Skyhawk Solo

Flew a bit on Saturday. Took the Skyhawk up and flew around Solberg for a bit - mostly just patternwork, but I also took it on a trip around Round Valley Reservoir, just to play around with the procedure for leaning the mixture. Let's face it: using an Exhaust Gas Temperature gauge is very different than how you lean a 152 (which has no EGT gauge).

Anyway, that flight gave me a little more insight into how the plane handles. I've only ever flown in a Skyhawk with an instructor before, which is great, but half the time I'm busy listening to what "that guy in the right seat" is telling me. That means I'm not spending as much time listening to what the plane is telling me.

What'd the plane tell me on Saturday? That it's used to carrying a heavier load!

See, I think I overshot pattern altitude just about every time I went around the pattern - that plane just wanted to keep climbing. Then, on base, what seemed like a reasonable distance to turn final always, without fail, was too close and I was too high. Plus, because of that darn placard next to the flap switch ("Avoid slips with flaps extended"), I was afraid to slip to get the plane down (checked the manual when I got home -- turns out the reason to avoid slips is because it can cause elevator oscillations. But the slips aren't prohibited, so that tool's still in the kit)!

Consequently, my landings were not nearly as precise as I wanted them to be. More practice is needed.

But it was a beautiful day, with a little bit of wind to practice in, and I felt really good about the day overall. Part of that may be related to the fact that it was my first solo flight in a very, very long time. That was a big confidence-booster.

To go or not to go? That is the question...

So I joined a flying club not too long ago. Took my orientation flight last week - had a great flight, despite having very few hours in a Cessna 172 (and none in a 172SP). Oh, and it's been a long time since I flew a plane with an electrical system, so dealing with the new plane, the radios, the avionics, and an instructor talking to me about this and that the whole time... well, it felt a little overwhelming. But still, I had a great time, it was a successful flight, and the instructor was great.

So I put myself on the schedule for today - this afternoon, from 1400-1700 - to do some more practice and get used to the plane.

Got to the airport and it was pretty windy. As in, the windsock couldn't decide whether it wanted to stand straight out, or just at about a 45 degree angle with the ground. About the only thing it seemed sure of was that it really wanted to point straight across the runway.

Now, in my primary instruction, I remember an instructor telling me that a windsock standing straight out means you have about 15 knots of wind. Whether that's at all accurate or not, I can't really say for sure, but it seems like a reasonable benchmark. So I can say that today had at least 8-10 knots of direct crosswind, with gusts closer to 15. I also remember from my primary instruction (and from reading the plane's manual) that while a Cessna 172 has a maximum demonstrated crosswind capability of about 15 knots, I have a maximum demonstrated crosswind capability of closer to 8. Maybe higher... I'm sure I've improved a great deal, but I'm still not the most comfortable with my crosswind technique.

So, the decision: go or no-go? While debating, I even stood there and watched a couple other planes flying around. A Diamond DA20 was taxing by, and I watched them hold short of the runway while another plane came in (some manner of Cherokee, I think...?). Yep, sure enough, both planes were having to crab an awful lot, and both the landing and the takeoff were pretty unsteady. That pretty well sealed the decision in my mind.

So here was my thinking:

1) Other planes - with pilots who are (probably) far more experienced than I - are flying, but it's kind of rough.
2) That crosswind is a little stiff for my own personal limits.
3) While pushing my own personal limits is not necessarily a bad thing, and yes, I probably could have handled it...
4) I really don't want to bend the bird. Ever. But especially not with me being so new to the club.
5) Old adages come to mind: "It's better to be on the ground, wishing you were in the air than it is to be in the air, wishing you were on the ground."

So in the end, I think it was a good decision. Do I regret not flying? You bet I do - I always do. But I'd rather rue the decision to NOT fly than to rue the decision to go flying in conditions that may be just beyond my ability. And I'm okay with that.

I'm Back...?

Well, it surely has been a while. And I still don't have a lot to say. Guess that's why this has fallen by the wayside. But no worries - nobody reads this anyway. If anyone ever did, they surely gave up on it long ago, despairing of ever seeing another post again.

Well, joke's on you, doubters... maybe.

Anyway, here's the skinny:

I got my license. I met up with an old friend from college. She turned out to be more than a friend. I moved to New (Freaking) Jersey with her. I was unemployed for months. I landed a job helping to replace the state's aging child support software system. I got promoted. I worked as a Business Analyst. I got another job as a BA with another company. The new job's in Delaware.

Somewhere in the middle there, I started flying again (a bit at a time), and even went so far as to get a tailwheel certificate up at Andover Flight Academy. My new profile picture was taken a few weeks ago, when I took a lesson in their beautifully-restored Stearman. That was a ride, let me tell you!

I'll have to try to fill in the gaps of some of my flights and other travels as we go here, because there are some stories worth telling in there. For the most part, my life's fairly dull, but once in a while, I surprise even myself.

The most recent flying-related event in my life was that I joined a flying club: Blue Sky Aviation Association. That should open up some more flying opportunities for me, and some more stories to share.

Happy flying!