Returning The Favor

Hello friends! As promised, today was yet another day filled with committing aviation. I had the privilege of flying not once, but twice today. The weather was simply beautiful, and we couldn't have asked for a better day to get up "there." By "we," I refer to myself and my very special passenger, my father! My dad has been an integral part of promoting aviation and WWII history, specifically warbirds, in my life. He was a volunteer at the National Warplane Museum even before my birth. I had my 1st visit to the museum at only 1 week old. From that point on, I was hooked. My dad would continue to volunteer at the museum as I grew up, taking me with him and using a baby-back carrier to give tours whilst I tagged along. The least I can do to thank him for all of this is to take him flying with me.

Me @ 1 week old, 1st NWM visit!

Our flight went very smooth. I elected to do a holding pattern, followed by the VOR-A approach into Canandaigua (D38.) Once there, we landed to check out all of the nifty planes in the hangar. 

Our flight path to D38

Geneseo VOR Holding Pattern & D38 VOR-A Approach Procedures

1.) Overfly Geneseo VOR (GEE) @ 3,500, turn to 180 Degrees, fly that heading for 1 minute.

2.) Parallel entry, turn to left @ standard rate, track 330 degree heading to GEE VOR 360 degree radial.

3.) Overfly GEE, begin standard rate turn to the right.

4.) Fly outbound holding pattern heading of 180 degrees, time 1 minute from abeam GEE VOR (to/from indication switch.)

5.) Standard rate turn to the right for 360 radial TO, from GEE VOR.

6.) Track 360 degree radial TO, from GEE VOR

7.) Overfly GEE VOR, turn to 085 degree radial for D38 VOR-A approach course

8.) Follow 085 radial until D38 in sight = LAND

Quality father-son bonding.

After dad and I made the stop in Canandaigua, we "saddled up" once again, and returned to KROC. I did a little scenic tour before landing, so my father could see downtown from up-above.

Dad really enjoyed the flight(s), and I really got a kick out of bringing him along. It really means a lot to me to be able to "thank" him for getting me into aviation and warbirds. :-)

My aviation-filled weekend was not yet complete, however. I planned to fly twice on Sunday, and I did just that. For my 2nd journey, I flew once again with my good buddy Robert Nessel. This time, I wanted to go "under the hood" to hone-up my DME-Arc skills, before the flight portion of my IFR Checkride. So, with Robert as my "safety pilot," we flew to the GEE VOR to practice my Arcs. I decided to pick a random distance to maintain for the Arc, whatever appeared on my DME once I was abeam the Geneseo VOR. In this case, the distance was 7.5 Nautical Miles.

GEE VOR DME Arc Procedure

1.) Fly to GEE VOR

2.) Fly abeam GEE VOR @ 3,500', 7.5 NM shows on DME

3.) "Twist Ten Degree, Turn Ten Degrees (to the right.)"

4.) Maintain "Turn Ten-Twist Ten

5.) ...And maintain still (with slight wind corrections)...

6.) Complete DME Arc and return inbound to KROC = LAND

Now, I did not plan what is pictured above on the IFR Low-Altitude chart, but apparently I was precise! I am very pleased with the results. :-) I now feel more confident as I head towards to rest of my impending IFR Checkride. Until next time, "Keep 'Em Flying," and "Never, Never, Never Give Up."

Remainder of FAA Instrument Rating Checkride = TBA

3/12 Flight Time Logged = 2.4 Hrs

Total Flight Time = 198.6 Hrs

Total Flight Time to Commercial License = 51.4 Hrs