Flight to Lake Placid KLKP in the Fall

This flight was into KLKP Lake Placid, an airport without tower, so I needed to get familiar with procedures for IFR into an uncontrolled airport. Also, the approach into the valley through a pass and the density altitudes for landing and takeoff distances requires pre-studying.

Wheelersack (the ATC for the area which includes Watertown, NY) cleared us as filed, and on departure I was radar identified. One thing I wasn't sure of on departure is if we can commence the turn without the controller asking us to -- so I asked if I could proceed on course first. Something to check with an instructor - if I can start the turn towards my course with or without instructions (I'm thinking with.)

On-route we were handed off to Boston Center. On arrival - we were asked to check the SLK AWOS and ask for an arrival we wanted into LKP. I was checking the AWOS on-route so I asked for RNAV-14 circling for 32. We were cleared to PUGRE - to cross the fix at 5000 ft. and were cleared for the RNAV-14 approach.

Getting into an unfamiliar airport is always interesting - especially if you aren't vectored in, there is no tower and have other traffic to deal with. The fist thing to establish is to figure out all the traffic and where they are. There were a couple of planes in the circuit one turning final and the other one abeam on left downwind 32 - so I came overhead and joined for left downwind keeping an eye on the downwind traffic. It helps to have the altitudes for the circuit and 500 ft above for the dead-wind side to join downwind was written out prior so that you are focused on traffic than having to figure out altitudes. Note that for Lake Placid the pattern altitude is 2700 MSL.

Winds into Lake Placid can make it tricky. Upon landing it was 10 gusting to 20 out of 250 - we were on runway 32. The ridge line and the trees calls for a higher than normal approach and a faster approach (you can expect to see your GPS light up with all sorts of terrain warnings!) Have your hand on the throttle and rudder coordination to keep up with the changing cross winds. Due to the strong cross winds, I didn't have any flaps - flaps could have given me a steeper approach, but it would have also reduced my rudder control.

I landed just past the numbers without the go-around, but was mentally prepared for a go-around if necessary: Full power, carb cold, establish speed first, flaps up in stages (gear up if you have retractable gear) with climb out watching for airspeed, and coordinated rate one turn, again - watching for airspeed.

There wasn't anyone to direct us on the apron - so I parked and asked the FBO about tie-downs.  They said we can tie-down anywhere there's a tie-down spot available.  There were ropes already in place at most tie-downs, so that made it easy.  I remembered from a safety briefing a while back to NOT taxi over the ropes - it is a hazard with the potential for the propeller picking it up, so it was strange to see all the ropes lying around the apron; exercise caution and avoid those areas!  It is amazing what you pickup attending safety briefings, reading stuff and writing down things - which is why I blog... to give back, and to help with my own memory recall.

We decided to walk into town after tying down the plane - tough with two bags and a one and half year old, so we will rent a car next time. If you are renting over the weekend, you need to call the rental company during the week and they will have everything ready at the Adirondack Flying Service FBO (FBO open 8-5, but call in first to check) The free shuttle service isn't very reliable, on a holiday anyway, we didn't see it once on our 30 min walk into town. Apparently the FBO can radio the shuttle for a stop right at the airport. Keep in mind though, that car parking in Lake Placid can be hectic - better to leave the car at the hotel and walk around unless you are going to the trails.

We checked into Best Western and hit the town for coffee and window shopping, and did take out pizza for dinner as the baby wasn't up for a night out of town. He had a long bath instead and played in the room. On a related note - we didn't see until the next day that there were games and building blocks available for borrowing downstairs!

The next day we took the shuttle to the Jack Rabbit trails - we were lucky to catch the shuttle in 20 min (we weren't so lucky on the way back - waited for more than an hour - which is why a car rental might be better next time!). Ask to get off at the Quality Inn (or at the grocery store nearby) and hit the trails. Apparently one could camp - so a camping trip would be to land, take the shuttle directly to the trails, camp overnight and return to the airport for showers (there are showers in the FBO).














Jack Rabbit Trails








I filed the flight plan, eAPIS and called Canadian customs with the ETA in the morning before leaving the hotel by 8 am - that way we are within the two hour limits for the eAPIS and for customs. The second advantage of calling this early is that Canadian Customs answered within 5 seconds - I was prepared for a 20 min. wait time. You have to estimate the border crossing time - I took the flight planning time, subtracted the time to fly 30 miles (which was the distance to the home airport from the border crossing place: S-W of Grindstone Island, South of Clayton, NY)










We walked to the airport from the town (stopping by at Chair 6 for lunch), fueled up and got ready to head out.  On departure we had 10 knot crosswinds. We departed runway 32 with Lake Placid on our left, climbed over the town to 5000 ft., circled on the windward side of Whiteface, contacted Boston for the IFR clearance and headed back home. On contact with Boston they asked if we can maintain our own terrain clearance up to 7500 ft, to which I said yes - didn't know that for IFR that terrain clearance can be provided by the controllers! We were handed off to Weelersack, then to Montreal and landed - all under an hour and ten minutes... even with the 20 knot headwinds!

Yes, a 10 hour drive can become an easy 2.5 hour flight, even on a Cessna 182

Yes, a 10 hour drive can become an easy 2.5 hour flight, even on a Cessna 182.

The mission was to head to Cleveland for a two hour face-to-face meeting. This couldn't be done over Skype, as the face to face meeting was three years past due, and there's nothing like face-to-face, a firm handshake and a meal shared.

Lots of lessons learned on this flight - the first lesson is to always close the VFR flight plan. It's easy to forget if you are used to the IFR system, and even easier to forget if there is a quick customs stop followed by an IFR flight plan.

The best process to follow for these intermediary customs stops is to close the VFR flight plan as soon as you land, or if the customs officer is there on time, deal with that first but remember to close the plan as soon as you are done with customs.  This is definitely going on the personal cross-border flying check list.



Another lesson - I filed IFR from KART to KBKL with the way point Mexico airport (470) so that I am over land instead of over being over Lake Ontario and Lake Erie.  However, when I went to enter the way point after I got the clearance, 470 (or K470) wasn't in the GPS (I would have thought that if it's the VFR charts it would be in the GPS).  I asked for a modification to clearance delivery - over FZY instead - and it was quickly given to me.  Lesson learned here is to not pick these private airports for way points, but to choose larger airports or navigation aids instead.  It's also good to know that you can ask clearance delivery for a modification to the flight plan without too much sweat.

Speaking for clearance delivery - watch for the Odd or Even thousands of feet rule based on the direction of the flight - sometimes you are cleared on the wrong altitude but it's easy to request what should be the correct altitude.

On-route can be boring - run through a cruise check from time to time to make sure everything is in order - mixture lean is set right, direction indicator is calibrated with compass, etc. - and think through what-ifs.  It's a good time to pull out the POH and review the emergencies (as you are in the IFR system - remember if you are in the VFR system you need to watch for traffic.)

Landing was uneventful - even with the Left and Right runways.  I stopped at Landmark FBO - they even gave me a free ride to the hotel downtown.  I got Cleveland Hyatt through a Hotwire booking... be sure to stop by the bars and restaurants right by the corner, a flight of wine or beer and oysters are highly recommended.
  

Return flight was uneventful.  I made sure I got out of there before the cold front moved in.  On the return back to the home airport I did an IFR approach even though the weather was VFR so that I don't get too behind on my approaches. Doing this on this and other IFR return flights was a smart decision, as otherwise I would quickly lose my currency in IFR approaches and forget important things like needing to switch from GPS to LOC once you intercept the ILS localizer.  Yes, it adds another 5-10 minutes to your flight, but it's way easier than having to take a day out of your weekend to come out with another pilot and shoot approaches back to back.

Below are the videos of the flight to Cleveland and back.

Flight to Cleveland
Return Flight

Know How to Use Your GPS

IFR flights are great, but the procedures on arrival and departures can be a little nutty with transitions, intersections and vectors. Add in the workload of being at an unfamiliar airport, weather and controllers speaking a mile a minute like in the New York airspace and you know why the workload in the IFR system can be demanding for an single pilot IFR.

 Your GPS equipment is there to make your job easy, be sure to know how to select arrivals, departures, intersections on those arrivals and departures, and how to skip way points (see my post here.) You should never have to manually enter a series of way points into the GPS - it's all in there for you.

 The GPS coupled with an auto-pilot can take a lot of workload off of you, but only if you know how to use it right.

 Below are a couple of videos of the arrival into Toronto City Center as well as the departure.

CYTZ Arrival Video
CYTZ Departure Video

Once you have flown in and out of the airport once in the IFR system, you'll know what arrivals and departures to expect for the direction of the flight - and it's truly a breeze!

Staying IFR Current

Since I was doing IFR flying regularly I started logging VFR cross country flights for two reasons: One - to get some comfort in VFR as VFR becomes intimidating after getting used to the IFR system. Two - Speed. You depart without having to hold for IFR clearance when someone else is arriving or departing IFR at airports with Flight Service Stations.

However, the best practice to keep your IFR current is to always file IFR (even on beautiful VFR days).  This is because it doesn't take long for the six IFR hours (and six approaches) within the last six months to lapse, especially in the winter months when flying slows down due to icing conditions. To get your IFR currency back you need to need to log hours with a safety pilot which can be a drag to coordinate schedules (and the hours quickly add up!)

With my six IFR hours going past six months I checked the regs on exactly when the hours expire. I knew about the six hours, six approaches in the last six months but wasn't clear on if that rule applies within the first 12 months of doing a IFR renewal.  I checked in with my flight instructor...

"Am I reading correctly that I have to do 6 hours of IFR and 6 approaches in the last 6 months OR have done a instrument rating flight test in the past 12 months to be able to fly IFR?"

To which he said...

"Basically anytime within the 12 months after a ride you can file without any flight time restrictions;  after 12 months you need the 6-6-6 to stay current until your next ride."

So that clarified it.  Outside of the recency you need to get a IFR checkout once every 24 months.  Mine needs to be done by June 2016 so I'm set for just more than a year.  I need to keep up with the six-six-six after June 2015.