The Flint Hills Photo Tour

You've already done the walk-around and you're both buckled in. Master switch is still OFF. The panel is dark.

1. BOTHBelts, doors, headsets on. Plug your headsets into the LEMO jacks. Adjust seat and rudder pedals — Brenda first since she's flying.
2. BRENDACheck the parking brake is set. Throttle closed. Mixture rich. Prop full forward. Fuel selector on BOTH.
3. BRENDAMaster switch ON (alternator + battery). The panel lights up. Beacon ON.
4. BOTHWatch the avionics boot. The G3X will go through its self-test (15–30 seconds). The GTN 750Xi shows its boot screen, then the database currency screen.
5. CHRISAccept the GTN database currency. Tap Enter when the GTN asks. You'll see "Self-Test" then the home screen.
6. CHRISVerify the G3X is showing the PFD. If it's showing a different page, swipe right or tap the PFD soft key at the bottom.

This is the part you've been chair-flying in the trainer. Now you do it for real. Your route is 1K1 → KEQA → 1K1 with a Direct-To deviation to fly over the Cassoday area in the middle.

1. Press the Home button on the GTN bezel (bottom right). You should see the home screen with the seven main tiles.
2. Tap Flight Plan (top-left tile, looks like a route icon).
3. If there's an old flight plan loaded, clear it: Tap Menu in the top right → Delete Flight Plan → confirm.
4. Tap the first empty waypoint line (says "Add Waypoint"). An on-screen keyboard appears.
5. Type 1K1 using the keyboard. As you type, the GTN suggests matches. When you see "1K1 LLOYD STEARMAN FIELD," tap it. Then tap Enter.
6. Tap the next empty line below 1K1.
7. Type KEQA → select "KEQA CAPT JACK THOMAS MEML / EL DORADO" → Enter.
8. Tap the next empty line below KEQA.
9. Type 1K1 again → Enter. You now have a three-waypoint flight plan: 1K1 → KEQA → 1K1.
10. Tap Menu → Activate to activate the flight plan. The magenta line should now appear on the map.
11. Press Home → tap Map to see the route on the moving map. You should see two airport icons and a magenta line between them.

1. Set the altimeter. Tap the BARO field on the PFD (bottom of the altitude tape). Spin to the current altimeter setting from Stearman AWOS (if available) or KICT ATIS on COM2. Verify the altimeter reads field elevation 1,364 ft ± 75 ft.
2. Set the altitude bug to 3,500 ft. Tap the small numeric box above the altimeter tape (the "ALT SEL"). Spin to 3,500. This is your initial cruise altitude.
3. Set the heading bug. Tap the HDG bug arrow on the HSI. Spin to runway heading (Rwy 17 or 35 at 1K1, depending on wind). For Rwy 35, set 350.
4. Verify HSI source is GPS. Bottom of HSI should say GPS in magenta. If it says VLOC, tap the source button on the GTN to switch back to GPS.
5. Turn on Synthetic Vision if not already on (PFD Menu → Synthetic Vision → ON). Useful even on a clear day for terrain awareness.
6. Verify the EIS strip looks normal: RPM 0, MP near ambient (~29 in), oil temp low, oil pressure 0, fuel quantities reading your actual tank levels, CHTs cold.

Brenda follows the engine start checklist from your POH. Chris's job during start is to watch the EIS strip.

1. BRENDAStandard 182Q start. "Clear prop!" out the window before turning the key.
2. CHRISEyes on oil pressure. The moment the engine fires, watch the oil pressure gauge on the EIS. It must rise within 30 seconds. If it doesn't, call out "No oil pressure" and Brenda will shut down.
3. BRENDAThrottle to 1,000 RPM. Let oil warm. Check ammeter charging.
4. CHRISTune COM1 to CTAF. 1K1 CTAF is on the airport — verify the frequency on the airport diagram. Use GTN: press Home → Flight Plan → tap "1K1" → tap FREQ → tap CTAF to load it into COM1 standby → flip-flop to active.
5. BRENDASelf-announce taxi.

6. BRENDATaxi to the run-up area. Standard run-up: brakes, 1700 RPM, mags L/R (max drop 175, differential 50), prop cycle, carb heat check, gauges green, ammeter positive.
7. CHRISDuring run-up, do this:
   • Verify GTN flight plan is still loaded (press Home → glance at active waypoint = 1K1, next = KEQA)
   • Squawk: GTX 345R should be on STBY. We'll go to ALT just before takeoff.
   • Tune COM2 (the GTR 205) to Wichita Approach (134.85) so we can monitor.
8. BRENDAPre-takeoff brief out loud: "Departing runway 35, climb runway heading to 800 AGL, then right turn northeast to 3,500. V_R 55, V_X 59, V_Y 80. If engine fails before rotation: power idle, brakes, stop on the runway. After rotation below 500: land straight ahead, no turns. Above 500 with engine failure: pick a field, best glide 75."

1. BRENDAFinal lineup checks: Flaps as per POH (typically 0° or 10° for normal takeoff), lights on, transponder to ALT (Chris taps this on the GTN), heading bug on runway heading.
2. BRENDAPosition and hold, then full power. Self-announce: "Stearman traffic, One Niner Niner Romeo Foxtrot, departing runway 35, Stearman."
3. CHRISCallouts during the roll: "Airspeed alive" at ~20 KIAS, "V_R" at 55, "Positive rate" once she has it. Watch RPM stays at full and EIS gauges all green.
4. BRENDAClimb at V_Y (80 KIAS). Flaps up by 500 AGL.
5. BRENDAAt 800 AGL, turn right to ~030° (northeast) and continue the climb to 3,500 MSL.
6. CHRISOnce stable in climb, set up the panel for cruise:
   • Confirm altitude bug is set to 3,500
   • On the G3X, tap the map page once to glance at the route — confirm magenta line is visible
   • Note the wind direction/speed in the upper-left of the PFD

You're climbing northeast over the prairie. This is the part where you actually look out the window. The Flint Hills are below — rolling tallgrass prairie. The town of Cassoday sits ~25 NM northeast of 1K1, right at the intersection of the Kansas Turnpike (I-35) and K-177.

1. BRENDALevel at 3,500. Power back to ~22"/2300 RPM (verify against your POH cruise table). Trim for hands-off.
2. CHRISLean the mixture. Pull mixture back slowly while watching the EIS EGT bar. Stop just rich of peak EGT, or per your CFI's leaning technique for this airplane.
3. CHRISShow Brenda the ADS-B traffic display. On the G3X map, traffic targets appear as diamonds with relative altitude (e.g., "−05" means 500 ft below you). Point out any nearby. Most of the time the area is quiet, but Wichita traffic occasionally passes overhead.
4. CHRISDemonstrate Direct-To capability. Press the Direct-To button on the GTN (D→ icon). Type EQA (El Dorado) just as a demo. Look at the distance and bearing. Tap Cancel — don't activate it. You're showing how it works, not changing the route.
5. BRENDAEnjoy the view. Look down. I-35 cuts through the Flint Hills like a knife. Cassoday is the small town at the intersection of I-35 and K-177. Take photos.

You're abeam Cassoday-ish. Time to head to KEQA. El Dorado has two paved runways (4/22 and 15/33), each ~5,000 ft long, with PAPI lights on the main runways. Plenty of room for a relaxed approach.

1. CHRISPress Direct-To on the GTN. Type KEQA → Enter → Activate. The magenta line redraws toward El Dorado.
2. CHRISRead out: "Direct-To KEQA. Bearing [whatever], distance [whatever], ETE [whatever]."
3. BRENDATurn to the new course. She'll use the magenta course needle on the HSI as her primary reference. Wings level on the line.
4. CHRISTune KEQA CTAF on COM1. Press Home → Flight Plan → tap KEQA → FREQ → CTAF → load into COM1 standby → flip-flop to active. Verify the frequency against the current chart.
5. CHRISGet KEQA weather. Same screen, find the AWOS frequency → load into COM2 standby → listen briefly → note altimeter and wind. KEQA has an on-field AWOS — verify frequency on the chart.
6. BRENDABegin descent when ~5 NM out. Power back to ~17", aim for 500 fpm down. Target traffic pattern altitude at KEQA (field elevation 1,378 + 1,000 = 2,378 MSL).
7. BRENDASelf-announce 10 miles out:

1. BRENDAEnter the pattern at the appropriate 45° entry to the downwind for the active runway. Pattern altitude is 2,378 MSL.
2. BRENDAStandard self-announcements: "El Dorado traffic, 199RF, midfield [left or right] downwind runway [X], El Dorado" → base → final.
3. CHRISEyes outside. Look for traffic. Cross-reference the ADS-B traffic on the G3X, but eyes-outside is primary.
4. BRENDAConfigure on downwind: abeam the numbers, power back, flaps 10°, slow to 80. Base: flaps 20°, slow to 70. Final: flaps 30°, slow to 65 (V_REF).
5. BRENDATouch-and-go technique: Land normally. On the rollout, flaps to 10°, carb heat cold, full power. Climb out at V_Y. Self-announce departing 18 to the north.
6. CHRISDuring the touch-and-go, do not touch any avionics. Brenda's hands and eyes are 100% on flying. You're a quiet observer here.

1. BRENDAClimbing out of KEQA, turn west toward 1K1. It's ~22 NM, so you'll have a few minutes of cruise. Climb to 4,500 MSL for the return.
2. CHRISPress Direct-To → 1K1 → Enter → Activate. The GTN now navigates you home.
3. CHRISTune 1K1 CTAF on COM1.
4. BRENDABegin descent at ~10 NM out from 1K1. Pattern altitude at 1K1 is 2,364 MSL (1,000 AGL).
5. BRENDASelf-announce inbound to 1K1:

6. BRENDAStandard pattern entry, normal landing. Flaps 30°, V_REF 65 on final.
7. BOTHClear of the runway. Flaps up. Carb heat cold. Transponder to STBY. Self-announce clear: "Stearman traffic, 199RF, clear of runway [X], Stearman."

1. BRENDATaxi back to tiedown. Standard 182Q shutdown: idle 1 minute to cool, avionics off, mixture idle cutoff, mags off, master off.
2. BOTHLog Hobbs and tach.
3. BOTHTie down and cover.
4. BOTHWalk to the Stearman Field Bar & Grill or wherever you're going for coffee. Debrief while it's fresh.

Debrief questions — answer out loud to each other:

• What went well?
• What surprised you?
• What did you have to look up that you should have known?
• Brenda: what avionics step would have helped that Chris didn't do, or did too late?
• Chris: what flying decision did Brenda make that you didn't expect?
• What's one thing each of you wants to be smoother on next time?

Log it in the N199RF course app

Open the course on your iPad and mark today's date in your notes. Specifically log: GTN flight plan creation ✓, Direct-To activation ✓, ADS-B traffic awareness ✓, unfamiliar field landing ✓.