GA PLT PRUDENTLY DIVERTED TO GRB DUE TO ENRTE WX. MISSED 2 APCHS DUE TO LACK OF PROFICIENCY IN BACK COURSE PROCS.

Narrative

WE WERE ENRTE FROM EGJ TO PWK VIA BJB. THE LINE OF WX THAT WE HAD EXPECTED TO VACATE OUR RTE TO THE E SLOWED; THUS CAUSED US CONCERN. WE TALKED TO GREEN BAY RADIO. THEY ADVISED US TO LAND; A SHORT WAIT WOULD HAVE US BACK ENRTE WITHOUT THE LINE OF TSTMS. THE CEILING WAS GOOD. VISIBILITY WAS MODERATE (MARGINAL) DUE TO HAZE. WE WERE CLRED VIA RADAR VECTORS TO BACK COURSE (LOC) RWY 24. I MADE 2 PASSES. FIRST AND SECOND APCH -- NEVER CLOSE ON THE NEEDLE. I THOUGHT THAT I HAD EQUIP FAILURE. APCH GAVE ME AN ASR APCH. IT TERMINATED IN A PERFECT APCH. WITH MANY; MANY APCHS IN MY EXPERIENCE; I NEVER HAD ACTUALLY DONE A BACK COURSE (LOC). AFTER WE COMPLETED THE TRIP; I LOOKED IT UP. I HAD FORGOTTEN TO SET THE HSI TO THE FRONT COURSE! NO WONDER THE NEEDLE NEVER CTRED! I HAD JUST COMPLETED 7.2 HRS WITH AN INSTRUCTOR. UNFORTUNATELY; I HAD NEVER PRACTICED A BACK COURSE; NOR WAS THERE ONE AT ANY ARPT I CUSTOMARILY FLY TO. WHAT I LEARNED FROM THIS IS THAT ONE NEEDS TO PRACTICE ALL TYPES OF APCHS SO THAT WHEN THE UNSCHEDULED APCH PRESENTS ITSELF; THERE WILL BE NO SURPRISES.