Day 3 - Lubbock TX to San Diego CA
The turbulance in Louisiana and Texas had been so severe that my autopilot was acting strangely and as my rule is not to fly single pilot IFR without a fully functioning autopilot I had to investigate the problem.
It turned out that the autopilot cable had jumped the pulley, despite close fitting cable guards. This was no doubt due to the rapid constant interaction between the aileron cable system and the autopilot cable system - something which had never happened before in over 250 hrs of flight. The severe turbulance had found a weakness in the system so the cable guard was made even closer fitting!
A delay of some 4 hours resulted from this enforced repair - something which was to have a significant impact later in the day.
High density altitude (insignificant compared to later) meant a modest climb rate to just over the cloud tops at 10500 ft msl and having filed IFR I was able to enjoy the wisps of cloud drifting past the wingtips at close quarters.
Eventually the planned fuel stop at SJN (St John's, AZ) was reached in the middle of the afternoon. I had expected it to be hot, but not over 110 deg F. The altitude of 5376 msl, combined with the excessive temperature meant a density altitude approaching 11000 ft!!
In view of this I decided not to take on full fuel, despite the low price. Fortunately the longer of the two runways was into wind as I needed all of the 5322 ft to get off the ground. Even then the climb rate was pathetic at around 150 ft / min. That's the penalty of only having 125 hp at 60 deg F at sea level.
Worse was to come - the oil temperature started rising and rising. Once 225 deg F had been reached I turned back and made a precautionary landing to check things out and confirm what the absolute max oil temp limit was. Normally 210 deg F is the high end for most circumstances so for the temp to rise to 225 deg F was worthy of concern.
Perhaps the quick fuel turn-round had not allowed the engine to cool, so I found a garden (yard) hose and sprayed the cowl down. On checking the manual, I found that the absolute max oil temp is 240 deg F, so at least I knew the upper limit.
This time I circled above the airfield, climbing at just 150 ft / min and watching the oil temp like a hawk. Eventually it reached 227 deg F and stabalized at this level - at last I could head westward towards San Diego.
Originally I had planned to visit Sedona for lunch, but in view of the delay in Lubbock I had decided to go a more direct route passing just to the north of Phoenix, or so I thought! A major storm had other ideas and eventually I was forced north until I was almost over Sedona. Virga and lightning were clear signs that this storm was not to be messed with.
Again I had filed IFR so was in constant touch with ATC. Having an approach approved GPS proved invaluable as once clear of this massive storm I was able to get 'direct to' rather than having to follow navaids. Still, the delay and diversions meant the last hour of the flight was at night, after watching a brilliant setting sun go down beyond the southern Californian mountains.
Arriving at Brown Field, San Diego at 10.00 pm meant my host for the night had departed so I was left to find hotel accommodation in San Diego. It soon became clear the this was an impossible task as San Diego was hosting a 'Comics Conference'. No rooms anywhere so the only alternative was to sleep, or attempt to, in an office chair in the briefing room. Fortunately there were no pilots wanting to use the room, despite the terminal being open 24 hrs. No luxury either as Brown Field shows its connections with a WWII heritage. Still, there was air conditioning and the temperature the next morning was a pleasant and typical San Diego 65 deg F with the marine layer evident as IFR conditions were present until after 9.00 am.
