Sahara dust

It was oil change time.  I like doing my oil changes, typically 4 per year.  One always falls mid summer and that's the one I don't like as much.  Too hot.  So Friday end of day I went out and warmed the oil and started the draining process.  I say process because the filter sits vertically facing down.  If you want to go fast you can put rags under the filter to catch the drips.  If you are patient and let all the oil drain, you don't have any drips.

So Friday was warm and drain, Saturday I awoke early to finish the job before it got too hot.  The change went smoothly, without any drips.  The filter was clean when I inspected it so all was good.  You do a run after the change to check for leaks and that was a success as well.  I like to do a quick flight as well to just make sure before I venture out on a longer flight.  The visibility was reported at 7-10 but it looked much worse.

Taking off I was in a haze bowl.  Turning to the beach I had to go a few miles before the coast was visible.  Turning towards the airport at 8 miles out I could not see the airport.  It started to appear at 6 miles and was clear at 5.  I suggested to the tower that they may want to turn on the runway lights.  I know I saw the airport partially because I knew where to look.  Transient students would have a tougher time and the lights would help a lot.

I have 15 minutes flight time this weekend and unless it clears a bit that may be all I do.  

Clear Skies and Overcast?

Saturday I woke up thinking I would practice ground reference maneuvers because the forecast was clear and light winds.  Checking the weather I was a bit surprised, I had already peaked outside and it was blue skies as far as I could see but the computer said different.

Well I obviously could not see as far South as the computer as it was low clouds down that way.  I figured it would clear as the day warmed so I headed for the airport to pre flight.  I am now on the lookout for acceptably bad weather to keep my instrument currency so when the plane was ready I took another look at the weather and the clouds were still there.

Not wanting to miss an opportunity, I filed an instrument plan to 42J.  I figured I could shoot some approaches, gas up and head home.  I still had a sneaking suspicion the clouds would clear.

Heading South along the river at 3000 I was happy to see the weather was still 800 overcast and I could see the cloud deck ahead.  It is sort of strange when you are in perfectly clear weather and you look down at the line where the weather abruptly changes.

My first approach into Keystone went well.  Tops were 1800 and bases about 900.  On the missed approach as I turned West  I broke out and realized the cloud deck was receding.  The controller brought me around a second time and I broke out at 1500.  Time for another plan as my clouds were quickly evaporating (literally).

I asked if the controller could run my next approach into Palatka where the clouds were still thick. They obliged and I was soon tracking inbound on the GPS 9 approach.  Bases were 800 again and on the missed I was assigned 360 and back to 3000.   I informed the controller that I was planning to cancel once near Keystone.  About 10 miles out I cancelled and headed down to the now sunny airport.

After a quick refuel I headed home all in sunny skies.  Things can change very quickly. Today it was improving but you need to watch for the opposite.  I have seen it go from clear to 200 overcast in under an hour as well.

All Wet

Sunday morning, it looked like nice weather for a flight.  There were some scattered showers South but they appeared to be moving South so we headed North.  I was curious as to the progress on the overturned ship at Saint Simons Island.

Departing the clouds were running 1600-1800 Broken so we stayed around 1000 and fought a 20 knot headwind up the beach.  The controllers were helpful calling traffic and reminding us to avoid the prohibited area.  We had not forgotten and planned to stay well clear but always nice to have a second set of eyes watching.  The ship is near an active airport so we had our heads on a swivel making sure we stayed out of the way of the arrivals.  Our radio setup lets us listen and talk on 2 frequencies so we were able to keep up with the local and approach frequencies and observe without causing a conflict.

You can't miss the ship, it is still on its side but now surrounded by a pollution fence as they prepare to slice it up.  From a distance it looks like they have peeled open parts of the side but when you approach nearer, it is just an illusion, they have actually attached large structures to the side.  I am assuming this is all part of the master plan of slicing and hauling away the ship.

After a turn around to check on progress we headed back.  The clouds had thickened considerably and I had arranged with the controller to get an instrument clearance back.  Once headed South I was cleared direct home and given 4000 feet.  Up we went through the clouds.  They were pretty smooth and after a bit we were mostly on top.

The radar picture was not looking great though.  The airport was clear but to the East was a pretty good size storm.  The airport was using the ILS 32 circling to 5.  I was concerned that I would be vectored through the weather to get onto the approach so I talked to the controller and he agreed to take us around the long way to avoid the rain.

The closer we got the worse the rain got and it was getting closer to the final approach course.  We were in and out of clouds mostly and had good visibility down.  At 5 miles out I could see the airport but by now there were 2 other planes sequenced ahead of me for the approach.  This meant that the controller could not give me a visual approach.

As we passed over the field, we popped out into a huge gap miles wide devoid of clouds.  Weather can be strange. We now had the airport in sight and in visual conditions.  I had been watching everything and thinking about where to divert or hold if the weather kept deteriorating but now I had an easier option.  I cancelled IFR.

When I told the controller he seemed happy, it dropped his workload and I was in a good position such that it would not impact his sequence.  I was 3000 feet above the airport and checking in with tower.  I was cleared to land which was a minor problem as I was way too high to get down to the runway.  Tower approved a 360.  Dropping the gear and approach flaps and reducing power gave me a good descent rate and rolling out of our turn we were aligned with the runway on speed and altitude.  

The wind had gotten stronger and gusty but the landing was good and we were cleared right back to the hangar without asking.  I was thinking we had done a good job missing the weather and the rain.  We had seen the showers in the distance while landing but all around us looked clear.

Right as we pulled up to the hangar the first drops started.  CC and I did a quick exit and I went to get the tug to push back.  So in the 30 seconds that took, the skies got their revenge.  Just as I got to the nose, the slight drip became a strong downpour.  I was pretty much committed then so I hooked up and pushed back. 

The wax is good as it beaded nicely which meant there was lots of water to wipe off.  So in the end the plane got a wash and dry and I just got a wash.