The next few minutes seemed endless; I was trying to keep focused on landing and also keep an eye out for an airplane when I did not know how it was going to enter the pattern. Once I landed I taxied off the active and waited. As it turned out, the airplane was far away and practicing missed approaches.
When I explained this to my instructor I suggested that there should be some knowledge of IFR lingo for the student or VFR pilot to understand when working the pattern.
I hope this article opens the door for further understanding of IFR for students and VFR pilots.
Jonathan Popp
West Springfield, Massachusetts
Three cheers for the forward slip
I really found the article on forward slips ("Slippery Slope: The Fine Art of Cross-Controlled Approaches," January AOPA Flight Training) to be very informative. The day after I read the article - a misty winter IFR day in Sacramento - a perfect situation occurred that proved to me how valuable the forward slip can be.
The Central Valley of California is notoriously foggy during the winter months, carrying a cloud layer low enough to negate VFR conditions for days on end. This was one of those days, so my CFII got an IFR clearance to VFR on top so that we could get above the 1,500-foot cloud layer where we could practice stalls and steep turns.
Upon finishing our lesson we went back on the IFR plan and flew toward Sacramento Executive via the Sacramento VOR. We flew through a small, but mild, storm cell that was tracking south to north. Nothing dangerous, but you wouldn't want to hang out in there very long if you didn't have to. The approach went well, and we were almost right on when Runway 2 appeared below us. The catch was that we were a little high and to the right of the centerline. In VFR conditions a go-around would have been the right thing to do. However, right at that moment, while still 500 feet above the field, our little storm cell friend had caught up with us. It seemed determined to take the runway.
My CFII took the controls, and I felt the familiar forward slip and saw the runway draw quickly into the correct perspective. We were on the ground and rain began pounding the windshield as the cell washed over the field. I decided then that mastering the forward slip would be a goal of mine before finishing my private pilot training.
My first experience with a forward slip was on a clear day, and it was a little unnerving. I thought, Do I really need to learn this? But given the choice between a missed approach and the ensuing return to the VOR in stormy conditions, or being able to slip off the approach error and "slip in" before the storm, I think that I'll take the forward slip.
Myles B. Traphagen
Davis, California
Accepting the challenge
I read Joel Stoller's article about becoming a pilot examiner ("CFI to CFI: A Designated Challenge," February AOPA Flight Training). I became a DPE in 1996 and have enjoyed every minute of it. I am also an airline pilot for Midwest Airlines, but I have much more fun as a DPE.
I particularly enjoy meeting all of the neat folks who come to take practical tests. They come from all walks of life, and trust me, there is nothing more gratifying that certifying a new pilot or adding an instrument rating to a pilot's certificate. It is great to see the results of many months - or even years - of hard work. Sometimes things don't go so smoothly on the checkride, and that is no fun for anyone involved.
I enjoy being an examiner so much that I have seriously considered being a DPE for a living. Being an examiner is by far the most gratifying experience that I have had during my 22-year aviation career. Although the process of being designated and "jumping through all the hoops" can test your patience, it is worth it.
Kevin Spaulding
Cadillac, Michigan
Related Articles
