Flight Training - October 2014 - 22

FLIGHT LESSON

By Stephen K. Hunter
FLIGHT LESSON offers the
opportunity for pilots to learn
from the experiences of others.

destination, and common sense directed
getting on the ground "as soon as practicable." I really had no idea what else
was going to be affected by whatever had
caused the electrical failure.
I turned to the GPS and found the airport at Crestview, Florida, just north of the
Class D airspace surrounding Valparaiso. I
was 20 minutes from Crestview. As I came
within five miles of the airport I began to
scan for traffic and reviewed the no-flaps
landing checklist. The airport's pilot-controlled lighting was not on, and I felt more
comfortable that I was the only one trying
to land here. Not having any lights on the
aircraft or on the runway was going to
make everything a little more interesting.
I could make out the runway from the
moonlight and airport environment lightne of the longest flights I've made in a general aviation
ing. I had practiced no-flap landings and
aircraft was also one of the most humbling. The flight in a
I had practiced night landings. I had even
Cessna T210K from Valparaiso, Florida, to Colorado Springs, practiced night landings at this airport
Colorado, was more than 1,000 miles each way. A fellow pilot with no runway lights. However, I had
and I took great care in planning our journey.
never done all these things at once.
The approach felt too low and fast until
The flight to Colorado Springs went bet- I was certain Com 1 was down, so I
I cleared the threshold and knew I was
ter than planned. After our business was
switched to Com 2. The controller asked
going to make the runway. The main gear
completed, we headed out to the airplane
me to check my transponder. I expected
squeaked onto the runway, and I bounced
early. With the exception of some difficulty to hear that departure could now see me
back into the air. I held the nose high to
starting the engine, we both felt pretty
south of Montgomery, but instead the con- avoid a porpoise and settled back onto
good about the condition of the airplane,
troller said I was not being seen at all. Com the runway. I taxied off the dark runway
the weather, and our potential for getting
2 was starting to crackle, and the display
toward the lights of the FBO. Once tied
home in time for dinner. He needed to
lights on Com 1 went dark. I told departure down, I called base operations at Valbe dropped off in Montgomery, Alabama,
that I thought I was having radio issues
paraiso to let them know I would not be
before I could get home to Valparaiso.
and heard my N-number two more times
showing up that night.
During the flight we discovered the
before Com 2 also went out. A quick look
One of my instructors once told me that
amazing utility of the recently purchased
over the full panel revealed the ammeter
you train for things you know are going
portable GPS as it guided us around
indicating battery discharge and commuto happen and you educate yourself for
restricted airspace and military operations nications equipment shutting down from
dealing with everything else. I was grateareas. We made it to Montgomery on time, the top to bottom of the radio stack.
ful for the training I had received from
and my friend insisted that I keep the GPS
My first thought was not aviate, naviinstructors who reinforced procedures
until we met at work the next day.
gate, communicate, but rather What else is
for landing with no flaps, or with no
I filed IFR to Valparaiso, a 45-minute
going to stop working? Within minutes, the lights on the field. At the moment when
flight. The engine-starting problem had
entire instrument panel was dark. I began
the lights went out I had no idea where
grown worse, and it was early evening
shutting down everything that was drawI was. I had grown dependent on the
before I was off the ground. Montgomery
ing power, and I lowered the gear. The
GPS. I would like to think I would have
departure cleared me direct to Valparaiso. airplane was dark except for the flashlights found my way home, but without the GPS
A few minutes later, I faintly heard my
I had and the trusty battery-powered GPS I don't know how the night would have
N-number through an unusual-sounding
sitting on top of the panel.
turned out. I also now own a hand-held
radio crackle.
FAR 91.185, my emergency checklist,
radio and a portable GPS which I carry
After calling departure several times,
worries about restricted airspace near my
with me on every flight.

THERE GO THE RADIOS

UNSETTLING END TO A LONG FLIGHT

O

FLIGHTTRAINING.AOPA.ORG

SARAH HANSON

22 /


http://FLIGHTTRAINING.AOPA.ORG

Flight Training - October 2014

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Flight Training - October 2014

Contents
Flight Training - October 2014 - Cover1
Flight Training - October 2014 - Cover2
Flight Training - October 2014 - Contents
Flight Training - October 2014 - 2
Flight Training - October 2014 - 3
Flight Training - October 2014 - 4
Flight Training - October 2014 - 5
Flight Training - October 2014 - 6
Flight Training - October 2014 - 7
Flight Training - October 2014 - 8
Flight Training - October 2014 - 9
Flight Training - October 2014 - 10
Flight Training - October 2014 - 11
Flight Training - October 2014 - 12
Flight Training - October 2014 - 13
Flight Training - October 2014 - 14
Flight Training - October 2014 - 15
Flight Training - October 2014 - 16
Flight Training - October 2014 - 17
Flight Training - October 2014 - 18
Flight Training - October 2014 - 19
Flight Training - October 2014 - 20
Flight Training - October 2014 - 21
Flight Training - October 2014 - 22
Flight Training - October 2014 - 23
Flight Training - October 2014 - 24
Flight Training - October 2014 - 25
Flight Training - October 2014 - 26
Flight Training - October 2014 - 27
Flight Training - October 2014 - 28
Flight Training - October 2014 - 29
Flight Training - October 2014 - 30
Flight Training - October 2014 - 31
Flight Training - October 2014 - 32
Flight Training - October 2014 - 33
Flight Training - October 2014 - 34
Flight Training - October 2014 - 35
Flight Training - October 2014 - 36
Flight Training - October 2014 - 37
Flight Training - October 2014 - 38
Flight Training - October 2014 - 39
Flight Training - October 2014 - 40
Flight Training - October 2014 - 41
Flight Training - October 2014 - 42
Flight Training - October 2014 - 43
Flight Training - October 2014 - 44
Flight Training - October 2014 - 45
Flight Training - October 2014 - 46
Flight Training - October 2014 - 47
Flight Training - October 2014 - 48
Flight Training - October 2014 - 49
Flight Training - October 2014 - 50
Flight Training - October 2014 - 51
Flight Training - October 2014 - 52
Flight Training - October 2014 - 53
Flight Training - October 2014 - 54
Flight Training - October 2014 - 55
Flight Training - October 2014 - 56
Flight Training - October 2014 - Cover3
Flight Training - October 2014 - Cover4
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