & goes. Since I was all alone in the pattern, the circuits could be flown faster and tighter than normal. I passed RWY 28 in 500ft AGL 160kts IAS, checked the wind, which had increased a bit and pulled a 60 degree left turn to bleed off some energy. Speed was coming down to 120 kts, still in a sharp left hand turn so I extended the Gear and selected Fuel Pump ON adjusted the mixture and pulled the Carburator Heat lever full aft. Throttled back to 1800RPM and reported "LSA Lefthand downwind 28 for Touch & Go". Speed was coming down to 90 kts, turned base 28 and extended the Speed Brake. "LSA turning final 28" - spinal items checked (Gear-Mix-Heat-Pump), all in the green, Short final, 200ft - speed was 80kts - RWY was exactly 3 fingers above the panel (we don't have VASI U see!). Touching down - Speed Brake UP, Carb. Heat OFF, advanced the power lever to the panel and airborne like a rocket! Mother Goose.. this is the ultimate thing!



"LSA Final 28 for full stop landing"

I landed her gently on the RWY, a warm feel of pure satisfaction warmed me up on a chilly day. Another meeting with myself as a builder and flyer was completed successfully. I unlatched the canopy and felt the breeze, pure fun Ladies and Gentlemen!

I pute her back in the hangar and stood there watching her for a few moments.. Man she looked as agressive as this morning! The only difference was that my adrenalin was down to zero and I felt pretty OK after the maneuvers!

This much fun on a sunday morning while others were wasting their flying day by sleeping!

I closed the hangar doors and a scene from a WW2-movie hit me; "I will return!"