2020 LTS Keflavik news post draft: Difference between revisions

I just tried the [[Suggested Flights#Searching%20Wizard%20Island|Searching Wizard Island trip]] from the suggested flights page. I used real weather which was a little turbulent at times with lots of clouds forming at about 8000ft but otherwise fine and only slow winds. A little chilly maybe, but more to that soon.

Temperature was about freezing level and all systems were good. I took a round around the crater but then suddenly I noticed my airspeed doing weird things. And I lost some altitude, despite I was sure that I was nicely leveled and trimmed...

Suddenly I had a really serious problem! Obviously the moisture above the water did create icing on my plane and I slowly lost airspeed. The Pitot tube was obviously frozen, and I supposed also that the static ports where frozen. So while trying to maintain altitude and regain speed I readjusted the motor to max power, which helped me to at least not drop into the water; and I pulled the alt-static port knob to regain static pressure, and some time after that the airspeed indicator (ASI), Altimeter and vertical-speed indicator (VSI) got back to live. As I reestablished somewhat control of the flight, I realized that I will probably not get enough lift to cross the lakes ridges. Weather data suggested that at the lake there should be some wind coming from 330, so I figured that I may try to use ridge lift at the southwest side. Luckily that worked and I was able to gain about 300ft per minute, and I figured that I will get enough altitude to cross the lower ridges in the northeast.

Then another problem: A routine control of the gauges revealed that my Cylinder Head Temperature (CHT) is over limits due to the air intake clogged with ice. I promptly reduced engine power and added lots of mixture in order to try to cool the cylinders down. That worked without engine failure... Phew!

Finally crossing the ridge made me sigh inside and I hoped that the remainder of the route will bring me into warmer air - the vague trip description in the wiki said the target airport is about 3300ft, so I had plenty of room to go down. Consequently I tried to stay near the ground - but not too low! And I constantly monitored the CHT gauge which was always near 500°F for the rest of the trip - that's at the red mark.

So I tried to get enough power and established a small ascend - just enough to cross the treeline at the lowest part of the ridge. My backup plan was to just slowly fly circles until I get enough height, but I made it at the first attempt (150ft above ground level [AGL]...).

From that on I just followed the valley down. Last time I noticed I was about 61 nautical mile (NM) away from the Klamath Falls VORTAC, but shortly before crossing the ridge the signal went unstable and ceased.

I really needed the airport NOW. What did I know? I knew that the airfield is a grass strip and should be about 71 NM away from the VORTAC (thus about 10 NM from my position), and I flew about 80-90 knots, giving me roughly 5-8 minutes until I should be in the vicinity of the field. I also knew that I had wood everywhere, so I really need to take care not to get too close to the ground. I also knew the rough direction of the target since I tried to follow the radial closely until the point when the signal vanished - my conclusion was that the airfield must be somewhere in front of me, before the next far mountains, but nothing to see yet.

I held my eyes simultaneously at the gauges to not overheat or get a problem with the flight parameters, and also on the outside. Woods, everywhere woods. Suddenly (the 10 minutes were long over, at least in my feeling [clock told otherwise, tough]) behind a hill - what is that? That looks like a clearing!? It is a clearing. Is that a road? Hmm, please let it be the airfield! Yes, its probably an airfield!!!! And - quickly recheck - the orientation looks good also! That must be it!

Finally I made it out alive.... Cool what FlightGear can surprise you with nowadays. It was about 3°C there and the snow already sublimated and melted a little. Ah, b.t.w.: the Wizard was not on the island, or I didn't find him.