MDeitch1976
Line Up and Wait
Hello all,
Let me start with the utter lack of a good nights sleep. Nerves way to hard core, and way to much on the mind to sleep.
Get to the airport, and rescheduled to another aircraft. Someone came down hard, and shave the prop a little bit. New plane, analog gauges, no AP, no CDI or any of that. Just a GPS there to use if I needed it. I cheated, and used it a little.
The Outlook briefing before I went to bed was pretty close to what was being forecast before the flight. Had some haze, but the report made it seem patchy and 5SM vis. I would say it was not patchy, just haze over the whole route. For the first XC, and Long one, made it a bit fun.
My first leg was GAI to MQS. I did not spot my first checkpoint, but had another I could see. Seem to be pretty close to my calculation on time. Second check point was hard to pick out of the haze. It then started to get a little bumpy for a little bit, and my third checkpoint was going to be hard to see. I activated the GPS, only to spot my checkpoint, so I kept my eyes off of the GPS. Fourth leg across the Susquehana went well, right where I wanted to be. By the way my intended altitude was going to be 3500, but I had better vis at 3000, so I stayed there. Finding the airport was pretty easy because I spotted the train tracks that ran parallel to the airport, and voila, there it is. Landing pretty uneventful, overshot a little, but it got a little bumpy, and decided to make my turn more shallow.
Got my next sheet ready, and off I went to to York. MQS to THV. Missed my first checkpoint again, should have used something better. I was planning to cross over where the railroad turned north, but was a little south, and could not see it with the low wing. I used my second checkpoint, found myself a little south. Turned above it and back on course. Still a bit hazy, and came down to 2500 before the Town of York. Instructor had given me a landmark to use. Ended up putting me south of the airport, so I used the GPS, and spotted the airport to the North. Overflew the airfield, had a big hill off to the south(my left), and made a right turn to 180. Which was nice because it put me perfectly on my 45 for downwind. Had a nice landing here. I will say I communicated my position 4 times while approaching and planning to overfly the airfield. Landing was well with the displaced threshold. I wish I floated more because the RWY exit was way down the RWY. Good airport to practice no flap landings. I will be back. Once again got my things ready, and departed for Gaithersburg.
I have not been forgetting on this flight to correct the Horizontal Indicator. Maybe not perfect because the compass deviation was difficult to read. Someone needs to use a darker pen/marker/whatever. My check points were easy, but really only needed the first one because after that I was in my practice area. Routine as usual, just some haze. Let the SFRA know the airport was in sight at about 4 miles out.
Arrived back at the airport. 2.6 hours on the hobb. 174 NM flight. Shut the plane down, only a tiny adrenaline jitter this time. I was more excited then my instructor was. Guess there is just no celebration or traditions or anything at my flight school. I think when it comes to the next level of flight instruction I may use another school. You would think a school would celebrate your progress with you a bit more. A pat on the back would be great.
All those nerves last night, and before the flight for nothing. While I would have preferred better visibility so I could have avoided the GPS at all would have been great. I realize a couple of things I need to work on, such as not getting off my heading to much. Need more situational awareness while doing my calculations for my pilotage. It is amazing how different I feel mentally after this trip.
Thanks for listening! If your wondering I was in a Piper Sport LSA.
Let me start with the utter lack of a good nights sleep. Nerves way to hard core, and way to much on the mind to sleep.
Get to the airport, and rescheduled to another aircraft. Someone came down hard, and shave the prop a little bit. New plane, analog gauges, no AP, no CDI or any of that. Just a GPS there to use if I needed it. I cheated, and used it a little.
The Outlook briefing before I went to bed was pretty close to what was being forecast before the flight. Had some haze, but the report made it seem patchy and 5SM vis. I would say it was not patchy, just haze over the whole route. For the first XC, and Long one, made it a bit fun.
My first leg was GAI to MQS. I did not spot my first checkpoint, but had another I could see. Seem to be pretty close to my calculation on time. Second check point was hard to pick out of the haze. It then started to get a little bumpy for a little bit, and my third checkpoint was going to be hard to see. I activated the GPS, only to spot my checkpoint, so I kept my eyes off of the GPS. Fourth leg across the Susquehana went well, right where I wanted to be. By the way my intended altitude was going to be 3500, but I had better vis at 3000, so I stayed there. Finding the airport was pretty easy because I spotted the train tracks that ran parallel to the airport, and voila, there it is. Landing pretty uneventful, overshot a little, but it got a little bumpy, and decided to make my turn more shallow.
Got my next sheet ready, and off I went to to York. MQS to THV. Missed my first checkpoint again, should have used something better. I was planning to cross over where the railroad turned north, but was a little south, and could not see it with the low wing. I used my second checkpoint, found myself a little south. Turned above it and back on course. Still a bit hazy, and came down to 2500 before the Town of York. Instructor had given me a landmark to use. Ended up putting me south of the airport, so I used the GPS, and spotted the airport to the North. Overflew the airfield, had a big hill off to the south(my left), and made a right turn to 180. Which was nice because it put me perfectly on my 45 for downwind. Had a nice landing here. I will say I communicated my position 4 times while approaching and planning to overfly the airfield. Landing was well with the displaced threshold. I wish I floated more because the RWY exit was way down the RWY. Good airport to practice no flap landings. I will be back. Once again got my things ready, and departed for Gaithersburg.
I have not been forgetting on this flight to correct the Horizontal Indicator. Maybe not perfect because the compass deviation was difficult to read. Someone needs to use a darker pen/marker/whatever. My check points were easy, but really only needed the first one because after that I was in my practice area. Routine as usual, just some haze. Let the SFRA know the airport was in sight at about 4 miles out.
Arrived back at the airport. 2.6 hours on the hobb. 174 NM flight. Shut the plane down, only a tiny adrenaline jitter this time. I was more excited then my instructor was. Guess there is just no celebration or traditions or anything at my flight school. I think when it comes to the next level of flight instruction I may use another school. You would think a school would celebrate your progress with you a bit more. A pat on the back would be great.
All those nerves last night, and before the flight for nothing. While I would have preferred better visibility so I could have avoided the GPS at all would have been great. I realize a couple of things I need to work on, such as not getting off my heading to much. Need more situational awareness while doing my calculations for my pilotage. It is amazing how different I feel mentally after this trip.
Thanks for listening! If your wondering I was in a Piper Sport LSA.
If you always want a "Way to go buddy" when you get into a corporate job or your career good luck getting them there too. This is your thing. Have your SO or parents pat you on the back.
