[simpits-tech] One of those days...

[Bubba]

Today was supposed to be easy. Top off the tanks at CXO, fly down to GLS
(about 80 miles, a little over an hour after ATC does their thing), land,
top off the tanks again to check fuel burn, and come back.

First leg went fine. Took off, climbed out, got with Houston Appr., who sent
me way out to the east like I expected, then south into Galveston. Weather
was great on both ends, only had to dodge one rain cloud by about 5 degrees,
everything as planned.

And then it went south on me. Checked the weather in GLS while they were
filling me up and there was some serious crap going over CXO that wasn't
even on the forecast. It looked like I could go around it, so I took off,
got a flight following, and headed north. About 15 minutes out of GLS ATC
said the weather was getting worse and had built into a wall across Houston
and was heading my way. So I decided to take the corridor between IAH and
HOU to the west and try to outrun the leading edge of the storm. Had I been
in an RV-8 this would have worked fine, but at 102 MPH groundspeed there was
no way I was going to beat it, so I decided to turn back to HOU. I sat on
the ground for 4 hours waiting on the weather and being taken care of by
Ratheon (those guys are great. Bent over backwards to help out a lowly
single recip driver. I feel bad that I didn't even get fuel, but there
wasn't much room for it). I talked it over with my instructor and my dad
and finally decided around midnight that it was clear enough
to make it home. Had 10 miles and no ceiling at CXO and it hadn't rained a
drop at HOU. So I headed out. ATC got me out of the way of a couple of jets
and pointed directly at CXO.

And then it happened again. About 15 nm south of CXO (and roughly over my
house) they tell me the visibility had dropped to 3 miles and was getting
worse. Wonderful. Ok, I have enough fuel to get just about anywhere I need
to so I'll just head up there and check it out. Decided it wasn't perfect,
but I could do it. Landing was less than beautiful and I used half the
runway since I was way high on final, but it was acceptible.

Totals were 3.6 hours, 3 landings (one night, one controlled field, and one
boring VFR), about 20 gallons of fuel, 2 laws broken, and one tired pilot.

It's a good thing all that happened now that I've had time to think it over. 
When I got back to CXO anything smaller than a 182 was twisted 15 degrees in 
it's tiedowns. From what I understand they had 50 knot wind at times and I'm 
sure there are some planes with damage.
-- 
Steve
mysticz28 at swbell.net
He who seeks will find, and he who knocks will be let in.