Ted
The pilot formerly known as Twin Engine Ted
- Joined
- Oct 9, 2007
- Messages
- 29,889
- Display Name
Display name:
iFlyNothing
The weather is a bugger sometimes. I was hoping to do my first solo cross country today. The weather conditions were such that he couldn't sign me off for a solo, and directly over Williamsport the ceilings were low enough that we needed to file an instrument plan to leave. And there was potential ice in the clouds.
In the morning we took his Navajo to Wilkes-Barre to drop his son off (since it's got de-ice), which was some valuable right seat time. I only got to touch the controls for about 5 minutes (but I touched them! Oh such lucious controls...), and no time logged, but getting to experience being in the plane and watching my instructor fly is always a worthwhile experience. If nothing else, it's a good reminder of how far I have to go in terms of my abilities.
When we got back the weather cleared up some. Predictions were still bad, but it was good enough that we could go out and do some simulated instrument time. We went up and I put the hood on, doing some simulated instrument flying - straight and level, turns, unusual attitude recovery, and then navigation to another airport that we knew. My second lesson was a 2.7 hour cross country with 1 hour of real instrument time (at least, that was what was listed in my log book, but I was flying by instruments about the whole time), so I have some experience, but it was in September. It went well, and then coming back he had me shoot an ILS approach, with me popping out of the clouds at minimums. I managed to hold the approach right until I "popped out", at which point I was losing it pretty well.
I was disappointed that I didn't get my solo XC in, but the time was still worthwhile. We went over what the requirements are that I have left, and what it really comes down to is night work (landings and XC), another hour of instrument time, my 5 hours of solo XC time, and then the 3 hour review and I'll be ready.
Having fun, making progress! Woohoo!
In the morning we took his Navajo to Wilkes-Barre to drop his son off (since it's got de-ice), which was some valuable right seat time. I only got to touch the controls for about 5 minutes (but I touched them! Oh such lucious controls...), and no time logged, but getting to experience being in the plane and watching my instructor fly is always a worthwhile experience. If nothing else, it's a good reminder of how far I have to go in terms of my abilities.
When we got back the weather cleared up some. Predictions were still bad, but it was good enough that we could go out and do some simulated instrument time. We went up and I put the hood on, doing some simulated instrument flying - straight and level, turns, unusual attitude recovery, and then navigation to another airport that we knew. My second lesson was a 2.7 hour cross country with 1 hour of real instrument time (at least, that was what was listed in my log book, but I was flying by instruments about the whole time), so I have some experience, but it was in September. It went well, and then coming back he had me shoot an ILS approach, with me popping out of the clouds at minimums. I managed to hold the approach right until I "popped out", at which point I was losing it pretty well.
I was disappointed that I didn't get my solo XC in, but the time was still worthwhile. We went over what the requirements are that I have left, and what it really comes down to is night work (landings and XC), another hour of instrument time, my 5 hours of solo XC time, and then the 3 hour review and I'll be ready.
Having fun, making progress! Woohoo!
