April 25, 2006

It's about time I shot some instrument approaches. I'm current but barely so. Today the weather was exactly how I like it for building back up my IFR currency. Marginal VFR ceilings but decent visibility, and plenty of breaks in the overcast. I filed to Santa Monica and stayed in the system from wheels-up to clearing the runway. I shot the VOR approach at Santa Monica. I felt pretty rusty but it came back quickly. The approach was a good one. I departed Santa Monica VFR and stayed beneath the broken layer, skirting around downtown LA and past El Monte. From there I climbed up above the clouds and snapped these shots looking north.

I flew toward Ontario and Chino and stayed above the Class C airspace, not talking to anybody. I picked up Chino's ATIS, and while it was VFR, I'd need a clearance to get down through the clouds.

I picked up the clearance and got vectored around on my way down toward the ILS approach. There were lots of folks getting pop-up clearances today.

I shot the ILS and nailed it. This second approach in as many months felt much more comfortable than the first. Just like riding a bike. That extended my currency a few months...but the weather is supposed to be pretty crummy over the next week or so. I'll take the opportunity to get some more actual in and shake the rest of the dust off my instrument flying skills.

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Dan Checkoway ()