ahmad
Pre-takeoff checklist
I have put in a bunch of hours in the C172 this week. SoCal is pretty damn amazing but at times it has felt like the wild wild west. A few things that has stood out so far:
- It's been crazy hot here and hot starts can be frustrating. I feel like I am getting some valuable lessons stored in the memory bank.
- DA is no joke. Early morning flights are much much better than the afternoons.
- While getting flight following and inside the class E (10 miles outside of class C)the approach restricted me to an altitude level for some 15 miles. I obviously complied but found it interesting.
- At F70 at 8 am it was a circus. Someone reported being on downwind and so I proceeded to the runway. as soon as I crossed the hold short line he asked if I can wait. I said sorry I'm already past the hold line and almost on the runway. he got a bit ****y saying he called downwind. lol. He called downwind then a nose dive short approach. Just nuts.
- On another flight with flight following the approach reported traffic 6 o'clock less than 2 miles same altitude and not talking to him. I start a descent and turn 20 to the right. I see him on the scope doing the same thing. I increase rate of descent and turn left. Yup, he does the same. Then he calls approach to get clearance into the C ahead and says he has me in sight ahead of him. approach tells him to maintain visual separation from me. he says ok and passes me overhead by 200 ft.
- The marine layer here has no regard for us pilots. It changes on a dime and the TAF can't really help accurately predicting it.
Few more days of this "fun". I'm loving it though.
- It's been crazy hot here and hot starts can be frustrating. I feel like I am getting some valuable lessons stored in the memory bank.
- DA is no joke. Early morning flights are much much better than the afternoons.
- While getting flight following and inside the class E (10 miles outside of class C)the approach restricted me to an altitude level for some 15 miles. I obviously complied but found it interesting.
- At F70 at 8 am it was a circus. Someone reported being on downwind and so I proceeded to the runway. as soon as I crossed the hold short line he asked if I can wait. I said sorry I'm already past the hold line and almost on the runway. he got a bit ****y saying he called downwind. lol. He called downwind then a nose dive short approach. Just nuts.
- On another flight with flight following the approach reported traffic 6 o'clock less than 2 miles same altitude and not talking to him. I start a descent and turn 20 to the right. I see him on the scope doing the same thing. I increase rate of descent and turn left. Yup, he does the same. Then he calls approach to get clearance into the C ahead and says he has me in sight ahead of him. approach tells him to maintain visual separation from me. he says ok and passes me overhead by 200 ft.
- The marine layer here has no regard for us pilots. It changes on a dime and the TAF can't really help accurately predicting it.
Few more days of this "fun". I'm loving it though.
