Leg #1 KIDP-KSTL: Planning

Route

For the first trip from the Independence Cessna factory to Saint Louis, the route is quite obvious. TRAKE8 STAR  to KSTL has a transition beginning at Springfield VORTAC (SGF), so this will be my ending point, preceded by airway V190. As KIDP has no Standard Instrument Departures and my airplane has no RNAV capability (actually, it has a portable GPS receiver, but I won’t use it), I will just fly direct to the closest navaid in the airway: Oswego VORTAC (OSW), just 27 miles east of Independence Municipal.





The transition from the STAR to the approach at Lambert-St. Louis Intl. is not automatic. According to the TRAKE8 plate, usually ATC gives vectors, but in IVAO the are few controllers in the USA, therefore I have to plan something. Checking the ILS RWY 06 chart (the most favorable runway with no wind), the IAF (point where the approach begins) is Foristell VORDME (FTZ), also in the TRAKE8 arrival. Nice, problem solved!





And here is my IVAO flight plan.




Weather

Now, you can’t just get into the aircraft and fly. You should always check the weather forecast for the whole route.

To begin with, the latest surface analysis, next to some satellite images help to see the global picture. To the west of Independence, Kansas (departure point), there is a Low with a little active hot front, followed by a cold one. Let’s not wait for all the weather to arrive here! Flying to the east, towards the High, the pressure will raise and I will have to update the barometric altimeter setting enroute to maintain the filed 7,000 ft and avoid climbing. As the Low turns counterclockwise and the High turns clockwise, it is expected a quite strong wind from the South.







The most important thing that I see in the satellite images are those two well defined storm nuclei Southeast of St. Louis, Missouri (destination). They are moving North, we’ll see the TAF for KSTL later, but now let’s take a closer look at them in IR.




Let's continue with some forecast to see how the picture is moving. According to the SIGWX map, the freezing level is higher than the planned 7,000 ft, and the area of the storms is already signaled for rain showers and storms at 18h UTC.




Finally, the METARs and TAFs:

Close to the departure airport, the wind is South at KCFV.

KCFV 241252Z AUTO 16009KT 10SM CLR 24/21 A2996 RMK AO2 SLP138 T02440206

The destination is OK, with wind calm, higher pressure and some mid clouds expected, nothing important. No thunderstorms or rain.

KSTL 241251Z 00000KT 10SM FEW043 SCT200 26/22 A3006 RMK AO2 SLP166 T02610217

KSTL 241131Z 2412/2518 VRB05KT P6SM SCT050 FM241400 16007KT P6SM SCT050 FM241800

The alternate airport KSPI (Springfield, Illinois) is also fine, with a ceiling of clouds expected at 3,500 ft.

KSPI 241252Z 16003KT 10SM SCT070 24/22 A3007 RMK AO2 SLP177 T02440217

KSPI 241134Z 2412/2512 17005KT P6SM SCT060 FM241500 16011KT P6SM BKN035 FM250100 14005KT P6SM SKC TEMPO 2508/2512 4SM BR

And now we are ready, let’s fly!