Long XC -- Finally. (aka 6th times a charm)

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GauzeGuy

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GauzeGuy
Well, after cancelling it 5 times, I finally got the last thing done that I needed to do before my check ride. The dreaded long XC. Did KAPA - KLAA - KLHX.

CFI barely agreed to let me do it, due to winds. But I figured marginal doesn't mean a no-go, and I've learned a thing or ten since my last attempt at a XC. :D

There was a Airmet Tango allegedly. I musta missed something because this is as good as flying wx as I've seen lately. Used the nav log as scratch paper (I'm sure a couple people will be offended :D) and used the VOR/DME / pilotage to head down the victor airways to get to KLAA via FQF 127, HGO and LAA.

Got to KLAA and landed on runway 8. A couple of guys from the FBO met me outside there. They apparently had a bet on me because one of the guys said that he lost the bet. Not sure what the bet was -- that I'd screw up the landing? :dunno: :rolleyes: :rofl:

Took off from KLAA, realized that I forgot to close my window when mostly to rotation speed. Went to close it, then a "little" voice said "FLY THE DAMN PLANE. THIS IS HOW STUDENT PILOTS END UP IN AN ALUMINUM CRUNCHWRAP." So I did (fly the plane, that is), and secured the window after turning crosswind. Yes, checklists are my friend. :D

Next, made the "trip", however short, to KLHX. Old bomber base. A couple of times I thought I made a wrong turn to get fuel since the taxiway looked like a dirt road. :eek: Oh well, good to get my soft field taxi technique down. Got fuel and left.

Got a bit more bumpy on the way back to KAPA. Nothing major, seen much worse before. Again, what Airmet Tango? Also, I decided to try my new iPad mini with the dual GPS in Foreflight (oh, the horrors!). Using the VOR/DME on the way in made it way too easy to check ground speed, distance and location. This only made it easier. Still used pilotage, VOR/DME and GPS (via Foreflight) to track my location, but adding the GPS made simple to beyond easy. That was the first time I've used the iPad / GPS combo, and I'm very impressed with it!

Got the ATIS at KAPA and winds were in theory 11G15 (outside of club maximums for students :rolleyes:). However, it would have been directly down 17 L/R, so I made a beeline for Aurora Res in the attempt to get a "make left base for 17L, report Parker" out of KAPA tower, which happened as predicted. Radios were acting up, I had to made a couple circles around Aurora Res as to not bust airspace. I was debating on getting my portable out when KAPA tower acknowledged me. I got something to the effect of "6346D, Centennial Tower, your radio sucks, do you have another one?" :yes:

Anyway, after some amended instructions, I got into a right base for 28, landed and put the plane away. The beer only tastes better after 3.5 hours on the hobbs today. :D
 

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Mine got cancelled as well....awesome job! How did you feel after it was over? I bet you felt like you could fly where ever you wanted!
 
I like reading stories like yours since it'll help me a lot when I finally go in for my training. Congrats and good luck on the checkride!
 
Sounds like a successful flight! :thumbsup:

It seemed like a beautiful day. Glad you got it in before the snow they say is coming this weekend.
 
Jhernandez04 said:
Mine got cancelled as well....awesome job! How did you feel after it was over? I bet you felt like you could fly where ever you wanted!
Click to expand...

Thanks! Most I cancelled due to less than ideal wx, or what I thought was less than ideal wx (there's a difference, I have come to realize). One I cancelled because the XC before turned out badly and I wasn't in any shape to fly even a kite. In any case, I'm happy to say that I made the call in each case and my CFI went along with it (however grudgingly in this case. lol).

I definitely don't feel like I could fly *anywhere*. With this being the last thing I have to do solo before my check ride, I don't know what I'm more surprised by: what I'm learned so far, or what I have to learn yet. In any event, the last 7 months has been a long, difficult and exhausting road. I'll be glad to get it wrapped up sooner than later.

One thing I've been very glad to have exposure to in these last couple solo XC trips was exposure to uncontrolled airports. I've been to a few with CFI's before, but the vast majority of my time has been in controlled airspace. I'm glad that I have the experience needed to fly to a towered field, but I'm also glad that I'm a lot more comfortable flying to a non-towered field as well.
 
Out and back in one piece, and not scared... sounds like a successful early-logbook XC. :)
 
GauzeGuy said:
Well, after cancelling it 5 times, I finally got the last thing done that I needed to do before my check ride. The dreaded long XC. Did KAPA - KLAA - KLHX.
Click to expand...

CONGRATS!!! Sounds like a great trip!! Good luck on the ride, show that you're a safe pilot and make good decisions and you will be on your own in no time!
 
I'm glad you finally got it done, OP! The long XC was probably one of my favorite parts of training. It really put me to the test, and like you, I felt like I could fly anywhere after that.

I got a little scared at one point in my long XC. Since I was headed from Luray to Charlottesville, I chose to go through the valley. I got a little nervous for some reason climbing over the mountains. There were clouds at 6,500 and I needed to get to 6,000. In hindsight, I don't know why I was so nervous. I think I was just worried about mountain waves or the plane dying.

I got lucky on my long XC planning, though. I did my first solo XC on a Saturday, and then my long XC on the next day. I just happened to have a streak of good weather in the summer. My instructor and I were on the same wavelength, because I came in with the long XC planned. She asked if I thought about my long XC yet, and I handed over the flight plan for the long XC. She said that was wise planning haha.
 
HerrGruyere said:
I got lucky on my long XC planning, though. I did my first solo XC on a Saturday, and then my long XC on the next day. I just happened to have a streak of good weather in the summer.
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I had a similar thing happen. We got a week of clear skies and reasonable winds. I did my first short x-c on thursday, night x-c on friday and long x-c on Sunday. That's still the most flying I've done in such a short time.
 
Yep, AIRMET TANGO is a broad brush. It means that somewhere in the specified volume, there is likely whatever the condition is (often moderate turbulence, can be other things). Turbulence can come in layers, sometimes very narrow. It may have really been there, just above your altitude. Or not. Likelihood is not certainty.

Student solo cross-countries get canceled often, and for anything. Once you're done with your checkride, spend some quality instruction time getting proficient in common and fairly common nonideal conditions. Where you live, turbulence and windshear are commonplace; on summer afternoons, it's hard to find a time without them.

And every time I go to Springs, I marvel at the standing lenticular clouds....
 
The long XC is fun. Glad you had a good time with yours. I had to cancel the first attemp on mine years ago, but I cancelled in the air. Didn't like what I saw in the distance and rather than chance it went home. Nice day when I did fly the whole thing. Sounds like you're getting close to check ride prep. Go for it and keep Cap Ron's checkride advice in mind. It is golden.
 
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