Ok, so I've fallen behind again...Shoot me.
Friday was the second flight in a real plane (my beloved 4CM) since we started working on real approaches. This was even more fun than the last flight; which was over 2 weeks ago due to business travel and other issues getting in the way.
The plan was to fly the same route as before: SNA to ILS 24R at TOA with a full stop, then on to the VOR A approach to FUL with full stop after circling to land and off for a quck jaunt back to SNA and the ILS 19R to call it a day.
flying IFR in the SoCal basin to closely located airports could just be one of the most challenging tasks in flying.
As I drove to the airport, I was excited at the possibility of doing the localizer backcourse 1L at SNA since traffic was flowing north as only happens when Santa Ana winds are blowing. Unfortunately the winds shifted and traffic was again flowing normal direction (19L/R) by the time we called clearance.
"John Wayne clearance, Cirrus 334 charlie mike"
"Cirrus 4 charlie mike. go ahead"
"Cirrus 4 charlie mike is an SR22 slant gulf with November at Dove Street. We'd like tower enroute to Torrance."
"Cirrus 4 charlie mike is cleared to Torrance airport, after departure, turn right to 220 degrees, radar vectors SLI direct. maintain 2000 feet, expect 3000 feet 10 minutes after departure. Departure frequency 124.65 squawk 4024)"
I read the clearance back correctly and began getting things set up.
Load up flight plan in GPS1: KSNA, SLI, KTOA then add the approach ILS 24R for KTOA. Copy the flight plan to storage so it doesn't get lost when turning off avionics to start plane. Oops, no open slots for storage so I'll delete #1 and then go back and copy again. Set up radios: tune in SNA ground (east side) to the active in Com2 with east tower in standby, set assigned SoCal frequency in active on Com1, tune in ITOA in Nav1 with LAX in standby (since missed approach requires flying an LAX radial), tune in SLI into Nav2 since I'll use the bearing pointer on the HSI to assist in orienting myself while getting vectored around, set both altimeters to correct barometeric readings gotten from ATIS, input assigned xponder code, set initial heading bug to 220 and altimeter to 2000.
Time to shut down avionics and get ready for engine start: Power and mixture controls full forward, 3 seconds of prime pump then flip fuel pump over to boost, pull power lever back to within an inch or so of idle position, Ron yells out "clear" for me and it is time to engage the starter.
The engine roars to life and I ensure that engine is running at 1000 RPM, flip on both alternator switches and then the avionics master. While the engine warms up a little, I check the opening screens on the dual Garmins against the indications on the PFD to make sure the are communicating correctly. A soon as the engine seems to be "in a good place", I lean it in preparation for taxi. I load and activate the flight plan I had previously saved.
We start rolling forward with a slight addition of power and I ask Ron to check his brakes. I do the same and we taxi to the end of the ramp (not far since our tiedown is at the end of the row closest to runways.)
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