Well, been busy the last couple of days. Finally managed to knock out my FLY7 low work, went to the pattern for the first time in 8 weeks (all my intervening flights have been Tactical events spent out in the area with a full crew), so it was nice to go back to the pattern and fly the plane. Don't get me wrong, Tactics, down low and fast in a big plane was fun! Anyways, a little rusty on the first landing, but the rest went really well.
Then I had my NATOPS instrument check ride day before yesterday. Had to answer all the usual questions on filling, flight levels, holding, departure/takeoff requirements, and of course I had to have my NATOPs IX sheet all filled out. That was a joy going through the previous 6 months and adding up approaches and instrument time. Definitely need to think about getting a computerized version I can update at home! Also talked about pilot monitored approaches and various partial panel and other failure modes with respect to the P3's avionics.
We filed for a round trip to Pensacola (NPA), with a terminal delay of 1+30 to shoot some approaches. Broke all sorts of records (personally that is) getting the plane preflighted and going, but when it came time to start up engine #3, it kept hanging at 50% RPM, and we had to shut it down because our 1 minute time limit to low RPM 71-73.8% RPM kept being met. Tried it for the 3rd go round, isolated start from the bleed air of the #4 engine, and we dumped the #3 EDC to reduce engine loading (don't think that really worked), and put our TD in Null. Finally she started up, though I could have sworn I was looking at another cancelled flight.
My FAM partner flew us to NPA at FL180, at a scorching 230 KIAS (don't laugh to hard Matt), and took us roughly 45 minutes to get there. Sidestepped alot of nasty weather that was along the pan handle. And I got to call Pilot to Metro for weather updates a couple of times. Flew past a couple of really high buildups, and could definitely make out the anvil sliding off the top of the clouds, and rain/hail/precip getting blown out the downwind side. Wish I would have had my camera. Busy flight day up there, the controllers seemed curt and busy, had a C12 whip by beneath us, pretty kewl.
We finally got into the Pcola area, decided to shoot approaches at Pcola Regional (someone forgot to check the NOTAMs to find out that NPA wasn't accepting any training approaches, I swear it wasn't me! I filed the flight plan, my partner was supposed to get the NOTAMs... -- sound of dime being dropped --), no big loss, regional had all that we wanted. As we decended, we passed right north of Whiting Field, and by god, I could still make out all the checkpoints, Charlie stood right out, too bad I could never find it when I was on course rules... lol
Got vectored for the final approach course for ILS RWY 17 (I believe), and there was a rain shower sitting about 5 miles off the field, right in our way. We slowed to 140 for the approach, and had to use at times 3500 shaft to maintain airspeed, then when we popped out the other side, pull everything into the bucket at flight idle as we got hit from behind to keep on airspeed on the descent. No gouge power settings today, good IFR flying, can't have an IX without it. I climbed in and did my 3 approaches, got the "best landing of the day" award when I squeaked in my first landing, promptly followed by a waveoff on the next approach when the winds down low changed from up at 300 feet. One second I was on centerline and everything was looking great, next I was blown right off of it.
While getting vectored back around for each of the approaches, passed over Spencer field, and watched all the helo bubbas in Advanced do their thing below. We then headed on back to good old Navy Jax, and back up to FL190. Gotta say, I love the GPS, it has become my new best friend. Tracked all the way home on it. Came back and shot a final PAR into NIP and that basically was a wrap.
The follow on came this morning in the way of the NATOPs open and closed book exam, oh joy! My head feels like it is going to explode, 40 question closed book test on the P3 systems (multiple choice), followed by 24 performance problems in an open book test. All in the time limit of 3.5 hours. Countless drag count, fuel, Vr, Vro, V503, V504, accelerate stop, totalizer, best altitude and various other questions. Took me the full time, since I kept checking and rechecking my answers. Caught myself on one when I used Vr (refusal) of 118 instead of Vro (rotate) of 128, would have made me miss the question. Oh well, I passed, and it is almost the final check in the box. I have 3 more flights, FLY9, 10 and my NATOPs Copilot Check Ride FLY11X, woohoo. Then I am out of here, only to enjoy the pleasure of SERE at North Island...
Probably won't be back up on the forum or checking my email for another week or so, so this might be my last post for awhile. The movers are going to be here on monday, and my computer will be on its way out to Hawaii. Later...
Then I had my NATOPS instrument check ride day before yesterday. Had to answer all the usual questions on filling, flight levels, holding, departure/takeoff requirements, and of course I had to have my NATOPs IX sheet all filled out. That was a joy going through the previous 6 months and adding up approaches and instrument time. Definitely need to think about getting a computerized version I can update at home! Also talked about pilot monitored approaches and various partial panel and other failure modes with respect to the P3's avionics.
We filed for a round trip to Pensacola (NPA), with a terminal delay of 1+30 to shoot some approaches. Broke all sorts of records (personally that is) getting the plane preflighted and going, but when it came time to start up engine #3, it kept hanging at 50% RPM, and we had to shut it down because our 1 minute time limit to low RPM 71-73.8% RPM kept being met. Tried it for the 3rd go round, isolated start from the bleed air of the #4 engine, and we dumped the #3 EDC to reduce engine loading (don't think that really worked), and put our TD in Null. Finally she started up, though I could have sworn I was looking at another cancelled flight.
My FAM partner flew us to NPA at FL180, at a scorching 230 KIAS (don't laugh to hard Matt), and took us roughly 45 minutes to get there. Sidestepped alot of nasty weather that was along the pan handle. And I got to call Pilot to Metro for weather updates a couple of times. Flew past a couple of really high buildups, and could definitely make out the anvil sliding off the top of the clouds, and rain/hail/precip getting blown out the downwind side. Wish I would have had my camera. Busy flight day up there, the controllers seemed curt and busy, had a C12 whip by beneath us, pretty kewl.
We finally got into the Pcola area, decided to shoot approaches at Pcola Regional (someone forgot to check the NOTAMs to find out that NPA wasn't accepting any training approaches, I swear it wasn't me! I filed the flight plan, my partner was supposed to get the NOTAMs... -- sound of dime being dropped --), no big loss, regional had all that we wanted. As we decended, we passed right north of Whiting Field, and by god, I could still make out all the checkpoints, Charlie stood right out, too bad I could never find it when I was on course rules... lol
Got vectored for the final approach course for ILS RWY 17 (I believe), and there was a rain shower sitting about 5 miles off the field, right in our way. We slowed to 140 for the approach, and had to use at times 3500 shaft to maintain airspeed, then when we popped out the other side, pull everything into the bucket at flight idle as we got hit from behind to keep on airspeed on the descent. No gouge power settings today, good IFR flying, can't have an IX without it. I climbed in and did my 3 approaches, got the "best landing of the day" award when I squeaked in my first landing, promptly followed by a waveoff on the next approach when the winds down low changed from up at 300 feet. One second I was on centerline and everything was looking great, next I was blown right off of it.
While getting vectored back around for each of the approaches, passed over Spencer field, and watched all the helo bubbas in Advanced do their thing below. We then headed on back to good old Navy Jax, and back up to FL190. Gotta say, I love the GPS, it has become my new best friend. Tracked all the way home on it. Came back and shot a final PAR into NIP and that basically was a wrap.
The follow on came this morning in the way of the NATOPs open and closed book exam, oh joy! My head feels like it is going to explode, 40 question closed book test on the P3 systems (multiple choice), followed by 24 performance problems in an open book test. All in the time limit of 3.5 hours. Countless drag count, fuel, Vr, Vro, V503, V504, accelerate stop, totalizer, best altitude and various other questions. Took me the full time, since I kept checking and rechecking my answers. Caught myself on one when I used Vr (refusal) of 118 instead of Vro (rotate) of 128, would have made me miss the question. Oh well, I passed, and it is almost the final check in the box. I have 3 more flights, FLY9, 10 and my NATOPs Copilot Check Ride FLY11X, woohoo. Then I am out of here, only to enjoy the pleasure of SERE at North Island...
Probably won't be back up on the forum or checking my email for another week or so, so this might be my last post for awhile. The movers are going to be here on monday, and my computer will be on its way out to Hawaii. Later...
