Ones and Zeros

I tried the iPad with the ForeFlight app for charts, plates, and airport information on a recent IFR flight.  ForeFlight is an app that for $75/year subscription will supply you with all the charts, plates, and airport information cached on your iPad.  This post is a review of a flight I did with the iPad/ForeFlight combination for charts and plates.

I took an IFR flight that happened to be to CHO from JYO, the return was via OHM.  I was either in the clouds or on top of them for the majority of the flight.  I did my pre-flight brief and filed my flight plan with FF (the iPad/ForeFlight combo).

The brief worked well, the usual DUATS information was broken into separate sections in a table view.  I needed to tap on a section to read it, then tap the back button, and tap the next section I wanted to see.  I would have liked a “next” button to tap on, it would have been smoother.  Not a major issue though, but a “nice to see”.

The flight plan was there in ATC when I called in - so that worked.  I set FF to show my flight plan (that I’d entered in earlier in planning) on the low-enroute chart.  I could have selected high-enroute or a sectional/TAC.  When the iPad has cell reception, I can get radar, satellite, current conditions, etc.

I have the Apple iPad case which has a kind of microfiber coating, it doesn’t want to slide off my knee and stays more stable than my paper charts did.  FF tracked my position, heading, and altitude and showed me a moving map of where I was on the chart and with respect to my flight plan.  The icon that FF used for my plane looks like a larger plane - might be cool thing to be able to change that.

Coming out of JYO the first waypoint is STILL, but ATC turns you before that which I appreciated.  I ended up on radar vectors to CSN, my next waypoint.  I found that the usual buttonology management of the panel GPS was doubled as I had to mess with FF as well.

After CSN instead of going to WITTO, I was redirected to KENNI for the ILS.  More buttonology.  I kept wanting to tap on the airport on the map screen to bring up the airport information.  The approach plates are listed with the airport information in FF.  To get from the chart to the airport the easier way is to 1) make sure the flight plan is showing (tap the flight plan button on the chart screen if not), 2) scroll if necessary to show the airport on the flight plan, 3) tap the airport code on the flight plan.

I’d prefer to just tap the airport on the chart screen.  I can do that for VORs, NDBs, airports, fixes and arbitrary locations to add to my route.  But I can’t get to the airport screen that way.  This was the worst issue I had with FF.

When I broke out at the top of the clouds on the way down to CHO, and even in the clouds, I had a big glare problem with the iPad screen.  I prefer to buy matte screens, but the iPad doesn’t come with one.  While a glossy screen is brighter, it also reflects much more easily creating glare problems.  And with my sunglasses (yes, I had to wear sunglasses in a cloud, it was that bright) the screen wasn’t visible at all.

I found out later that my polarized sunglasses lined up with the iPad polarization in the vertical position to block the screen view.  That’s my problem, but in any case the glare is an issue.  I’m going to look into a covering for the screen to reduce glare.

The battery life was great.  After my leisurely flight planning and preflight brief, a return flight planning and brief, and a 2.7 hour flight, I’d used just half the battery capacity.  More than enough for my purposes, especially since charging is fast.  You can also get a car charger cable for in-flight use too.

I found the iPad/FF combination was, aside from the issues above, very usable.  I need to practice the buttonology, and I hope ForeFlight adds a direct way from the chart to the airport screen.  But there are some things I liked better: Everything was there and available.  The iPad stayed put more easily that paper charts and plates.  And it’s cheaper than paper charts.  I didn’t have the heat shutdown problem that some have reported, and I don’t fly high enough to cause problems with the GPS.

It was about time to get into the air, get a different view of the world.  I also wanted to try out my iPad and ForeFlight app that contains all charts and approach plates.  So I ended up planning a trip to Charlottesville.Most of it was IFR on the way there, either in the clouds, or above them.  There was little wind, and there was a broken cloud layer below, then a higher stratus layer.  The broken layer started about 3000 feet and the top of the stratus layer was around 5500 feet.  It was very bright in the upper layer of the clouds and above them.  I could see nothing, it was white outside all the windows.  I was surrounded by clouds, and had to wear sunglasses.  Then when I broke out, it was just as bright.The iPad worked well.  The battery life is good and lasted through flight planning, briefing, the full flight till I got back home.  But the bright sunlight on the screen created too much glare.  And I couldn’t read the screen with my sunglasses on, and had problems reading the panel GPS as well.  I had to keep flipping my sunglasses on and off.I buy laptops with the matte screen to avoid this glare problem.  But I didn’t see an option on the iPad for a matte screen.The “buttonology” of ForeFlight is something I need to practice.  Moving between the map and approach plates screen isn’t completely automatic for me for example.My route was through CSN..V140..WITTO, but long before WITTO I was redirected to KENNI for the ILS03 approach.  When turning inbound for the approach I was advised to keep up my speed since there’s a jet due behind me.  I’ve not had this happen before, but have read about it and knew what to do.  I flew the approach at cruise speed basically, then about a mile from the runway pulled power, let it slow down, and put out just 10 degrees of flaps when slow enough.   I still landed long, but was well off the runway when the jet came in.After Charlottesville, I wanted to head back home, but first go to Orange County for their VOR approach.  (Anyone know why Orange County is in Virginia?  I always thought Florida for that!)  I planned a route to home, but with OMH (Orange County) as the route.  This was overridden in the clearance I got.  So I negotiated with ATC once I got into the air.  I’m not sure exactly how to file a plan for one destination, with an approach somewhere else in the middle of the plan!  Much of the return flight was also IFR, but the ceiling was 4000 feet this time.The VOR approach is used when the approach direction isn’t lined up with the runway.  In this case it was over 30 degrees off, so the runway wasn’t very visible in the trees till close.  You have to circle to land.  I did a low approach, the followed the missed approach procedure.That was a climbing right turn to 3500 feet and back south to the VOR.  But I stopped the turn to avoid the vultures soaring to my right.   I was in VFR conditions then so this wasn’t a major issue.Then followed vectors to CSN (another VOR), and from then to home.But something happen as I got near the approach for home.  I was cleared to an initial fix for the approach, but no further.  The controller was very busy and trying to make sure the approach was clear for me.  I got closer and closer the miles ticked down close to zero and I had no direction.  I can’t just go flying in the clouds willy-nilly after all.Around 3 miles away I got a chance in the radio traffic to ask for clearance.  Got a rapid and quick reply, “I’m working on that”.  As I passed my clearance fix I got another chance on the busy radio and just asked, “At my clearance fix, what do you want me to do?”.  ”Maintain your heading” said ATC.  Ok, good enough for the moment at least.  I’d broken out into at least marginal VFR so could avoid hills and the like if he forgot about me.  But very shortly later he worked it out and cleared me for the approach.But it was a couple minutes later before I could get another word in edgewise and cancel IFR and get off his hands.  When I did, the usual, “thank you” was more like, “Thank You!!”  I was cleared on my approach, could see the airport, we didn’t need to talk to each other anymore.  But, it was a new situation for me.So, it was an interesting flight and good way to clear my mind.

When the haze is thick in summer.  In the Washington DC area lately the temperatures have been very high, that’s cooking the crud that we humans put in the air and making haze.  This morning several major local airports were marginal VFR (MVFR) on what’s otherwise a great day due to this haze.IFR; it’s not just for rainy days!I’m not flying today, but I was up recently on a hazy day but where the visibility is better than today’s is.  I was just up for a regular self-guided currency exercise. I didn’t cross the Blue Ridge because I couldn’t see the other side.I did my stalls, slow flight, flight at minimum controllable airspeed, steep turns, turns around a point, and some compass turns just to keep up the practice on basic exercises.  It’s not that I need to do stalls or any of the above in normal flying, but that practicing them hones skills and reminds me of where the edges of the plane’s capabilities - and mine - are located.Oh, and it can be fun too.  I got slow flight to 50 mph (not knots - I have an older plane) with engine power up, a steep angle, and the stall horn blaring loudly.

Pulled the battery today.  Did it today instead of tomorrow as the winds are going to be pretty stiff around here tonight and tomorrow.  The terminal area forecast for Dulles (IAD) is predicting gusts up to 49 kts tomorrow morning at 8 AM (1300Z).  DCA (National) and MRB (Martinsburg) are reporting similar but slightly lower values.  You have to get to Elkins WV or Richmond VA to see significantly lower values.  Nevermind, at the predicted 49 kts (56 mph or 90 kph) that’s more than enough.

I used the opportunity to check the tiedowns on the plane as well.  Tying a plane down is important, a surprising number of planes get damaged not while flying but during storms on the ground.  Tie downs are important enough that the FAA wrote an advisory about it (AC20-35C) and good instructors make a point of teaching them.

Chains seem very secure and last a long time, but don’t have any flex.  So when the plane surges against them there’s a very strong jerk on the plane.  That can’t be good!  We use straps like these with rachet tighteners that are good for almost 3000 lbs per strap.  Ours are around a year and a half old now, so probably should be de-rated somewhat but they’re still quite good. Back when we used ropes I used to double them against big winds sometimes.  I don’t feel the need for that now.

I pull the straps snug.  I want the strap to stretch when a wind comes, not to jerk against the plane.  Stretching is good, jerking is not.  The impact force of the jerk is very high and can damage both the tie down strap and the anchor point on the plane.

This evening there are gusts up to 38 kts so far.  When I pulled the battery it was only gusting up to 25 kts.  A friend at the airport was kind enough to help with the cowling.  The battery’s in the engine compartment under the front cowling.  It’s not like a car’s hood - there’s about 25 or more screws holding it on and it’s picky about fiting correctly.  And with a wind that large piece of sheet metal can act like a nice sail.  I had a plan for doing it myself, but two people make the job easy.   So thanks “Dutchman”!

It was too cold with the wind chill to spend time looking at cables today; that’ll be for later.  And how’s the battery?  The open-circuit (no load) voltage is 11.7, that’s low, but not drastically so.  Sounds more and more like a cable and grounding problem.