After three hours in the FNPT-II, the final part of my IR for MEP training was made of two hours in the aircraft, flying real IFR, partly in asymmetrical conditions. Weather was perfect for this kind of training: a scattered to overcast layer between four and five thousant feet, crosswind, strong wind differences at various altitudes but no icing and light turbulence only. The only missing thing was… my brain. I suffered from a cold over the last days (no jokes about swine flu… please) and was possibly not hundred percent fit for flying, but this can not explain everything. If you ever experienced one of these days where everything goes wrong, you know what I mean.
At first, I arrived to the airport late. Last minute preparation, bad traffic, and I lost 10 minutes. Nothing catastrophic, but not the best way to start a flight. Pre-flight inspection, start-up and departure were fine. We were soon cleared for climb in controlled airspace, and the problems started. I was climbing at 100 knots instead of 90. Don’t ask me why. I corrected that after a remark from my instructor, and reached 5’000 feet soon after that. We were surfing on top of a scattered layer, and this was quite cool. Communication with the ATC sector of Langen managing departures from Frankfurt was cool. Lots of Lufthansa flight, but also some more exotic like Air India and we had the pleasure to hear the delicious French accent of an AirFrance crew…
What was less fun was the strong German accent of the military controller in ETHN. We first talked to “Radar”, then to “Precision” for final approach, and “Tower” for the low go-around. The first approach was an ILS. I got so busy communicating with all these nice controllers that I forgot to fly the plane. I did not lost my heading and was not flying up-side down but I did reach the final course with gear up and no flaps. I was also distracted by the G1000. Normally, the FMS automatically activates the ILS on NAV 1 when the base turn is completed. This did not happen. Instead of lowering flaps and gear, then set the ILS frequency, activate the HSI on NAV2 and set the final approach course, I started to discuss the problem with my instructor and lost precious time. Once I finally activated the ILS, I was so high, fast, and not configured that going around was the sole option. I felt just like an IFR newbie. What a shame.
Flying back to the NDB for a second approach, IMC in and out, light turbulence. All what I needed to relax… The second approach was better. Despite changing winds, my CDI and the glide-slope diamonds remained close to the center. The G1000′s FMS activated the ILS on the HSI automatically, thanks to my instructor who did re-set the “ILS Capture Mode” to automatic. One of the many G1000 settings that can disturb a fine approach and that any pilot can change. I should may be create my own profile in this G1000 and activate it before each flight but there is no kind of profile protection. May be I’ll check that before my next flight.
The right engine “failed” during the go-around. The drills went fine, even on such a no brain day… just like my basic IFR skills. I could rely on such bases and this made the whole flight possible. The two following NDB approaches were not bad, except for a detail. For the first one I had to maintain 4’000 feet after passing the beacon because of another traffic. There was no altitude restriction for the next one, but I simply forgot to descend. No brain day… To make it even more fun, we asked for a circling. The result was not exactly brilliant… Timing, heading, altitude, almost all what can go wrong… went wrong. On the positive side, my flare and landing were good. We did not even left the runway. After landing on 07, we turned around and took-off from runway 25. No break. What a day…
The flight home was VFR. The ETHN departures are as simple as “straight ahead to 3’500 feet” and Egelsbach has no IFR approaches, so an IFR departure and leaving would not make a lot of sense. This was also the opportunity to make my favorites exercises again: steep turns and stalls. The steep turns were within the tolerance but I used all of the allowed margin. The stall recovery in landing configuration was not so bad. As always, not enough right rudder… no brain day.
The VFR approach was fine, except that after passing the entry VRP I turned on a wrong heading. I was confused between the two easterly entry points. Shortly after departing ETHN, my instructor asked for a landing with flaps LDG in Egelsbach. I read it back, and made a mental note. I still had it in my mind on final, except that I was thinking of flaps APP only. My instructor corrected on final, and then commanded a go-around on short final. Power, pitch, flaps, gear, flaps… can you find the missing one ? Right Rudder ! More Right Rudder ! After that my initial climb back in the circuit was very shallow… because I was not raising the nose.
The last VFR approach of the day was high and fast. I decided to go-around… and my instructor overruled ! He took over for a short time and gave me controls back when we were in a better position for landing. No Brain Day. But despite all of that, it seems that I’m ready for the check ride. Writing this post helped me to summarize it and get some distance for a better self-debriefing, which helps to understand why my instructor thinks I’m ready. This was certainly not my best flight ever, but all in all, despite all the mistakes, I remained safe and in control at all times. All approaches were not successful but I was not significantly below minimums, nor diverted from course or altitude in a risk way. I was within required tolerances, even if my IFR was not “pico bello”. This would be enough for a succesful checkride… and hopefuly the check day I’ll have my brain with.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
I’ve read your comment about automatic change of the HSI from GPS to NAV1 for the ILS approach. I see this happening on my PC-sim for the G1000 but somehow this does not work on the plane. You say this is a setting within the G1000. Could explain where to find this setting?
@Paul: there is an extract of the G1000 Pilot’s Guide for the Diamond DA42 which details the conditions leading to the automatic ILS selection on the CDI. Not only it must be activated via menu, but you must also be well positionned:
On the AUX – System Setup Page, ‘ILS CDI Capture’ may be changed to ‘Manual’. In ‘Auto’ (default) setting, the system automatically switches from GPS to LOC navigation source and changes the CDI scaling accordingly when:
• A localizer or ILS approach has been loaded into the active flight plan
• The final approach fix (FAF) is the active leg, the FAF is less than 15 nm away, and the aircraft is moving toward the FAF
• A valid localizer frequency has been tuned
• The GPS CDI deviation is less than 1.2 times full-scale deflection GPS steering guidance is still provided after the HSI automatically switches to LOC until LOC capture, up to the Final Approach Fix (FAF) for an ILS approach, or until GPS information becomes invalid. Activating Vector-to-Final (see the GPS Navigation Section) also causes the HSI to switch to LOC navigation source, although the change is not considered automatic to the system and GPS steering guidance is not provided after this switch.
Changing the ILS CDI Capture setting:
1) Use the FMS Knob to select the AUX – System Setup Page on the MFD.
2) Press the FMS Knob to activate the cursor.
3) Turn the large FMS Knob to highlight the ‘ILS CDI Capture’ field in the ‘GPS CDI’ Box.
4) Turn the small FMS Knob to highlight the desired setting and press the ENT Key.
Hope this helps
I just had the same kind of ‘no brain day’. Unfortunately they happen, but best if they happen during a training flight. I can’t wait to get up in the air again to prove to myself that I have learned from the mistakes. I’m sure you are ready for the check ride. Enjoy the journey.
Thank you Dave. What was reassuring is that I caught all my mistakes in due time, making the whole thing not so bad. I attribute this to a very solid basic IFR training. The bases are here, even when my brain is not.
About the ‘ILS CDI Capture’…..interestingly enough this feature does not seem to exist on the G1000 equipped Cessna Skyhawks that I fly…
….and Vincent – don’t be too hard on yourself!
Bad days do indeed happen! I just had one a few days ago, and it made me wonder if I even deserved to have a pilot license. I flew again a couple of days later and that proved that I indeed just had had a bad day! What a relief! 
Good luck on the upcoming checkride!
Thanks Axel… With time I learned to deal with such days. Anyway better on training than on a check flight. But wait… after all, I was within limits. Not nice, but still within the standards, and this is what I think makes me safe. Thanks to all my instructors.