2002-05-07 Bob Goes IFR to Jeffco

In Colorado there are about three good days of IFR flying weather. Usually it is clear and sunny. When it is cloudy it is either snowing or thundering. If it is cold we don't want to fly. We might pick up some ice.  When it is thunderbooming we don't want to fly there either.  This particular Tuesday was a perfect IFR day.  1000 foot overcast at 9C.  An upslope condition.  Plenty warm enough to avoid any problem.  Low enough ceiling to make it interesting.  Brian had been poking me to fly through clouds on other days.  I called him up and he said, "Are you nuts?"  But along he came anyway.  George also came along for the ride as well.  He is also crazy like that.

 I got a weather briefing and filed an IFR flight plan.  The tops were low.  Reports were 7500 feet.  Oh well.  We would have about 1000-1500 feet of clouds to play in.  The weather was cold and drizzling below.  But as soon as we broke out on top we needed our sunglasses.

Bob is IFR about to poof into the overcast above.	We are in the clouds now. Nothing to see out the window. Just the tires handging out in the wind.	We have just now popped out on top of the cloud deck.	Longs Peak is visible to the west.
Brian's first time flying in the clouds.	Drizzle below but nothing but sunshine and clear skies above. Visibility is at least 140 miles.	Oh no! All of those nice clouds are getting thin.	Another view of Long's Peak in the background. It is really turning into a pretty day.
There are still some clouds left down there.	This one in particular is right in our path.	We are definitely going to poof into this cloud. Fun!	No more clouds. On final approach to Jefferson County Airport.
Just practicing a missed approach. That airplane is a DC-4 slurry bomber to fight fires.	Looking right down on the top of water world.	Final approach to Jeffco. A practice ILS approach. Sad that the clouds went away.	Since there are no clouds Bob is flying with foggles, view limiting devices, to simulate IMC conditions.
Brian has been safetying for me. But now homebound VFR Brian is always happy to fly.	George came along for the ride. He was a good altitude alarm for me. Whenever I started to diverge from my assigned altitude George would nudge me which was great.	When flying IFR this is your view of the world. We are VFR at this moment at 6000 feet and 5 minutes past the Collin NDB. I still have my approach sticky on teh tach. MDA 5520 feet, missed approach point is 3m16s after FN.	There is the home airport. Fort Collins Downtown 3V5. Can't see it? Many people learning to fly also say that.
There is a local pilot's landmark. Fly over that to enter the pattern.	Just about to cross I-25 westbound.	On the 45 degree entry for left hand traffic runway 11 at Fort Collins Downtown.	Hey there is a runway there. Brian is still flying and has turned us for left downwind. We are about to turn left to base and final. I had better put the camera away and land.