Good IMC flight

Had a pretty good day today. I got up at 4 to get in a little early to prepare my card for the flight I had this morning. I flew with the flight commander and he's a pretty funny dude. I'd definately have to sensor about 90% of what he says if I copied it over to this blog, but he definately knows how to get a point across! The brief was pretty straight forward, and I learned a few new things from him as I do every time I get a different IP. Then, the flight was pretty cool today! We were in IMC which is instrument conditions. That means that the weather (clouds, visibility, etc) is bad enough that we can't fly with our normal visual (ground) references. So, first of all the tower was controlling the runway today instead of the usual RSU, which means that I was also on the wrong radio chanel pulling up to the hold short line. So he's in the back saying "hmm...it's pretty quite right now isn't it?"

"Yeah, it is, that's strange"

Him: "hmmm....." Then the guy waiting in front of us pulled out onto the runway and he says from the back "Wow, he just went onto the runway without making a call, didn't he? Is he allowed to do that??"

"Well, umm, uhhh...I don't think so...yes? Or, no....? Uh, no, not unless there's something I don't know about....."

Long pause.... Me again: "and I'm guessing there is, huh?"

"Yes, you're on the wrong frequency!!!"
Ahh....roger...

Then it just got better after that. This was my first time doing an IFR departure, and being as naive as I am I didn't even think to think (heheh) that there would be a different departure. So I'm climbing out like normal FDH (fat, dumb, happy) and he's like, "you can't turn yet!!"
Ok, so I stay on this heading, but I'm pretty sure I've always turned there in the past! (first clue) "All right, why haven't you started your turn here?" Ok, here we go, turning to my normal heading...time passes..."where are you going?" and about 4 other people are on the radio with the controller at the same time and he's in the back yelling "220! 220!" Meanwhile I'm in the front thinking: "Well, ok, but I'm still climbing so I should be at 180 knots, and we usually cruise at 200 knots anyways..."

"Turn to 220, what are you waiting for, do I need to take the aircraft?"

"Yes sir, I mean no sir, yes sir I'm turning to 220!!" (insert huge gulp followed by tongue lashing about not listening to orders from the IP) We laughed about that one later when I told him what was going thru my mind, and I honestly think he was enjoying the entire situation as I'm in the front seat with my head spinning in circles!! Ah...cruel, cruel IPs...but boy does that help me learn quick! I think often time I'm just not stressed enough.

So, it was definately an interesting flight! My area work started out rusty, but I got things going pretty good after I got into the flow. It was a beautiful day with heavy scattered clouds at varying altitudes, so it was a pretty cool sight from 8000 to 13000 feet up. After my area work today we then did a HAPL (high altitude power loss) maneuver where we simulate an engine failure and then find the nearest landing strip and turn to it while calculating if our glide will get us to it with enough time to perform an emergency landing pattern. I got to do a huge slip on the way there too to lose altitude followed by 360degree orbit to get down to then start the 360 pattern. Whoo...even then I ended up to high on final and would have not had the room to stop had it been a real emergency. I then proceeded to get the gear and flaps up (or so I thought) and found out from a burst of agitation in the back about 2 mintues later after I'd turned the aircraft over that I had only gone from landing to takeoff flaps, and not all the way up. Thank the Lord that we had stayed in the pattern for another demo and we didn't overspeed the flaps or I would have really been in for it! As it was, I got a good tongue lashing (and he could have failed me for the whole sortie because of it), but was just downgraded on one section of my flight.

Then, on the way back we did a re-entry that I'd never seen before either (again because of the weather) and he actually let me take us all the way in following the radar controller's commands the whole way. It was pretty sweet! We were in the clouds for most of it with zero visibility (besides a gray and white wall right outside the canopy, I could barely see the propeller!) and I had to rely completely on my instruments. At one point I was getting pretty task saturated and he asked if he should take over, and Mr. Daniel's Ego said no I can handle it! :) And I did! So that was my first real life intro to instrument flying which is cool because that's what my sim was yesterday! So I got us all the way back (with just a little oversight from the back seat) and onto the runway with a pretty smooth landing, if I do say so myself. Then on the way back in I finsihed off this glorious flight a perfect radio call to ground...except for the minor fact that I was on the wrong frequency...
Back seat: "Hmm...so you think ground's moved over to the RSU today to listen in to your radio call?"
"Agh!"
One things for sure, I'll remember these lessons from today! That's the way I learn best too is when the IPs let me actually mess it up, then at least I know how not to do it next time! So it was a pretty cool flight. Tomorrow morning I have a sim ride and then after that I have another ride with our flight commander, and I'm looking forward to it! There's definately some things I need to look over before then, but it should be another pretty good (by my book) ride.

This afternoon we finished up another couple of academic insturment lessons. That test will be coming up fast, it is going to be a tough one! I'm already planning on spending the majority of this weekend going over all the instrument lessons again and studying for the test which will be early next week. Hopefully it goes well. I haven't failed a test yet (knocking on wooden desk) and I don't want to start now!