First Time in IMC and vacuum problem

To have an AI "spool down" when the engine is running is totally
unacceptable. The gyro should spool up in seconds not minutes. You have
either a vacuum problem or the AI needs to be overhauled. It is probably the
AI as I assume that your vacuum guage reads OK since you didn't mention it.
Take this seriously! A failing AI is not something to take lightly.

Mike
MU-2

"Jon Kraus" wrote in message
...
I too had my first experience in IMC yesterday. I got my ticket last summer
too and have kept current but haven't had a chance to go solo. I was going
to go from Indianapolis Executive (TYQ) to Capitol City in Lansing Michigan
(LAN). The weather was 1000 OVR until 50 miles north of TYQ and then it was
clear all the way to LAN. THis was going to be a quick trip because the
weather in Indiana was forecast to get worse as the day wore on.

I was a little bit apprehensive because I have a respect to IMC but I
thought it would be good practice too. I got set up, picked up my
clearance and was off. Just as forecast I entered the clag at 1000 feet.
Right away I spotted something wrong with the attitude indicator. It was
looking like I was in a steep climbing turn. Oh **** I thought great time
for the AI to go out. I had a weird feeling of ending up as an Aftermath
column. I must say that I was pretty scared but strange enough not
panicked. I reduced power, used the Turn Coordinator to level the wings,
used the Airspeed Indicator to level off altitude. I called ATC and told
them that I was having a problem with the AI and needed their assistance.
They asked if I wanted vectors back to TQY to shoot the ILS 36 there. I
said yes. I started back to the field and the AI started to act like I
expected it should. After a few minutes I was still in the clag but all
instruments were working correctly. I thought about just continuing on
back to Lansing but I quickly talked myself out of it.

Really after I "calmed" down and the AI started acting correctly I didn't
have any problems navigating in the clouds. I shot the ILS 36 and broke
out 1000 feet above the runway, canceled my IFR flight plan and made an
uneventful landing. ATC wanted to know if I wanted to refill my flight
plan and I said no thanks. I was glad to be on the ground. I was thinking
about what just transpired and decided to talk it over with my CFI.

We determined that what probably happened was that the extended period of
idling on the ground caused the AI gyro to spool down some. It took
several minutes at cruise power for it to come back up to speed and after
that it indicated correctly.

Here is what I'll do different next time:

1. Make sure that I have had the vacuum indicator "in the green" for
several minutes before departing to ensure that the gyros are spooled up.

2. Have the approach for returning to the airport loaded or in standby
just in case you need to return quickly. I did not do this and it added
needless stress loading everything.

It is true what they say:
"It is better to be on the ground wishing you were in the air, then being
in the air wishing you were on the ground"

Jon Kraus
PP-ASEL-IA
Student Mooney Owner