Bob Duncan and N328RJ

A week ago I had an fun opportunity to fly as “safety pilot”  here in NW Montana.

Bob D owns a 2009 Cirrus SR22-G3 TURBO GTS, registration number N328RJ, and has it hangared at Glacier Park International (KGPI).  KGPI (or FCA as the airlines know it) is the airport that one would fly into commercially if you were visiting the Kalispell, MT area.  Bob currently has N328RJ for sale and is looking for another Cirrus with the TKS Weeping Wing and capability of flying in known icing conditions.

Bob was looking for a local pilot with G1000 avionics experience to fly some practice instrument approaches and learn more about the capability of the G1000.  Dorothy, my Cessna T182T, is equipped with the G1000 and I’ve become somewhat proficient in its operation and am IFR current.

Jim Bob Pierce, owner of Red Eagle Aviation the FBO at Kalispell City Airport had put Bob in touch with me.

I met up with Bob at KGPI and he had filed an interesting round-robin IFR flight plan to practice  IAPs.  We departed  KGPI and flew the ILS into Great Falls, MT (KGTF).  After landing at Great Falls onward to Helena, MT (KHLN) and the ILS Y RWY 27 approach, which incorporates a DME arc for the initial transition.  Then onto Missoula, MT (KMSO) and the ILS RWY Y 11 approach.  Back to Glacier Park International (KGPI) and the ILS 02 approach completed the day.  Lots of good IFR practice for Bob and good right seat G1000 teaching experience for me.

The round robin flights in the Cirrus, landing at each airport, taxiing back for take-off took a little over 4 hours!  I don’t believe we could have done that trip in a car in one day.

This was actually the second time Bob had invited me along as a safety pilot and I enjoyed flying with him.  Bob’s a very good pilot and the Cirrus, which I hadn’t flown before, was definitely a change from my Cessna T182.