Alphabet Challenge Leg 5 KEMT - KFUL

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Talan2000
Posts: 207
Joined: Mon Dec 15, 2014 8:59 pm
Location: McKinney, Texas, USA, Earth

Alphabet Challenge Leg 5 KEMT - KFUL

Post by Talan2000 »

Pilots,

So who would think there would be anything to learn from a flight that lasts less than the time to get a taxi clearance from KEMT?

Well I learned the heck out of this one based on my multiple screw ups. Enjoy.

Lessons Learned:
I transitioned back into the trusty C172 for this 5 min flight and one should never underestimate that it takes a bit to refamiliarize yourself with every aircraft type you fly when switching -- even going "down" from a high performance/complex aircraft to a simpler model.

- Had the usual difficulties seeing the airport with the stock scenery. Yawn. Trusted the GPS (which is abit lame but an essential crutch I'd use real world).

- Biggest mistake was ...thinking KFUL was treated as a NON-towered field and broadcasting on tower/CTAF (!)..."What?", you say,"how could you screw that up..."

I asked myself that too after announcing 5 NM north for landing, then short final for "8" at KFUL (um it's 6). KFUL tower then came up and cleared me to land. Great...

So THEN I was way too high and way to fast for the 172 (flying a BE36 much?) and ended up having to go around vs landing 2/3 down the runway. At least I made that decision properly. Landed without event on the next pass and ashamedly apologized to KFUL ATC for the SIM rules screw up (real world would not have been an issue at least).

So - how I did I miss that KFUL was staffed in PE? Unfamiliarity with the airport and area that led to a GOTCHA -- I checked the PE Coverage map before the flight and this is what I saw:
OVER ZOOMED
OVER ZOOMED
KFUL-XCESS ZOOM.JPG (131.51 KiB) Viewed 5264 times

Big LA Basin -- no KFUL dot...must not be covered in PE I think. NO problem...problem was -- I was overzoomed on the map and didn't realize it (in my defense there is no scale) but there is no defense. Only excuses :)

Pioneers lead the way.

Todd

PS I wonder if our current alphabet king made this flight in his speedy T38??? I hope so :)
Last edited by Talan2000 on Sat Jan 31, 2015 5:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Keith Smith
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Re: Alphabet Challenge Leg 4 KEMT - KFUL

Post by Keith Smith »

Todd, every civilian towered airport in the Los Angeles ARTCC is covered. If you're ever unsure, just look at the airport data for a given field, if the ARTCC is "Los Angeles" then it's in our coverage area.
Talan2000
Posts: 207
Joined: Mon Dec 15, 2014 8:59 pm
Location: McKinney, Texas, USA, Earth

Re: Alphabet Challenge Leg 4 KEMT - KFUL

Post by Talan2000 »

Keith,

Good to know. I'll never trust my map reading skills again!

Todd
zerofay32
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Joined: Tue Aug 19, 2014 8:34 am
Location: Grove City, Ohio

Re: Alphabet Challenge Leg 5 KEMT - KFUL

Post by zerofay32 »

Was able to fly this leg tonight. No problems other than the nasty turbulence this afternoon. Stayed VFR and just flew under the bravo shelf. On to one of the begins. Funny thing is I've flown out to GCN a few times just practicing, before I started working on the instument ratings.
Andrew Fay
PilotEdge V-3; CAT-11; I-11; Skyhigh 10
Commercial Pilot/Instrument ASEL/AMEL- KOSU / Commercial sUAS
stevekirks
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Joined: Wed Oct 01, 2014 6:00 pm
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Re: Alphabet Challenge Leg 5 KEMT - KFUL

Post by stevekirks »

Flew this leg today in the RealAir Lancair Legacy. Found out fast I was rusty because the Legacy was basically performing like a jet and I was behind the airplane from about 400 AGL. The controller had mercy and didn't let me go all of the way to Paradise (filed IFR/TEC route/4000) but I did learn that when I checked in the SoCal approach, I stated the approach request. I think that helped me from the extended leg.

I'm on the ground now, buying fuel in Fullerton and renting an oxygen setup so I can cruise at 11,000 into Grand Canyon.
Steve Kirks (sKirks on Twitch)
KSGF--I-10 rated
Student Pilot
I invented the Alphabet Challenge, what's your excuse?
Alphabet Challenge
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