Whats all the buzz about?

Lesson #3:
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Focus: Stalls, landings, slow flight
Logged Time: 1.2 hrs
Total Time: 17.2hrs
Session Notes:

Went up again in N328SP again today, thats her in all her glory. Primary focus was to practice some stalls over our practice area, and get some more landings in. Departure went as planned, and I asked to do the radio work this time as Ive been practing in the car, in the shower, and using vatsim.org. I will say Im getting much better. I still get hung up calling crosswinds and baselegs sometimes tho.

After some power on and power off stalls (buzzZZZZZZZ .... whee I love doing those still!), we got atis for nut tree, and it was a perfect 90 crosswind ("They say its not too common out here"), but its OK as my prev. flight training was out at gnoss field which I swear was designed at a perfect 90 to the prevailing winds :) My instructor looks to me and says "Looks like perfect landing conditions, lets head back home for some pattern work" .... OK, I gues this is what I get for telling him I was some what comfortable with crosswind landings.

As we were headed back towards the airport, the radio started to get pretty busy, and it was my luck that the approach I was expecting, rnwy 20 which the conditions favored, was no longer being used .... every one in the area decided to use runway 2.

First approach went well, birds on final are scary ..... all around the aircraft, luckily no strikes. The second attempt I was told to let the plane crab in and align with centerline just before flare. "Man, that felt right!" I said excitedly as the right mains touch down then the lefts, and oh so easily the nose wheel comes down ...... "Very Nice" says my instructor ...

The 3rd and last approach was my worst. I was low on short final and had to really throttle up. I mentaly hung tho, and collected my thoughts and got 'er done. I stomped on the right rudder a bit too hard on the runway while slowing down, really upset myself, and amazingly didnt shake my instructor. Nerves of steel Im tell ya.

Ive got an appointment for my medical and Im dilligently studying for my written. Hoping to solo again within the next flight or two.

Next Lesson: Stall recovery, landing practice, maybe another simulated engine out
Focus points: Visualize in-flight wind, climbing turns.

up we go!

Leson #2
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Focus: Reintroduce my self to flight
Logged Time: 1.2hrs
Total Time: 16.0hrs
Session Notes:

Yesterday we had a tornado watch, and rainfall in the 2" an hour mark early in the afternoon.

Needless to say, this is bit abnormal for northern california. I didnt think there was any hope of getting airborne anytime soon as the weather was predicting rain for the next 10 days.

Come evening time, it had quit raining, and was starting to clear bit. I started thinking I may get up tomorrow .... quick check of the weather and its now partly cloudy! Check work calendar, and instructors avail. ... looks like 1pm will be a good time for everyone, hope the weather agrees.

I showed up a few minutes early, and my instructor and I went over the preflight for this aircraft. I then finished up the preflight and began getting acquainted with the cockpit. WOW, what luxury compared to the 150 and 152s Ive flown previously. Leg room and an adjustable seat height, amazing :)

After we checked atis (15sm vis, broken at 3000, winds gusting to 16), I was asked to taxi to runway 20. First thing I noticed was the difference in a 172 and 152s taxing characteristics. The 152 is very nimble and requires minor corrections of rudder. The 172 is just the opposite, and I found myself using the steering very generously. I also noticed the 172 'picks up' speed after youre rolling much more quickly than the 152. We do the runup check on the tarmac just off runway 20 and everything goes as planned (was interesting to see the subtle diferences between FI and naturally aspirated runup and startup procedures).

I ask my instructor to handle the radio, as Im still not comfortable handling it as well as managing the aircraft (I still dont know why). He calls were taking the active and I delay slightly giving any last minute short finals to call out impending doom :) I position and hold right on the numbers, I think I like this planes ground handling abilities.........

Throttle to full rotate at 60kts. Hold 75 knot climb was the instruction.... Throttle to full, 60kts.....up we go! WOW, it feels strangely familiar.

Out towards the practice area, north of winters, I start picking up landmarks I recognize .... hwy 80, 505, and downtown sacramento. I execute some clearing turns, and proceed to slow flight exercises. Trimmed for 45kts just cruising, the 172 feels much more active than the 152. Still seems very responsive to my inputs which Im not used to. Wow, it just got quiet in here......

My instructor says "you just lost your engine (simulated of course), what do we do?" Ummmmm .... Glide speed thats it! 65kts for this bird .... Trimmed and set. "Where are we going to land?" he asks. At this point I think haha Im clever wheres the airport he doesnt want me to see, but alas no trickery here (yet :)) and I select a nice freshly plowed field. "Circle and setup for the landing coming into the wind" .... As I circle down I notice some trees just east of the farm house Id have to thread. I clearly talked thru all these steps, and was complimented by my instructor. "Good Job. back up to 2500 now please." It was about that time, I noticed a loose rivet on the front cowling. Nothing major, but just bad enough to make us land and fix it (no one wants the front cowl blowing open in flight, Im sure of this). I point it out to my instructor, and he says "Ahhh, lets head back home and shutdown and repair, then some pattern work". No problem!

We pick up atis again, once back into the area still gusting to 16, but relatively head on (not like gnoss field). We fly a right downwind for 20, and I ask to make the radio calls. Boy was that funny. I slaughtered each announcement I tried today :)

On the ground, problem solved lets get into the pattern. My first approach was good, not a "greaser", but good. The second one, I just didnt feel it. The biggest problem I had in learning the 172 today was the feeling from the aircraft in the flare (really last 100ft of altitude). Just couldnt feel it like I could in the 150 or 152. The thrid landing was my best by far. I really greased it!

Within the next few weeks my instructor will be certified to instruct in the garmin 172. Im going todo another flight or two before then I hope, but Ill be moving into the garmin display ASAP.

Im really excited, about how comfortable I was, and how much I was able to recall from so long ago. Still so much todo, and so much to learn. As things progess on in a more timely fashion, Ill be adding pictures to each post, as well as the lesson or focus of each flight.

Weather even in California doesnt agree with flying sometimes.......

I meant to get back to the field this weekend, but between kids birthdays and the weather I had to concede to more book/blog flying :)

Ive been reading alot lately the endevours of another student pilot that fairly recently started his blog and foray into flight. Its great to see that my fright of radio isnt just me. I cant explain it, as Im a very talkative person and dont mind some limited public speaking, but for some reason when the mic opens, my mind just closes.

Ive had Rod Machados book, and a few of the Gleim books since the last time I attempted flight lessons. Rod Machados book is priceles. The book is a great read, and I mostly enjoy the cheesey humor tossed in thru-out the book. Im a bit frustrated at times with the humor tho, for instance I was reading the chapter on electrical. As it turns out, it was easy for me to get the notion he was after by looking at his provided diagrams instead of reading his text. The point was lost in his ramblings. I still strongly suggest this book to any other pilots out there.

Ive been going back and forth with myself, trying to decide if I should take my lessons in a new cessna 172 with a garmin 1000 display, or if I should save that for after I graduate from the old school 152 :) After seeing the plane at the local FBO, Im tempted to ask what the rates are for her. I plan on moving into something like this if I were to purchase a plane, or rent one for trips.

Electronic Flight Bags are all the rage it seems in the flight industry. Im thinking of building my own, but still researching on it. Ive really always wanted a tablet to replace all my notepad ramblings (which I have literaly 100s of filled with notes from ideas etc), and work notes. As an added geek gadget, I want to get chartcase for my training and future uses. It seems like a really nice package with some really cool features. HITS (highway in the sky), paperless approach and charting. I plan on getting a fujitsu st4121 tablet with indoor/outdoor display for this.

Next Flight Lesson: N/A
Homework: What FBO do I like best