Instrument Nostalgia for Newly Minted IFR Pilots
In instrument conditions, the attention of the pilot should be on flying the plane. With newly minted IFR pilots sometimes our attention fixates on lesser duties.
Such was the case with me flying the Bonanza near Capitol City Airport in the vicinity of three major towers soaring more than 1000 feet each above the ground. They are formidable in VFR conditions.
Checking the IFR Center instructions I failed to direct my attention to the attitude of the Bonanza, a high performance plane that can quickly get away from you if you don't pay attention to what you are doing.
This time the warning that something was amiss came from my sense of smell! Yes, sense of smell! The distinct smell of dust in the cockpit air. Whoa! Forward on the yolk immediately! A spilt second later and it would be my first experience of recovering from a loop in IFR conditions with high towers nearby.
The return to piloting the plane and recovering from the entrance into a loop cost me several hundred feet of altitude. The danger was not over until I had sufficient altitude to clear the radio towers in the immediate area. Climb mode, rechecking position, attitude and altitude confirmed that I was okay. Not so my sensibilities and fright from a close call.
This flight had important lessons that are obvious to many. One sense, that saved me, was the sense of smell. My reaction time to that information prevented a tragic accident from happening because my priorities were not with flying the plane.
Yep! Like many pilots I made my fair share of dumb moves. But I learned from them!
In instrument conditions, the attention of the pilot should be on flying the plane. With newly minted IFR pilots sometimes our attention fixates on lesser duties.
Such was the case with me flying the Bonanza near Capitol City Airport in the vicinity of three major towers soaring more than 1000 feet each above the ground. They are formidable in VFR conditions.
Checking the IFR Center instructions I failed to direct my attention to the attitude of the Bonanza, a high performance plane that can quickly get away from you if you don't pay attention to what you are doing.
This time the warning that something was amiss came from my sense of smell! Yes, sense of smell! The distinct smell of dust in the cockpit air. Whoa! Forward on the yolk immediately! A spilt second later and it would be my first experience of recovering from a loop in IFR conditions with high towers nearby.
The return to piloting the plane and recovering from the entrance into a loop cost me several hundred feet of altitude. The danger was not over until I had sufficient altitude to clear the radio towers in the immediate area. Climb mode, rechecking position, attitude and altitude confirmed that I was okay. Not so my sensibilities and fright from a close call.
This flight had important lessons that are obvious to many. One sense, that saved me, was the sense of smell. My reaction time to that information prevented a tragic accident from happening because my priorities were not with flying the plane.
Yep! Like many pilots I made my fair share of dumb moves. But I learned from them!
