Radio Madness

I completed my first cross country today from Manassas to Charlottesville and back. As can be expected, the challenge is not the navigation or any of the physical flying. Instead, the challenge is with all the radio communications that need to be performed along the way. It is not that any of it is hard. Rather, it just, for not doing it before, it was quite a bit.

Getting out of the ADIZ (sorry SFRZ...but more on that in just a bit), is easy. I have been filing SFRZ flight plans for a while. Once out and released, transponder on 1200 and monitoring 121.5, I need to open my first VFR flight plan. It is not hard, but I need to release the airplane to my instructor to get things together in my head:

"Leesburg Radio, Cessna Triple Two Niner Echo, on One Two Two point Six". I could have just called 122.2, but I knew the correct frequency and I clearly identified what I was up to. FSS may listen on different frequencies. If I called on 122.2, I would probably have identified my location instead (South West of Manassas for Charlottesville).

After that, those FSS people guide me through the process (really helpful!!!).

Now, this did not go without little hitch. I attempted to call Leesburg Radio twice. Why? Well, I had dialed the correct frequency in the radio but neglated to swith from radio 2 to 1. So Potomac Approach got to hear my first request. Dumb student.

Coming into Charlottesville, I dialed up a VOR and set the OBS to 2.5 degrees. When the line centered, I knew I was approximately ten miles out I could call the tower. I had information prior to the call, punching up the ASOS for Charlottesville. Information was Charlie.

"Charlottesville Tower, Cessna Triple Two Niner Echo, 10 miles North East with Charlie, To Land".

If I did not state 'Charlie', the tower would have said something like "29E, proceed to 3 left traffic and ident, you have information Charlie". What I got was "29E, proceed to 3 left traffic and ident". For students, ident is just pushing the 'ident' button on the transponder so your aircraft "stands-out" on their radar.

I usually get confused when the tower starts blasting traffic calls. I believe my instructor likes me to respond immediately. I really cannot stand this. I would rather take 5 seconds to look for traffic and then respond "traffic in sight" or "negative contact" (to differentiate the traffic NOT in sight, as the NOT can be missed).

Landing at Charlottesville, I decided to close the flight plane via phone. I could have just radioed 122.65.

Coming back from Charlottesville was fairly uneventful until I was 4 miles from the SFRZ. I contacted Potomac Approach:

"Potomac Approach, Cessna Triple Two Niner Echo, over Casanova for Manassas". PA could not find my flight plan, forcing me to divert towards Warrenton. Once the flight plan was found, it was the usual rush to punch the transponder code and start looking for traffic. There is always traffic. Again, the same issue I always have. I would say I see that traffic 50% of time within 10 seconds of the call!

Once landed, I was pretty beat and really pleased. I learned alot and did some great flying. What a fantastic day. Visibility was amazing. Coming back from Charlottesville, I maintained altitude at 045. So, is any one suprised that it took me 45 minutes to close the flight plan? Anyone? Just as I was calling FSS, the tower was on the radio with my instructor (he was taking another student), asking if the flight plan needed to be closed. I felt like an idiot...still do.

Radios were not the only element packed with lessons. At Charlottesville, I was directed by a airport personel using the red light and hand signals. I new my signals, so that worked out great.

In flight planning, always get winds aloft and never calulcate in a tail wind, unless to calculations are applied. Never assume a tail wind, especially when budgeting gas.

I came back from Charlottesville, dialed into the Casanova VOR. The purpose of the exercise was not to chase the needle. Rather, to see and adjust the planes flying with respect to wind.

So, back to the SFRZ. Every contact with FSS I was asked the same question, am I familiar with the SFRZ. Now, SFRZ and ADIZ rules are identical as far as I know. They are required to ask since SFRZ went into permanent effect today. It is forbidden to use the word ADIZ any more. It is formally a Special Flight Restriction Zone. Those poor FSS guys. The last thing they want to do is play cop trying to find a pilots who neglected to take a 30 to 40 minute on-line SFRZ training course. That is not me! Anyway, I try to look at the bright side. It get tons of traffic calls coming in and out of that narrow Flucky gate...my favorite thing. I feel real safe knowing all the pilots, to get out of Manassas quickly and easily, follow the same route, following the railroad tracks. I especially like the pilot I followed today who came up from underneath me, rose above and then dropped 800 feet. Nice.

BTW. I did fly last Saturday and I am officially ready to solo. I wanted to share the experience with my two instructors and wear the appropriate shirt, so I opted to wait, practicing 180 degree power-off landings instead. Yeh, I know it is not required, but what better way to work on emergency glides!