I Got to Fly Again!

SkyChaser

Pattern Altitude
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Mar 22, 2020
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SkyChaser
The good weather finally coincided with a weekend and stayed longer than an hour and when that happens, this happens:
img_20210227_115345602.jpg


1.6 awesome hours later, I felt like I really was a pilot again. After only flying my night xc on Jan. 13 and before that Dec. 20th, I was worried I would be so rusty by now. I wasn't. LOL

It was ideal weather - cloud layer at 12k and light winds almost directly down the runway. I did three great short landings right away - landing exactly where I was aiming for each time, just about greasing it on each time. I've never been able to get that so perfect before! I tried some soft field next. That didn't work as well. It seems like they should be easier since it's not so precise, but they weren't yesterday. If it had been a true soft field, I'd have been trying to figure out how to get a plane out of the mud! :p After getting a sorta passable one, my CFI had me try a couple no-flap landings before heading in, since the DPE likes to fail the flaps. She didn't know if he would in the Archer (the recent tests have all been in Skyhawks), but we did a few just in case. I had to go-around my first attempt due to overshooting the final turn. Without flaps, that plane was SO slippery-feeling. And round-out...I felt like I was almost standing the plane on it's tail the nose was up so high! I'm so thankful for flaps - it's nice to be able to see more!

So, now I'm signed off again for solo and hoping for a lot more good weather this week and next weekend! :)
 
All of us in northern winter climes get frustrated when the weather is so awful for along stretch we are grounded. Great to hear you are flying again.

As for no flaps, it's a Piper. Chop the throttle and it has the glide ratio of a hammer without a handle. :D
Seriously, with no flaps have your instructor show you how to slip it down final. Drop the left wing, kick in some right rudder and the visibility to the runway in a Piper is superb.
 
GOOD FOR YOU. Just like riding a bicycle, once you know how, you don't loose it all.
LOL, I've mostly flown 172s and 150s and for the longest time, I didn't use flaps at all.
The weather has been pretty crappy here too. The FAA signed off my RV9A two weeks ago and I've yet to get to test fly it. I just got to taxi test it today, too windy to fly.
 
Get up there and fly girl, we are all happy for you, when is the checkride?
 
Fly your rear off, seriously, a couple times a week , practice, practice, practice. You'll nail it.
 
And if I may be so bold after my recent experience with the IR check ride, if you take a break-great. Just don't do it right before the check ride. Fly the day before to practice.
 
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