So much for Big Sky theory

Today we decided to just go a quick one out to Camarillo (CMA) and back to Van Nuys (VNY) – I had to pick up the daughter at preschool, and had only 90 minutes or so. Should be plenty of time.

Only it wasn’t. By the time we got our clearance and got released, 20 minutes were gone. We got vectored around quite a bit, and were told not to descend on the final approach course until told to do so. We found ourselves over the FAF, 2000 feet too high. The approach frequency was like a party line. When the controller finally got back to me, he said we’d be vectored for spacing, and that we were number 7 in sequence! I knew I wouldn’t have time. I told him I’d like to go back to Van Nuys. He sounded relieved when he handed us to another controller.

Van Nuys was about the same. We got vectored around endlessly. Fly heading 360. Fly heading 180. Fly heading 360. Finally he turned us to the approach. By the time we got on the ground, I had 20 minutes to get to preschool. Made it in time, though.

It was a good flight anyway. Lots of airwork, and I flew it pretty well. Maintained altitude, got a better feel for the plane even. Decent approach, although they switched us to the left (non IAP) runway after we broke out. Kent had to vector me down to the DH. Still good.

Planning my cross country for next Friday. It has to be 250 miles, with one leg over 100 miles, and 3 different approaches. I’m looking to do VNY-MYF-CMA-VNY – which just covers it. Can’t wait.