It was a cold, dark, and humid morning on June 12th
2011. There was a low overcast hanging over Long Island. It was a perfect day
for a flight, that is, if you enjoy flying through the clouds. Some people
fantasize about the splendid view that can only be seen through the windscreen
in an airplane, the skylines, seascapes, and the occasional fluffy white cloud
rolling by. However, as a young aspiring pilot it was time for me to begin
learning to fly solely with reference to the instruments.
Flying instruments is not for the faint of heart, it
requires skill, intense concentration and trust in the flight instruments.
While learning to trust the instruments is not easy, many pilots fly coast to
coast and across vast oceans without so much as a glimpse of the ground. They
do so by instrument flight. Today was the day that I tested the instruments for
myself.
My flight instructor Robert and I met in Atlantic Aviation
at Farmingdale’s Republic Airport where we got the weather and held a preflight
briefing. After inspecting the airplane we fired the engine. With our clearances
in hand we taxied to the runway. Eyes on the instruments cautioned Robert, we’ll
be in the clouds in no time. Indeed 14 seconds after takeoff we were completely
engulfed in the puffy white fluff.
Why are you turning? Robert questioned me. To me it felt
like I was correcting for a gentle bank that I came out of, but no, there was
no turn and we were now off course. After I corrected the error Robert
cautioned to always trust the instrument because they don’t lie. We broke out
of the cloud tops just below 7,000 feet. We then descended back through the
clouds to commence the approach.
We tuned the Instrument Landing System equipment and
followed its guidance. Just a few hundred feet above the ocean the clouds
suddenly disappeared and it was a sight to behold, crystal clear blue water, a
string of islands with pearly white sand and finally out in the distance we
were perfectly aligned for a smooth landing on Groton New London's runway 05.
The friendly staff at Columbia Air Services refueled and
attended to our Cessna 172 N441QF while Robert and I went inside to discuss how
we would slip the surely bonds of earth once more and sail through the clouds
back whence we came. The return flight was much of the same, however, once we
completed the approach to Farmingdale’s runway 19 it was clear to me that the
instruments are installed in the aircraft because they can get you to places that
your eye cannot see.
As long as a pilot is knowledgeable and proficient in the
ways of instrument flight and has the fortitude to follow said instruments, a
route can be flown from takeoff to landing without reference to the ground.
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Some footage I took of N441QF taking off into the sunset at KFRG
and landing
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