ismael chang ghalimi

First Flight to Las Vegas

Today, I completed my first flight to Las Vegas. Sonia, Wayne, and I flew N246BJ from Palo Alto [KPAO] to North Las Vegas [KVGT] on Saturday afternoon, then came back to Palo Alto on Sunday afternoon. We flew over Yosemite, Mono Lake, and Death Valley. The outbound flight took 2 hours and a half, and went flawlessly. Many thanks to Eliot (my instructor) for suggesting North Las Vegas over McCarran International, it made for a much easier approach to landing. After we checked in for the night, we had a wonderful dinner at Fleur de Lys at Mandalay Bay, followed by a crash course on craps. I’m not much of a gambler, and I wanted to get as much rest as possible for the flight back home, so I headed back to the hotel around 11PM. We left North Las Vegas around 11AM on Sunday, with fuel to the tabs. This made for an interesting flight, during which I had to manage a set of conflicting constraints: reducing fuel consumption to the bare minimum by flying slow and lean of peak, flying high enough to clear the mountain pass over Yosemite, yet remaining low enough not to cross 14,500’ so that we would not have to use any supplemental oxygen. Everything worked fine until we got back to the Bay Area around 1PM, when the METAR at KPAO showed a 400’ broken ceiling, so we decided to divert to Tracy [KTCY] in order to refuel and wait for the weather to improve. Unfortunately, no fuel was available there, so we headed to Livermore [KLVK], then finally made it back to Palo Alto, concluding a three hours and a half flight during which I got plenty of time to learn many of the advanced features of the Avidyne FlightMax Entegra. This long cross country flight was definitely one of the most interesting I ever did as pilot in command, and I very much look forward to the next one. Also on my schedule: Los Angeles, CA, San Diego, CA, and Seattle, WA.

Airline Transport Pilot

As a kid, I wanted to be an airline pilot. Growing up, my career took a different path, and I ended up graduating as a software engineer and working as an executive in a software company. But it’s never too late to fulfill a child’s dream, and one of the reasons why I am training as a private pilot is to eventually get an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) rating. Not for the job (I like the one I have best), but for the challenge, and to make sure that I won’t have anything to regret down the road — Non, rien de rien… In order to get my ATP rating, I need the following, per FAR 61.159 requirements:

Amazingly, I have enough hours of actual or simulated instrument time. Since all my flying is done as Pilot In Command (PIC), getting to 250 Hours should not be a problem either. The real challenge will be in getting an extra 1,300 Hours on my logbook, including over 400 Hours cross country. About a third of my flights are made cross country now, so getting 400 Hours of cross country time while getting another 1,300 Hours of total time should be pretty straightforward. Over the past 3 years, I have been flying an average of 75 Hours a year. At this pace, it will take me 20 years to get my ATP rating. But if I manage to get 250 Hours a year, I could get there in 5, just before I turn 40. Let’s give it a shot!

No Bravo Transition

Today, I took Quang for a Bay tour, one that had been rescheduled many times. This flight was important, not only because I had to give a good impression to a future passenger (I might transport her back and forth to Los Angeles), but also because it was my first solo flight on Cirrus. After a very thorough flight preparation (an AIRMET was in effect for severe turbulence in the area), we took off with N246BJ from Palo Alto (KPAO). Ground control could not give us a transponder code for a Bravo transition over SFO International’s airspace, so we opted for a Left Dumbarton Bridge departure, flew over the mountains, and got in touch with NORCAL after we passed Half Moon Bay (KHAF). All this was made easy thanks to the detailed explanations provided by Rich Acuff regarding the procedures in place at the Palo Alto Airport. Many thanks to Matt for the tip. Once under NORCAL’s supervision, we flew over the coast line, made a 360 over Alcatraz, then flew back to Half Moon Bay. We considered making a landing for practice there, but there were too many planes in the area, and we started to feel some of the turbulence that had been forecast, so we opted for a direct flight back into Palo Alto instead. After a smooth landing and 1.1 hours on the tach, we went back home, ready for our next flight, this one down to LA.

Cirrus Transition

Today, I completed my Cirrus Transition and got checked out on Cirrus SR22-GTS. Eliot and I flew N53224 out of San Carlos (KSQL) for a 2 hour flight, bringing my total time on SR22 over 5 hours, the minimum requirement for insurance. I can now solo on both SR20 and SR22, making it a lot faster and safer to fly to Tahoe or Los Angeles. Next steps: G1000 IFR transition (about five hours on simulator), and multi-engine commercial training on the funky looking Diamond DA42 Twin Star at Advantage Aviation in Palo Alto (KPAO). In the meantime, I am now checked out on C172 SP, C172 SP NAV III, C182 SP, C182 SP NAV III, SR20, and SR22.

L-3 SmartDeck

L-3 Avionics Systems recently announced the release of the very promising SmartDeck Integrated Flight Controls and Display System. Being familiar with the Garmin G1000 and the Avidyne FlightMax Entegra, I was immediately seduced by L-3’s version of a glass cockpit. The center console is especially impressive, and looks much easier to use than the Garmin GNS 430 that is usually coupled with the Entegra. I cannot wait to try it out!

The Jet

Cirrus Design Corporation finally unveiled the design of its upcoming single engine jet aircraft, called The Jet. It’s a thing of beauty, capable of carrying seven people around, while remaining very easy to fly. Supposedly, it shares a lot of the flight characteristics of the Cirrus SR20 that I am flying today, which should make for an easier transition for me and the thousands of other Cirrus pilots when time comes to set foot in this personal jet. Delivery scheduled for 2009. Patience is a virtue…

Back in the Air

It’s been a month and a half since my IFR checkride, and I have not flown since then, at least not as pilot in command. I am back in the air today, for a quick refresher and some additional training required for my endorsement to fly solo on the Cirrus SR20. Eliot and I did two approaches, one in Half Moon Bay (KHAF) under actual instrument conditions, and one in Hayward (KHWD) so that we could check the Piper Seminole on which I am supposed to do half of my multi-engine commercial training. On one hand, the two approaches went surprisingly well, and I am really glad that six weeks on the back seat did not make me forget everything. On the other hand, I was not really impressed by the FBO operating the Piper Seminole we were planning to use, so we decided to do the entire training on the Diamond DA42 Twin Star. The systems on this aircraft are so complicated that I will need a couple of months of ground lessons in order to get familiar with them. Actual training should start toward the end of the Summer. In the meantime, just one more lesson before I can solo on the Cirrus. Awesome!

Got Instruments

After three aborted attempts, I finally passed my IFR checkride today. For the first attempt, I completed the oral examination, but there was too much wind for me to fly safely back into San Carlos (KSQL). For the second one, I had to cancel the checkride because of a scheduling conflict. And for the third one, the designated examiner got stuck in traffic for more than an hour and had to cancel. Everything felt right for this fourth attempt scheduled on a weekend, until my instructor told me that the autopilot on N824JA was inoperative. Flying one approach on a Cirrus SR20 without autopilot is challenging in a by itself, but flying an entire checkride with three approaches and a hold is a whole different story. Nevertheless, I felt ready for it, and tired of waiting for this ticket to fly in the clouds, so I decided to go for it. Mike (the designated examiner) and I flew the hold at SUNOL, then the Localizer DME Runway 28 Left (LOC/DME RWY 28L) in Hayward Executive (KHWD), followed by the quite familiar ILS Runway 32 Right (ILS OR LOC/DME RWY 32R) in Moffett Federal Airfield (KNUQ) and GPS Runway 31 (GPS RWY 31) in Palo Alto (KPAO). Everything went perfectly, until we came back to San Carlos, where my landing was one of the worst I ever made on the SR20. Nevertheless, we made it back to the ground safely, and I finally got my instrument rating, just about one year after having started my training. Next step: multi-engine commercial on Piper Seminole and Diamond DA42 Twin Star.

More Flying

Today, Eliot and I practiced for my upcoming checkride (May 1st) and flew the GPS Runway 29R (GPS RWY 29R) and the VOR Runway 29 Right (VOR RWY 29R) approaches in Stockton (KSNS), followed by the ILS Runway 25 Right (ILS RWY 25R) in Livermore (KLVK). The GPS approach was done with partial panel, simulating a failure of the Primary Flight Display (PFD), which has become a routine procedure by now. We logged 1.9 hours, including 1.7 hours of simulated instruments.

Back in the Air

After being grounded for two months for an engine replacement, N824JA is back on line, and I could resume my IFR training today. I practiced the GPS Runway 30 (RNAV RWY 30) in Byron (C83) and the ILS Runway 25 Right (ILS RWY 25R) in Livermore (KLVK). I logged 1.9 hours, including 1.7 hours of simulated instruments. After two months with no IFR flying, I was a little bit afraid that I would have a lot to catch up with, but everything came back together pretty nicely, and it sure feels good to be back in the air.

Tracy from Above

I did my first flight two years ago with my instructor on the right seat and my parents on the back seats. Today, I did the same again, but without instructor. My parents had been to Stockton and Tracy the day before in order to get a glimpse of the extensive agriculture practiced in California, and today we decided to make the same trip, from above. We rented N1361M and flew directly to Tracy (KTCY), for a 1.5 hour flight in perfect weather conditions. I could not think of a better way to spend an afternoon together.

Barrington Irving

Today, I first learned about Barrington Irving, a 23-year old senior majoring in aerospace at Florida Memorial University, and the first person of African descent and the youngest person ever to fly solo around the globe. Barrington started his 5-week flight around the globe on March 23, 2007, on a Columbia 400 entirely built from parts donated by sponsors. Humbling and inspiring all at once! Many thanks to my friend Arnold for sharing this story.

California Sky Patterns

My friend Dave and I are starting a new project: we will take pictures of Californian landscapes seen from the sky. He will be the photographer, using his Canon EOS 5D with a variety of lenses, and I will be the pilot, most likely flying a Cessna 172 Skyhawk NAV III, which is suitable for his high wing and low speed. Our first reconnaissance flight will focus on coastal areas, looking for a spot where braking waves make for interesting patterns on the surface of the ocean.

Supersonic Business Jets

When I was a kid, I loved playing with LEGO, learning about planes, and reading Tintin comic books. One of them, Vol 714 pour Sydney, featured a supersonic business jet called the Carreidas 160. I used to love the design of that plane, but did not think that supersonic business jets would ever be developed. Well, it seems that I was wrong, and not one, but two of them are currently being promoted by private companies, the Quiet Supersonic Transport developed by Supersonic Aerospace International, and the Aerion Supersonic Business Jet. Honestly, I cannot wait to get a ride on one of these…

Resuming IFR Training

The Cirrus SR20 (N824JA) I have been flying for my IFR training has been grounded for about two months, due to a fractured crankcase. A new engine had to be ordered and installed on the plane. This replacement has just been completed, and I can now resume my training. Next flight scheduled for week after next.

Close Encounter

Yesterday, I did a Bay tour with my friend Rick. The weather was pretty good all the way up to San Francisco, but when we flew back down the Pacific Coast to Half Moon Bay (KHAF), we had to drop below 1,000 feet in order to avoid scattered clouds at 1,300 feet. This took us close to the shore, were we came very close to colliding with a seagul. Rick is a pilot, and spotted it first. For my part, I was pretty slow to react, which made for a good learning experience: when flying low, always keep an eye out for birds, and don’t think twice about where to make your evading maneuver. Because of the clouds, we decided not to land in Half Moon Bay, and flew back directly to San Carlos (KSQL) instead. We logged 0.8 hours of VFR flying.

Garmin Forerunner 305

Following yesterday’s successful use of the Garmin Forerunner 205 to log a flight, I have opted to go for it instead of the Suunto X9i, which does not seem to work so well according to reviews I could find online. In fact, I have decided to go for the Garmin Forerunner 305, which also provides a wireless heart rate monitor, and can connect to the Garmin GSC 10 speed/cadence sensor. This should be handy when I start biking outdoor.

EveryTrail

Today, I flew to Half Moon Bay (KHAF) for lunch with my friend Joost. We logged our flight with the Garmin Forerunner 205 wrist GPS, and uploaded track and pictures onto EveryTrail. This map shows that we took off in San Carlos (KSQL), flew through San Francisco International Airport’s Class B airspace, got asked to do two left 360 turns to avoid heavy jets taking off on runway 28 Left or 28 Right, flew over the city, made a right 360 over Alcatraz, flew over Sausalito, then went back through SFO’s airspace, because the coastline had only marginal VFR conditions. We then cut directly across the hills, landed in Half Moon Bay for lunch, then flew back to San Carlos. The system is so good that it even shows that my first attempt at landing back in San Carlos was not that great, and that we did a go around. The second attempt was a lot better, and we logged a total of 1.4 hours of VFR flying.

Hand Flying

Today, Eliot and I did the same approaches as yesterday, with the same emergency procedures minus the engine failure, which is usually omitted during the IFR check ride. Instead, we flew all three approaches manually, simulating a failure of the autopilot. On a Cirrus SR20, flying manually is a lot harder than on a high-wing Cessna, for the aircraft is faster and quite slippery. Nevertheless, it was good practice, and I’m feeling closer to being ready for the final check ride. We logged 2 hours, including 1.7 hours of simulated instruments.

Emergency Procedures

I am getting pretty close to the end of my IFR training, and am now focusing on various emergency procedures. Today, Eliot and I flew the VOR Runway 29 Right (VOR RWY 29R) in Stockton (KSNS), the ILS Runway 25 Right (ILS RWY 25R) in Livermore (KLVK), and the GPS Runway 28 Left (GPS RWY 28L) in Hayward (KHWD). During the 1.9 hour flight, we simulated a complete engine failure with a landing in Tracy (KTCY), as well as failures of the Primary Flight Display (PFD), Multifunction Flight Display (MFD), alternators, primary bus, GPS, and radio equipment. We also practiced holding turns at SUNOL intersection. Pretty intense to say the least, but things are coming together. We logged 1.6 hours of simulated instruments.