Page 34 - June21T

On Final
by David Miller
Fog is Where You Find It
In college, I took a three-hour credit course called “Climatology.” I aced it. So, I answer my non-pilot friends’ weather questions by telling them I am a weather expert. A few actually believe me.
But I still can’t figure out fog.
I think it has something to do with moisture and
temperature. It’s very confusing. Sometimes it’s exactly where predicted. Other times, it appears out of nowhere and ruins our day.
a cup of coffee to Patty for breakfast. The prior evening forecast was for clear skies and unlimited visibility. It would be a simple out and back.
The next morning, KDAL was indeed clear. But not Mesquite. Only 18 miles away, the ATIS reported indefinite ceiling 200 and visibility less than one-quarter.
Fog is where you find it.
I sat in my COVID-free car in the Signature parking lot under clear skies waiting for a few minutes to see if the Mesquite weather would improve since I wanted to make a landing there to hone my skills. The same people who believe I am a meteorologist also think I am a pilot. I called the Mesquite FBO. “Any improvement in the weather?” I asked. “Well, I can see the tractor on the ramp, so yeah, it’s up to half a mile,” came the reply.
I took my time with the pre-flight.
“King Air three nine six Delta Mike, contact departure on one two four point three,” said the tower. In the climbing right turn off runway three one right, I began to monitor the Mesquite ATIS.
“Mesquite airport information Tango, one three five three Zulu, wind calm, visibility one quarter, fog, ceiling two hundred overcast. Temperature one-one dewpoint one-one. Altimeter two niner niner tree. Expect ILS run- way one-eight. Advise you have Zulu.”
I advised approach that I had the ATIS and would plan on a missed approach. Cleared for the approach and handed off tower, the local controller asked if I had the current weather. Affirmative, I answered. He cleared me for the “option,” meaning I had lots of discretion for plan- ning purposes. Intercepting the final approach course, I realized that the fog had now moved several miles east of the airport.
“Tower, what’s your visibility now?” I asked. “It’s just gone VFR with three miles,“ he said.
And just like that, the fog was gone. Fly safe.
I’ve missed an approach at Wichita Falls, Texas (KSPS) in a Beech Duke after being “on top” at 200 feet with un- limited visibility above and dense fog below. The Air Force operates T-38’s there and hurriedly recalled the squadron home one morning as I diverted to another airport in the clear only ten miles away.
My friend Larry King departed Hammond, Louisiana (KHDC), recently in his M2 for a one-hour flight home to Mesquite (KHQZ). At the time, the destination was forecast to remain at 900 overcast with more than 6 miles visibility. But by the time he started the approach around sundown, it was down to minimums (as seen in the pho- tograph). “It was the lowest approach in my career, and I didn’t expect the weather to drop so quickly,” said Larry.
Fog is where you find it.
A few weeks later, I decided to exercise the C90A with a quick, early morning flight from Dallas Love (KDAL) to Mesquite and return. I could make the trip and bring back
David Miller has owned and flown a variety of aircraft from light twins to midsize jets for more than 50 years. With 6,000 plus hours in his logbook, David is the Direc- tor of Programs and Safety Education for the Citation Jet Pilot’s Safety Foundation. You can contact David at davidmiller1@sbcglobal.net.
32 • TWIN & TURBINE / June 2021