Because I had to - lesson 40
Sep. 20th, 2006 07:00 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
slipstreamsurfrI couldn't take it any more.
I had to fly.
I asked my boss, sure I could leave early he said.
I checked the schedule, the plane was available. I called Mischa, he was game. He knew I was coming from work and we would be tight on time so he offered to pre-flight her for me. Depending on what time I got there, we'd either do some hood work, or just shoot some landings.
I finally got out of the office and headed to Arlington. A quick stop at the house to change into shorts and a T for the flight and I grabbed my bag and am out to GKY. I'm running late, the best I can hope for is maybe a half hour to 45 minutes today.
No matter. It's a beautiful, if windy, day. It's time to fly. Last time in the air, 8 days ago. I'll study tonight for the written, but now, I've got to fly.
On the way to the airport I call for a weather briefing. Winds 160 at 13 gusting to 19. At least it's straight down the runway. I'm flying with Mischa, so I'm good to go. I finish withe briefer as I pull into the parking lot at GKY. A call to ASOS and I've got the up to the minute winds. Steady at 14 knots now. Not gusting at the moment. At least it's still down the runway.
I walk through the doors through the terminal and out the ones to the field. I see Mischa talking with the fuel guy as he finishes topping off the plane. He's done the preflight, I double check the caps, just because I'm paranoid like that and write down the numbers. We run the checklist by flow, start her up and start the taxi. I call ground to be cleared across their line and they send me to 16. There's another 172 ahead of me taxiing, it must be their first or second time. They are having a heck of a time holding the center of the taxi way. They turn into the run up area and park smack in the middle of it, doing their best to take up the ENTIRE space. I ease in and spin myself around to do my run up.
On run up I initially lean the engine too aggressively on the ground and I'm not quite generating full power now. Mischa catches it. Good that I'm leaning for max power now, bad that I went a bit too far. Realize now what I did, will watch that in the future. I roll out of the run up and call the tower, ready for 16. We are cleared for immediate take off.
Out I roll, line up and go immediately into the take off roll on the centerline. The previous lesson I'd been chastised for dawdling on the runway after the tower cleared me for an immediate take off. Today, I run the routine correctly. Power in, rotate, climbing, I'm a bit sloppy and not holding the centerline on climb out. I'll fix that on the next one. Trim is my friend. Up we go with the airspeed nailed at 70 and 956 is climbing like an angel today when I hit the sweet spot on VY.
I make my pattern, a bit wider than I usually do. In part because I'm having too much fun, in part because I'm a little leery of the strong winds I'm flying in today. Mischa asks me a question, since I'm close to my checkride, how did I feel about the winds today. Would I be comfortable flying in them. I told him that after my checkride, I'd fly in today's winds. Because even though they are at 14 knots now, sometimes gusting to 19, they are straight down the runway. An environment I can fly in comfortably. If they were across the runway, no way. I'll need time, experience, to slowly raise my comfort level in crosswinds above the max of 6 knots direct that he's got me restricted to now. He nods, makes a comment on the wider pattern than normal. I explain why it's there now. He nods. I make my call midfield and requested by the tower and and they clear me to land. My radio call, long, somewhat rambling. Not great. Mischa says we'll talk about that in a few. Habits are hard to unlearn in the pattern. I make my power reduction, drop in 10 degrees, make my base turn, a bit further out than he likes, add the next 10, make my turn to final, and add the last 10. I've kept some power in through these moves, managing to nail my VSI at 500 to 600 fpm this time. I'm a little low, hitting the sink right over the trees again and touch the power. I line it up, pull the power out and flare. A nice landing, about 5 feet to the left of centerline. Power in and I flub my rudder input and pull to the left on the takeoff roll. Not great. Climb out and this time I work a lot harder at keeping on the extended centerline. Not bad there.
Second pattern starts out well, turn to crosswind, then into the downwind a lot earlier to keep things tight. Mischa's liking what he's seeing. I tap the VSI, my favorite instrument today I tell him. He smiles. I call midfield again and really flub my call. Calling the tower Arlington Traffic. I'm corrected by the tower, they are here to stay they say. Mischa is grinning at me. Twice Mitch, you called them Arlington Traffice twice! At the beginning and the end of the call. I laugh and tell him it was a fair gripe on their part. I mucked it up. I'll get it right. I pull my power, trim for 80 and add my first 10 degrees of flaps. Make the base turn, keeping things nice and tight next 10 degrees. Mischa's said he sometimes doesn't like running all the flaps in when it's windy, just see what the field calls for. I nod, turn to final, a bit late, fly back to it. I'm close, high, still nailing the VSI at 500 to 600 fpm, the last 10 degrees is dropped in and there is no problem with the sink. Line it up and work it, touch it down. This time just a couple of feet off the centerline. Gee, this one could be full stop, what do you need me for? I hear over the headset. Power goes in, better job holding the centerline on the takeoff roll. I can do better. Up we go on the climb.
Mischa asks for the controls to do one. Your controls I say and he takes over. Turning on crosswind somewhere between the end of the runway and the fence. We have the pattern pretty much to ourselves. He turns on the downwind. Then makes his call. Cessna 956 downwind. Tower clears him for touch and go. Abeam the numbers he chops the power, 85 knots and in goes full flaps and he's turning for the runway. One of his 'military' style landings. They always make me grin. Talk about dropping in tight somewhere. Down he goes at 85 knots, talking the entire way to me. Bringing the nose up just before ground effect in order to bleed off the speed faster, he's in ground effect now and an easy landing. Power goes in and he tracks it down the centerline and up and out. Your plane he says. My plane as I take control. He challenges me to do one of those landings and make that centerline mine, both on the landing, and the take off.
Off we go on the pattern again. He's drilled me on the SHORT radio call at downwind. I make the call and this time the controller is quite happy with me. Cleared to touch and go, number 2 behind the Cessna turning from base. mmMMmm? Where'd he come from, neither Mischa nor I heard the tower bring him into the equation. Heads on swivels and we are both looking for him. There he is Mischa points, down low, very low for final and being that far out. He's going to be dragging that bird in. He's so low and out there that the proposed chop and drop style of landing isn't going to work this time. I pitch for 85 and add the first 10, make my base turn when low boy is past me and then add my second at 70 knots. I hold off on the last bit, I'm a bit further out than I like and I really don't want to touch the power if I don't have to until I pull it all the way out. Still holding the 500 fpm glide and things are looking good. The field is made so I touch the last 10 on the flaps and pull the power out. into ground effect, flare, the wind has shifted a little, play on the rudders a bit more to get the nose. That centerline will be mine and I'm down, left wheel first then right. Rolling on the centerline, even though it took a bit of work at the last moment or two to keep it there. Power goes in and I am much more awake on the rudders now and while I felt that I was weaving a little on the roll, it's very nice on the take off and Mischa likes. I track out on the centerline, glancing back, thinking I've blown my track and Mischa asks what I'm talking about, I'm perfect. I glance back again and futz with the rudders, wagging my tail and there's the runway, hidden behind my rudder. Not bad.
The last pattern goes well, nobody ahead of us so, I chop the power and roll in the flaps full at 85 and trim for it. Making my turn towards the runway immediately when I chop the power, I square the turn up just a bit because I am going to be really high on this one. It works and I'm falling into a better slot on my approach. 1000fm right now on the VSI and I'm setting up for a really nice landing. Futz the rudders, dealing with the wind that's no longer QUITE straight down the runway and the centerline is mine. Remembering Mischa's comment about bleeding speed outside of ground effect I give it a go. The speed comes out in an amazing way and I ease her into ground effect and play on the rudders and a bleat from the stall horn just as the left wheel touches, then the right and I'm down.
The tower clears us to depart at the taxi way and head for parking. I clean up the plane and do just that.
A really satisfying afternoon of flying. I only flew .5 for 4 of my own landings in the time. But the winds were really something, especially towards the end. Made for a whole lot of smiles from the both of us. My finals are in good shape again, very controlled, very steady, very nailed. You wouldn't have guessed I hadn't flown in a week and a day. The radio work, will get better. I get the point across, just use too many words, and occasionally call Arlington Tower Arlington Traffic sometimes. Haven't done that in a while. The winds, we checked after we were down, were at 180 at 16 knots for our last one or two of the landings.
--.5 dual
--4 landings winds 180 at 16 knots on a 160 runway. :)
nice flight... now back to studying for the written on saturday.
I had to fly.
I asked my boss, sure I could leave early he said.
I checked the schedule, the plane was available. I called Mischa, he was game. He knew I was coming from work and we would be tight on time so he offered to pre-flight her for me. Depending on what time I got there, we'd either do some hood work, or just shoot some landings.
I finally got out of the office and headed to Arlington. A quick stop at the house to change into shorts and a T for the flight and I grabbed my bag and am out to GKY. I'm running late, the best I can hope for is maybe a half hour to 45 minutes today.
No matter. It's a beautiful, if windy, day. It's time to fly. Last time in the air, 8 days ago. I'll study tonight for the written, but now, I've got to fly.
On the way to the airport I call for a weather briefing. Winds 160 at 13 gusting to 19. At least it's straight down the runway. I'm flying with Mischa, so I'm good to go. I finish withe briefer as I pull into the parking lot at GKY. A call to ASOS and I've got the up to the minute winds. Steady at 14 knots now. Not gusting at the moment. At least it's still down the runway.
I walk through the doors through the terminal and out the ones to the field. I see Mischa talking with the fuel guy as he finishes topping off the plane. He's done the preflight, I double check the caps, just because I'm paranoid like that and write down the numbers. We run the checklist by flow, start her up and start the taxi. I call ground to be cleared across their line and they send me to 16. There's another 172 ahead of me taxiing, it must be their first or second time. They are having a heck of a time holding the center of the taxi way. They turn into the run up area and park smack in the middle of it, doing their best to take up the ENTIRE space. I ease in and spin myself around to do my run up.
On run up I initially lean the engine too aggressively on the ground and I'm not quite generating full power now. Mischa catches it. Good that I'm leaning for max power now, bad that I went a bit too far. Realize now what I did, will watch that in the future. I roll out of the run up and call the tower, ready for 16. We are cleared for immediate take off.
Out I roll, line up and go immediately into the take off roll on the centerline. The previous lesson I'd been chastised for dawdling on the runway after the tower cleared me for an immediate take off. Today, I run the routine correctly. Power in, rotate, climbing, I'm a bit sloppy and not holding the centerline on climb out. I'll fix that on the next one. Trim is my friend. Up we go with the airspeed nailed at 70 and 956 is climbing like an angel today when I hit the sweet spot on VY.
I make my pattern, a bit wider than I usually do. In part because I'm having too much fun, in part because I'm a little leery of the strong winds I'm flying in today. Mischa asks me a question, since I'm close to my checkride, how did I feel about the winds today. Would I be comfortable flying in them. I told him that after my checkride, I'd fly in today's winds. Because even though they are at 14 knots now, sometimes gusting to 19, they are straight down the runway. An environment I can fly in comfortably. If they were across the runway, no way. I'll need time, experience, to slowly raise my comfort level in crosswinds above the max of 6 knots direct that he's got me restricted to now. He nods, makes a comment on the wider pattern than normal. I explain why it's there now. He nods. I make my call midfield and requested by the tower and and they clear me to land. My radio call, long, somewhat rambling. Not great. Mischa says we'll talk about that in a few. Habits are hard to unlearn in the pattern. I make my power reduction, drop in 10 degrees, make my base turn, a bit further out than he likes, add the next 10, make my turn to final, and add the last 10. I've kept some power in through these moves, managing to nail my VSI at 500 to 600 fpm this time. I'm a little low, hitting the sink right over the trees again and touch the power. I line it up, pull the power out and flare. A nice landing, about 5 feet to the left of centerline. Power in and I flub my rudder input and pull to the left on the takeoff roll. Not great. Climb out and this time I work a lot harder at keeping on the extended centerline. Not bad there.
Second pattern starts out well, turn to crosswind, then into the downwind a lot earlier to keep things tight. Mischa's liking what he's seeing. I tap the VSI, my favorite instrument today I tell him. He smiles. I call midfield again and really flub my call. Calling the tower Arlington Traffic. I'm corrected by the tower, they are here to stay they say. Mischa is grinning at me. Twice Mitch, you called them Arlington Traffice twice! At the beginning and the end of the call. I laugh and tell him it was a fair gripe on their part. I mucked it up. I'll get it right. I pull my power, trim for 80 and add my first 10 degrees of flaps. Make the base turn, keeping things nice and tight next 10 degrees. Mischa's said he sometimes doesn't like running all the flaps in when it's windy, just see what the field calls for. I nod, turn to final, a bit late, fly back to it. I'm close, high, still nailing the VSI at 500 to 600 fpm, the last 10 degrees is dropped in and there is no problem with the sink. Line it up and work it, touch it down. This time just a couple of feet off the centerline. Gee, this one could be full stop, what do you need me for? I hear over the headset. Power goes in, better job holding the centerline on the takeoff roll. I can do better. Up we go on the climb.
Mischa asks for the controls to do one. Your controls I say and he takes over. Turning on crosswind somewhere between the end of the runway and the fence. We have the pattern pretty much to ourselves. He turns on the downwind. Then makes his call. Cessna 956 downwind. Tower clears him for touch and go. Abeam the numbers he chops the power, 85 knots and in goes full flaps and he's turning for the runway. One of his 'military' style landings. They always make me grin. Talk about dropping in tight somewhere. Down he goes at 85 knots, talking the entire way to me. Bringing the nose up just before ground effect in order to bleed off the speed faster, he's in ground effect now and an easy landing. Power goes in and he tracks it down the centerline and up and out. Your plane he says. My plane as I take control. He challenges me to do one of those landings and make that centerline mine, both on the landing, and the take off.
Off we go on the pattern again. He's drilled me on the SHORT radio call at downwind. I make the call and this time the controller is quite happy with me. Cleared to touch and go, number 2 behind the Cessna turning from base. mmMMmm? Where'd he come from, neither Mischa nor I heard the tower bring him into the equation. Heads on swivels and we are both looking for him. There he is Mischa points, down low, very low for final and being that far out. He's going to be dragging that bird in. He's so low and out there that the proposed chop and drop style of landing isn't going to work this time. I pitch for 85 and add the first 10, make my base turn when low boy is past me and then add my second at 70 knots. I hold off on the last bit, I'm a bit further out than I like and I really don't want to touch the power if I don't have to until I pull it all the way out. Still holding the 500 fpm glide and things are looking good. The field is made so I touch the last 10 on the flaps and pull the power out. into ground effect, flare, the wind has shifted a little, play on the rudders a bit more to get the nose. That centerline will be mine and I'm down, left wheel first then right. Rolling on the centerline, even though it took a bit of work at the last moment or two to keep it there. Power goes in and I am much more awake on the rudders now and while I felt that I was weaving a little on the roll, it's very nice on the take off and Mischa likes. I track out on the centerline, glancing back, thinking I've blown my track and Mischa asks what I'm talking about, I'm perfect. I glance back again and futz with the rudders, wagging my tail and there's the runway, hidden behind my rudder. Not bad.
The last pattern goes well, nobody ahead of us so, I chop the power and roll in the flaps full at 85 and trim for it. Making my turn towards the runway immediately when I chop the power, I square the turn up just a bit because I am going to be really high on this one. It works and I'm falling into a better slot on my approach. 1000fm right now on the VSI and I'm setting up for a really nice landing. Futz the rudders, dealing with the wind that's no longer QUITE straight down the runway and the centerline is mine. Remembering Mischa's comment about bleeding speed outside of ground effect I give it a go. The speed comes out in an amazing way and I ease her into ground effect and play on the rudders and a bleat from the stall horn just as the left wheel touches, then the right and I'm down.
The tower clears us to depart at the taxi way and head for parking. I clean up the plane and do just that.
A really satisfying afternoon of flying. I only flew .5 for 4 of my own landings in the time. But the winds were really something, especially towards the end. Made for a whole lot of smiles from the both of us. My finals are in good shape again, very controlled, very steady, very nailed. You wouldn't have guessed I hadn't flown in a week and a day. The radio work, will get better. I get the point across, just use too many words, and occasionally call Arlington Tower Arlington Traffic sometimes. Haven't done that in a while. The winds, we checked after we were down, were at 180 at 16 knots for our last one or two of the landings.
--.5 dual
--4 landings winds 180 at 16 knots on a 160 runway. :)
nice flight... now back to studying for the written on saturday.