Flying a GPS Approach in a Trike!

[John.com]

I know of a pilot who tried this plan Z in a trike. He is no longer with us. That is as much a lesson as I need that it should not even feature as a Plan at all.

Hey Skybound! I completely respect your sentiments. 'Plan Z' to me is sort of like that life insurance policy that we take knowing/hoping that we never need it.

It's for when 'Plan Y' isn't working!

As per my previous post, the acid-test for me is whether, based on the comments, sentiments and opinions expressed in this blog, I would delete my Aeroden 18 GPS Approaches off my GPS. The answer remains "NO"! Like that life insurance policy, I pray I never need to use them in IMC. In the interim, I will probably fly these approaches in full visibility at least once a week!

Safe Skies!

Cheers, John.com

[John.com]

Worthwile to make mention as to why GPS is still not accurate enough from an altitude perspective unless you have WAAS or correction beacons in the area. This is from an article that I researched and wrote just after programmed error was removed by the USA. (Apologies for the column format - that is its format from the newsletter my article appeared in)

Good post Skybound, thank you! I will read and digest it all later. I have also spent many hours on this topic and, although far from an expert, I have read extensively around WAAS and LNAV/VNAV, LPV and LP approaches.

This is precisely why I chose to fly (and will re-fly hundreds of times, each time testing accuracy of X, Y & Z) these approaches in FULL visibility.

Thanks again for your insite and expertise!

[skybound®]

Absolutely John, I know and appreciated where you are coming from, and I too like to debate issues like this as it normally leads to a far better appreciation and understanding as to why things work (or in some cases don't).

....I would delete my Aeroden 18 GPS Approaches off my GPS. The answer remains "NO"! Like that life insurance policy, ....

What I have observed is that some (and from your attitude, I do not believe you fall into this some), that when someone gets away with it once - it seems to immediately boost their confidence in what is possible and they continue to push the boundaries even further and sometimes even continue it as a standard practice - to the point where the standard go/no go decisions are pushed into the danger territory. As true as nuts we will read about them and go to their funeral. I could refer you to some postings where a pilot confessed to having operated with homemade approaches, and they are now no longer with us. Crashed on approach to a field with no navaids in IMC.

The only decision is - dont be there in the first place. My approach to replace your deleted approach - Get the weather reports, plan, check again, and if ANY doubt or any hint of conditions being borderline - even if 1% - then checklist reads - dont take off.

[John.com]

Absolutely John, I know and appreciated where you are coming from, and I too like to debate issues like this as it normally leads to a far better appreciation and understanding as to why things work (or in some cases don't).

....I would delete my Aeroden 18 GPS Approaches off my GPS. The answer remains "NO"! Like that life insurance policy, ....

What I have observed is that some (and from your attitude, I do not believe you fall into this some), that when someone gets away with it once - it seems to immediately boost their confidence in what is possible and they continue to push the boundaries even further and sometimes even continue it as a standard practice - to the point where the standard go/no go decisions are pushed into the danger territory. As true as nuts we will read about them and go to their funeral. I could refer you to some postings where a pilot confessed to having operated with homemade approaches, and they are now no longer with us. Crashed on approach to a field with no navaids in IMC.

The only decision is - dont be there in the first place. My approach to replace your deleted approach - Get the weather reports, plan, check again, and if ANY doubt or any hint of conditions being borderline - even if 1% - then checklist reads - dont take off.

Hey Skybound! I am happy to say that not only are we singing from the same hymn sheet but we are both singing in tune!!

LCC Personal Confession Time: The ONLY reason I did not fly down to the Africa Cup at Numbi was that I felt I did not have enough experience flying long distance into foreign terrain and into weather patterns and conditions I was unfamiliar with, and all the associated risks that come with such a flight. I pulled out Jim Davis' LCC Risk Meter, did the numbers, and stayed put at Aeroden, envious of all the fun and photos being posted, but very much alive!! That's taking nothing away from those that made the trip . . . I simply did not feel up to it, even though I would have been in a group of other trikes with experienced PICs!

Thanks again for sharing your experience and guidance.

Safe Skies!

John.com

[Dobbs]

Just a further note on my earlier posting - most of the posts deal with the accuracy of the GPS on board - that is most certainly not the most important issue - the ability to fly with zero outside reference, with the distinct possibility of some turbulence is the key. Whether your GPS information is 100% accurate, or out by 200 " is totally irrelevant if you lose control because you have not had practical experience in IMC. Secondly, the AH on your GPS is way behind what your plane is doing at that particular point, which results in you chasing an ever increasing deviation of your very limited reference.

Secondly, if there is any doubt then there is no doubt, Getting through safely only emboldens (is there such a word one to do so again.

[John.com]

Just a further note on my earlier posting - most of the posts deal with the accuracy of the GPS on board - that is most certainly not the most important issue - the ability to fly with zero outside reference, with the distinct possibility of some turbulence is the key. Whether your GPS information is 100% accurate, or out by 200 " is totally irrelevant if you lose control because you have not had practical experience in IMC. Secondly, the AH on your GPS is way behind what your plane is doing at that particular point, which results in you chasing an ever increasing deviation of your very limited reference.

Secondly, if there is any doubt then there is no doubt, Getting through safely only emboldens (is there such a word one to do so again.

Thanks Dobbs, some VERY valid points, and something I am aware of. My earlier (first) post referenced 'spatial disorientation' when flying IMC! So point well noted.

BTW: One of those sobering videos: 178 Seconds to live - Spatial Disorientation (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6Tiq-y8ZmU)