On Saturday I was supposed to fly with one of my instrument students but he wasn't able to make it so I took the opportunity to fly myself.  I couldn't remember the last time I actually "flew" and instead I spend most of my time just looking pretty from the right seat saying "altitude" or "heading" a lot so needless to say I was excited to see if I still remembered how to fly.

 

I took off out of Paine and the weather was just what I hoped for - overcast at 600 feet and total IMC all the way to HQM.  No problemo! Once at HQM I had to use the ILS to make my approach. This procedure is, in my opinion, one of the most challenging in Washington.  http://www.naco.faa.gov/d-tpp/0507/00889ID24.PDF

 

At 800 feet we broke out of the clouds and like magic the airport was in sight.

 

At HQM I had breakfast at the greasy spoon and enjoyed my $200 eggs :)

 

After a quick weather brief and IFR flight plan filing I was off and en route back to Paine field. My approach there was even more challenging. The weather reported at PAE was 300 feet overcast with 1 1/4 mile visibility!! http://www.naco.faa.gov/d-tpp/0507/00142IL16R.PDF 

 

In a normal IFR precision approach if you dont have 1 mile visibility and the airport in sight by 200 feet you need to try again or go somewhere else.  Because the clouds were so low I decided to let the auto pilot fly the approach. As I was coming down the instrument landing system I was totally in the clouds. 1000 feet - nothing. 500 feet - Nothing. 250 feet - Nothing. I started to move my hands towards the throttle to start a go around. Then at ~210 feet above the ground - Lights, paint and pavement.

 

Overall it was a great flight!