[email protected]
Member
I'm a new RV-7A owner and last night was 'unique' to say the least.
I had my plane in for standard ADS-B install at an avionics shop. I have owned the a/c for about a week and a half with 3 or 4 flights and a bunch of daytime T&Gs under my belt and I'm comfortable with the with the plane (it is very easy to fly, land and very tame IMHO). Plane is beautiful: professionally built, low time all glass electric panel with backup steam gauges. The GRT screens are still befuddling to me and I feel like a dog watching TV (coming out of a G1000 panel). I'm still learning GRT buttonology in other words.
The install went way too long (forcing me to leave at sunset!); however it was only a short (40' flight) so what could go wrong? Well.. when I went to start up, the battery was drained (avionics were on/off all day long), so the shop gave me a boost to get the engine going. I launched with a bit of dread: I was going to fly over some serious terrain and one very tall pass at night in an unfamiliar airplane coming out the shop with a weak battery. What could go wrong indeed?
Oh about 15' later, as darkness surrounded me, and approaching the pass (I was at 14,000'), I turned on the Nav lights, pitot heat and everything just went dead instantly. No efis panels, GPS 400w or inside lights. A/C has e-mags BTW. On a positive note, I have lots of mountain flight time and am very familiar with the local terrain. This is important!
The steam gauges and a tru-trak electric ADI plus an iPAD for terrain and course were working so I was okay. I used my iPhone to light up airspeed and altimeter and luckily I got cell service. I called my destination airport (airport mgr) and screaming into the iphone (no headset or bluetooth for the bose) asked him to activate PCL so I would have lights. I thought I heard him say OKAY, so that was reassuring. I was only about 30' from destination and had runway lights but no landing lights. I did a perfect no-flap landing with a pretty gusty cross wind (12g20). This is a capable airplane in an emergency; however my decision making sucked I realize, so please don't flame me. I should have left the plane there got a rental car and made the 2+ hour car ride home. Sheesh! I consider myself a seasoned and safe pilot but got complacent and nearly had a bad outcome. I think my alternator took a dump but must investigate further. Lesson to all.
I had my plane in for standard ADS-B install at an avionics shop. I have owned the a/c for about a week and a half with 3 or 4 flights and a bunch of daytime T&Gs under my belt and I'm comfortable with the with the plane (it is very easy to fly, land and very tame IMHO). Plane is beautiful: professionally built, low time all glass electric panel with backup steam gauges. The GRT screens are still befuddling to me and I feel like a dog watching TV (coming out of a G1000 panel). I'm still learning GRT buttonology in other words.
The install went way too long (forcing me to leave at sunset!); however it was only a short (40' flight) so what could go wrong? Well.. when I went to start up, the battery was drained (avionics were on/off all day long), so the shop gave me a boost to get the engine going. I launched with a bit of dread: I was going to fly over some serious terrain and one very tall pass at night in an unfamiliar airplane coming out the shop with a weak battery. What could go wrong indeed?
Oh about 15' later, as darkness surrounded me, and approaching the pass (I was at 14,000'), I turned on the Nav lights, pitot heat and everything just went dead instantly. No efis panels, GPS 400w or inside lights. A/C has e-mags BTW. On a positive note, I have lots of mountain flight time and am very familiar with the local terrain. This is important!
The steam gauges and a tru-trak electric ADI plus an iPAD for terrain and course were working so I was okay. I used my iPhone to light up airspeed and altimeter and luckily I got cell service. I called my destination airport (airport mgr) and screaming into the iphone (no headset or bluetooth for the bose) asked him to activate PCL so I would have lights. I thought I heard him say OKAY, so that was reassuring. I was only about 30' from destination and had runway lights but no landing lights. I did a perfect no-flap landing with a pretty gusty cross wind (12g20). This is a capable airplane in an emergency; however my decision making sucked I realize, so please don't flame me. I should have left the plane there got a rental car and made the 2+ hour car ride home. Sheesh! I consider myself a seasoned and safe pilot but got complacent and nearly had a bad outcome. I think my alternator took a dump but must investigate further. Lesson to all.