1 Good, 1 Meh, 1 Better.
Weather was marginal when I left the house at 0900. scattered at 1800, overcast 2400. It improved when I got to the airport at 0945.
Preflighted the plane, then a quick briefing, a stop at the desk for a hood, and we taxied to the end of 27 and did the run up.
Wind was 240 at 10. Scattered at 2000 ceiling at 2400.
A good takeoff, and departed to the north. Climbed to 2400 just so I could see what it was like, then descended to 2000 and I put on the hood. (damned thing didn't fit very well).
Flew simulated instruments for about a half hour at 1800. It wasn't too hard to hold level flight, but straight was a bit of a challenge. I kept drifting 'cause of the wind. Smaller control inputs helped. But I got that figured out and we flew a bit instruments only, then turned back south and found the airport.
Entered the pattern and flew a good approach. Wind was 260 at 11, steady.
I flew a good final and did a good landing. Without the wind gusting, I did OK and so we did another takeoff and went around again. Good approach, but I wandered a bit after the flare and didn't stay as straight as I should have (gotta pay attention to the rudder!) once on the ground. (hey, it's a wide runway, why not use all of it?) Took off and went around twice discussing what I did wrong. There was another plane that entered the pattern close in front of me, so I went long before turning base and then I was low. Intercepted the glide path lights at about 1500 and flew a good final approach and a decent (much better!) landing.
Full stop.
Taxied off the runway and to the ramp.
Without the gusts, I could pay attention to the actual approach and flare. I finally got it right. More than once, in fact.
I'm much happier today. Gotta pay more attention to the pattern altitudes and speeds, and I need a LOT more landings.
But this time, Ma Nature chose to smile upon me and give me less complicated landing conditions to deal with. I'm still overcontrolling, but not as much, and I'm much happier with myself.
1.5 and 3 landings.
I'm beginning to think I can do this.
Weather was marginal when I left the house at 0900. scattered at 1800, overcast 2400. It improved when I got to the airport at 0945.
Preflighted the plane, then a quick briefing, a stop at the desk for a hood, and we taxied to the end of 27 and did the run up.
Wind was 240 at 10. Scattered at 2000 ceiling at 2400.
A good takeoff, and departed to the north. Climbed to 2400 just so I could see what it was like, then descended to 2000 and I put on the hood. (damned thing didn't fit very well).
Flew simulated instruments for about a half hour at 1800. It wasn't too hard to hold level flight, but straight was a bit of a challenge. I kept drifting 'cause of the wind. Smaller control inputs helped. But I got that figured out and we flew a bit instruments only, then turned back south and found the airport.
Entered the pattern and flew a good approach. Wind was 260 at 11, steady.
I flew a good final and did a good landing. Without the wind gusting, I did OK and so we did another takeoff and went around again. Good approach, but I wandered a bit after the flare and didn't stay as straight as I should have (gotta pay attention to the rudder!) once on the ground. (hey, it's a wide runway, why not use all of it?) Took off and went around twice discussing what I did wrong. There was another plane that entered the pattern close in front of me, so I went long before turning base and then I was low. Intercepted the glide path lights at about 1500 and flew a good final approach and a decent (much better!) landing.
Full stop.
Taxied off the runway and to the ramp.
Without the gusts, I could pay attention to the actual approach and flare. I finally got it right. More than once, in fact.
I'm much happier today. Gotta pay more attention to the pattern altitudes and speeds, and I need a LOT more landings.
But this time, Ma Nature chose to smile upon me and give me less complicated landing conditions to deal with. I'm still overcontrolling, but not as much, and I'm much happier with myself.
1.5 and 3 landings.
I'm beginning to think I can do this.
4 comments:
Good stuff and keep at it.
You can, and you will be an excellent pilot. I remember my instrument checkride. The DPE was an ex WWII Female ferry pilot and the neatest lady. Since it was pretty much IFR being that close to the ocean, we didn't wear a hood. About 3 miles from the VOR I was tracking to with not the best of success due to strong winds, we broke out of the clouds for a millisecond and I saw the VOR on top of the hill and corrected. She just laughed and said "one sneak peak is worth 1000 cross checks" but she didn't fail me as I was only a couple degrees off and likely would have corrected in the miles remaining. I took both my commercial, instrument, and multi-ride with her and she flew until her early 90's.
Everybody practices landings. Reeve Lindberg wrote about sitting in an Aeronca Champ with her father in 1946.
Hi "B,"
Before you log another second of flight time..... Go GET CHecked out in a "TAILDRAGGER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" J-3 Cub, Aeronca Champ, Citabria, Luscombe, T-Cart, you name it!! Would love to fly a Piper PA-17 "Vagabond" again!! Take a J-3 Cub, cut out the "back seat," widen the fuse to a "two place side-by-side,,, take the wings and cut off 5 feet from the root so the ailerons start at the second rib out... originally the PA-15 had a 65 hp. "Franklin" engine and no shock struts ..all the "shock" wa absorbed in the tires!! The -17 got bungee shocks and the 65 Continental engine.. so they put a circular access panel on the right cowl to access the dip stick.. on the nose fairing there is a 1" hole to the left of the prop .. on the "Frank" that's where the dipstick was at... they just left the hole ... But I digress... Learn to fly a taildragger "NOW!!! Before you get to far into "Trikes!!" Trust me... the time will be worth it's weight in gold!! My first 18 hrs of flight time (9 Dual 9 Solo) were in a 7AC Aeronca Champ!! and learning first in the taildragger was tops!! Going to a Cessna 150 was like riding a kid's tricycle!! I love seeing "Trike" pilots condemn Taildraggers like they were Democrats condemning Republican, redneck, guntotin' Confederate Flag wavin' Freaks!! The laugh is on them!!
N2211E for ever!!!!,
skybill-out
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