[Hallicrafters] NDB

[Mark K3MSB]

Here's an interesting story for you guys... I remember it well... I was
there....

I took my Instrument check ride on a very windy day in March (many, many
moons ago) in a Cessna 172.   To give you an idea of how gusty the wind
was,  my instructor called my house and when my wife picked up the phone, he
said he wanted to talk to me about rescheduling my check ride.  He was
flabbergasted when my wife said that I passed the check ride about an hour
earlier!

Well yes, it was gusty,  but it was within 20 degrees or so of the main
runway at Allegheny County Airport (AGC) in Pittsburgh, so from a crosswind
perspective it wasn't bad.  I'd heard that the Examiner tended to be more
linient in conditions such as we had, so off I went.

I was flying the NDB approach and had passed the beacon which was located at
the OM.   The ADI indicated about 3 degrees off the tail, so I wasn't
worried, as the FARs said I had to be within 5 degrees.   Well,  the crusy
examiner (whom taught Moses to fly way back when) tapped the ADI with his
pencil and said something to the effect of "straighten that out".

And then I did it..... I very matter of factly informed the Examiner that
according to the FARs,  3 degrees was acceptable for the approach.
Bad..... very bad....very, very bad... there is no place to run from an
irate examiner in the cockpit...    My arse was smarting within seconds
thereafter, with me being told of how to correctly fly an airplane, and how
us young pups didn't know anything!!    Ouch!!

But,  I did pass the check ride!!

Afterwards I was headed home with a new endorsement in my wallet.  The club
172 was based out of West Penn airport NE of Pittsburgh.  Again, the cross
wind was strong,  but well within limits of the 172.   Ahead of me was Jim
in his Yellow Piper Cub.   Criminy I was thinking..... flying that thing in
this wind.    So, we're both on final approach and it's a snot-knocker all
the way in.  Jim lands his cub pretty as your please (in all that wind) and
I'm about half way there on final.  Just as I'm about to flare,  the wind
picks up the port wind and I find myself at an attitude not very conducive
to having white britches upon landing,  so I go around.  The second approach
is fine, and I taxi to the pumps.   Jim parked near the pumps also,  and had
this smirk on his face from ear to ear!!    Yeah Jim....yeah....yeah....

God, I miss flying.....

73 to all
Mark K3MSB