Flights of 13MIKE
by Fred J. Calfior and Douglas W. Miller
FLIGHT |
Takeoff:
"Rather than running this takeoff on the go, add your power and line us up on the runway centerline, but no full power trip as we round the corner! We can still check our flap settings at 10 degrees, fuel is chock full, trimmed for takeoff, and those two arrows for oil temperature and pressure are faithfully at rest on the green! I'd expect pretty soon now - like on seven! One, two, three, four, five, six... "
Bridgeport Tower:
"CESSNA 13MIKE, YOU ARE CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF."
You:
"13MIKE IS CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF."
"See!!!!!!!!"
1) Record TIME ___________________
2) Advance power to "FULL"
3) Maintain centerline of runway
4) At 50 knots airspeed lift nose wheel off runway
5) At 70 knots ease back on the yoke to establish a 10 degree pitch up attitude
6) Maintain a climb AIRSPEED of 80 knots
7) Raise Gear when there is no more runway to land on
8) Check behind you to ensure you've maintained runway centerline
9) At "500" feet above the ground raise the FLAPS to "0"
10) Reduce power to about "2300" RPM at "1000" feet above the ground (AGL)
"This should give you approximately an "800"feet per minute climb rate on your Vertical Speed Indicator (VSI). Now, Tower will come back to you with a change to Departure Control when they're ready. Meanwhile, just follow your departure clearance given to you, and enjoy the view of the Long Island Sound."
Climb out:
1) Maintain runway heading to "700" feet above the ground
2) Then commence a RIGHT turn to the CROSSWIND
"All turns should be STANDARD RATE. You make a STANDARD RATE turn by keeping the wings on the little airplane displayed on the TURN COORDINATOR aligned with the "R" indicator. Keep your head on a swivel and look for traffic. We are not in radar control yet - it's only tower who has us, but even then - never rely upon Big Brother on radar to 100% give us the collision avoidance protection of an entire flight!"
3) When wings are level on the crosswind, check for traffic and then turn further RIGHT to the DOWNWIND
Bridgeport Tower:
"CESSNA 13MIKE, SWITCH TO NEW YORK DEPARTURE CONTROL FREQUENCY AT THIS TIME."
You:
"13MIKE SWITCHING. GOOD DAY."
4) Tune COM to "126.95" (New York Departure)
You:
"DEPARTURE CONTROL, CESSNA 13MIKE IS WITH YOU. PASSING 1900 FOR 6000."
New York Departure:
"CESSNA 13MIKE, RADAR CONTACT ONE MILE SOUTHEAST OF BRIDGEPORT, REPORT WHEN LEVEL AT 6000 FEET."
You:
"13MIKE."
** 5) Maintain your DOWNWIND heading____________(20 pts) until the NAV 1 CDI needle centers
6) Track outbound on the "212" radial (same course) that your NAV 1 OBI is displaying
"The reason you could wait as you did for the needle to center before turning is because it was only a 30 degree turn. You're not going to overshoot anything at that rate! Anyway, remember that to track inbound on a YOR radial, you keep the CDI needle centered by making minor heading changes to compensate for winds. You know the rules by now, so I won't bore you with my oration!"
Level off:
1) Begin to level off when the altimeter reads "5900" feet
2) Maintain "6000" feet
3) Reduce power to about "2200" [2400] RPM
You:
"NEW YORK DEPARTURE, CESSNA 13MIKE IS LEVEL AT 6000 FEET."
New York Departure:
"CESSNA 13MIKE, SWITCH TO BOSTON CENTER ON 124.5."
You:
"13MIKE, SWITCHING 124.5"
4) Tune COM to "124.5" (Boston Center)
You:
"BOSTON CENTER, CESSNA 13MIKE IS WITH YOU AT 6000 FEET."
Boston Center:
"13MIKE, RADAR CONTACT."
"Does that surprise you? These Centers try to say as little as possible if they can help it, because of the amount of traffic they have to deal with. I mean, listen to all that verbiage you're hearing. One word of caution, you do listen to it with some focus, because in the midst of all that communication, all of a sudden, you'll hear your call sign and you want to get it the first time! That's the law up here in the IFR structure of communication LA-LA land!!"
Course change:
** 1) When level at "6000", record your Ground speed________(20 pts), and heading for a centered CDI needle_________(20 pts)
2) When the NAV 2 CDI needle is centered, commence a turn to a heading of "246" and track inbound to JFK VOR
3) Set the DME to "NAV 2"
4) When established inbound, press "P" to pause the simulation
** 5) Record your:
NAV 2 DME DIST________________________(25 pts)
ALTITUDE______________________________(20 pts)
AIRSPEED______________________________(20 pts)
COM FREQUENCY______________________(20 pts)
XPDR CODE___________________________(20 pts)
6) Press "P" to continue the simulation
Boston Center:
"CESSNA 13MIKE, SWITCH TO NEW YORK CENTER ON 119.8 AT THIS TIME."
You:
"13MIKE, SWITCHING 119.8"
7) Tune COM to "119.8" (New York Center)
"I continue to be impressed with your radio discipline and conciseness. You are right in always reading back the next assigned frequency, so that if you heard it wrong, Center can correct you before you try for a bum frequency and then have to flail back to the previous one to get the correct one!"
You:
"NEW YORK CENTER, CESSNA 13MIKE IS WITH YOU AT 6000 FEET."
New York Center:
"CESSNA 13MIKE, SQUAWK 3165 AND IDENT."
You:
"13MIKE, 3165 AND IDENTING."
8) Set XPDR to "3165" (new assigned code - and normally push a red IDENT button)
New York Center:
"CESSNA 13MIKE, RADAR CONTACT 30 MILES NORTHEAST OF KENNEDY. PROCEED ON COURSE."
You:
"13MIKE."
"The best way to come into La Guardia, as far as a scenic tour goes, is by way of the River Visual Runway 13 approach. The winds aloft report seems to support our guess that runway 13 will be active. But, it'll depend on what Center and Approach control do with us. They will either clear us for the Visual approach or they won't. "
New York Center:
"CESSNA 13MIKE, YOU ARE CLEARED FOR THE RIVER VISUAL RUNWAY 13 APPROACH INTO LA GUARDIA. MAINTAIN PRESENT TRACK INBOUND TO KENNEDY VOR. DESCEND TO AND MAINTAIN 4,000'. SQUAWK 4256. REPORT WHEN OVER JFK VOR."
You:
"13MIKE, CLEARED FOR THE RIVER VISUAL RUNWAY 13, LA GUARDIA. LEAVING 6,000 FEET FOR 4,000 FEET. SQUAWK 4256."
Descent:
9) When "24" DME from JFK:
10) Set XPDR to "4256" (new assigned code)
11) Reduce power to about "2100" [2300] RPM, descend and maintain "4000" feet
"Hold a 400 feet per minute rate of descent during this en route descent, because we are in no hurry to get down. Boy, does this ever look good! I can just barely make out the Jones Beach Monument where I spent many, many hours, when I was growing up! Did you know that Fire Island on our left used to have a nudist colony on it? A friend of mine and I used to fly over it, in a Cessna 152, just to see how revealing they really were! We weren't disappointed!!"
12) Tune NAV 1 to "113.1" (LGA)
13) Set NAV 1 OBS to "132" in the upper window
14) At "4000" feet, set power to about "2200" [2400] RPM
15) Press "P" to pause the simulation
** 16) Record your:
NAV 2 DME DIST____________________(25 pts)
NAV 1 DME DIST____________________(25 pts)
ALTITUDE__________________________(20 pts)
AIRSPEED__________________________(15 pts)
VSI_______________________________(15 pts)
HEADING__________________________(15 pts)
17) Press "P" to continue the simulation
"Let's ask New York Center if we can change frequencies for a short time to get La Guardia's ATIS information. Frequency 125.95"
You:
"NEW YORK CENTER, CESSNA 13MIKE WOULD LIKE TO SWITCH FREQUENCY FOR A MOMENT, WILL REPORT BACK ON."
New York Center:
"13MIKE, APPROVED. REPORT BACK ON."
18) Tune COM to "125.95" (La Guardia Arrival ATIS)
"LA GUARDIA INTERNATIONAL, INFORMATION LIMA, 1405 ZULU WEATHER, SKY CLEAR, VISIBILITY 10 WITH HAZE. TEMPERATURE 78, WIND 140 AT 6. ALTIMETER 29.88. LANDING AND DEPARTING RUNWAY 13. ALL INBOUND IFR TRAFFIC, REPORT TO TOWER WHEN OVER CENTRAL PARK. ADVISE ON INITIAL CONTACT YOU HAVE INFORMATION LIMA."
19) Tune COM to "119.8" (New York Center)
You:
"NEW YORK CENTER, CESSNA 13MIKE IS BACK WITH YOU."
New York Center:
"13MIKE."
20) Set ALTIMETER, set DG, and check FUEL
"What makes the IFR environment so easy is that for the most part, Center will lead you by the hand, telling you when to change altitudes, change courses, change frequencies, the whole works. And we are on a Visual approach, so we can see everything real clearly!! So enjoy the ride and follow the instructions given to you implicitly. I am astounded how well you are doing on this pseudo instrument clearance style of flight! Good, good job!"
21) When your NAV 2 DME DIST reads "1.5", you will receive the following clearance:
New York Center:
"CESSNA 13MIKE, UPON CROSSING JFK VOR, TURN OUTBOUND TO A MAGNETIC COURSE OF 250. MAINTAIN 4,000 FEET. EXPECT FURTHER CLEARANCE IN FIVE MINUTES."
You:
"13MIKE, OUTBOUND COURSE 250 OVER JFK. HOLD 4,000 FEET."
Approach:
1) When the NAV 2 DME DIST reads "0.4", turn to a course of "250"
2) When you are abeam of the New York land mass with the Hudson River going north, and the Statue of Liberty far abeam on your right, the following clearance will be received:
New York Center:
"CESSNA 13MIKE, TURN RIGHT TO A HEADING OF 315, DESCEND TO 2,000 FEET AND REPORT WHEN THE STATUE IS IN SIGHT."
You:
"13MIKE, RIGHT TO HEADING OF 315, LEAVING FOUR FOR TWO. STATUE IS IN SIGHT."
3) Reduce power to about "2000" [2200] RPM and begin a "500" FPM rate of descent
4) Set CARB HEAT to "ON"
New York Center:
"13MIKE, SWITCH TO NEW YORK APPROACH CONTROL ON 120.8. GOOD DAY."
You:
"13MIKE SWITCHING 120.8. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP."
5) Tune COM to "120.8" (New York Approach Control)
You:
"NEW YORK APPROACH, CESSNA 13MIKE IS WITH YOU, LEAVING 3300 FOR 2000, APPROACHING THE STATUE."
New York Approach:
"13MIKE, CONTINUE WITH THE RIVER VISUAL APPROACH, RUNWAY 13."
6) Follow the river, stay to the LEFT of the Statue of Liberty
New York Approach:
"CESSNA 13MIKE, YOU ARE CLEARED FOR LANDING AT LA GUARDIA INTERNATIONAL RUNWAY 13 VIA THE RIVER VISUAL APPROACH. CONTACT TOWER ON 118.7 AT THIS TIME."
You:
"13MIKE, CLEARED TO LAND. SWITCHING TO TOWER, 118.7. THANKS."
7) Tune COM to "118.7" (La Guardia Tower
You:
"LA GUARDIA TOWER, CESSNA 13MIKE IS APPROACHING CENTRAL PARK AT THIS TIME WITH INFORMATION LIMA."
La Guardia Tower:
"CESSNA 13MIKE, VERIFIED CLEARED TO LAND."
8) Set power to about "1800" [2100] RPM and select GEAR "DOWN"
9) Set DME to "NAV 1"
Final approach to a landing:
"What in the heck do you even need an instructor for? It has certainly been a vacation for me here in the right seat!! But, do you see what I mean when it comes to radar vector assistance? It becomes really so much easier, because Air Traffic Control (ATC) has the responsibility of bringing you in. You just fly as tasked, and that's the fun of it all! Now you'll have to transition back to your own decisions. Like watch that Number 1 needle, since we've got it set for the final approach inbound to La Guardia, but you can also see the runway plain as day!"
Figure 11.2. RIVER VISUAL APPROACH for runway 13.
10) When the NAV 1 CDI needle is three dots LEFT of center, turn RIGHT to intercept the "312" radial, inbound
11) With the field in front of you, correct to the right to line up on runway 13, reduce power to about "1400" [1700] RPM
12) Begin descent from "2000" feet for a straight in landing
13) When you have slowed to 90 knots, set FLAPS to first notch (10 degrees)
14) Try and maintain a 600 to 800 ft per minute descent
15) When the DME reads "4.5" press "P" to pause the simulation
** 16) Record your:
AIRSPEED___________________________________(25 pts)
VSI_________________________________________(25 pts)
ALTITUDE___________________________________(20 pts)
HEADING____________________________________(15 pts)
CARB HEAT__________________________________(15 pts)
RPM_________________________________________(15 pts)
GEAR________________________________________(15 pts)
17) Press "P" to continue the simulation
18) Set FLAPS to second notch (20 degrees)
"I've got to say it! Watch your descent. Try and maintain the same runway aspect as you continue your descent. Don't let the runway rise or fall. Now you could be a little high, so pull some of that power off and increase your rate of descent, if you have to! That 400 feet per minute is strictly for stabilized on track approaches. Don't hold onto a procedural thought when all evidence is telling you to compensate otherwise!"
19) When passing 400 feet on the altimeter, set FLAPS to third notch (30 degrees)
20) Airspeed should be 80 knots
21) Press "P" to pause the simulation
** 22) Record your:
AIRSPEED_____________________________________(25 pts)
VSI___________________________________________(25 pts)
23) Press "P" to continue the simulation
"That's it! Adjust height with power, and airspeed with pitch. Wake me up when we land!"
24) When you are 10 to 20 feet off the runway, reduce power to about "1000" RPM, and start to slowly pitch the nose of the aircraft up to slow your descent and establish a touchdown attitude
"I'm awake, being sensitive to the airplane's movements. WATCH YOUR AIRSPEED! Be careful not to stall the aircraft. Don't let your airspeed drop below 60 knots. You'll feel it when it gets below that, because of the mushiness of the airplane - it flies kind of unsettled and feels like it's getting ready to sneeze! We don't want that to happen because what happens to your head when you sneeze? It pulls forward! When this airplane sneezes, its nose also goes down and that's a YIKES!"
25) When you are five feet off the runway, hold the nose of the aircraft up and allow the airspeed to SLOWLY bleed off. Your aircraft will settle onto the runway while you follow the centerline.
"Nice job on not being impatient and letting the aircraft settle onto the runway slowly! That was a nice straight in approach you did. Nice flight altogether!"
26) After touchdown, reduce power to 600 RPM
27) Apply brakes, turn right and taxi off the active runway
28) When aircraft has stopped, set CARB HEAT to "OFF"
29) Set FLAPS to "0"
"Now guess what? You don't have to do a blessed thing about closing your IFR flight plan, because the instant you land at an airport that has a control tower, it's automatically closed! I mean to tell you, everything about the instrument environment becomes easy once you understand its techniques and procedures. You have been marvelous this leg! New York must inspire you or something! Flip to Ground Control on 121.7 for taxi instructions."
30) Tune COM to "121.7" (La Guardia Ground)
You:
"LA GUARDIA GROUND, CESSNA 13MIKE IS DOWN AND CLEAR OF RUNWAY 13 FOR TAXI TO THE EXECUTIVE AIR TERMINAL."
La Guardia Ground:
"13MIKE, CLEARED TO TAXI TO EXEC AIR TERMINAL."
** 31) Record the TIME________________________ (5 pts)
TOTAL POINTS POSSIBLE FOR THIS FLIGHT 525
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