Get-There-Itis

Most of us have likely experienced the flying version of get-there-itis. My return home from AirVenture this year had all the contributing ingredients at play. After hustling around the grounds to catch all the sights on a hot, muggy day, and then dodging lightning and rain during the ultimately aborted afternoon airshow, I pre-flighted for my long flight home to Bridgeport, Conn. (BDR), at 1830 local. I filed for 13,000 feet to catch favorable tailwinds at altitude, set up the oxygen and settled in for an uneventful four-hour flight in my Beech Travelair. Nearing my destination, NY Tracon did their part to keep me occupied by changing my direct routing to one of the circuitous STARs for BDR. The amendment required me to program the six waypoints in my older GPS. And of course, just after Id completed this task, ATC changed its mind again and assigned the other procedure.

Key Takeaways:

• A pilot nearly succumbed to "get-there-itis" during a late-night flight, accepting a visual approach despite deteriorating visibility and unexpectedly entering instrument meteorological conditions (IMC).
• Recalling training, the pilot wisely executed a missed approach and requested an Instrument Landing System (ILS) for the opposite runway, resulting in a safe landing.
• The experience reinforced the importance of requesting an instrument procedure when the destination tower is closed and VFR conditions are not "bulletproof" certain, highlighting the unreliability of automated weather systems and the Pilot In Command's ultimate responsibility.

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