Flight lesson: 09-23-09

Snaggletooth

Snaggletooth

Line Up and Wait
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May 9, 2009
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665
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Texas
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Display name:
Dustin
Had a great lesson today. Started off kinda "rough" (You'll see why. lol)

Got to the airport about 20mins early like normal to watch the planes take off and land. Saw an awesome looking olive drab King Air take off. Had one of the Air Log helicopters start up and take off right in front of us (and when I say right in front of us, I mean RIGHT IN FRONT OF US. You could feel the dawn wash from the rotors hitting the truck.) My CFI got there, so we hopped in his car and drove to the hangar and I started preflighting the plane. Once done with that we taxied down to Runway Three Five, did the run up, and away we went in to the wild (overcast) Blue yonder. lol

First landing was looking good. a tad low, but some power fixed that then wham! I leveled off to low and hit the pavement. My CFI then looked over and said "I had to let you do that one. Maybe your learn from it."

Second and third landing was better. Little low on airspeed but not to bad (just barely under 60kts). better landing, but still not as good as I was last week.

Then it clicked and my forth landing was smooth. My CFI said "Very good!! Ok now drop me off and I'll let you do a few by yourself." Just as he always does he gave me a few last minute tips ("Air Speed, Air Speed, Air Speed!" is among the most common)

I took off on Three Five for my first solo of the day. Came in for the landing and it was a little rough, but still with in my standards (which are very high. lol)

Second landing was smoother on landings but did not have a steady glide slope.

Third one was very, very good. Had a good landing flare, and the mains touched down very smoothly. Being that I was the only one in the plane I yelled out "ALRIGHT!!!" lol

I then taxied to the ramp and parked the 152 in front of my CFI's 172. As we started to walk back to the office I asked if I could go look at the 172 (first time I have been that close to his 172). He said "Sure!! go sit in it. The doors open." I must say, the 172 is much, much larger than the 152 I fly!

Anyway, we discussed what we would be doing next week. He said next lesson will be the same as this weeks. Touch and Goes, and I'll solo some more then.... the moment I've been waiting for. In two weeks, we will do a Dual XC Flight, then the next day I'll do a Solo XC Flight!! I CAN'T WAIT!!
 
Snag, nice job! Always enjoy reading your adventures :)
 
Snaggletooth said:
Got to the airport about 20mins early like normal to watch the planes take off and land.
Click to expand...

If there was any doubt before, that statement proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that you are completely "hooked".

First landing was looking good. a tad low, but some power fixed that then wham! I leveled off to low and hit the pavement. My CFI then looked over and said "I had to let you do that one. Maybe your learn from it."
Click to expand...

I like your instructor's style.

Second landing was smoother on landings but did not have a steady glide slope.
Click to expand...

Actually, while it's good to maintain a nice stabilized approach, learning to deal with the inevitable deviations from that is important.

I then taxied to the ramp and parked the 152 in front of my CFI's 172. As we started to walk back to the office I asked if I could go look at the 172 (first time I have been that close to his 172). He said "Sure!! go sit in it. The doors open." I must say, the 172 is much, much larger than the 152 I fly!
Click to expand...

I can remember thinking the 172 was a lot more impressive than the 150/152 I'd been training in. Pretty soon after that the 172 seemed small and simple as I moved into faster and more complicated airplanes. It's all relative!

Anyway, we discussed what we would be doing next week. He said next lesson will be the same as this weeks. Touch and Goes, and I'll solo some more then.... the moment I've been waiting for. In two weeks, we will do a Dual XC Flight, then the next day I'll do a Solo XC Flight!! I CAN'T WAIT!!
Click to expand...

You're obviously progressing well. Your first solo XC is a big step.
 
Congrats OP! It seems like I am just slightly ahead of you, so take this with a grain of salt :)

I am at 25.1 hrs, having just finished three Dual X-Cs, including my night X-C. I'm actually going to bang out two Solo X-Cs this weekend, including my long X-C, hopefully finishing that requirement entirely.

Let me tell you, you have done some really fun things, but the best parts are yet to come! As fun as Soloing is the X-C is 10x more fun, particularly if you choose a good place to visit.
 
Keane said:
Let me tell you, you have done some really fun things, but the best parts are yet to come! As fun as Soloing is the X-C is 10x more fun, particularly if you choose a good place to visit.
Click to expand...

+1

Snag, allow me to recommend Brenham (11R) as a solo x-c destination... they have a great restaurant on the field and a good way to make use of the airplane during your training.
 
Thanks for all the replys everyone.
My CFI and I have already agreed on flying to KELA.
 
Snaggletooth said:
Thanks for all the replys everyone.
My CFI and I have already agreed on flying to KELA.
Click to expand...

Watch out for NORDO crop-dusters. On my long solo x-c I did a couple of landings there and on my last one I was on final for 17 after making the requisite radio calls when a crop duster pulled out on 35. He saw me coming and pulled off again immediately just as I was starting to increase throttle to go around. I landed safely, but it slightly increased my pucker factor. There was a Baron shooting the VOR 17 approach (the VOR is about 5nm N of the field) making his calls, and I warned him that a crop duster just departed runway 35 heading his way.
 
I'll be sure to watch for them.
What kind of plane was it?? Agcat?
 
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