Return from Vero Beach

Fully fuelled and ready to go, we get the current weather at Vero Beach. I can see the Global Express will be departing shortly. I’d love to stay and watch it leave, because it really is a beautiful plane. I imagine myself sitting in the cockpit and going through the myriad of preflight flows. For a moment I’m lost in my imagination as I feel like a 5 year old again, seeing the majesty of this 50 ton airplane heading for lands far away. My PF brings me back to reality by reminding me that we need to get back before dark because of the unserviceable landing light.

All good things must come to and end, and so I jump into the right seat of the cockpit and start reading the checklist. Since I flew to Vero Beach, he’s the pilot flying (PF) on the return trip, and I will perform the duties of the pilot not flying (PNF). That means I handle the radios, charts etc. so that they are handy whenever he needs them.

We taxi out to the runway and perform the runup. We move slowly past the Global Express to admire its majesty. Runup complete, we are cleared for takeoff. As we pass 200ft, I take a quick glance at the bizjet with it’s gracefully swept wings engulfing the taxiway. Soon enough…

We contact Miami center and request flight following along the heavily trafficked eastern coast. Flight following does not abrogate our duty to look out for traffic, as the controller’s main responsibility is IFR traffic, so we keep scanning to make sure we don’t bump into anybody. Shortly after contacting Palm Beach approach, we learn that the transponder is inoperative, and our troubleshooting efforts are unsuccessful. The controller is in a good mood today though, and seems to be watching us with only the primary target on his radar display. We are grateful for his assistance.

I’m starting to worry about getting back to Tamiami. All aircraft in the vicinity of Miami International are required to have a functioning transponder. Just before leaving Palm Beach’s airspace, I ask the controller about coordinating with Miami approach to let us enter the airspace without the transponder. He tells us that it now appears to be working normally. I am relieved, but continue thinking of a backup plan in case the thing goes titts up again.

Southbound, we get to fly over Fort Lauderdale international. It’s kind of cool to see the airport below you, looking pretty much like a diagram. We’re turned to the east to transition Miami’s airspace along the coast. At this point, I request vectors for the ILS at Tamiami so the PF can maintain proficiency. It will add a few minutes to the flight, but we should have enough light to complete a normal landing. When we get switched to the final approach controller, my favorite airplane in the fleet is practicing approaches. I’d rather be in that airplane. I chuckle as the controller points out that another airplane practicing approaches is half a mile north of the localizer. The confused sounding student acknowledges and states that he is correcting. I can almost see the instructor sitting in the right seat with his blood boiling.

We are vectored around the field for the approach and are told to maintain visual contact with the preceding traffic. His approach seems a little off too, as this airplane is well south of the approach path. Something tells me his instructor is going to make him do a missed approach. The PF completes the approach and does a good landing. This is my first landing with him, and I’m not disappointed. We taxi to the ramp just as the last of the sunlight is fading; our timing is good today. I can’t wait to get home- a seafood dinner awaits!