KJYO-KMRB-KOKV Instrument Proficiency
Instrument skills are quite perishable. This has been reinforced from ground training all the way through personal experience so I try to fly IFR regularly and in actual conditions whenever possible. Sometimes Mother Nature and life conspire to keep you grounded longer than desired, though, and a dusting of rust begins to gather on your IFR skills. On this date I was afforded the opportunity not only to knock the rust off but actually put a little polish on them, too.
Conditions were almost to minimums. Martinsburg weather was 700ft overcast, Winchester was 500ft and Leesburg was 700ft broken with an 1100ft overcast and scattered rain showers across the area of flight. I was in the clouds for almost the entire flight so still shots would have been useless during cruise and I'm not about to add the distraction of a still camera on final with ceilings this low. :)
As you'll see, the first approach on the ILS 26 into Martinsburg, WV is not quite up to the standard I like to keep. When I broke out of the clouds, I was a bit above glideslope, but could have made a safe landing if that were my intention. I redeemed myself a bit, though, on the ILS 32 into Winchester, VA and the LOC 17 into home base at Leesburg, VA.
All you'll be able to see in these clips is the instrument panel. Even with a heavy overcast, the contrast between the outside view and the interior lighting was too much to capture both without filters I don't have for the video camera. I'm looking into a filter or two that will allow me to fly on sunny/bright days and be able to capture both the outside and inside views in a viewable manner. Also, the quality of low-bandwidth video means that the only thing useful in those formats is the audio.
Departing Leesburg, VA (KJYO) (7:05)
WMV [Broadband] [Modem]
Real [Broadband] [Modem]
ILS 26 Martinsburg, WV (KMRB) (18:36)
WMV [Broadband] [Modem]
Real [Broadband] [Modem]
ILS 32 Winchester, VA (KOKV) (8:48)
WMV [Broadband] [Modem]
Real [Broadband] [Modem]
LOC 17 Leesburg, VA (KJYO) (12:50)
WMV [Broadband] [Modem]
Real [Broadband] [Modem]