Finally got to fly IMC!

[777forever]

Got an unexpected suprise today when a cold front came thru during my a ground lesson and a clear day turned into 1100 overcast. Went on an hour flight to a nearby airport, shot the ILS then came back and shot a GPS appr. It was amazing to put your training to use without a hood. Felt weird and uncomfortable for a moment when I first penetrated the cloud but eventually I got used to it. When we broke thru to the top I learned a new lesson, bring sunglasses! The low overcast made it feel like I was at 30,000 feet instead of 4,000. Today was definitely a day I'll remember forever!

[MusketeerMan]

IMC flying in small airplanes...without an auto pilot is a lot of work, but a blast. I flew back to SAC from SMX this past weekend and left under IMC and had a great time, (even though the 20 knot headwind killed me). I knew I was almost on top when it became so bright from the sun hitting the water in the clouds, but on top it was so beautiful...a blanket of solid clouds for about 150 miles.

Here's my pathetic groundspeed from last IFR flight...hey, just means more time to log!!

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N781JB

[surreal1221]

ah, the glorious valley fog of CNTL CA.

[CLR4ILS]

Originally Posted by 777forever

Got an unexpected suprise today when a cold front came thru during my a ground lesson and a clear day turned into 1100 overcast. Went on an hour flight to a nearby airport, shot the ILS then came back and shot a GPS appr. It was amazing to put your training to use without a hood. Felt weird and uncomfortable for a moment when I first penetrated the cloud but eventually I got used to it. When we broke thru to the top I learned a new lesson, bring sunglasses! The low overcast made it feel like I was at 30,000 feet instead of 4,000. Today was definitely a day I'll remember forever!

Thats awesome. Congrats. My first time was an ILS down to mins, back in the soup around for a hold, then the ILS for a full stop. Think I logged 1.2 solid that day. Good times....

Like you said, I'll never forget that day...

ILS

[amd87]

Good to hear! I also was in IMC for the first time a couple weeks ago doing a cross country. All of the approaches were almost to mins. A little strange at first but easy to get used to. Got a little bit more today on another x/c...broke out on top right at 5,000ft to see the sunrise...what a sight!!

[777forever]

Originally Posted by MusketeerMan

IMC flying in small airplanes...without an auto pilot is a lot of work, but a blast. I flew back to SAC from SMX this past weekend and left under IMC and had a great time, (even though the 20 knot headwind killed me). I knew I was almost on top when it became so bright from the sun hitting the water in the clouds, but on top it was so beautiful...a blanket of solid clouds for about 150 miles.

Here's my pathetic groundspeed from last IFR flight...hey, just means more time to log!!

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N781JB

I agree with you, it is a whole lot of work without autopilot! The same thing happened to me today when I almost reached the top. The gray suddenly turned bright white then blue sky and white clouds below for miles.

Originally Posted by CLR4ILS

Thats awesome. Congrats. My first time was an ILS down to mins, back in the soup around for a hold, then the ILS for a full stop. Think I logged 1.2 solid that day. Good times....

Like you said, I'll never forget that day...

ILS

Thanks, must of been fun shooting down to mins. Today I broke out of the clouds couple hundred feet before DA. Wow, training under the hood can only do so much, IMC is a whole new ballgame, at least for a little while

[Maximillian_Jenius]

Lol...I was almost IMC on my PPL checkride. That woulda been a fail had I kept going toward the thick morning fog and not climbed over it!