IFR Training Langley, Victoria, Abbotsford

Finally, the weather in Vancouver was satisfactory for a training flight today.  The morning started out cool and cloudy, but the afternoon was a clear and cloudless sky.  The plan was to execute a typical flight test:  standard departure from Langley, a hold over the Whatcom VOR, a precision approach into Victoria, and a non-precision approach into Abbotsford.

The aircraft was frosty and required a bit of work to wipe the wings clean.  The Comanche's laminar flow wing is particularly sensitive and must be completely frost free.  I also made a careful inspection of the lower cowl for oil so that I could compare at the end of the flight - three crankcase bolts were found loose while chasing oil leaks.

I filed the flight plan myself.  The instructor had reserved training slots at Whatcom and Victoria.  There were too many descriptive words for the  Collaborative Flight Planning System and the system rejected it.  I had to call in to clarify, but we eventually got it straight, and they were very helpful and considerate.  The main issue was that we would be cancelling IFR at Abbotsford since the Comanche does not have an IFR certified GPS to allow an RNAV approach to Langley.  However, an IFR flight plan must have a landing at the end.  So we filed for a full stop at Abbotsford anyway.

We were in a bit of a hurry to make the training slot at the hold so we hustled the departure and checklist.  The Comanche started after one blade turn - six full primes on a cool morning with the fuel pump on is an easy start.  The new oil pressure gauge was dead on, and the replacement tachometer matched with the portable digital tachometer, so that is two more squawks gone.

The clearance was read-back for the departure and the hold without a stumble or hesitation.  There was another non-standard hold (south on 180 all turns left) but the parallel entry was managed properly.  A slight breeze from the north (which was not mentioned on the winds aloft forecast) required some correction but the first full loop was four seconds over: well within tolerance.

We did not track the VOR across the Georgia Straight (150 knots at 23 inches and 2300 rpm) as terminal provided vectors.  The approach briefing went as per checklist, and all the nav-aids were set up per the ATIS, but terminal control tossed it all when they rejected my requested clearance and suggest an RNAV approach.  They had traffic interfereing with the planned low approach.

The RNAV approach had to be refused as the Comanche did not have IFR GPS equipment.  We countered with DME/LOC hoping the different missed approach procedure would be alright.  Terminal suggested a hold to let traffic clear.  He cleared us for another RNAV hold point and this had to be refused as well since there is no IFR GPS - this is becoming a theme!

Terminal provided some delaying vectors while they dealt with the very busy traffic at Victoria and then cleared us for a hold east along the localizer over the Victoria NDB.  At this point, I was getting confused, but thankfully I had slowed it down to 110 knots (17 inches and 2300 rpm leaned down to 10 gph) and the instructor did help out a bit with the situation awareness.  I turned toward the beacon and prepped for the entry.  I was about to make the first turn when terminal vectored me towards the LOC/DME approach.

We popped through the clouds right on line with the runway.  It is a step down approach, and I was focused on the instruments, so I didn't look up until the 1 knot MAP, but it was very gratifying to see the runway right there.

The missed approach is a busy few seconds.  Check the carburetor heat, mixture full rich, prop full fine, slowly add full throttle, establish the climb, trim some pressure, gear up, confirm green light, flaps off, track the runway heading, trim out more pressure, back off the throttle, back off the prop, ident the beacon, make the turn to the beacon, and switch to terminal.  The Comanche is almost stronger than I am in a full power climb after being trimmed for a slow approach.

A quiet vectored flight back to Abbotsford and an uneventful precision approach to the runway with a low flyover at 250 feet.  The instructor handled the cancellation of the IFR flight plan, and the cancellation of the search and rescue.  It is important to do that separately as cancelling IFR does not cancel the search and rescue.

A pleasant VFR flight back to Langley.  The approach was too fast again (75 knots) and resulted in another long float down the runway.  Had to reef on the brakes to get her to stop in time which is poor practice.  Post flight inspection revealed no more oil leaks which was a relief.

What went poorly:
 - got a little behind when scrambling to find plates and set up avionics for improvised holds
 - approaches were too fast
 - did not notify terminal entering the holds

What went well:
 - both approaches lined up well with the runway at minimums
 - managed to read back the clearances correctly and confidently
 - anticipated the clearances to the approach correctly
 - managed the transition to the tower frequency correctly