Langley Saskatoon Edson Kamloops Langley
Logged a very great deal of time last weekend. Had several good reasons to visit family and friends in Saskatoon so very early (just after dawn) on a Saturday morning we lifted off from Langley and flew to Saskatoon. The weather was completely clear and so it was a pleasant and boring 4.5 hour flight in a straight line. The direct track goes straight over Calgary airport, so the only deviation was a few minutes where Calgary terminal asked me to "turn left 20 degrees for traffic."
However the next day was more problematic. Weather in Saskatoon was clear although visibility was six miles due to smoke. There was a row of thunderstorms over Calgary and southern British Columbia as well as an intense low pressure system north of Edmonton. Winds were high and from the south-west, and built up faster and more directly from the west at altitude.
So, I chose a low altitude (4,500) flight to Edson in order to take the Jasper pass. It was going to be a rough, uncomfortable, and slow flight. We'd refuel in Edson, perhaps catch up with a friend, and then proceed to Langley along the north VFR route.
The smoke cleared after an hour or so but the winds kept getting worse. Turbulence got quite bad at Edmonton, and peaked just as we arrived at Edson. 28 knot winds gusting 33 knots. We hit one bump while maneuvering to land that bounced our heads off the roof. Three and a half hours of hard work flying in rough conditions. I was ready for a rest.
We refueled the aircraft while I took a break and checked out the weather briefings. We ended up waiting few hours for the wind to die down but we had to get going by a deadline as the runways in Langley were closing at 0330 for repair work at night. When the moment came the wind had died down to 20 gusting 30 and the interior of BC was forecast to be 8,000 feet broken and much more reasonable wind.
So we took off for Jasper. Ceilings were up around 7,000 broken but the pass itself was only 1,000 above ground level. I poked around to the north to see if there was another way in but was getting ready to knock it off when I spotted an aircraft flying out of the pass. A quick conversation later and it seemed that visibility underneath the low ceiling was very good. So I slowed down and slid underneath.
It was an exhilarating ride. The turbulence was mostly gone and the light was an even glow that emanated off the terrain and clouds. Each mountain had shoulders of cloud that projected out into the valley pass. Each corner was another decision as I picked a path along the pass, double-checking at each corner that I had a way back, and a clear path around, and then slipping wide and around to check out the next mystery.
Thankfully, it kept getting better the further we went. By Valemont the ceiling was up at the promised 8,000 and the clouds were broken. There was another low and tight spot at Blue River but I could see blue sky beyond the pass, and soon enough it opened right up. We flew up over the mountains and started a course direct to Langley.
Kamloops FSS was helpful with a weather briefing and updates and I updated my flight plan ETA. Again, I was very focused on the weather at it was starting to close down again. I revised my route to go along the Fraser valley VFR route as the clouds were hitting the mountains again. While the automated weather station at Hope was projecting a 9,000 foot ceiling it looked more like 7,000 to me, and the sun was setting, and there was scattered cloud at 4,000.
As I approached Hope in the dark (almost ready to make the right turn into the valley) Pacific Radio reached me to check my position. I had slowed down so much that I was about to over-run my arrival. I gave my position as six miles north of Hope and an ETA at Langley of 10 minutes. They notified me that I was going to be landing after the 0330 runway closure. I notified them of a diversion to Pitt Meadows and an ETA of 20 minutes.
I took stock of the situation. I was five miles from Hope, but could not see the lights of the town. Rain was hitting the windshield. I was diverting to Pitt Meadows anyway. It was dark. I still had three hours of fuel but it was looking really unpleasant out there. The temperature was a degree over freezing at 5,000 feet. Risk factors were piling up. If I made the turn and end up with very low visibility in the dark I would have to follow the lights of the number one highway in a narrow valley in the dark and rain.
I diverted to Kamloops, made a hard 180 turn, thumped on the power, and climbed out of the valley. I flew over Merrit just in case the weather came down any more - it was still twilight and a landing there was plausible even though the runway isn't lighted. But the weather held for us and we reached Kamloops and made a nice landing in the pitch dark. Three point eight hours of flying and all of it was 100% on the ball attention and stress.
Spent a few minutes calling the Executive Flight Centre in Kamloops. Great people who really looked after us, arranging a hotel room and shuttle ride, and I can't possibly thank them enough for taking care of the details after such a stressful and busy flight. I had flown 7.3 hours at that point - all of it hard work. I had worn the skin off my left elbow from working the control yoke while resting my arm on the cabin's arm rest!
Spent a very comfortable evening relaxing in a snug hotel room. I passed out the instant I lay down to sleep.
The next morning was crisp and clean with scattered puffy friendly little clouds. We ate a leisurely breakfast at the hotel and took a free shuttle out to the airport. Soon we were finishing our flight and I made it home in time to go to work on a Monday morning. 1.5 hours.
The aircraft performed well although it did develop an issue with the manifold pressure gauge getting very sluggish - almost to the point of useless. The last flight I was basically setting power using the exhaust gas temperature gauge and the fuel flow meter. She is now due for her first oil change after changing a cylinder during the annual.
Exhausting but satisfying.
However the next day was more problematic. Weather in Saskatoon was clear although visibility was six miles due to smoke. There was a row of thunderstorms over Calgary and southern British Columbia as well as an intense low pressure system north of Edmonton. Winds were high and from the south-west, and built up faster and more directly from the west at altitude.
So, I chose a low altitude (4,500) flight to Edson in order to take the Jasper pass. It was going to be a rough, uncomfortable, and slow flight. We'd refuel in Edson, perhaps catch up with a friend, and then proceed to Langley along the north VFR route.
The smoke cleared after an hour or so but the winds kept getting worse. Turbulence got quite bad at Edmonton, and peaked just as we arrived at Edson. 28 knot winds gusting 33 knots. We hit one bump while maneuvering to land that bounced our heads off the roof. Three and a half hours of hard work flying in rough conditions. I was ready for a rest.
We refueled the aircraft while I took a break and checked out the weather briefings. We ended up waiting few hours for the wind to die down but we had to get going by a deadline as the runways in Langley were closing at 0330 for repair work at night. When the moment came the wind had died down to 20 gusting 30 and the interior of BC was forecast to be 8,000 feet broken and much more reasonable wind.
So we took off for Jasper. Ceilings were up around 7,000 broken but the pass itself was only 1,000 above ground level. I poked around to the north to see if there was another way in but was getting ready to knock it off when I spotted an aircraft flying out of the pass. A quick conversation later and it seemed that visibility underneath the low ceiling was very good. So I slowed down and slid underneath.
It was an exhilarating ride. The turbulence was mostly gone and the light was an even glow that emanated off the terrain and clouds. Each mountain had shoulders of cloud that projected out into the valley pass. Each corner was another decision as I picked a path along the pass, double-checking at each corner that I had a way back, and a clear path around, and then slipping wide and around to check out the next mystery.
Thankfully, it kept getting better the further we went. By Valemont the ceiling was up at the promised 8,000 and the clouds were broken. There was another low and tight spot at Blue River but I could see blue sky beyond the pass, and soon enough it opened right up. We flew up over the mountains and started a course direct to Langley.
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| Climbing into the clear near Kamloops |
As I approached Hope in the dark (almost ready to make the right turn into the valley) Pacific Radio reached me to check my position. I had slowed down so much that I was about to over-run my arrival. I gave my position as six miles north of Hope and an ETA at Langley of 10 minutes. They notified me that I was going to be landing after the 0330 runway closure. I notified them of a diversion to Pitt Meadows and an ETA of 20 minutes.
 |
| Descending into the Fraser valley |
I diverted to Kamloops, made a hard 180 turn, thumped on the power, and climbed out of the valley. I flew over Merrit just in case the weather came down any more - it was still twilight and a landing there was plausible even though the runway isn't lighted. But the weather held for us and we reached Kamloops and made a nice landing in the pitch dark. Three point eight hours of flying and all of it was 100% on the ball attention and stress.
Spent a few minutes calling the Executive Flight Centre in Kamloops. Great people who really looked after us, arranging a hotel room and shuttle ride, and I can't possibly thank them enough for taking care of the details after such a stressful and busy flight. I had flown 7.3 hours at that point - all of it hard work. I had worn the skin off my left elbow from working the control yoke while resting my arm on the cabin's arm rest!
Spent a very comfortable evening relaxing in a snug hotel room. I passed out the instant I lay down to sleep.
The next morning was crisp and clean with scattered puffy friendly little clouds. We ate a leisurely breakfast at the hotel and took a free shuttle out to the airport. Soon we were finishing our flight and I made it home in time to go to work on a Monday morning. 1.5 hours.
The aircraft performed well although it did develop an issue with the manifold pressure gauge getting very sluggish - almost to the point of useless. The last flight I was basically setting power using the exhaust gas temperature gauge and the fuel flow meter. She is now due for her first oil change after changing a cylinder during the annual.
Exhausting but satisfying.
 |
| A great difference a few hours makes. |
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