terzap
Line Up and Wait
I've been having trouble getting my landings cleaned up lately, and today we took off in a blustery wind (took of uphill with a short field takeoff because of wind direction at S73, always interesting) to go shoot touch and goes at HIO.
HIO was practically deserted and it was nice to be at a controlled field again. (Who would think I would miss dealing with Grand Forks tower? I know you have to keep sharp for yourself, but it's good to know someone's got your six...and every other direction, too!) Practically had the place to myself. I think the wind was 12 gusting to 18 at the time. (In North Dakota, that would be just a notch above "dead calm" especially from October to May).
We we cleared right in and the wind was pushing me all over the place and I was really nervous coming in so low over so many houses! Yikes! But I think I did four of the nicest landings I've done in a long, long time. Even my instructor thought so. The first was practically a greaser. It felt really good. Hopefully do more of them tomorrow, if not at HIO, at McMinnville or Aurora.
Coming back to land at 7S3 was a little squirrely, though, and I had to ask my instructor to help me out. The wind had increased by then and making that uphill landing in a gusty crosswind was just a bit much for me. (Hillsboro was flat, like what I am still more used to, I guess!)
terry
HIO was practically deserted and it was nice to be at a controlled field again. (Who would think I would miss dealing with Grand Forks tower? I know you have to keep sharp for yourself, but it's good to know someone's got your six...and every other direction, too!) Practically had the place to myself. I think the wind was 12 gusting to 18 at the time. (In North Dakota, that would be just a notch above "dead calm" especially from October to May).
We we cleared right in and the wind was pushing me all over the place and I was really nervous coming in so low over so many houses! Yikes! But I think I did four of the nicest landings I've done in a long, long time. Even my instructor thought so. The first was practically a greaser. It felt really good. Hopefully do more of them tomorrow, if not at HIO, at McMinnville or Aurora.
Coming back to land at 7S3 was a little squirrely, though, and I had to ask my instructor to help me out. The wind had increased by then and making that uphill landing in a gusty crosswind was just a bit much for me. (Hillsboro was flat, like what I am still more used to, I guess!)
terry
