Look forward to seeing you Sunday. We'll both have stories to share.

Mine is about a flight last week from SDL to RIC (Scottsdale, AZ to Richmond, VA). Long day (similar beginning), single pilot in the KA, and a surprise on approach. It was about 9PM and I picked up the RIC ATIS - few at 700, 6 miles & 21/20. I'm shooting the ILS 2 and they slowed me up because American was in front of me. I pass the FAF and I can't see the airport - gee is the one cloud that's out there between me and the airport? Then a few seconds later I hear American go missed - oh boy game on. I go down to 300' (dh) and I don't even see the glow of the approach lights, wow.... So I go missed and tower asks my intentions - hmmm, I've got lots of fuel but I didn't need to file an alternate and I don't have a plan. I ask for a vector and I hear American setting up for a cat III on 16 so I tell approach I'll wait for a report from them. They get in and relay that I'll probably get in cat I so I shoot the approach. At 200' I see the approach lights and continue to where I see the runway (and 1/2 mile vis) and land. It went fine but I still wasn't happy with myself. 7 hours is a long day to end with a missed approach and another tight approach. I should have studied my route and had an alternate even if one wasn't required, knowing who would be open that late would have been helpful. However, I was happy about briefing both approaches on my way in - since it was a long day I wanted to get my brain fired up so I briefed both approaches just for that reason (not knowing I'd need them). I use SCAM for my baseline briefing (setup, course, altitude, missed) and I had both written down (writing stuff down is a great memory anchor).

I told Mark about this and he told me what I already knew - if this ended with a crash, my BT friends would have flamed me for the long day (and I would have deserved it!).

Sounds like you weren't the only one caught off guard!

Experience, now those American guys have a little more of it!

Could have easily been me in my Commander.

In hindsight temp/dew point and no wind.

Nice job John. Long day and at night. Makes it even tougher. Thanks for the write up. Nice to be able to experience some of these vicariously vs real time.

So I am told that either the pilot or co-pilot mic could be wedged into the headrest or armrest making it accessible from the mid-cabin in case of emergency . . . Another plus for the Commander

So cool. PDC

Mark,

I haven't asked FltPlan how much this service costs. Can you share? I do use their blocking service. Sure would save time in hot cockpit with or without fire in the hole to go over this and loaded prior to opening door on plane.... yes sirree.

$199

Thanks Mark. While gas savings isn't there it sure helps to have and brief in relaxed situation a new departure procedure from an unfamiliar airport. It only takes one mistake.

It was awesome. I called ground and got taxi clearance. Just remember to change your transponder. So focused on flight plan I nearly forgot.

Mark, how did you get that. In the air, on the ground?

PDC is on the ground. When it is really handy is in a busy environment like TEB. You get PDC and call ground for taxi with your transponder code. Saves room on the frequency.

This is next:

Controller–pilot data link communications (CPDLC), also referred to as controller pilot data link (CPDL), is a method by which air traffic controllers can communicate with pilots over a datalink system.

Got it, was not aware that was available. Clearance without talking to anyone. I like it. So you can get that as a subscription from Fltplan.......

MH jet jockie has all the toys. We don't qualify with only one kero burner up front.

From FltPlan.com

[youtube]https://youtu.be/WHyZXCFyaSg[/youtube]

Landing at KPWK. Windshear 10/20 knots Gusting to 26 at about 45 degrees.


Working the yoke. Taint no thang