From there, and back!
I won't say that I was as relaxed while flying "Cross Country" as I am while driving (pretty close though), but it was a decent experience. I wasn't tense, my planning was good, (winds aloft were a bit stronger than forecast, but I adjusted my navigation there and back accordingly) and the waypoints were where I expected them to be, when they should have been.
I could have cheated and used the GPS, but I didn't.
Plus, I had no issues with the radio frequencies and had 'em dialed in before I needed 'em.
In short, my flight planning was good, and it made my flight a good one.
So different than my first cross country (with an instructor). This time it was like driving to Chicago, only with radio calls en-route.
Really, a relaxed flight.
Plus good landings all the way around.
I won't say that I was as relaxed while flying "Cross Country" as I am while driving (pretty close though), but it was a decent experience. I wasn't tense, my planning was good, (winds aloft were a bit stronger than forecast, but I adjusted my navigation there and back accordingly) and the waypoints were where I expected them to be, when they should have been.
I could have cheated and used the GPS, but I didn't.
Plus, I had no issues with the radio frequencies and had 'em dialed in before I needed 'em.
In short, my flight planning was good, and it made my flight a good one.
So different than my first cross country (with an instructor). This time it was like driving to Chicago, only with radio calls en-route.
Really, a relaxed flight.
Plus good landings all the way around.
Congrats. The next one will be longer, but the planning process goes a long way toward stress relief. And don't forget to lean!
ReplyDeleteDale
Excellent and keep it up. The cross countries are a definite highlight of the training process. Good to hear you made it there and back.
ReplyDeleteI well remember my first student cross country in a Piper Colt, single VOR receiver. Lingering doubts, "Am I doing this right? Did I mis-calculate anything? This doesn't look like I thought it would."
ReplyDeleteI was west bound in Washington state so if I found the Pacific Ocean I would know I had gone too far. Slight comfort. I found my target airport when I expected to so all was well.