Sunday- Cowra... slightly foggy morning, 0730 local, I could see mountains OK to the west, uncertain exactly what the ceiling was , could see a few fog patches, but easterly wind. Hoping I could get a few circuits at least 1000' AGL. sun out intermittently. (low on horizon)
Took off, cool so good performance.. good climb rate 1200 fpm.
at 400' I look down to check Ts and Ps in the green.yep.
Look up again 2 seconds later 100% IMC.... woops !
wings level, maintain runway heading, nose down, reduce power, carb heat HOT , eye on altitude .
Descend out of it. 300'. bleed speed, flaps 25, low level circuit , swing onto downwind in a gentle bank, fog getting worse... make early base turn swinging down land 1/3 way down the main
A 4 minute flight. (might have been 3 minutes) my shortest flight ever.
Wow, soo large clumps of cloud and fog drifting through . Have done this in the simulator a few times (take off into 500' IMC) so practiced skills clicked in. But any pilot should recover from that with those same actions I think.
No problem at YCWR, but if this had occurred at an AD like Young surrounded by hills, or at an unfamiliar AD, that's a little more critical.
So good to think about what you might do in the above real world worked example !