CFI-I Training

Pinnacles' G1000 Sim

In my last post we all learned where Dorothy, my Cessna T182T, has been spending the winter.  Unfortunate circumstances for me (and Dorothy!), as I had planned on flying Dorothy in a training course to obtain my Certificated Flight Instructor – Instrument (CFI-I) designation while in So. Cal. for the winter.  And, by doing that, I would also renew my CFI-A and Multi-engine Instructor (MEI) designations that I first obtained in 1976.  When the family and I were living and working in the Middle East for a number of years, that flight instructor certificate expired and now has to be renewed.  But as the saying goes –  sometimes you can turn lemons into lemonade and here’s how.

I decided to go ahead and enroll in the training program even though I couldn’t do the training in my T182T.  Pinnacle Aviation Academy at the McClellan-Palomar Airport (KCRQ) here in Carlsbad, CA has a Cessna 172S on its flight line which incorporates the Garmin G1000 FMS – similar to Dorothy’s.  N497TC is also similar to the C172S I owned before upgrading to Dorothy, the Cessna T182T, in 2009.  Flying the 172S is a little different as it’s 180 HP vs. 235 in the T182T, non-turboed, doesn’t have a constant speed prop and has the non-integrated KAP 140 autopilot instead of the GFC 700.  But for flight training purposes, it’s perfect.

The decision to get started on the training was a good one.  I’ve been fortunate to be training with the Chief Instructor, James Treiber at Pinnacle.  James is an extremely knowledgeable instructor and a great pilot.  The training regimen includes learning how to create lesson plans for an instrument rating student and then teaching ground school to that lesson plan.  I then take those lesson plans into the airplane for actual or simulated flight instruction.  At the end of my training, I’ll have developed an instrument rating course syllabus that I can use when instructing instrument students and also for instrument proficiency checks (IPC).  IPC’s are given to instrument rated pilots whose instrument currency has lapsed and can be given by an FAA Designate Flight Examiner, an FAA Inspector or an instrument instructor.

Concurrently with both the ground and flight training, I’m studying for the required FAA written exam.  The study for that exam consists of aviation subjects related to navigation, instrument approach procedures, IFR en route procedures, aviation charts, understanding the flight instruments and the various systems that operate those instruments, flight planning, FAA Regulations for IFR flight, weather, being aware of physiological issues that can affect a pilot when in IMC conditions such as spatial disorientation, vertigo, etc.

As I write this post, I’ve completed Stage I of the training and will be starting Stage II on Tuesday.  Stage I begins with the transition from flying from the left seat to the right seat, then practice on Basic Attitude Instrument Flying (BAIF) in simulated and actual IFR conditions, partial panel work in the event of loss of some flight instruments and consistently tightening the allowable deviations from altitude, heading and airspeed.  Even though I’ve been instrument current, practicing BAIF was initially humbling and difficult, but with practice those basic flying skills return and the flying meets the FAA Instrument Pilot Practical Test Standards (PTS).  Those standards are what I’ll have to fly to when taking my practical flight test at the end of this training and also, as an instructor, to what standards I’ll teach new instrument students.

Once the BAIF meets the PTS, Stage I moves to Instrument Navigation.  Flying Dorothy with the G1000, I spend little time using Very High Frequency Omni-Directional Radio (VOR) navigation.  I mostly navigate using the Global Positioning System (GPS).  But, as an instrument instructor, you must fully understand, be able to fly and teach VOR.  So, more BAIF, but at the same time incorporating identifying, intercepting and tracking VOR radials, locating your position using VOR radials, holding patterns using VOR’s, DME arcs using VOR’s and VOR instrument approach procedures (IAP).

Although Automatic Direction Finding (ADF) is still a task within the FAA’s PTS for instrument training, the Cessna 172S that I’m flying doesn’t have an ADF receiver to track Non-Directional Radio Beacons (NDB), so that particular navigation technique isn’t required as a part of my curriculum.  ADF is quickly disappearing as a means of aviation navigation anyway.

Once VOR navigation is to PTS standards, Stage I Instrument Navigation, moves to the system that is quickly replacing all other aviation navigation – GPS.  So, lesson plans are developed to teach how GPS operates and then flights in simulated or actual IFR conditions using GPS navigation to include direct to, flight planning, holding using GPS, DME arcs using GPS and an introduction to instrument approach procedures using GPS.

Copying, understanding and complying with Air Traffic Control (ATC) clearances is also introduced during Stage I.

As I wrote above, I’ve completed Stage I and in Stage II will begin preparing lesson plans for teaching instrument departures, instrument en route procedures, instrument arrivals and approaches and more involved ATC clearances.  I’m looking forward to beginning this stage next week as Stage II is practicing and teaching the fun part of instrument flying.

In closing, the image at the beginning of the post is the Frasca Mentor G1000 flight simulator that is used at Pinnacle.  All pilots and instructors know that the worst classroom in which to teach flight instruction is in the cockpit of an airplane.  Use of the sim for practicing procedures, button pushology, etc. is invaluable.  Another nice attribute of this sim is that with the instructor present and monitoring your simulated flight the time can be logged for instrument currency.  The availability of this sim at Pinnacle Aviation Academy is invaluable for my training and I’m fortunate to have it available.

Here’s Dorothy!

In my last post of March 8, I left my readers wondering where was Dorothy?

As you recall, Dorothy is my 2007 Cessna T182T, N1189Y.  In a previous post I also wrote about starting a training regimen for my Flight Instructor – Instrument (CFI-I) certification at Pinnacle Aviation Academy here in Carlsbad, CA – but I had mentioned that this flight training is being flown in the Academy’s C172S, N497TC, not Dorothy.

So what’s up with Dorothy – no pun intended!  Well, I had planned to do my instrument instructor flight training in Dorothy this winter in So. California, but back in October when I was still in Montana with Dorothy, I had a meeting scheduled in So. California.  My plan was to fly Dorothy from Kalispell City Airport (S27), Kalispell, MT down to McClellan-Palomar Airport (KCRQ) in Carlsbad, CA for the meeting and thereby having her available in So. California for my flight training.  Unfortunately, the weather gods changed that plan.

For the flight from Montana to So. California, I normally plan on one overnight stop.  It’s about 8 hours of flying time, but with two refueling and rest stops the actual trip time is closer to 10 hours.  Also, toward the end of October daylight hours are shorter.  Depending on the weather, we either fly a easterly route from Kalispell to Pocatello, ID or a westerly route from Montana to Medford, OR for the overnight.  Then down to KCRQ through Mesquite, NV on the east or Stockton, CA or Santa Maria, CA on the west route.

Well, the meeting was important and the weather both in NW Montana and on either of the above routes wasn’t cooperating.  A strong early winter storm (a precursor to many for the 2010-11 season) was pushing across the NW from the Pacific coast.  The day I needed to depart to make the meeting, the flight would be IFR, but “hard IFR” with freezing rain, snow, low freezing levels and of course strong winter winds aloft-  on the nose.  Even with Dorothy’s turbo capability to FL20, it was a disappointing “no-go”.  Had to be at the meeting, so the enjoyable 8-10 hour flight became a grueling 24 hours of driving in winter weather conditions through Montana, Idaho and Utah and then even stormy conditions in Southern Nevada and California.

So, now we know where Dorothy is…. Nicely tucked away and winterized for a Montana winter in her hanger  at the Kalispell City Airport!

As I write this post, I’m a good ways into my CFI-I training, both ground and flight instruction.  My next post will begin describing my frustrations and “successes” as I learn how to fly the C172S from the right seat with foggles on and talk (teach) at the same time.  It’s not always a pretty sight!

Where’s Dorothy?

So, where’s Dorothy?  For those not “in the know”, Dorothy is my 2007 Cessna T182t, N1189Y.

Dorothy came into my flying life in September 2009, when I traded in my 2006 Cessna 172S, N6065D.

I had purchased N6065D about a year and a half earlier from Red Eagle Aviation located at Kalispell City Airport (S27), Kalispell MT.  I used the C172S to both renew my currency (after that 16 year hiatus) and to transition from analog gauges to the G1000 glass cockpit.  But, after flying N6065D around NW Montana, I realized that if I wanted to do more flying in IMC in the mountainous northwest, then I needed to “step up” to a higher performance airplane.

Another reason to upgrade the C172S was the autopilot.

For those with Cessna G1000 experience you are aware that prior to the 2007 model, the Cessna line was equipped with the Bendix/King KAP 140 autopilot.  A good autopilot, but not integrated with the G1000’s Flight Control System as is the later developed Garmin GFC 700 autopilot.

I had been fortunate to receive my Instrument Proficiency Check (IPC) in November 2008 with Field Morey who operates West Coast Adventures out of Medford, OR.  The West Coast Adventures IPC is a scenario based training that takes two pilots and Field, as the instructor, for five days of IFR flying throughout the Western US in his Cessna T182T, N91FR (I’ll review that experience in a more detailed future post).  With that tremendous exposure to the T182T capabilities, it was only natural that I would begin looking for a T182T to replace my 172S.

Started the replacement hunt for the T182T with the GFC 700 at Tom’s Aircraft in Long Beach, CA.  For the configuration that I wanted, Cessna began production in 2007.  Tom’s had a 2006, but no 2007 or newer.  Looked at a Mooney Ovation at Tom’s, but my wife said that she refused to climb up onto a wing to get into an airplane!  Then onto North Las Vegas Airport, Las Vegas, NV where a beautiful low-time 2007 CT182T was for sale by a private seller. Unfortunately, we couldn’t come to terms.

Back home in Montana we enjoyed flying N6065D around for the summer, but the 172S service ceiling, slower cruise speed and the lack of the newer autopilot and the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) capability continued to be an issue for me.  So, the hunt went on.

Looking at the Trade-A-Plane classifieds, I noticed a Cessna dealer in Arlington, TX, Van Bortel Aircraft, had a couple T182T’s of the appropriate model year for sale.  Initial emails between myself and Van Bortel Aircraft didn’t produce any definite direction on a purchase, however after a few weeks passed, I received an email inquiry from Brook Thye at Van Bortel asking if I were still in the market for aT182T.  I replied that I was, but reviewed where we had been a few weeks ago, but no deal.  She immediately emailed back with a couple options, both of which sounded good, but one better than the other, and that involved price.  The T182T option that Brooke suggested wasn’t owned by Van Bortel, but was on consignment for sale.  Brooke asked what it would take to make a deal.  I told her what I would like to do and lo and behold, Brooke did just that, and I was going to be a proud owner of a 2007 T182T, N1189Y.

As Van Bortel was going to take my 2006 172S in trade, Van Bortel asked me to have a pre-purchase inspection performed on N6065D at a Cessna Service Center in Missoula, MT – Minute Man Aviation.  Missoula is a very scenic hour flight from Kalispell.

Once the the inspection was OK, Van Bortel would fly the T182T to me for my inspection and if that went well, fly my 172S back to Texas as a trade-in. Long story shortened – that’s exactly what happened.  Van Bortel’s delivery pilot, Dan Mercurial, was a true gem and represented Van Bortel extremely well during the delivery of N1189Y and pick-up of N6065D.

As the T182T was due for an annual inspection, Van Bortel suggested that, if I accepted the pre-purchase, to just go ahead and have my mechanic perform the annual.  I have nothing but the highest praise for the entire process with Van Bortel Aircraft, beginning with Brooke and I even had a chance to speak with George Van Bortel.

The photo image at the beginning of this post is my accepting the delivery of N1189Y on September 4, 2009.  What a day?

But wait, we still don’t know where Dorothy is now – stay tuned – we’ll find her!!

Here We Are World!!

Today’s the 15th of February 2011.

I’ve been planning, scheming and thinking about creating a blog chronicling my personal flying adventures for some time now. Had to decide which blog format I would use (WordPress.com) and then create settings to structure the “look”. Even though my blog page at this time is a little blah looking, today is the day!! I can always revise, change and improve the look as the blog progresses, but I wanted to get content into the blog to document the flying activities that I’ve experienced the past 3 years and those in which I’m currently involved. So here we are world!!

Hopefully, over time, the content of my posts will be of sufficient stature that readers will continue to visit, forward the link onto other flying friends and best of all, provide me with comment and suggestions to improve the posts.

I re-entered the General Aviation arena in April 2008 after about a 16 year non-flying hiatus, and during these past 3 years a lot has happened. But to begin this blog today, I thought I’d review what flying adventures I’m involved in now, and then in future posts go back to the recap the time from April 2008 forward.

I recently began a Part 61 CFI-I training course at Pinnacle Aviation Academy at Palomar-Carlsbad Airport (KCRQ) in Carlsbad, CA. Before my flying hiatus, I proudly attained a Commercial Pilot License with SEL, MEL and Instrument ratings. I also held a CFI-A with SEL and MEL ratings. Unfortunately, due to working overseas in the Middle East for about ten years, I wasn’t able to keep the CFI-A certificate renewed and it eventually expired. A major goal in my getting back into general aviation and flying is to renew that instructor certificate. I can do that in a couple of ways – one is to become current in the CFI-A Practical Test Standards and take a check ride with the FAA to renew, or two – train for the CFI-I rating, pass a written and practical test for the CFI-I which would also automatically renew the CFI-A. That all sounds a little convoluted, but that’s why I’m in the Part 61 CFI-I training program at Pinnacle.

I’ve been fortunate to have a quality school like Pinnacle Aviation Academy (owned by George and Sheri McJimsey) nearby while my wife and I escape the winter of our NW Montana home in Bigfork. I’ve also been fortunate to have Pinnacle’s Chief Instructor, James Treiber, be my mentor/Instructor. James is a highly experienced pilot and flight instructor, intelligent, but best of all a talented teacher. Hopefully, if I succeed in this goal, my instructing abilities will emulate James’.

James and I are about a month into the training curriculum. I’ve prepared and presented several lesson plans for the instrument rating student (check the sidebar for lesson plans as they’re posted) and recently began flying the academy’s C172S with the G1000 glass cockpit to begin my transition flying from the left to the right seat. Mainly take-offs and landings to a full stop at this time to become familiar again with the different seat perspective from the right seat. The academy also has a Frasca Mentor Cessna 172 G1000 flight simulator which I’ve been able to “fly” to keep my proficiency up with the G1000 “button pushology”!

You might be wondering why I would voluntarily elect to go through this somewhat difficult process of training for the CFI-I designation. Several reasons. One, I’d like to have my flying proficiency at least mirror where it was when I stopped flying in 1992, second, I firmly believe when you teach is when you begin to understand and learn the subject and third, by completing the CFI-I training I should become a much better instrument rated pilot.

Stay tuned for the next post which will explain why I’m flying the academy’s C172S and not “Dorothy” my Cessna T182T for my training!