Friday night, I got about six and a half hours of sleep. Less than I wanted, but enough. The forecast hadn’t changed enough to cancel my plans, so I went as planned.
The TTA-TBR leg was smooth, both literally and figuratively. I got my clearance on the ground and flew the flight easily. I’d barely hit the ground when someone from the FBO was on the radio asking if I needed anything. I replied in the affirmative for fuel and got an immediate “Turn left, then an immediate right,” and I saw the line guy out front to marshall me in. I had just enough time to hit the bathroom and text Wife to confirm that I was safely down (she monitors my flights on flightaware’s website) before the dude was back in and ready to cash me out. For the record, they have an awesome facility in addition to the great staff. Grumpy recommends.
TBR-VDF was a bit more interesting. Foreflight says to call Savanah Approach for clearance delivery. I did, and the first time, the call didn’t go through. The second time, I got through and was advised of a necessary re-route, but if they told me what that re-route was, I missed it. There were two controllers talking, presumably a training situation. Then the presumed trainee said to me, “Cleared as filed,” although I had filed Direct, and confirmed my read back. When I told them I was ready to go, they advised, “Hold for release.”
They had to call Jacksonville to coordinate my release, so I guess TBR is right on the Savanah/Jacksonville airspace border. The call dropped, and I had to call back. Finally, they got my release and cleared me to take off, finally telling me my reroute, “Cleared for departure runway 14, direct REIDS.” I took off, cleared the traffic pattern, and called Jax Approach on my assigned departure frequency.
Florida airspace is busy, and the frequencies are equally so. I got additional minor re-routes, an altitude change, a squawk change, and twenty plus minutes in the clouds (every bit as not-fun as the last time I did such) before finally touching down at VDF.
Tomorrow is still rain and overcast all the way up into Georgia, and it doesn’t improve much until late Monday. Looks like some hard IMC in my immediate future. That’s the only way to get good at it, I guess, but my anxiety level goes up in the clouds. My body tells me I’m turning when I’m not, so my instinct is to turn in the opposite direction. I have to constantly fight that, and even when successful, the instruments aren’t precise enough to indicate a shallow one to two degree bank. Absent outside references, I’ll be turning slightly and not realize it. Then I have to correct my heading by stopping the bank I didn’t realize I was making and get back on course, all while fighting the urge to overcorrect and the urge to correct the constant phantom turn that the body perceives.
Instrument flying in actual IMC is fun. Not.
Grumpy 
Spatial disorientation kills many pilots. They call it instrument flying for a reason. Fly safe.
Thank you. I have to do it at some point. I remember my first approaches under the hood, and my reaction. No way I can do this. But with reps, I did. Same with actual. It’s a different beast than foggles, and I have to get the reps to get truly competent.