Penticton IFR
Flew to Penticton on Sunday IFR in order to keep current and get more practice in the IFR system. It was managed it reasonably well with a few mistakes. Better that they get made on clear sunny day.
The departure was executed well. However, I was in the middle of the standard departure procedure, which involves intercepting a specific radial to the Whatcom vor (HUH) when the clearance was given to proceed direct HUH and the Penticton per flight plan route. I kept with the interception instead of going direct, to the point that terminal called to check on me after 10 seconds or so. I realized it as soon as they started transmitting and got the aircraft pointed at HUH immediately and explained my error.
Next was the transition from the Princeton vor (YDC) to Penticton. This has a minimum altitude of 9,300 feet. The clearance was given down to 9,000 feet which was executed, as terminal has minimum vectoring altitudes which are in some cases lower than published altitudes. However, once they gave the clearance to the approach to Penticton and provided the hand-off, I informed Penticton radio of my clearance and intentions and started to descend to the YYF adf beacon while still five miles out. A completely reflexive thing based on far to many VFR flights to Penticton.
Now, I had excellent VFR conditions and it was very nice, but I had not asked for a visual approach, I had asked for the NDB A approach, and so I should have maintained the 9,000 cleared until right over the beacon and on a recognized segment with a lower altitude. Since the segment I was on was good for 9,300, and I was at 9,000, I should have maintained 9,000 right to YYF.
As it was, terminal called the local FSS and had them confirm that I had visual terrain clearance. Given that I had dropped off their radar early and for all they knew I had hit a rock. I amended my requested clearance immediately to a visual with simulated NDB A approach and carried on, but that is a serious mistake on my part. I am probably too used to the training approach clearances which usually have the form "Cleared to the such and such approach, maintain some altitude until established".
I completed the adf approach, which requires a massively steep descent from 6,500 feet to 3,800 feet in less than three minutes, and leaves you 2,500 feet directly over the airport, and requires a steep circling right hand descent to get the 34 runway. If I was desperate I would try this approach in bad weather. Otherwise it is the Kelowna ILS, and if the ceiling really is 2,500 feet, then fly to Penticton VFR!
If I had to do this approach for real I would slow right down to 80 knots, which makes it far more reasonable, but I flew it at 120 in this practice case as I was already holding up other IFR traffic.
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| A very sunny day in Penticton with fancy company. |
Next was the transition from the Princeton vor (YDC) to Penticton. This has a minimum altitude of 9,300 feet. The clearance was given down to 9,000 feet which was executed, as terminal has minimum vectoring altitudes which are in some cases lower than published altitudes. However, once they gave the clearance to the approach to Penticton and provided the hand-off, I informed Penticton radio of my clearance and intentions and started to descend to the YYF adf beacon while still five miles out. A completely reflexive thing based on far to many VFR flights to Penticton.
Now, I had excellent VFR conditions and it was very nice, but I had not asked for a visual approach, I had asked for the NDB A approach, and so I should have maintained the 9,000 cleared until right over the beacon and on a recognized segment with a lower altitude. Since the segment I was on was good for 9,300, and I was at 9,000, I should have maintained 9,000 right to YYF.
As it was, terminal called the local FSS and had them confirm that I had visual terrain clearance. Given that I had dropped off their radar early and for all they knew I had hit a rock. I amended my requested clearance immediately to a visual with simulated NDB A approach and carried on, but that is a serious mistake on my part. I am probably too used to the training approach clearances which usually have the form "Cleared to the such and such approach, maintain some altitude until established".
I completed the adf approach, which requires a massively steep descent from 6,500 feet to 3,800 feet in less than three minutes, and leaves you 2,500 feet directly over the airport, and requires a steep circling right hand descent to get the 34 runway. If I was desperate I would try this approach in bad weather. Otherwise it is the Kelowna ILS, and if the ceiling really is 2,500 feet, then fly to Penticton VFR!
If I had to do this approach for real I would slow right down to 80 knots, which makes it far more reasonable, but I flew it at 120 in this practice case as I was already holding up other IFR traffic.
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