*music* Matt: Ok so today we're in Iqaluit, Canada, just got fuel, we're ready to go to Greenland some awesome terrain here, it looks incredible, like look at these mountains and everything we've got water over there, saw the Northern Lights last night, just waiting for our clearance here to Greenland and then we'll take off, be about a 3 hour flight up to Nuuk Iqaluit Radio: OEU, clearance Louis: How many gallons can we hold in total in the plane now? JP: 129 usable Matt: I think I look pretty good in this Louis: You do, you do! This suit looks considerably cooler than ours Matt: I feel like, like a SpaceX Mars astronaut or something Louis: Yeah Matt: This is the first real overwater leg, last night we got a little bit of a taste but today we're seeing actual icebergs, gonna be out over the ocean for like three hours so stuff get's real JP: Did one of you grab the key? Louis: Sweet Matt: So we're trying to get ready to go - we just got fuel, all set - but we can't find the key so we can't start the plane without the key, so we're looking for that we do have a spare but we don't wanna just leave one of the two sitting here in Canada somewhere cause they might need it on later in the trip we'll figure it out JP: I thought I emptied my pockets! Louis: We found the key! Where was it JP? *laughing* JP: In here *laughing* JP: I thought I'd emptied it but Louis: In your pocket the whole time, ok Matt: Iqaluit Radio, Cessna 210EU request IFR clearance to BGGH Iqaluit Radio: N21OEU Iqaluit Radio, preferred runway 34, wind 170 at 3, altimeter 3003, taxi at your discretion, standby clearance Matt: Ok copy all that we'll standby for clearance, 210EU Iqaluit Radio: Uh with possible change in your route, ATC clears N21OEU to the Godthab airport via Iqaluit 2 departure MUSVA, I spell M-U-S-V-A, direct 64 North 057 West, direct KU, direct, depart Runway 34, squawk 0637 Matt: Ok ATC clears N210EU to the BGGH airport via the Iqaluit 2 departure, MUSVA, 64 North 57 West, KU, direct, squawk 0637 Matt: Heading 345 to 1,000 feet I think we're ready to go, let's go to Greenland Iqaluit Radio, N210EU departing Runway 34 Iqaluit Radio: 0EU roger, contact Montreal Center on 134.55 airborne Matt: 0EU JP: alright here we go! ATC: ...code 6615 request you hold short of runway JP: power's set, temperatures and pressures are good Louis: Check check check check 1 1 this audio cable is so dodge check check check C-GSPC: Iqaluit Radio, hello, GSPC medevac, we'll be taxiing Runway 16 via C request IFR clearance to (?) Matt: Montreal Center, N210EU, 1,300 climbing 5,000 on the Iqaluit 2 Oh this is just incredible, look at all the color in like that water and those rocks JP: Those tents over there Matt: Yeah look at this little stream here that's so cool, and there's the airport back there Louis: Yeah that's pretty epic Matt: The landscape is just so incredible! JP: Oh there's snow over there, right there Matt: Oh yeah! I'm hoping that we see like some polar bears or something just out here Louis: Oh my gosh if you do just shout quickly JP: We'll cancel IFR immediately *laughing* Matt: I think it'd be so fun to have you know something with bush tires and just set down anywhere out here JP: Oh yeah Matt: Just stop, have a little picnic, walk around it'd be so fun JP: Definitely the craziest place I've ever flown Montreal Center: 210EU I have your oceanic clearance if you're ready to copy Matt: Go ahead for 0EU Montreal Center: N210EU you're cleared to the BGGH airport via direct MUSVA, 64 North 57 West, KU, maintain flight level 090 and a speed of 155 knots for the crossing Matt: What are we doing right now? Ok perfect Montreal Center: 10EU, surveillance service is terminated, you can switch enroute frequency and report over MUSVA with Gander Radio 124.82 Louis: We're never gonna spot a polar bear from up here JP: Yeah we will just imagine that all those white spots you see are polar bears Louis: They'll be so tiny Are these like mini glaciers or something? Matt: Yeah I think those are glaciers JP: Yeah I would say so too, man Matt: That's a proper glacier Yeah that might be the first glacier I've ever seen Louis: That lake is so beautiful, that blue one Matt: This one on the left here? Louis: Yeah, that's all the mineral deposits that are making it that blue, isn't it? Matt: Yeah I think so, all these glacial lakes JP: This is the most bizarre terrain I've ever seen I just see icebergs, mini icebergs everywhere Louis: Maybe they're all polar bears swimming JP: I feel very very blessed right now Louis: Yeah JP: to be able to do this Matt: Yeah no this is incredible Louis: It feels so special doesn't it JP: Well this is literally Matt: Like the edge of the world JP: Yeah but how many people have done this like in a little plane, right how many people get to see it in this way look behind us oh my god I need to take a picture Matt: Like a cargo ship would be about the size, would look about the size of one of these icebergs Ok so we're about 2 minutes out from our oceanic entry point which is MUSVA so we're monitoring 123.45 for communications with other planes out over the ocean and then 21.5 for emergencies and then we're gonna give Gander Radio a call on 124.82 for the position report over MUSVA Gander Radio, N210EU Gander Center: Uh who was that calling? Matt: N210EU over MUSVA, 1718Z, flight level 090, estimating 64 North 57 West 1820, KU next, over Gander Center: N210EU, roger JP: So I've started a trend page and I'm basically just gonna put every leg continued down on here so that I can always reference previous flights and see if there's any abnormalities I'm doing it in 20 minute intervals and yeah everything's looking pretty good Gander Center: ... and you are ADS-B identified Air Canada 015, you can contact Gander Radio now on HF, your primary frequency is 8864, secondary is 11279, radar service terminates in about 100 miles, good day Matt: I've gotta inflate the tank, pressurize the tank so that we can run fuel from the ferry system Matt: Ok so now we're on the right tank there fuel selector down there has the ferry tank, is open to the ferry tank so now that we just pressurized that that'll be flowing in from there, if we need to vent the ferry tank we can open that valve if we need to pressurize it we open that valve, we just pressurized it so that's closed now and we've got fuel running through there to the engine got about 44 minutes till our next position report then after that about another, just under an hour to Nuuk we do have a 5 hour and 43 minute fuel reserve so we've got plenty of fuel today, that's the nice thing Louis: This fog looks amazing JP: Yeah that's the only thing that would really make us not get into Nuuk is fog Matt: Right Louis: What would we do? JP: Fly back Louis: Literally just turn around? JP: Yep Matt: There's nowhere in Greenland where we can really just be absolutely sure that we're gonna get in like we can back in Canada so we would just go back to Iqaluit if we had to Gander Center: Air France 072, Center, are you able flight level 340? Matt: I kinda have to pee *laughing* Matt: I might even try something like... Gander Center: N210EU Center, you still on frequency? Matt: 210EU affirmative Gander Center: 210EU roger, if I lose you off this frequency you can try reporting your next position there, 64 North 57 West, with Iceland Radio on 127.85 Matt: Ok if we can't get you we'll try 127.85, 210EU Louis: Alright guys this is so much fun, I'm loving this Matt: I mean it's just so incredible, you stop to, I mean right now like it just you know so mission focused and it's like what are the temperatures, where are we going, let's get there, what's the weather like and then like you stop and think about it and we're out in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean it's so cool, it's like driving a car to Europe or something, you know? JP: Yeah it's pretty crazy Well the only thing I'm seeing right now is the sea state underneath these, this fog, it's very rough So that must be why it's forming here yeah that would not be fun that's some big waves Louis: oh wow yeah Matt: Yeah they look so small from up here but you get down in there in a little life raft and that is not gonna be a fun day, also... JP: Especially trying to land Matt: What is the auto pilot, what is the attitude indicator doing right now? What is the, that whole Aspen thing is just like failing JP: Oh well I have turned on the pitot heat just in case but I doubt that Matt: Umm so can we revert to this one? JP: Yeah Matt: So let's get this on camera cause this is fun JP: Oh that's fun *laughing* Matt: Ok so we've just had the Aspen apparently have the AHRS fail ok well so this just got significantly more interesting JP: Cause all our um Matt: Yeah we don't have a backup CDI at all do we? JP: Nope Matt: Yeah Louis: Wait what's happened? lost all navigation? JP: I'm gonna have to cycle this Matt: Yeah cycle that, let's see what happens *unclear*: Woah JP: That was blocked Matt: Ok JP: Pitot was blocked, see what it's saying Matt: Yeah I see that, wait so get a shot of that so that's very odd cause we haven't flown through any sort of precipitation or visible moisture of any kind JP: Alright let me get these back on Matt: Yeah yeah so I'll just punch this back in here, we're going to...well I gotta put that user waypoint back in JP: let me just keep the wings perfectly level here as well Matt: So uh JP: Well that was interesting Matt: Well hopefully we get everything back, hopefully it was just that pitot thing threw this thing for a loop but how the hell did the pitot tube get blocked? JP: I don't know but what I do like is that it's very first thing was that it told me that Matt: 6457 yeah, ok so it looks like we got that back JP: This is flagging again GPS 2 reversion Matt: Um hold on maybe it's I think it's JP: I think it's cause you haven't programmed that in yet Matt: Ok yeah so you fly I'll put in the, this stuff again Ok so latitude/longitude we've got 64 north Louis: Has it all rebooted? Matt: 57 west JP: Yeah so we, the pitot heat, that thing on the air, that on the wing that takes, that measures the ram pressure, or ram air flow got completely blocked so we lost airspeed plus this thing completely blanked, both of them Louis: Wow JP: So uh Matt: Yeah so basically it's a problem with this Aspen where if the pitot heat is blocked it just gives up completely, that's great JP: Which is really really dangerous Matt: Yeah that's so annoying, Louis: Is it, did it get blocked with ice? Matt: Yeah some kind of icing apparently cause turning on the heat got it back but that just doesn't make any sense because we haven't flown through any sort of moisture so it's really surprising, I guess maybe the humidity is just that great JP: Yeah we are at -1 and the humidity just probably, little bits accumulated Matt: Yeah that's crazy I guess let's leave that on for now, and then we've got KU next... Louis: Would it have been very difficult to get there without this, these systems? JP: If the weather was down to minimums, impossible cause we would have had no way of shooting an instrument approach like that can end up being deadly Matt: Ok so I think did we pass this already? I think we might have, yeah 260 yeah so we just passed that so we'll uh, let's see here, what's the time? 22, ok so that's a couple minutes past that estimate Gander Radio, N210EU *static* Matt: We can't get Gander, we'll try Iceland Radio Iceland Radio, N210EU anyone on 123.45 this is N210EU broadcasting in the blind 123.45 looking for a relay (?): EU, (?) 135 Matt: Yes, N210EU got a position report for Iceland Radio, if you're talking to Gander that'll probably work too (?): Ok standby (?): EU, *unintelligible* Matt: Yeah it's N210EU maintaining flight level 090, we crossed 645, or I'm sorry, 65 north 57 west at 1821Z maintaining flight level 090 estimating KU 1914Z, BGGH next, over (?): Uh give me the time for KU Matt: Estimating KU 1915Z (?): Ok, got that, we'll pass it on, I'll let you know *unintelligible* Matt: Awesome, thank you so much (?): ... just passed on your position report to Gander just less than a minute ago Matt: Perfect, thank you have a good day (?): You too Say again for 0EU (?): 0EU (?) 135 on Guard Matt: Yeah go ahead (?): got a frequency for you 121.30 VHF Matt: 121.30 thank you JP: People are so nice Matt: They are Sondrestrom Information: N210EU Sondrestrom 121.3, how copy? And I have a traffic announcement for you Matt: Go ahead Sondrestrom Information: Traffic is a Dash 8, call sign is Greenland 15 they are enroute from Sondrestrom to Nuuk, estimating GH 1901 is uh currently descending out of flight level 195 QNH is 1004 hectopascals, transition level 090 JP: I see Greenland! I see mountains! Matt: Yeah the fog ends and Greenland begins Matt: Sondrestrom, N210EU is 25 miles from KU Sondrestrom Information: NEU, Sondrestrom, roger, contact Nuuk AFIS, frequency 119.10 Matt: Nuuk Radio N210EU's 33 miles to the west descending out of 8,000, Nuuk Nuuk AFIS: NEU Nuuk AFIS uh roger umm yeah local traffic (?) 212 helicopter OYHDU correction OYHDN is east of the aerodrome and there are some paragliders (?) west of the city and runway in use is 05, wind 030 magnetic, 5 knots, visibility more than 10 kilometers, we have few clouds around 2,500 feet, temperature 11, dew point 5, QNH 1004 and uh report final for Runway 05 Matt: Copy all that, thank you, we'll report final for Runway 05, N210EU and Nuuk, N210EU about a 7 mile final, Runway 5, Nuuk JP: This airport looks so fun! Nuuk AFIS: N210EU Nuuk AFIS roger, no traffic on the runway, wind is 020 magnetic 7 knots Matt: 0EU, thank you *unintelligible* Radio: (in Danish) Yeah sorry we didn't call before, we were starting up. And we would like to borrow the runway if it's okay with you. JP: There's that Cirrus that left Iqaluit Matt: Oh yeah huh everybody's going the same way JP: What a place! Matt: Yep wow, this is definitely one of the coolest airports I've been to Man: Hello Louis: Hello! Man: Welcome Louis: Thank you Matt: Can you unzip me? *laughing* *music* Matt: Finally got a bite to eat, it's been a while, we had a quick breakfast this morning but that was along time ago so this was very much needed it's gonna be an early night we're pretty tired and go explore Nuuk tomorrow Matt: So driving around with Natasha today, gonna check out the National Museum here, go see some sights maybe get out on a boat, it's gonna be epic, it's beautiful out here, a little chilly but not too bad Natasha: These are our national costumes that we would wear for like any traditional celebration Matt: So we just learned a ton about Greenland, everything from history like they invented the kayak saw their national costume, clothes they used to wear, also found out that basically every settlement in Greenland was essentially isolated from each other until about World War II, that was the fist time that they had like organized transportation between different cities in Greenland so it's really interesting it's all so isolated, it's all limited to the coast and yeah I don't know it's a really interesting place Matt: We're at the end of the road, literally, this is the end of the road like Nuuk is over there and this is as far as the road goes, you can't go and just drive from one city to the other you have to go by boat or by plane *music* So we're here at a traditional Greenlandic home, we're gonna watch the sunset, it's beautiful out here JJ: It's made of dirt and stones, and the Greenlandic people have never settled to one specific place because they would always follow the food, the animals Louis: Matt, how are you feeling? Matt: I'm exhausted *laughing* Matt: It's so easy getting down to the fjord but walking back, it's tough, I'm out of shape *laughing* Matt: It's a good workout though *music* Louis: Be adventurous, go for some Greenlandic thing Matt: That sounds pretty adventurous for me, slices of filet of beef on thai stick with peanut sauce *laughing* what is peanut sauce?
From the ASPEN manual:
Here's what's going on: The solid state inertial sensors don't have quite the accuracy required to maintain an accurate attitude reference without velocity aiding from some source, in this case from the air data system. So if the pitot system is blocked, the velocity aiding is no longer available, and the attitude reference fails. So of course the system no longer displays the attitude and presents a flag.
Because the Aspen PFD requires air data to stabilize the attitude reference, and because any aircraft might lose its pitot system, use of the Aspen as a primary flight display requires a backup attitude reference (that of course can't depend on the pitot system). In the video, you can see that there's a mechanical attitude indicator to the left of the Aspen.
I have a friend...name rhymes with Race, and works outta place that rhymes with Myslip, who is pretty well versed in all things avionics, (a bit of an understatement.) He's a pretty adamant opponent of all things Aspen. Something, something piece of shit something.
Don't get me wrong, I'm all for alternatives to $17K GPS systems or other expensive Marmin units, but there aren't too many good ones for the certified market.
The type of plane I learned on had the Aspen paired with a GTN 650. Some of them were a little squirelly together. On one of the planes, the Aspen would fail like that any time you're on the ground. You literally had to take off with a failed PFD in order for it to start working properly. They can be screwy.
Not sure how many of you saw this but forward to 11 minutes in. Turns out the pitot tube was blocked. It caused the entire Aspen system to fail (including their CDI). This is some scary shit. Luckily they were in cruise in VMC
I like having an AHRS backup - as independent as possible from other systems (battery powered Stratus + battery powered iPad) - for just such possibilities. It’s not exact (speeds are GPS-based ground speed; altitude is GPS not pressure, and won’t usually correspond with the altimeter), but it’d get you out of the soup...
Any idea what caused the ice in clear air?