SkyHog
Touchdown! Greaser!
- Joined
- Feb 23, 2005
- Messages
- 18,431
- Location
- Castle Rock, CO
- Display Name
Display name:
Everything Offends Me
I woke up this morning at about 4:00 and headed out to the airport. I had an instructor and the Arrow from 5:00 - 8:00. It was cold this morning, like 45 degrees or less. Yikes!
So I get out there and wait for the instructor (who was late...no big deal, but he was). I preflight the Arrow and we head off. First stop is Los Alamos, NM (KLAM). One way in, one way out, no pattern due to restricted air space. That was a really neat flight. I love going up in that area, because I never really get the opportunity very often.
After landing and turning around, we took off the opposite way and decided to go to Taos, NM (KSKX). That was fun, too. I'd NEVER been up that way before in the air. Uneventful landing and takeoff there, and we decided to head back to Double Eagle (KAEG). At some point, the normal runway (4/22) was closed, so we had to land on 17/35 (which is under construction, but open for the day because 4/22 was closed).
There are NO markings on that runway right now, not a single one! I could not believe how hard it was to judge how high I was over the runway without any markings. I flared high and we dropped a good 10 feet, if not more. Everything was ok, but that scared the hell outta me.
CFI said that everyone's been doing that, even him, and that he's not worried.
I now have a new personal limitation. I will not fly into unmarked asphalt strips. NEVER!
Either way - great morning. 2.3 on the hobbs, only need like 3.5 more or so before I'm ok to fly the Arrow solo. Woohoo!
So I get out there and wait for the instructor (who was late...no big deal, but he was). I preflight the Arrow and we head off. First stop is Los Alamos, NM (KLAM). One way in, one way out, no pattern due to restricted air space. That was a really neat flight. I love going up in that area, because I never really get the opportunity very often.
After landing and turning around, we took off the opposite way and decided to go to Taos, NM (KSKX). That was fun, too. I'd NEVER been up that way before in the air. Uneventful landing and takeoff there, and we decided to head back to Double Eagle (KAEG). At some point, the normal runway (4/22) was closed, so we had to land on 17/35 (which is under construction, but open for the day because 4/22 was closed).
There are NO markings on that runway right now, not a single one! I could not believe how hard it was to judge how high I was over the runway without any markings. I flared high and we dropped a good 10 feet, if not more. Everything was ok, but that scared the hell outta me.
CFI said that everyone's been doing that, even him, and that he's not worried.
I now have a new personal limitation. I will not fly into unmarked asphalt strips. NEVER!
Either way - great morning. 2.3 on the hobbs, only need like 3.5 more or so before I'm ok to fly the Arrow solo. Woohoo!