A Visual View of an Instrument Approach

I always have instrument students fly their first approaches in visual conditions so that they can see how the displays in the cockpit correspond to the view outside.

Ride along as I fly an RNAV (GPS) approach at Hoquiam, WA (KHQM), and observe how close you come to terrain and other obstacles while following the lateral and vertical guidance, and how, in this case, the autopilot maintains a steady track as it compensates for shifting winds.

This video focuses on the cockpit displays and the view from the camera on the right wingtip. I flew this approach in VMC, and I haven’t included ATC communications or general cockpit views.

You’ll also notice that I mark up charts to help me note important details during preflight planning and to guide me through procedure briefings in the cockpit.

You can learn more about my method for annotating electronic charts in a separate video on my YouTube channel. I also have a video about briefing IFR procedures.

An IFR Flight: KBFI-KUAO

Ride along on this typical IFR flight from Boeing Field (KBFI) in Seattle to visit Pacific Coast Avionics at Aurora, OR (KUAO), south of Portland. The video (link below) includes ATC communications and shows the rhythm of a typical IFR flight: Clearance, Takeoff and Departure, Enroute, Descent, and Approach.

As you’ll see in the video, I filed a preferred route used for low-altitude IFR traffic between the Seattle and Portland areas. I also pass along tips for copying IFR clearances and ATIS/AWOS information.

Leaving KBFI, I flew the NRVNA ONE departure, an RNAV procedure. At KUAO, I flew the RNAV (GPS) RWY 35 approach to get below a solid cloud layer that topped out at around 4000 ft.

I hope you enjoy the views of cloud surfing along the way as I use the Garmin G500 TXi, GTN 750Xi, and GFC 600 autopilot.

Video of the return flight from KUAO to KPWT (for fuel) is here.

Beautiful Day in the PNW

Here’s video from a short flight on a beautiful autumn afternoon in the A36 Bonanza from Boeing Field (KBFI) to Tacoma Narrows (KTIW) for a late lunch at the Hub restaurant. Enjoy the scenery.

Wingtip View

An ILS at Night

Clear skies recently offered an opportunity to log a little night flying time and to practice an ILS at Boeing Field (KBFI). I can’t log the approach for IFR currency (I wasn’t under the hood and didn’t have a safety pilot), but it’s still good practice to fly approaches in VMC when possible to reinforce IFR procedures.

An RNAV Approach at Walla Walla

Here’s video of the RNAV (GPS) RWY 20 approach at Walla Walla, WA (KALW). Because my A36 Bonanza is equipped with WAAS-capable Garmin GTN 750, I can fly to the ILS-like LPV (localizer performance with vertical guidance) minimums. Given the choice between an ILS and an RNAV procedure with LPV minimums, I usually choose the RNAV approach. It’s easier to set up with no CDI switching required.

Aerobatics with Data

Here’s a look at an aerobatic ride with data from a Garmin VIRB Ultra 30 camera’s sensors overlaid. The GPS-based position, speed, and altitude don’t match the information from cockpit instruments precisely, and the sensors sometimes can’t keep up with the dynamics of aerobatics, but the data do give you an idea of how quickly things change during aerobatics. We also had a tailwind of about 6 knots during the landing, so the GPS-derived groundspeed is higher than the indicated airspeed during the approach and landing.

It’s also worth noting that during aerobatic rides I try to fly smoothly and keep the Gs under control. Rides aren’t aerobatic contests or airshows.

To display the data in a video, I first import the video and corresponding data into the free Garmin VIRB Edit program. After choosing the gauges to display, I export the video and do the final editing in Adobe Premiere Elements.

Aerobatic Ride on a Summer Morning

Flying the Extra: Seattle to Las Vegas

Each year around the end of September, I fly the Extra 300L from Boeing Field (KBFI) in Seattle to its winter base at Boulder City, NV (KBVU) outside Las Vegas. The video below shows highlights from the flight this year. Enjoy the dramatic changes in the landscape from the well-watered Puget Sound region to the desolate desert in southern Nevada.

Photo: Felix Knaack

The Extra isn’t designed for long-distance journeys, and I have to make two fuel stops to complete the journey of about 900 nm (1670 km). I usually stop at Bend, OR (KBDN) and Yerrington, NV (O43). The flight itself typically requires 5.5 – 6.0 hours; with the two stops the total block time is usually about 8 hours.

You can view the route that I flew at Skyvector.com here.

Stalls at “Any Attitude, Any Airspeed”

Every pilot learns that a wing can stall “in any attitude and at any airspeed.”

But it’s difficult to demonstrate that principle in a typical training aircraft. This video of an exercise that I do with my stall/spin/upset recovery students shows the value of training in an aerobatic aircraft.

I fly a basic loop, but at several points during the maneuver, I intentionally increase the angle of attack by pulling back abruptly on the stick. Each time I pull, the angle of attack quickly reaches the critical angle of attack, and the airplane shudders in an accelerated stall, regardless of the airplane’s airspeed or pitch attitude relative to the horizon.

In other words, you can change the airplane’s attitude (and its angle of attack) almost instantly, but changing its flight path requires more time. That difference between the attitude and the flight path is angle of attack, and when that angle exceeds the wing’s critical angle of attack, the wing stalls.

It’s also helpful to remember that a loop is just a vertical turn. The same principle applies when you bank the wings and turn an airplane in the horizontal plane. If you pull back on the yoke or stick during a turn, you increase the angle of attack. Pull back too aggressively, and the wing will reach its critical angle of attack and stall, regardless of the indicated airspeed.

Landing at Yerrington, NV (O43)

I landed the A36 at Yerrington, NV (O43) for fuel on the way home from Las Vegas. Yerrington is a good fuel stop in the Reno area. Relatively inexpensive self-serve avgas and a pilot’s lounge. A strip mall is a short walk away if you need food or other supplies.