FlyingMonkey Posted June 2, 2014 Report Share Posted June 2, 2014 Here I am in Sebring, FL, to pick up my CT from Lockwood in the morning. The problem should be obvious if you look at the area weather. There is a bunch of stuff parked over central Florida. It looks like I might be able to get out if I leave early enough tomorrow (looks like before 11am). Once I get to Gainesville the weather becomes dramatically better, but that is 140nm. I'd like to get some other eyes on the weather to give me opinions. I don't mind being stuck a day or two, but I'm not sure the weather outlook improves much in that timeframe. Route is reverse of what got me here: KSEF - X60 - 15J - KWDR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FastEddieB Posted June 2, 2014 Report Share Posted June 2, 2014 As very general advice... ...if there's no front or widespread IFR or MVFR involved, it rarely hurts to start a journey with the idea of seeing how far you can make it. But that's only if you ALWAYS have a VFR airport nearby with VFR conditions between you and it. And be ready to land at any time there's any question. That means being flexible with routing, and trying to route airport to airport. Often the weather along the coast is better with the sea breezes clearing things out, and along the east coast you've got airports strung all along it. Set hard and fast limits as to how low a ceiling you are comfortable with and land the instant it drops below that. If in doubt, sit it out. But you don't have to wait for perfect conditions for the entire flight to get going. Take it in bite-sized and safe chunks and you will get home eventually*. Feel free to call me any time. *One time a delay at Lockwood turned a one day trip home into a week long ordeal. I'll tell you about it some time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S3flyer Posted June 2, 2014 Report Share Posted June 2, 2014 Looks to me like the higher chance of storms is on the west side of Florida so I'd head towards KTIX and go up the east side which is forecast to be 2500 scattered at worst with no forecast showers. Plenty of places to out down and wait out and unforeseen shower. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anticept Posted June 2, 2014 Report Share Posted June 2, 2014 There's one thing in this thread that I haven't seen yet, that I really think you need to have if you decide to play the "see how far you can get" card. Tie down ropes. If you get forced down, a lot of small airports have tie downs, but often they don't have ropes. As for the control locks, just tie the seat belt around the stick and that works fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingMonkey Posted June 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2014 Woke to low overcast and rain...not going anywhere for now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FastEddieB Posted June 2, 2014 Report Share Posted June 2, 2014 Patience, grasshopper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coppercity Posted June 2, 2014 Report Share Posted June 2, 2014 Time to spare..go by air.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S3flyer Posted June 2, 2014 Report Share Posted June 2, 2014 Looks to me that the local shower is moving off to the northwest. TAFs for the western part of Florida has pop-up showers for the morning turning into potential scattered T-storms. Ceilings are 3K and up in all of Florida. I'd suggest a going north for 40nm along the edge of the restricted area, then going diagonal across the southern edge of the Orlando Bravo airspace. Angle towards the coast, then head towards home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingMonkey Posted June 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2014 Today was for sitting tight. Things cleared for a few hours, but then got ominous again. To make the trip even more fun, today I had to seek out emergency dental care for a severe toothache. It turns out I had two abscessed teeth. So I started antibiotics and prescription Advil (no narcotics or other no-no drugs), and now eight hours later the pain is almost completely diminished. Yay modern medicine! Looking at forecasts for tomorrow, the eastern coastal route looks to have more favorable weather by far. So the plan is to pick my way through the complex coastal airspace, then from Daytona (KDAB) make a straight line back to KWDR. I will probably have to fly low the last hundred miles or so, forecasts are broken ceilings at 3500 or so. I think it will work out well, and I will try to get Flight Following again for safety. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingMonkey Posted June 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2014 Looks to me that the local shower is moving off to the northwest. TAFs for the western part of Florida has pop-up showers for the morning turning into potential scattered T-storms. Ceilings are 3K and up in all of Florida. I'd suggest a going north for 40nm along the edge of the restricted area, then going diagonal across the southern edge of the Orlando Bravo airspace. Angle towards the coast, then head towards home. I posted before reading your post. Great minds think alike, that is exactly the route I have prepared. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingMonkey Posted June 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2014 Weather looked good this morning. Looks can be deceiving...ceilings drove me down to 1500ft and started getting into light rain. I did a 180 and landed at X21, where I now sit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted June 3, 2014 Report Share Posted June 3, 2014 Weather looked good this morning. Looks can be deceiving...ceilings drove me down to 1500ft and started getting into light rain. I did a 180 and landed at X21, where I now sit. It is always better to be down here wishing you were up there than the other way round!! Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runtoeat Posted June 3, 2014 Report Share Posted June 3, 2014 Andy, I got weathered out during my flight back from Sebring two years ago. I landed at Lake City (KLCQ). The FBO there is brand new and really nice. The guys running the FBO couldn't have been nicer. They had a courtesy car and got me good rates on a nice new hotel in town. Lots of ammenities in Lake City. Movie theater and restaurants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GravityKnight Posted June 3, 2014 Report Share Posted June 3, 2014 Dang man..hope the weather will play nice soon!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WmInce Posted June 3, 2014 Report Share Posted June 3, 2014 Good decision Andy. Hope weather improves and you can move on soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingMonkey Posted June 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2014 I made it home! Things cleared a bit to the north, and the local parachute school owner suggested it might be the best chance for a few days. I had to pick my way around a few showers, and stayed 2000-3500 feet all the way back, but I made it with no real drama. The prop balancing made the airplane feel much smoother, and the autopilot works as advertised. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WmInce Posted June 4, 2014 Report Share Posted June 4, 2014 Well done Andy. Welcome home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coppercity Posted June 4, 2014 Report Share Posted June 4, 2014 Nicely done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingMonkey Posted June 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 4, 2014 Thanks guys...very glad to be home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralarcon Posted June 4, 2014 Report Share Posted June 4, 2014 Thanks guys...very glad to be home. Glad to hear you are home safe. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennM Posted June 10, 2014 Report Share Posted June 10, 2014 Weather looked good this morning. Looks can be deceiving...ceilings drove me down to 1500ft and started getting into light rain. I did a 180 and landed at X21, where I now sit. Sorry I missed you. X21 is my home base. Glad you made it home ok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingMonkey Posted June 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2014 Sorry I missed you. X21 is my home base. Glad you made it home ok. It's a nice little airport! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennM Posted June 12, 2014 Report Share Posted June 12, 2014 Most of the time it is like it is your own airport. I recall only two times having to wait for someone to land. There is a pancake breakfast by the local EAA chapter the first Saturday of every month and the skydiving place that you saw. Spruce Creek is only about 20 minutes by plane and the place gets a little airplane show as people come for breakfast from there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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