IFR Flights of 13MIKE

by Fred J. Calfior and Douglas W. Miller

PREFLIGHT

note:	Set ZOOM to "1.0"
	Set TIME to "1400"

"I sure do enjoy our flights together! And isn't it a unique challenge to be working the details of the IFR environment, while at the same time sharpening up your instrument scanning pattern? When flying the T-2 Buckeye and A-4 Skyhawk in the Navy, one of the first lessons that had to be accomplished before getting into the airplane was to pass a blindfold cockpit check. Sitting inside the cockpit, you couldn't see anything and the instructor would ask you to point to the airspeed indicator, so you would. NAV 1 receiver - you would. Air conditioning switch - you would. Well, I won't have you do that, but it's not a bad idea to know exactly where each of your gauges are, so that your scan will be smooth. Let's use the pre-taxi clearance program, and get our clearance on one two five point niner."

Departure Clearance:

1) Tune COM to "125.9" (Lindbergh Clearance)

You:

"LINDBERGH CLEARANCE, CESSNA 9413MIKE, EAST TERMINAL, IFR. I'D LIKE TO ACTIVATE MY IFR FLIGHT PLAN FROM SAN DIEGO INTERNATIONAL TO LOS ANGELES, PLEASE."

Lindbergh Clearance:

"CESSNA 9413MIKE, LINDBERGH CLEARANCE, CLEARED TO LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL AS FILED. MAINTAIN SEVEN THOUSAND. SAN DIEGO DEPARTURE FREQUENCY WILL BE ONE TWO FIVE POINT THREE, SQUAWK SIX FOUR FIVE TWO."

You:

"NOVEMBER 9413MIKE IS CLEARED AS FILED. MAINTAIN SEVEN THOUSAND. DEPARTURE ONE TWO FIVE POINT THREE, SQUAWK SIX FOUR FIVE TWO."

Lindbergh Clearance:

"READBACK CORRECT. ENJOY YOUR FLIGHT!"

"You remember what our ‘as filed’ is now, right? This is your first attempt at a Standard Instrument Departure, SID, and it's a beautiful one! I can't tell you how thrilling these instrument flights are to me! When I instructed in the Navy, I used to trade my spin flights for another instructor's instrument flights. Two reasons! One, I loved the puzzle challenge of the instrument world of flying. Two, I hated spins!"

Instruments:

1) Tune COM to "134.8" (Lindbergh ATIS)

"SAN DIEGO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, LINDBERGH FIELD, INFORMATION PAPA, TWO ZERO FIVE FIVE ZULU WEATHER, ESTIMATED CEILING ONE THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED OVERCAST, VISIBILITY ONE TWO. TEMPERATURE FIVE EIGHT, DEWPOINT FOUR EIGHT, WIND TWO FOUR ZERO AT SIX. ALTIMETER THREE ZERO ZERO NINER. LOCALIZER RUNWAY TWO SEVEN IS IN USE. LANDING AND DEPARTING RUNWAY TWO SEVEN. ADVISE ON INITIAL CONTACT YOU HAVE INFORMATION PAPA."

"Okay! We know runway two seven, so look over the HARBR TWO departure from runway two seven. You'll need Oceanside VOR to get where you want to go, and interestingly enough, Mission Bay to identify certain fixes. What's the first heading you are interested in once you get airborne? Check your SID _______________________________(5 pts)
And what is the first critical altitude you want to be aware of?
________________________(5 pts)."

2) Set "Altimeter" and "Heading Indicator"

3) Set XPDR to "6452" (assigned IFR code)

4) Tune NAV 1 to "115.3" (OCN)

5)Set NAV 1 OBS to "334"

6) Tune NAV 2 to "117.8" (MZB)

7) Set NAV 2 OBS to "298"

8) Set the DME to "NAV 1" and "DIST"

9) Check CARB HEAT is "OFF"

10) Check GEAR "DOWN"

11) Turn STROBE "ON"

12) Check LIGHTS are "OFF"

"We've got our clearance, we've got ATIS, we've got our navaid panel set, and we've got us about to go flying! I can tell Ground is anxious to see us depart because I see the signal flag being flown, ‘Go 13MIKE!’ Actually, that's the emergency Quebec flag to warn the airport users we're just about ready to fly! Ground is on one two three point niner - remember I told you not all Ground frequencies are one two one point something?"

13) Tune COM to "123.9" (San Diego Ground)

You:

"SAN DIEGO GROUND, CESSNA 9413MIKE AT EAST TERMINAL, READY TO TAXI TO RUNWAY TWO SEVEN WITH INFORMATION PAPA. NORTHBOUND DEPARTURE."

San Diego Ground:

"CESSNA 9413MIKE, SAN DIEGO GROUND, TAXI TO RUNWAY TWO SEVEN."

You:

"RUNWAY TWO SEVEN FOR 13MIKE."

"So, you'll need to turn right and proceed down along the south taxiway until approaching the hold short line at the very end with a snappy left turn. A safe rule of thumb is to taxi no faster than a fast walk, just to stay in absolute control at all times. I'd like for you to always abide by that safety procedure."

TAXI -

"Don't ever depart from any airport with blinders (like a race horse) on. Be knowledgeable of its idiosynchrasies. Let's see what you know by way of utilizing your San Diego Lindbergh Field airport diagram!

** 1. What is the variation around this geographic area to the nearest whole number?