I had been flying back and forth from Buffalo to New York City for some time. One weekend I decided to give my father his first airplane ride. He had never been off the ground, even in an airliner. On a nice calm weekend, I decided to fly him from his home in New York City to where I lived in Buffalo. The weather was good except for some solid, low stratus clouds in mid-trip. I had to decide whether to fly over the top for part of the trip or duck under the clouds. 288
Ground Reference
I had been flying back and forth from Buffalo to New York City for some time. One weekend I decided to give my father his first airplane ride. He had never been off the ground, even in an airliner. On a nice calm weekend, I decided to fly him from his home in New York City to where I lived in Buffalo.
Key Takeaways:
- While flying his father under a layer of low clouds, a new VFR pilot experienced alarming fluctuations in engine RPM, airspeed, and altimeter.
- The pilot discovered these issues stemmed from unconsciously trying to maintain a constant visual height above rolling terrain, having lost the true horizon in the haze.
- This experience taught him the critical importance of trusting aircraft instruments and stability over deceptive visual cues, emphasizing comprehensive instrument awareness even in VFR conditions and reinforcing his commitment to flying within personal limits.
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