I did a couple of minor firsts today.
After completing an oil change, I decided to go for a little ride. Clouds were overcast to broken at 1800'. I remember a time less than a year ago that I would have looked up and decided that today was definitely not a day for flying. How things change. I launched VFR solo and bounced along underneath for a few minutes. The big stupid grin was well in place as usual. I saw a big bright spot on the ground up ahead a couple of miles. I fed in full power and 2600 rpm. As I approached the bright spot, I measured its diameter with my eye to be sufficient. Up I went. Out the top of the hole, it was a beautiful blanket of bright white calm clouds below me. I spent a little while entertaining myself VFR on top in the smooth air.
Headed back toward home, I contacted Austin Approach and got a local IFR from present position and requested the GPS 29 approach at Georgetown. I got a squawk and was cleared for the approach. I had never done this sequence of local popup IFR just for the approach. I told approach that I was direct the initial approach fix and headed down to 3000'. I was in the layer at about 4500'. This was another first for me. I've never flown single pilot IFR in actual conditions. Baby steps. It was perfect conditions for such an exploration. Another pilot onboard really does reduce the work load.
I arrived at the IAF at 3000' and flew the approach by hand. Approach was calling VFR traffic below. I asked them to keep an eye on them as I was IMC. As I turned inbound down hill to the final approach fix, I broke out with well over a thousand feet AGL. I called the field in sight and got the frequency switch. After a touch-n-go, I did five more in different configurations. What could be more fun for an hour on a Tuesday morning?
After completing an oil change, I decided to go for a little ride. Clouds were overcast to broken at 1800'. I remember a time less than a year ago that I would have looked up and decided that today was definitely not a day for flying. How things change. I launched VFR solo and bounced along underneath for a few minutes. The big stupid grin was well in place as usual. I saw a big bright spot on the ground up ahead a couple of miles. I fed in full power and 2600 rpm. As I approached the bright spot, I measured its diameter with my eye to be sufficient. Up I went. Out the top of the hole, it was a beautiful blanket of bright white calm clouds below me. I spent a little while entertaining myself VFR on top in the smooth air.
Headed back toward home, I contacted Austin Approach and got a local IFR from present position and requested the GPS 29 approach at Georgetown. I got a squawk and was cleared for the approach. I had never done this sequence of local popup IFR just for the approach. I told approach that I was direct the initial approach fix and headed down to 3000'. I was in the layer at about 4500'. This was another first for me. I've never flown single pilot IFR in actual conditions. Baby steps. It was perfect conditions for such an exploration. Another pilot onboard really does reduce the work load.
I arrived at the IAF at 3000' and flew the approach by hand. Approach was calling VFR traffic below. I asked them to keep an eye on them as I was IMC. As I turned inbound down hill to the final approach fix, I broke out with well over a thousand feet AGL. I called the field in sight and got the frequency switch. After a touch-n-go, I did five more in different configurations. What could be more fun for an hour on a Tuesday morning?
