I (Still) Follow Roads

Adding IFR capability to a sport plane isn’t impossible, but it’s not for everyone

When I traded my traveling airplane for my sport plane a year and a half ago, I knew life was going to be different. For years I had filed an IFR flight plan for virtually all flights out of the local area – even on trips of 150 miles in severe clear weather. I was very comfortable in the ATC system and had learned how to work it as well as how to work in it.

Having the Citabria has been a blast. I’ve used it for some light cross-country duties during fair weather and relied on borrowed or rented airplanes when the clouds were low. Then the FAA went and changed all that.

The AD on Lycoming TIO-540 crankshafts has dramatically changed my local environment, and suddenly it’s not as easy...