Go or No Go?

By BILL BOND

A recent return flight from Kentucky taught me valuable lessons about this significant question when flight conditions are marginal.

I tend to avoid flight when weather conditions are less than ideal. Most pilots are coached, “Better to be on the ground wishing you were in the air, than in the air wishing you were on the ground.”

However, when is your flight a risk? When is careful being too careful?

Recently I had an exhilarating chance to explore the risk envelope of my piloting skills and my confidence in my 1968 Mooney M20C.

The flight from my home airport, Anoka County-Blaine Airport (KANE) in the Minneapolis area to Lexington, Kentucky, was pure joy. An instrument rated buddy of mine, Brian Albright, assisted in the right seat and my wife Susie poured over Good Housekeeping magazines in the back with plans for a nap when we were at cruise.

We refueled at Jasper County Airport (KRZL) in the farm country of Indiana, where the self-serve fuel was a bargain and folks were friendly. The noon sun toasted the tarmac as two pilot buddies and their wives landed to join us in their Piper Comanche on our predetermined stopover to our shared destination.

In fact, we had planned this excursion to join another Minnesota couple riding their motorcycles to meet us in Kentucky. The six couples flying had booked a house in Dry Ridge, Kentucky, to tour The Ark at the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky. The cycle riders were camping, but coordinated museum and dinner plans with us.

Good friends with a passion for life and adventure. We laughed, argued, and consumed far too much nourishment, making each day very meaningful. None of us wanted the weekend to end.

On Departure day the weather seemed to agree we should stay longer. Intimidating IFR weather, rain, and thunderstorms were moving through our route home, and a front that was building to the southwest of Blue Grass Airport (KLEX) all seemed to whisper to me, “No go!”

Even so, the house we had rented was not available for any additional nights. To top that off, the rented SUV we shared was due at the airport.

Each pilot studied the weather depicted on their tablets. Some in the group seriously entertained alternate ways of travel, including driving the rental SUV home. Finally, we realized perfectly capable airplanes were refueled and waiting for us at Blue Grass Airport.

After the drive to the airport, we waited nervously in the nicely appointed lobby of WestLEX FBO. The Blue Grass Airport ceilings were low with intermittent drizzle. Definitely an IFR day.

The four private pilots — Val, Dan, Brian, and I — had a tough decision to make. Further complicating the dilemma for the pilots of the Comanche was that though IFR certified, they had only steam gauges…no IFR certified GPS.

I knew my buddy Dan enough to see by the look in his eyes he wanted to make the flight. We both knew a flight in this “soup” in the Comanche would require VOR navigation and Victor airways. No filing direct GPS routing.

“Do you want to make the flight, Dan?” I inquired loud enough for all in the lobby to hear.

“Yep.”

That was all I needed.

“Well, then what are we waiting for?”

Dan jotted down the VOR intersections and airways he needed. Having filed his IFR flight plan, he departed first. Brian and I lifted off after awaiting the dissipation of the vortex of a scheduled CRJ9 flight taking off before us.

Here’s the point: As current and proficient IFR pilots flying capable aircraft, this would prove to be a very safe flying adventure. My Mooney boasts a Garmin 430 GPS WAAS and Garmin GTX series 345 Transponder. These basic IFR devices provide Bluetooth connection to my iPad, depicting both weather and other traffic. Of course, the weather returns are not live, but generally show you what to avoid.

We were in the clouds within 500 feet AGL. For the first 45 minutes of the flight Mother Nature provided a complimentary plane wash. Later we learned that Dan flew lower altitudes in the Comanche while I used the turbo boost in my Mooney to get higher altitude clearance.

Dan’s Comanche tracked a similar course, which we monitored on the GPS. We also recognized his air traffic control interaction. We occasionally exchanged brief information on frequency 122.75, which pilots use for in-flight communications.

Blending my proficiency with that of my copilot in my reliable IFR Mooney platform, coupled with the competent guidance of air traffic controllers, we enjoyed a generous safety margin and fresh cool air at the higher altitudes.

We relished the thrill of IFR flight as we deviated around build ups that appeared yellow and red on my GPS and iPad. Light turbulence occurred primarily in the clouds around the buildup. The ceiling started breaking up below as we flew around the Chicago airspace.

An additional bonus after refueling in the hot, muggy air at Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport (KJVL) near Janesville, Wisconsin, was the fabulous malted milk refreshments we savored at Bessie’s Diner in the air-conditioned terminal building.

The last 1-½ hours back to KANE were in VFR conditions with Chicago and Minneapolis centers providing flight following for an extra margin of safety. Weather was building just to the west of the Twin Cities as I was cleared to land Runway 9 and taxied to my hanger.

Considering our hesitation to make the flight, I am very glad we did.

Factors that contributed to a positive flight experience and predictable safe outcome? My years of IFR pilot training and practice, combined with a very capable aircraft.

The bonus was the adventure and my enhanced IFR flight proficiency.

And, no small matter, we got home in a reasonable time frame and could relax before obligations the next day.

Go or no go? For this flight, the best answer was “go.”

Chalk it up as another reason that general aviation is a great way to go.