[real world] triple diversion, single pilot IFR

Interesting ATC clips and situations from PilotEdge
Keith Smith
Posts: 9939
Joined: Sat Oct 09, 2010 8:38 pm
Location: Pompton Plains, NJ
Contact:

Re: [real world] triple diversion, single pilot IFR

Post by Keith Smith »

Hi Larry,

I'm glad you like the service. Yep, K24 has been an annual destination for me ever since I picked up the airplane. It's where the condition inspection is done each year, normally late April.
Ryan B
Posts: 856
Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2012 2:37 pm

Re: [real world] triple diversion, single pilot IFR

Post by Ryan B »

I'm late as usual in this forum...

Just finished the recording.

Wow. Overload is the word that comes to mind. It didn't seem too bad missing at CDW, but once you heard MMU's ILS was out of service things got interesting. As a controller I liked how you told that controller that you were single pilot IFR and were unable to get the ATIS. Signs of a good pilot right there. Controller was pretty friendly considering how busy he got (11min - the end of recording). In the sim world it seems easy but once you factor in real world components (inner ear sensations in IMC, stress, constantly applying checklists/flows/monitoring, busy freeking airspace) I can see how overwhelmed a new instrument pilot would feel.

Well handled in my opinion! We rarely get THAT busy in Duluth but sometimes I find myself talking as much as that controller. I guess that's why he makes double my salary lol!

What was the most stressful portion of the flight for you?
PE ID: 29
FAA ATCS
FAA PPL ASEL
Keith Smith
Posts: 9939
Joined: Sat Oct 09, 2010 8:38 pm
Location: Pompton Plains, NJ
Contact:

Re: [real world] triple diversion, single pilot IFR

Post by Keith Smith »

Ryan,

That's ok, you work for the FAA. I figured it would take months/years for you to catch up on material that everyone else had access to from the beginning ;)

What isn't adequately captured in that video is just how busy that controller was. I edited it down to capture my interaction with him and a couple of context-setting calls from other pilots, but that's about it. I kid you not, that radio was non-stop the entire time. That was the whole problem.

Most stressful part, let's see...the sinking ship feeling of weather dropping down, limited fuel, equipment out of service, etc. I did have a few seconds where I pictured not being to put it down, but then I quickly realized, if EVERYWHERE was fogged in and shutdown, I'd be hearing about it...plus I could probably limp back to somewhere with better weather (albeit not great). All that happened in literally a couple of seconds. After that, it was a constant reminder to FLY....THE....AIRPLANE, knowing my workload was through the roof, the one thing I didn't want to do was start slipping on the stick & rudder portion and end up having a perfect approach briefing while I spiraled to my death, or more realistically, got into an upset condition where drastic action would be required to get back on course and on heading.

I should've pushed back on the ATIS way sooner, would've helped a great deal. He'd already given me the stuff I really cared about. He gave me the weather, but needed the ATIS acknowledgement per SOP, I suspect, and perhaps for liability because there were some closed taxiways, I guess (none of which I cared about either at that time, trust me, I figured I'd deal with it on the ground). So, it was frustrating to work hard to get the ATIS (putting me closer and closer to TEB in the process), not getting anything useful from it, then not be ready for fly the approach when he attempted to vector me to final.

I couldn't tell you if fatigue was part of it, but I'd never been so happy to be on the ground...and 400 overcast at TEB felt like clear and a million after what I just shot at CDW (that was some THICK fog. Hard not to be intimidated by it.) It's not that flying in that is hard, but it's distracting, and there's just an ominous feeling of, "I shouldn't be here" when the clouds are that thick at night (where the landing light is blinding you, let alone the strobes).
Ryan B
Posts: 856
Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2012 2:37 pm

Re: [real world] triple diversion, single pilot IFR

Post by Ryan B »

Ok that makes more sense (about the frequency congestion).

I have no desire to work out there :P I guess I'm just comfy in my own little Duluth area. It would be interesting to fly on the east coast. Is it true that no matter what you file you'll get something else?

Also did you slow down when you were getting bogged down? I can't imagine going 180 kts when I'm behind. Then I'd be behind behind the power curve.

The ATIS thing was weird. All he really needed to tell you was Wind, Altimeter, ceiling and visibility if the field was IFR, and basically any other really important info (closed runway etc) and what runway/approach is in use... He asked you so many times if you had it he could have just told you that stuff bleh! Oh well, maybe it was a SOP or something.

I would love to get my instrument rating some day!
PE ID: 29
FAA ATCS
FAA PPL ASEL
Keith Smith
Posts: 9939
Joined: Sat Oct 09, 2010 8:38 pm
Location: Pompton Plains, NJ
Contact:

Re: [real world] triple diversion, single pilot IFR

Post by Keith Smith »

The controller was awesome, btw...I should make that clear. It's really not apparent how many other planes he was working from that recording, but it was a lot (he was merging Newark arrival streams before sending them to the final controller, as well as handling MMU, CDW and TEB arrivals).

I slowed down a little in the terminal area, probably 160'ish....it's a psychological difference more than anything else (20kts doesen't change things much). When I was sent to the penalty box, I backed off to around 125 to save gas (slowest comfortable clean speed before deck angle becomes a factor). Then, once I was back in the game, I sped back up to 180'ish to become compatible with the jet arrivals at TEB and maximize my chance of being included in the sequence a little sooner (ie, he wouldn't have to make a hole).

I'm sure he had a reason for insisting on the ATIS, I just don't know for sure what it was. If I could re-do the scenario, that would be the one thing that I'd like to change. It would've saved me some stress and time. Trying to GET the ATIS while he was talking was nutty.
Post Reply