Jersey Halo

What Am I Doing in New Jersey?

Every so often, it happens; I need to visit New Jersey. My destination was near Somerville, a consistent five hour drive from Rochester. However, flying the Warrior would reduce that one-way journey to about 2 hours. With a favorable weather forecast and a choice of three airports within a five mile radius of my destination -- Somerset (SMQ), Solberg-Hunterdon (N51), and Central Jersey Regional (47N) -- flying was a bit of a no-brainer. If the weather turned at the last minute, a rental car would make a satisfactory contingency plan; it is a route I have driven many times.

New York Terminal Area Chart near Somerville, NJ

Initially, I planned to use Somerset Airport. Warrior 481 spent a couple of nights there in 2008 and it was a good experience. But then -- as is so often the case -- weather happened. A low parked itself off the Atlantic seaboard for several days, battering central Jersey with wet weather, low clouds, and high, gusty winds from the northeast. On the basis of runway configuration alone, Somerset looked like a poor choice and I switched my plan to Central Jersey Regional.

Adventures in Instrument Flying

On the day of my departure, weather reports indicated a predictably dismal day in Jersey. Wind, rain, and low clouds associated with the low pressure system were all present at my destination. I was ready for them, even if the light wind and clear blue sky over Upstate NY were deceptively inviting.

Date	Aircraft	Route of Flight	Time (hrs)	Total (hrs)
09 Oct 2019	N21481	SDC (Sodus, NY) - 47N (Manville, NJ)	2.3	2041.7

I filed a simple flight plan with routing direct from Sodus to BIGGY, the initial approach fix for the RNAV approach to runway 7 at Central Jersey Regional (47N). Though I was cleared for this route by Rochester, it was superseded less than half way to New Jersey.

As usual, New York Approach had Binghamton Approach do their dirty work for them. "Cherokee Four Eight One, I have a full route clearance for you. Advise ready to copy," instructed the Binghamton controller. "Cherokee Four Eight One is cleared to destination via Wilkes-Barre, Lima Victor Zulu; Allentown, Foxtrot Juliet Charlie; Solberg, Sierra Bravo Juliet; direct." I scribbled my notes, made a successful read back, and set about reprogramming the Garmin 430.

The edge of weather surrounding the low.

I enjoyed a beautiful flight right up until I flew beneath the outer edge of the weather drenching New Jersey just southeast of Wilkes-Barre. One advantage of my new route was that it skirted most of the rain. However, near RACKI intersection, Allentown Approach turned me direct to Solberg, providing a short-cut that eliminated the Allentown VOR from the route. I skipped the navigator ahead to Solberg and turned eastward on a new course that ran me directly into the rain. I quickly found myself in IMC (instrument meteorological conditions).

When it comes to flying IFR in New York airspace, two things have been consistently true for me. First, full route clearances are paramount; there is no GPS-direct in this airspace except perhaps immediately prior to the destination. Second, once established on that full route clearance, ATC will issue frequent tweaks and amendments, most of them eliminating waypoints ahead. I have seen this with every IFR flight to the New York City area.

Because the weather around Central Jersey Regional was variable and spotty, I knew exactly what I wanted to do when New York Approach asked: fly the RNAV runway 7 approach.

"Cherokee Four Eight One, proceed direct ADIUM," instructed New York Approach. I activated the procedure in the GNS-430W and turned direct for the intermediate fix on the approach into Central Jersey Regional.

Beyond the Classroom

Let's pause there for a moment.

Most instrument approach procedures include an oval racetrack feature described as a "procedure turn". (It is more accurately described as a HILPT, a "hold in lieu of procedure turn", but that's nitpicking.) The idea of any procedure turn is to turn the aircraft around and align it with the final approach course no matter what direction it was flying when it joined the approach. As depicted in bold on the approach plate, the procedure turn is mandatory unless there is a notation indicating otherwise ("No PT"). On the Central Jersey Regional RNAV runway 7 approach, a procedure turn is not required or expected when aircraft join via the feeder leg from BIGGY intersection. This is the only place where "No PT" appears on the procedure. Even if I was direct to ADIUM on a 069° track and already aligned with the final approach course, I would still be required to fly a pointless procedure turn unless the controller cleared me "straight in".

When I learned this as an instrument student, my first thought was, "Oh, that could trip me up someday."

Somewhere in the Clouds over New Jersey

There I was, in the clouds and rain, 20 miles northwest of ADIUM, being stepped down by New York Approach to transition onto the RNAV procedure for runway 7. I had already briefed the procedure in great detail because I was certain that I would need to fly it that day. I had intentionally filed from Sodus direct to BIGGY intersection to establish on that No PT leg to facilitate entry onto the procedure.

Except I was cleared direct to ADIUM and BIGGY was no longer part of my clearance. I would reach ADIUM flying orthogonal to the final approach course.

"Cherokee Four Eight One, cross ADIUM at or above two thousand, cleared for the RNAV runway 7 approach." I read the instruction back. He made no mention of being cleared straight in. I was on my own to follow the approach procedure as written.

After being troubled by this very scenario as an instrument student, after having put thought into this very situation mere hours before actually flying it, I embarked on that procedure turn with tremendous confidence. That self assurance lasted right up until New York Approach called me back with obvious annoyance.

"Cherokee Four Eight One...so...apparently...you've decided to fly the procedure turn."

What do I say to that?

"Affirmative, Four Eight One." I had to say something.

I flew the turn, negotiating it somewhat sloppily because I failed to account for how strong the wind out of the northeast truly was. Somewhere inside the final approach fix (BOXZE), I caught sight of the runway through the rain and cancelled IFR in the air with New York Approach.

Ground track from ForeFlight, KSDC to N47.

Needless to say, the controller grousing at me about the procedure turn made me question my understanding of the regulations. That night, I sat in my hotel room reading up on the subject. Every source that I found indicated that I had done exactly the right thing. [Any readers disagree with this conclusion? Let me know in the comments.] I wondered if it was a disconnect between the official rules and local practice. Even so, I will probably ask the controller about their expectations with respect to the procedure turn the next time I encounter this situation.

Central Jersey Regional (airport #199) has an unusual layout and there are a lot of airplanes parked outside at various locations around the airport, but I eventually found transient parking on the corner of the northeast ramp. The staff were very friendly and the overnight parking fee was $10/day. Inexpensive fuel ($4.35/gal) was available across the runway from the FBO, but I waited until departure to take on fuel. I had a dinner date to make.

Jersey Turf Wars

Because Enterprise will pick up customers from places like small airports, I reserved a rental car with the Enterprise office in Raritan, NJ. When I switched my destination airport from Somerset to Central Jersey, I verified that the two airports were the same distance from Raritan and assumed that all would be well.

When I called Enterprise from Central Jersey Regional and described my location, the local agent was a bit flummoxed. It seemed that I was now in the territory of the Hillsborough Enterprise franchise and that the Raritan Enterprise could not collect me there. I wondered for a moment if Enterprise offices were like gangs. If a Rartian employee was spotted in Hillsborough territory, would a firefight ensue? Did they wear differentiating colors? Jersey must be a rough place. The Raritan agent solved this conundrum by ordering and paying for an Uber (a neutral third party?) to ferry me to the Raritan office. Despite nearly triggering a rental car turf war with my change in plans, Enterprise still took great care of me.

However, the biggest kudos of the day go to my friend Tanvi, who convinced her visiting mother to prepare a delicious, home-cooked Indian meal for me and Stacey (who had made the drive from Rochester to New Jersey a few days earlier). Whenever I cleared any portion of my plate, Tanvi's mom would swoop in with more food. Clearly, there are some aspects of motherhood that transcend cultural and continental boundaries. I departed Tanvi's place that night with a full belly and a mouth pleasantly warmed by moderately spiced cuisine.

Missed Opportunity

October 10 passed with the low pressure center still parked in the same location offshore and the New Jersey weather remained dismal. I had intended to take Tanvi flying after work, but the gusty wind convinced me that it was not a good day for a first flight in a light aircraft. In the interests of making it a good experience, we would have to wait for another opportunity.

On the positive side, Tanvi's mom sent her into work that morning with dessert for me and Stacey. I devoured mine at the hotel that night and it was delicious.

Plotting a Course

I planned a 2:00 pm departure on the afternoon of October 11. That morning, I studied the charts to plot a course home. I have learned over and over again that New York Approach likes airway routes in their airspace. Not surprisingly, there were no preferred routes published between Central Jersey Regional and Sodus, so I started with the reverse of the route I was given inbound: Solberg to Allentown to Wilkes-Barre, then added Binghamton to Ithaca to BEEPS intersection to complete the route.

Within minutes of my filing that route, the FAA computer kicked back a new expected route: COATE - LAAYK - Binghamton (CFB) - Ithaca (ITH) - BEEPS. The back half of what I filed was preserved, but the route out of New York airspace was completely altered. I amended my filed flight plan with the new expected route hoping that I would receive a simple "cleared as filed" when I picked up my clearance that afternoon. (Foreshadowing: I didn't).

Encounter with the Rival Gang

I ventured into Hillsborough Enterprise territory that afternoon to return my car and was welcomed by the three guys working the office. When they heard that I needed to go to the airport, one of them asked if I was flying myself somewhere. When I confirmed that I was, each one sounded off in a unique way.

First Guy said, "Great, we have another car over there that we need to pick up."

Second Guy followed on with, "I tried to enlist in the Air Force, but they told me that there ain't no government making airplanes big enough to fit me." This was no exaggeration: when he stood, he was easily a head taller than me. But name a flight simulator made anytime between 1980 and today and he had mastered it. I have not heard anyone mention Falcon or Jet in decades.

Third Guy said, "Man, I have a friend that is taking lessons. It looks so cool, but I'm terrified of heights." I told him that I was, too (because I am). I don't think he believed me.

When he dropped me off at the FBO, Second Guy asked which airplane was mine. I pointed to the Warrior and he reacted with surprise. "Oh! That's a nice looking one. Some of these things parked out here look pretty rough." He was not wrong.

New Paradigm

Central Jersey Regional was overcast at 3,000 feet. There was plenty of altitude to depart VFR and pick up my IFR clearance in the air if I wanted to. My other option was calling New York Approach for clearance from the ground by phone.

At home, I usually depart VFR whenever I can and pick up the clearance in the air from Rochester Approach. When I was a student, I was given reason to believe that this was the preferred path. The first time my instructor Tom and I tried to get a clearance by phone, we were told that conditions were adequate to launch VFR and that we should just contact approach in the air for clearance.

I was also concerned that, given the busy New York airspace, a call for clearance by phone might result in a long ground hold for IFR release. For these reasons, it was my intention to call New York Approach in the air. But then I remembered my experience departing Aeroflex-Andover and how I was completely unable to get a word in edgewise with Approach.

So I consulted with an experienced pilot at the FBO. His advice was exactly the opposite of what my Rochester experience predisposed me to do. He suggested that I call on the ground because New York Approach often got irritated by airborne clearance requests when they were busy. There is nothing quite like good local knowledge.

Central Jersey Regional, taxi from the fuel pump to the departure end of 7, and take-off as captured by ForeFlight

After fueling up with cheap avgas, I taxied to the end of runway 7 and called New York Approach. Similar to my experience with Chicago Approach on the phone earlier this year, the controller who answered the phone was very friendly and helpful. He rattled off a full route clearance that matched the amended route I filed except that the Solberg VOR had been inserted before COATE intersection. After a successful read back, he asked when I would be ready to go. "Five minutes," I answered.

"OK, call back in five minutes for release."

I finished the runup, inserted the Solberg VOR into the GNS-430 flight plan, and called back. Within two minutes, I was released. It seemed almost too easy.

Every time I do this, I not only learn a little more, but I become more comfortable with what I already know.

Aura

Date	Aircraft	Route of Flight	Time (hrs)	Total (hrs)
11 Oct 2019	N21481	47N (Manville, NJ) - SDC (Sodus, NY)	2.4	2044.1

I never made it to the Solberg VOR, but instead received a series of vectors around the VOR before being cleared direct COATE. I entered the clouds at 3,000 feet and leveled at 8,000 feet near the cloud tops, but still mostly engulfed in thick mist. I logged a good 0.9 hours of actual IMC time as I exited New York airspace that afternoon.

No, I did not upgrade Warrior 481 to a scimitar prop. I really dislike how cellphone cameras depict propeller blades.

Then I saw it, a pale rainbow that my airplane seemed to wear like a halo. With the sun directly at my tail, I was perfectly positioned to carry this rainbow along with me on the way out of New Jersey. The apparition disappeared whenever I emerged from the cloud tops into dry air or plunged into heavier mist that blocked direct sunlight. Otherwise, the phenomenon persisted for several minutes at a time as I plowed through dense mist at the top of the layer, a constant arc in my windscreen projected upon a flickering screen of water vapor.

It was one of those remarkable sights that so frequently occur while flying. I had already decided that avoiding hours of car travel made flying to New Jersey worth the effort, but this was a beautiful and unexpected highlight of going by air. It certainly beat the endless line of brake lights I would have seen on I-78 on a Friday afternoon.

Reaching COATE intersection, I turned onto T218 bound for LAAYK intersection and effectively lost my halo. Within minutes of being switched from New York Approach to Wilkes-Barre Approach, the new controller called.

"Cherokee Four Eight One, proceed direct destination." It was the ultimate short cut.

Dissipation

Near Binghamton, I reached the edge of the low's influence and the cloud layer began to unravel.

Suddenly, it was gone. I had escaped the area affected by that dismal low spinning counter-clockwise over the Atlantic. The weather in Upstate New York was absolutely glorious.

Waypoints

The Binghamton Airport from 8,000 feet.

Years ago, I often flew back and forth across Michigan from one side of the mitten to the other. This led me to comment on the Lansing Capital City Airport (now Capital Region International) as being one that I had flown over many, many times and communicated with many, many times without making a single landing there. With multiple trips to Cherry Ridge and New York City / New Jersey this year, Binghamton seems to have become my new Lansing.

Ground track from ForefFlight, 47N to KSDC

Added Value

A grumpy New York Approach controller notwithstanding, every time I fly instruments in busy airspace I increase both my knowledge and my confidence. Additionally, I discovered that I logged my 50th hour in actual IMC on this flight, making the trip something of a milestone.

 As always, flying was a great way to reduce travel time while doing something that I enjoy (soaring through the heavens among the clouds) and minimizing what I do not enjoy (plodding along the highway surrounded by unpredictable metal death boxes separated from me by mere inches). Any time I travel on man-made wings, I am always cognizant of how the airplane exploits physics to make flight possible. Sometimes physics also reveals unexpected beauty like my Jersey halo.