Canuck
David Megginson
- Joined
- Mar 31, 2016
- Messages
- 7,087
- Reaction score
- 3,930
With an icing layer at 2,000 ft AGL, it didn't initially seem worthwhile to drive to the airport, take all the covers off the plane, chip away the ice that's flooded my spot, then recover afterwards and drive back home in rush-hour traffic.
But I did, and I logged a great 1.0 air time (1.2 flight time) hand flying around at just over 1,000 ft AGL (good viz underneath), using a mixture of wind-corrected compass headings and pilotage--follow roads from town to town and identifying them visually--with leisure to wonder what load a truck was carrying down the highway, etc.
At 90 kias in my PA-28-161, (55% power when the wheel pants are off), I burned < 5 gal during an hour in the air (confirmed at the pump when I landed). I think I could really get into this low and slow stuff, as long as it's a deliberate plan, and not something I let myself get backed into by get-home-itis when I'm unprepared.
But I did, and I logged a great 1.0 air time (1.2 flight time) hand flying around at just over 1,000 ft AGL (good viz underneath), using a mixture of wind-corrected compass headings and pilotage--follow roads from town to town and identifying them visually--with leisure to wonder what load a truck was carrying down the highway, etc.
At 90 kias in my PA-28-161, (55% power when the wheel pants are off), I burned < 5 gal during an hour in the air (confirmed at the pump when I landed). I think I could really get into this low and slow stuff, as long as it's a deliberate plan, and not something I let myself get backed into by get-home-itis when I'm unprepared.
