Instrument Day 7

October 5, 2011

"7-3-7 Whiskey Quebec climb and maintain 2500ft and fly a heading of 3-6-0," Eric states. I repeat back, "2500 and 3-6-0, 7-3-7 Whiskey Quebec." We had just taken off from the airport and now headed north. In the background I hear a women's voice through the radio. It was one of Lambert Airport's controllers directing all IFR (instrument) traffic. Eric began getting me used to hearing the communications.

While wearing the foggles, I keep an eye on my instruments. "Attitude indicator (AI), airspeed, back to the attitude indicator, then altimeter, and AI, then the turn coordinator, and back to the AI, vertical speed indicator, AI again, then the heading indicator." I think to myself. Never let those eyes quit scanning.

Eric starts giving me different sets of instructions. "Climb and maintain 3500 while making a left turn to 2-7-0." "Slow the airplane down to 70 knots and maintain 3500ft with a heading of 0-9-0." I repeat back all instructions and do as asked. He then covers up half my instruments and I fly with a partial panel.

After a half hour of practicing turns, climbs, descents, and maneuvers, we start working on navigation. He tells me to tune into the St. Louis VOR frequency. I start to pull out the chart that I use for regular VFR (visual) flight when he interrupts me and tells me to put it away; It's no good for us now. He takes out his approach plates and finds the one for our airport. "I don't know how to read these," I tell him. He shows me where to find the VOR frequency; I tune in and check to make sure it's operating correctly. It is. The goal here is to track this back to our airport. I keep my eyes scanning the instruments while Eric walks me through the steps. Set up the VOR, choose an intercept angle, intercept the radial, set up the second VOR, track it, when both VORs show us on course, we note our position and start descending to the altitude stated on the chart. We need to descend to 1160ft from the 2300ft that we were at, but we need to do it at 90 knots and maintain at least a 500 feet per minute descent rate. Eric tells me, "do not let us get a foot under 1160ft." I pay close attention and do as he says. We're now set up to land on runway 18.

He momentarily takes the controls as I take off the foggles, simulating that I've just come out of the clouds. I now have the controls back and we're over the river, on final approach for the runway at 1160ft. Eric says, "ok, now land the plane." Deep breath... I think to myself, "alright, I'm really high so pull the power out to idle and drop the flaps. Maintain 70 knots, and correct for the wind." I'm looking really good, so all I have to do is maintain it. Touchdown. I did it, by myself! Landing the Cessna 172 has been a bit tricky in the past. Trying to learn the correct sight picture and learning how it needs to be set up to land has been a little difficult.

Today was a really good lesson. I finally feel like multiple things are starting to 'click'.

*NEWS: My last day working with Eric is Friday 10/7/11. I was originally scheduled to work with Dave after Eric leaves, however it has now been switched. I will now have the honor of working with Bob. He was actually my FAA Examiner for both my Sport and Private Pilot checkrides. It was a pleasure to work with him then, and I certainly look forward to working with him now.