Olympia in November

At one point, around lunchtime today, I thought I might actually go flying this evening.

As I drove the two miles to the airport, I saw ground fog forming before my eyes.  At that point, I knew I wouldn't be flying, but since I had the camera with me, I continued on, hoping for some cool dusky-foggy photo opportunities.

Sure enough, when I arrived at the hangar, I saw this:

It was a very good lesson in how fast the murky gloom can descend upon us here in the south sound...and how the forecasts can be oh-so-wrong with just a two degree difference in temperature.

Even now, two hours later, all the fields to the north are CAVU.  But probably not for long.

It is late November, after all.

Thanksgiving

While making the apple pie this morning, I was thinking about the things I am thankful for as a pilot.  And now I will share these things with you:

1. I'm thankful for a family that recognizes the joy I get from flying, and accepts all that goes with it
2. I'm thankful for the opportunity to fly within the best general aviation environment of any nation on earth, and for the responsibility as a citizen aviator to make sure it stays that way
3. I'm thankful for every mechanic that worked on 75898 this year and ensured it returned to service in an airworthy condition
4. I'm thankful for an instructor who taught me stick-and-rudder skills and how to be safe in the air
5. I'm thankful for the dedicated public servants who work in the tower at KOLM, the Seattle TRACON, and the Seattle ARTCC, for all you do to help keep us safe
6. I'm thankful that there is a flying club at KOLM with great aircraft and a commitment to safety, allowing me to fly at the lowest cost possible
7. I'm thankful that this year, a group of entrepreneurs took a risk and started PilotEdge, which provides a key component of a realistic simulation environment that allows me to practice when the weather outside is frightful
8. I'm thankful for iPad and ForeFlight
9. I'm thankful for the Pacific Northwest Flying forum and the community of pilots in the PNW who share a love of flying
10. I'm thankful, every time I lift into the air, for the opportunities I have to see Mount Rainier out the window, watch the sun set over Gray's Harbor, fly over KSEA at 1500 feet and hear my buddy say "that was awesome", and deliver a skiddish Irish Setter to his new adoptive family.

Thanks for reading, and I wish you a blessed and happy Thanksgiving!

--Scott

Instrument Practice

I've really been thinking about jumping back into instrument training.  There was a discussion on the Pacific Northwest Flying forum this week, started by my friend Ted...just the latest in several recent happenings that have me thinking seriously about it.

So...I reserved 75898 for Tuesday evening, called up my instrument-rated friend Cameron and asked if he could be safety pilot for a simulated instrument cross-country to Kelso (KKLS).  He was up for it, so we launched at 5.  I shot the RNAV GPS approach to runway 12 at Kelso, then shot the ILS 17 at Olympia.  The GPS approach was nothing to write home about...I clearly need more in-depth training on using the Garmin 430 for approaches.  But I was pretty pleased with the ILS.  It was my first time flying a procedure turn, and I don't think it turned out too bad:

Flight Track of the ILS 17, full approach from the VOR

Flight track is here.