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a flying sort of day
Aug. 29th, 2008 10:53 pmI spent the morning flying the Grumman Traveler that Kathy has. Over all, 2 hours into 3 different airports, 12 landings and I think I've gotten a pretty good handle on most of its quirks. I'm still a bit fast on approach. I'll slow that down over the next couple of flights I take in her but over all it was a good morning getting use to a new plane.
Later this evening I finally made it down to Midway to re-check in the 7GCBC Citabria. I haven't flown this plane since February and I wanted a good CFI in the back seat in case my feet were just a bit too asleep. I flew with Pete today for the first time as Carol was tied up with a BFR. Now Pete is sort of a small guy, especially compared to me. I'd forgotten one thing about the Citabria, with half tanks and Pete in the back we practically leaped off the runway after less than a 300 foot takeoff roll. Pitching for climb we levitated like a homesick angel especially when compared to everything else I'd been flying the last 6 months. I had the biggest grin before I turned crosswind.
We turned in 5 full stop landings in the .8 I flew 27Golf today. The first was good, the next 2 were okay but had small problems, the last 2 came back together. Pete never touched the controls and on one landing he started to remind me to tuck the wing back into the wind only to find I had already caught my mistake and fixed it. He only spoke a few times when we were stopped about what he thought might have happened on the last landing. He said it was hard to believe it's been 6 months since I've drug my tail.
So all in all it was a good flying sort of day. Comfortable again in a couple of planes, I've got the Citabra reserved for some time on Sunday alone and will be flying the Grumman on Monday with my brother. Tomorrow I go to check out a J3 Cub Club at a local airport, perhaps a chance to try a 65hp cub is in my future. I can hope...
Later this evening I finally made it down to Midway to re-check in the 7GCBC Citabria. I haven't flown this plane since February and I wanted a good CFI in the back seat in case my feet were just a bit too asleep. I flew with Pete today for the first time as Carol was tied up with a BFR. Now Pete is sort of a small guy, especially compared to me. I'd forgotten one thing about the Citabria, with half tanks and Pete in the back we practically leaped off the runway after less than a 300 foot takeoff roll. Pitching for climb we levitated like a homesick angel especially when compared to everything else I'd been flying the last 6 months. I had the biggest grin before I turned crosswind.
We turned in 5 full stop landings in the .8 I flew 27Golf today. The first was good, the next 2 were okay but had small problems, the last 2 came back together. Pete never touched the controls and on one landing he started to remind me to tuck the wing back into the wind only to find I had already caught my mistake and fixed it. He only spoke a few times when we were stopped about what he thought might have happened on the last landing. He said it was hard to believe it's been 6 months since I've drug my tail.
So all in all it was a good flying sort of day. Comfortable again in a couple of planes, I've got the Citabra reserved for some time on Sunday alone and will be flying the Grumman on Monday with my brother. Tomorrow I go to check out a J3 Cub Club at a local airport, perhaps a chance to try a 65hp cub is in my future. I can hope...