IFR Flights of 13MIKE

by Fred J. Calfior and Douglas W. Miller

PREFLIGHT

note:	Set ZOOM to "1.0"
	Set TIME to "08:00"

"I've been reading some Louis L'Amour books where I've picked up on some common sayings which I feel pertain to the perspective of an instrument pilot! Here's one! Whenever you do acquire your instrument rating, I'd say you 're at the place where:

        1. 'You 've been up the creek and over the mountain.'

There's a comfort in piloting an aircraft with capable instrument trained pilots, because no matter what the weather (to a point), you do what's necessary to work around it, in it, or through it. To me, this statement is what epitomizes the skill and drive of any serious instrument pilot.

2. 'You ever need help, you talk to that person there. If I was heading into grief, there's no person I'd rather have riding point for me. When that person wants to go somewhere and there ain't no hole, he just naturally makes himself one.'

Let's get some preliminary information from UNICOM on one two three point zero before we start too deeply into this wonderful excursion to Champaign!"

Instruments:

1) Tune COM to "123.0" (Kankakee UNICOM)

You:

"KANKAKEE UNICOM, CESSNA 9413MIKE IS AT THE RAMP. WOULD YOU LAY ON ME WHAT THE WINDS, RUNWAY IN USE, AND ALTIMETER SETTING IS, IF YOU DON'T MIND?"

Kankakee UNICOM:

"CESSNA 9413MIKE, WIND THREE ONE ZERO AT ONE ZERO, TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS ARE ON RUNWAY THREE FOUR, AND THE ALTIMETER SETTING IS TWO NINER EIGHT FIVE."

2) Set "Altimeter" and "Heading Indicator"

3) Set XPDR to "1200" (VFR code)

4) Tune NAV 1 to "116.8" (RBS)

5) Set NAV 1 OBS to a centered needle TO the station

"This is going to be another fantastic training hop for you! I'm wanting you to acquire a pop up IFR clearance when you feel that VFR conditions can no longer be met. I also want to do another VOR approach, but with a circle to land, so you can see what it takes to fly one of those. Therefore, I've chosen the VOR DME runway two two Right approach into Champaign, and you'll notice that the inbound track is two zero eight. So set up your NAV 2 to Champaign and that inbound track. Oh yeah! Good job on that VFR transponder code!"

6) Tune NAV 2 to "110.0" (CMI)

7) Set NAV 2 OBS to "208"

8) Set the DME to "NAV 1" and "DIST"

9) Check CARS HEAT is "OFF"

10) Check GEAR "DOWN"

11) Turn STROBE "ON"

12) Check LIGHTS are "OFF"

"Rid'em cowboy! Runway three four is what the dude said - or was it a dudess? Anyway, tell UNICOM we're taxiing and meanwhile, we'll watch out for deer and waterfowl which supposedly is in the vicinity of the airport!"

You:

"KANKAKEE UNICOM, CESSNA 13MIKE WILL BE TAXIING TO RUNWAY THREE FOUR FOR DEPARTURE, VFR."

Kankakee UNICOM:

"CESSNA 13MIKE, ROGER!"

TAXI -

"The approach end of runway three four is about ten o'clock, but we'll have to back taxi down runway three four to get to its runup area. Take a look at the Airport Diagram and notice how, from the terminal, we taxi to the left and intersect the runway about a third of the way down. We could do an intersection takeoff, and nobody would care, but for your experience, a back taxi will be marvelous."

1) Taxi to just short of runway 34 and brake to a stop

"Now look for traffic off of three four. Right! I don't see any either! So let's tell traffic that we're back taxiing down runway three four to the runup area."

You:

"KANKAKEE TRAFFIC, CESSNA 13MIKE IS BACK TAXIING DOWN TO THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY THREE FOUR."

"Okay! Go for it"

2) Taxi down runway 34 to the right

"Now pull off the runway to the right there, and spin around one hundred and eighty degrees, and hold short on a heading of zero seven zero. Tell traffic you're clear."

You:

"KANKAKEE TRAFFIC, CESSNA 13MIKE CLEAR OF THREE FOUR."

**

"Here's a couple of quiz questions to familiarize you with the Airport Diagram.

1. What is the elevation of the ground where you 're parked? ______________________________________________(5pts)

2. What is the width of runway 34?_______________________(5 pts)

3. Can Kankakee be used as an alternate airport in the IFR environment? (check notes below minimums section)______(5 pts)

4. What are the intensity of the runway lights on 34?

Low, Medium, or High?_____________________________(5pts)

5. What is the elevation at Greater Kankakee Airport?_______(5 pts)

6. What is the runway length of 34?______________________(5pts)

Great! Do what checks you need like the runup to check the magnetos, and we'll be soaring aloft in no time at all!"

RUNUP-

3) Set brake (hold down to prevent aircraft from moving)

4) Advance power to about "2000" RPM

**                    5) Select CARB HEAT "ON", record RPM drop_____(5 pts)

6) Select CARB HEAT "OFF"

**                    7) Select "LEFT" Mag, record RPM drop___________(5 pts)

8) Select "BOTH" Mags

**                    9) Select "RIGHT" Mag, record RPM drop__________(5 pts)

10) Select "BOTH" Mags

11) Reduce power to idle

12) Set FLAPS to first notch (10 degrees takeoff configuration)

"Wait! Wait! My previous statement about soaring aloft was relatively speaking! We first need to activate our VFR flight plan, so that we are nestled in the ever loving arms of the ATC people concerned about our welfare. And that's good! Since the low altitude enroute chart shows a shadow box around Kankakee, FSS frequency will be one two two point two. Yup!"

13) Tune COM to "122.2" (Kankakee Radio)

You:

"KANKAKEE RADIO, CESSNA 9413MIKE, ONE TWO TWO POINT TWO."

Kankakee Radio:

"CESSNA 9413MIKE, KANKAKEE RADIO, GO AHEAD."

You:

"KANKAKEE RADIO, CESSNA 13MIKE WOULD LIKE TO ACTIVATE ITS VFR FLIGHT PLAN TO WILLARD AIRPORT, CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS, PLEASE."

Kankakee Radio:

"CESSNA 13MIKE, FLIGHT PLAN ACTIVATED AT ZERO EIGHT. FOR ADDITIONAL ENROUTE WEATHER, FLIGHT WATCH ONE TWO TWO POINT ZERO."

You:

"KANKAKEE RADIO, ROGER."

14) Tune COM to "123.0" (Kankakee UNICOM)

"Boy, I've got to put a leash on you! I take these walks with my dog, Lindy, and pull, pull, pull, pull, pull! I applaud your enthusiasm! And to honor your excitement and gusto, don't let me stop you! Go for it! Left downwind departure! And because you're a veteran of VFR departures, I expect it to be perfectly executed! How's that for pressure on an instructional flight, huh?"

You:

"KANKAKEE TRAFFIC, CESSNA 13MIKE IS TAKING THE ACTIVE, RUNWAY THREE FOUR, FOR A LEFT DOWNWIND DEPARTURE."

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