Angel Eyes 2009-09-24

I am back from another trip to Angeles City. This time for one day of flying instead of two: cut short because of the weather and an extra day of work.

I went to the Charlie One local area with an instructor in a C 172 for about an hour and a half of air work: Chandelles, Lazy Eights, Spiral Descents. The ATC at Clark (RPLC) is chaotic. The Clark Tower frequency (118.7) frequently blocks because of poor radio discipline. Give me one shift in the tower and I'd bark them all into shape! I lost at least 20 minutes waiting on the ground.

I aborted the first departure because the C172 that landed before our intended departure went off the end of runway 02 and onto the grass over run. It just sat there instead of vacating so we aborted our take off and went back to join the queue to depart again.

I achieved some half decent Chandelles. My Lazy Eights were however more like a cross between a Lazy Eight and a Wing Over. I did not expect too much because we were both new the the maneuvers. We did not get a fair crack at the Spiral Descents because of the low ceiling of Charlie One. My short field arrival was not that short but there again ATC instructed us to join for runway 02 with a by now 10 Kts tailwind without any warning about the wind. OMNI usually has to use the same runway direction as Clark and for no good aviation reason.

I met a friend who used to work for Omni on the Tuesday evening. This was our first opportunity to share a coffee and chat since first meeting almost a year ago. High five!

The City of Angeles

I am in Angeles City to do some flying out of Clark Omni in a Piper Seneca I. My first and only flight yesterday lasted as long as it took to confirm the malfunction, run the emergency checklist, decide how to proceed, and land. All of that still took an thirty minutes. I deliberately took my time so as not to rush things. The gear would not retract. I had three greens, red gear unsafe light, gear warning horn, one in the mirror on each of five attempts to retract the undercarriage.

I used the "DECIDE model":http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=aviation+decision+making&aq=f&oq=&aqi to guide my decision making and for practice.

• Detect the fact that a change has occurred.
• Estimate the need to counter or react to the change.
• Choose a desirable outcome for the success of the flight.
• Identify actions which could successfully control the change.
• Do the necessary action to adapt to the change.
• Evaluate the effect of the action.

I decided to do a low pass at RPLC and land there on their long, wide, and unobstructed runway. The Omni runway is short, narrow, and obstructed. I made a normal landing on 02L after a low pass and left the aircraft in the care of maintenance. I checked on the status of the Seneca later in the day. The gear had not retracted because of an electrical fault that could not be fixed straight away. As the day continues it looks less likely that I will fly the Seneca again on this trip.

Twelve Years On

It has been a long time since my last post: and I have been busy.

I still work as an Air Traffic Controller at Hong Kong. It has been twelve years since I arrived in Hong Kong on 4 July, 1997.

I was out last night for a dinner and reunion of controllers. We started together in Hong Kong ATC at the same time. Only three of us still work in Hong Kong. The table was for five people: two significant others joined us.

I now fly a Seneca out of "Clark, Philippines":http://omniaviation.com/ as PIC. I hold a Philippine Validation on my Canadian CPL/MEP/IR.

I fly a Commander 114A out of "Bang Phra, Thailand":http://thaiflyingclub.com. I hold a Thailand Validation on my Canadian License.

I have completed the Canadian TC to FAA conversion process so I hold an FAA CPL/MEP/IR. In the USA I flew C172 and PA44 Seminole PIC. I was able to arrange insurance specifically for the PA44 through AOPA.

I still fiddle with programming and computers when I have the time between work, flying trips, etc.

I have used VMWare Fusion to bring BeOS to life again in the form or BeOS Max5 on my Macbook Pro and on my Mac Pro. BeOS seems quite stable and I have been playing Call To Power again in both installations. As I still have an interest in Linux I have just got Tinycore running in VirtualBox 3.0. All very pleasing.

Dance on a volcano

Last week I went to the Philippines for the first time. I stayed in Angeles City and visited Omni Aviation at next to Clarke International (RPLL). Circumstances have worked against me recently but despite license delays and civil unrest in Thailand I piloted an aircraft again. I logged 2.2 hours in a C172M:

• 2 circuits OMNI RPLL 02 (normal for here but low level for anywhere else)
• general handling in area C1
• steep turns
• clean and dirty power on and off stalls
• VOR radial intercept and track to waypoint
• procedure turn
• track to direct entry and two holds at CIA
• VOR/ILS to runway 02R at RPLL
• missed approach
• flew to the Mount Pinatubo crater and experienced some significant downdrafts downwind of the peak:-) The terrain rises steeply so I always had an escape by turning towards the lower slopes. Really good views of the crater lake. The ash smothered terrain downslope has a lush patina of vegetation cut through with deep gray ravines.
• midfield crossing at RPLL
• landing at OMNI RPLL 02

I was supposed to fly the Seneca I the second day (brave soul that I am). It played the hangar queen with battery problems. I still found the time useful for familiarization, especially starting, and I got to run through an engine shutdown scenario with an instructor.

The Philippines has a somewhat longwinded license conversion process. I will have to do a PPL medical (despite holding a Class 1 Canadian Medical), and pass a flight test after a mandatory 10 hrs in type for a type rating. I’ll do the Seneca type rating first and try to get more multi engine time. A Philippines license will allow me to fly without too many restrictions on VFR and IFR cross country trips. Cebu Pacific flies Hong Kong to Clarke direct daily. I can get to Clarke is easily.