I have changed fields and plane. I will still use D-EGDG occasionally, but I have found a C-172 that somebody rents privately. This means I save 60€ an hour and can book it online rather relying on a charter company. Like all the aircraft I fly, it is a bit older, but since it is in private hands, definitely is optically in better condition. I always had questioning stares from people I flew with in the AA-5; it had seen better days and the start acrobatics did not impress anybody including yours truly...
So after doing a check flight with the owner, I wanted to do a longer X-country to Augsburg. The weather forecast was not promising, lots of layered clouds, but it should stay stable. I launch from 18 at EDFB, climbing to 3300 (watching out for EDDF Charlie Airspace) and turn to heading 143. After 10 minutes, I notice that I have to climb to get over the clouds, more exactly, between cloud layers. The airspace will let me go to 4500, so here goes! After about 5 minutes between cloud layers, a solid wall of grey, white clouds forces me to turn to 090. OK, I have my iPad and over 3 1/2 hours of fuel with an expected flight time of 1:30. AirNav Pro re-estimates my flight time (as does the Garmin 430) and everything should be fine. After 15 minutes, the situation towards the south does not get any better. I have used 30 minutes of fuel and I am still not heading to EDMA. OK, time to turn around. I am not happy with the situation and start to worry about flying back in the afternoon.
I decide not to fly direct back to EDFB, but do a small loop to be able to do a direct final. I head north for a while and try to head west, but no dice: a solid cloud bank will not let me fly in that direction. I have been listening to Langen Information during my flight and continue to listen to some VFR fliers (like me!) having problems. I hope I do not have to call Langen for help! My iPad is definitely a help to keep me legal and situationally aware. Without it, I would not have tried to start today. Ok, so back to my situation: I turn to fly back to Reichelsheim the way I came. I notice that I am losing some RPMs. Hmmm... More back pressure on the yoke to keep my altitude, trim a bit more, keep flying since the clouds are more of a problem. I then notice my air speed has dropped from 100 knots to 90. RPMs are slowing... Shit, carb icing!! I pull the handle and the motor starts to roar again. Man, got to pay attention!!! That is the first time I really needed to pull the carburator heater. Usually, I have only used it when the check list called for it. I push it back in when the RPMs stabilize (about 15 seconds) and return to flying back to EDFB.
Now, I have to find a hole in the clouds; I am 10 minutes out, north of the field. I hear on the field frequency that there is a student in the circuit. Who would fly in this crap? Anyways, after flying through some high mist (read clouds, but see-through) I can level out at 500 AGL. I ask the tower to turn the lights on since I am not yet really familiar with the area. I double check that I have the Christmas lights on (strobe, nav, and landing). The student (in a LSA) is on final and the runway lights are on. Damn, I was never so happy to see a field before! 20% flaps and flare. I have to get used to the way the Cessna likes to land. The AA-5 has more or less an automatic landing mode (72 knots, 30% flaps and let the ground effect land FOR you) where as you have to „work“ a Cessna.
As I taxi back to the hanger, the tower reminds me that I am still „lit up“. No problem, I turn the lights off and roll to the hanger.
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