Hard Lesson

A student who recently passed the PP let me know he was a bit anxious about flying XC solo.

I told him to map out a flight and we'd fly dual, but I'd stay out of it unless he asked.

We flew north the KERI yesterday. METARs and TAFs as well as FA indicated it would be a VFR day. We climbed to 8500 (the mid-day bumps were starting and he said he wasn't sure if he should climb over the few tiny CU at 5000 or so) and levelled off.

We flew with FF with Pitt App, looking ahead for any bunching of the cloud deck. It remained a beautiful September day -- until 30nm south of Erie.

We listened to the KERI ATIS which announced an overcast layer at 4200, winds 14G20. Hmm.....

Me: "Is that better or worse than forecast?"

"Worse...."

Me: "So what does that mean?"

"Not sure..."

Me: "OK..."

As we continued northbound, the layer below starting filling in. Ahead a layer of CU extended above our cruisng altitude.

"So, what are our options?"

"Get below the layer?"

"You're solo on this XC, remember?"

"Yeah..."

A long slow spiral down through a hole as Erie Approach was informed of our plans.

As if scripted, the hole started closing.

"Hmm...what now?"

"Uhhh....."

"You gotta stay out of those clouds -- I'm not filing -- you're on your own!"

Another hole seemed to open up to our right. He dove for it, building up speed way past Va.

"I kinda like our wings...."

"Hunh? -- ohh...."

"Do you have flaps on this airplane?"

The nose came up, white arc was reached, flaps came down to 20, and we comfortably but steeply descended through the hole to the VFR layer underneath.

Erie Approach called: "Did you get the latest weather at Erie?"

Overcast now at 2100.

"I'm gonna divert."

"But the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders are waiting at the FBO to escort you to Hooters!" I exclaimed in abject disappointment.

"Yeah..."

"OK -- Excellent decision -- where too?"

Sectionals, GPS buttons, altitude all over --

"Hang on, hang on -- what's rule 1?"

"Fly the --" BUMP

"How about we get trimmed up, stablized, and then figure out where we're going? Let's also figure out the highest obstacle in the area so we stay above it."

That done, the airplane heading southeast, we bumped along in the low-level VFR.

We landed at our alternate, looked at an airplane there, talked to a Pitt TRACON controller who invited us out anytime after the G-20, and refueled.

We saddled up and returned home, discussing the options and what to do when VFR, how hard it is to change plans mid-air, and how weather that is worse than forecast is usually a Bad Thing.

Sure, I was tempted to take over, file, and get us into Erie (I like Wegmans!!!)

But it was just as important I stifle that impulse and let him work through and then live with the consequences.