This CFI thing is kicking my <<>>, hard. I'm amazed at how much I've forgotten and have to re-learn, about everything. Sure, I've flown here and there, and I've performed stalls for somebody every two years like I gotta... But to be back in real training again, getting critiqued on everything by a military guy who demands precision... haven't had that in so long. Need it. Challenging. Slowly doing better.
Flew solo to the pancake breakfast in Palmer, having finally worked up the guts to fly solo from the right seat. Was happy to notice how much I was *not* noticing the right seat weirdness anymore. Hey, now I can suck about the same from either seat, yay!
Coming back to Merrill, I was cleared #2 to land, on a long straight-in final. Still a few miles out, Tower tells me to go around... whaaa, already? Over the next few minutes, Tower redirected everybody. Someone was told to climb and circle. I was told to fly to [a road intersection some ways away] and hold there. Tower asked someone else about their fuel on board. Then (starting with me), the dreaded: "The field is now closed. Say intentions." A pause. "I'll head for Birchwood," I replied. Another pilot asked if they could use a different runway. No, the whole field is closed; emergency vehicles are out there. Any idea of the estimated delay? "Significant," said Tower. Gulp! The ATIS was changed to simply say "Merrill Field is closed due to disabled aircraft."
Landed in Birchwood, and texted the husband that I was down and safe there. Within 30 minutes, learned that they'd reopened two of the three runways, so homeward bound again. Still oblivious to the rightseat-ness, which is good.
The disabled aircraft looked intact. As I left the airport, it was being towed off the runway by a tow vehicle, on all three (still upright) wheels. Not sure what the story was there. Husband speculates a blown tire.
Back in the plane a few hours later, this time with CFI for training again. This time, practicing the "instructor verbal diatribe" *while* demonstrating maneuvers. Starting with the simple stuff (turns, slow flight, and stalls). Always with the stalls. He knows I hate them.
This CFI thing will definitely take longer than I first thought. But all the re-training is so worth it.
Tomorrow, we're going to take a Citabria and spin the <<>> out of it! Woot woot!
Flew solo to the pancake breakfast in Palmer, having finally worked up the guts to fly solo from the right seat. Was happy to notice how much I was *not* noticing the right seat weirdness anymore. Hey, now I can suck about the same from either seat, yay!
Coming back to Merrill, I was cleared #2 to land, on a long straight-in final. Still a few miles out, Tower tells me to go around... whaaa, already? Over the next few minutes, Tower redirected everybody. Someone was told to climb and circle. I was told to fly to [a road intersection some ways away] and hold there. Tower asked someone else about their fuel on board. Then (starting with me), the dreaded: "The field is now closed. Say intentions." A pause. "I'll head for Birchwood," I replied. Another pilot asked if they could use a different runway. No, the whole field is closed; emergency vehicles are out there. Any idea of the estimated delay? "Significant," said Tower. Gulp! The ATIS was changed to simply say "Merrill Field is closed due to disabled aircraft."
Landed in Birchwood, and texted the husband that I was down and safe there. Within 30 minutes, learned that they'd reopened two of the three runways, so homeward bound again. Still oblivious to the rightseat-ness, which is good.
The disabled aircraft looked intact. As I left the airport, it was being towed off the runway by a tow vehicle, on all three (still upright) wheels. Not sure what the story was there. Husband speculates a blown tire.
Back in the plane a few hours later, this time with CFI for training again. This time, practicing the "instructor verbal diatribe" *while* demonstrating maneuvers. Starting with the simple stuff (turns, slow flight, and stalls). Always with the stalls. He knows I hate them.
This CFI thing will definitely take longer than I first thought. But all the re-training is so worth it.
Tomorrow, we're going to take a Citabria and spin the <<>> out of it! Woot woot!
