SacTown Shuffle

Flight Lesson #5
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Objective: Increase landing profiency, and head to to Sacramento Executive (KSAC) for a plotter and e6b.

Flight Time: 1.3hrs

Got up early this morning to decent weather, and headed out to the airport. I hadnt filled out all the student pilot paperwork the FBO requires, so I finished that up when I arrived (good thing I was early). I met my instructor, and headed out to the plane ahead of him to start the preflight. The plane Im in isnt getting used all that much in between my flights, as a matter of fact this is the 3rd time in a row that no one has flown her in-between my flights. I make sure that everything is in order and get ATIS.

My instructor had me tune the radios for sacramento executive, ATIS and tower, on com2. He said we'd check ATIS enroute, and contact the tower about 10 miles out. Runway 2 was the active this moring, which I dont like the run-up area on as much as runway 20. After about 10minutes of flying to the NE, I dialed up atis and got info foxtrot. My instructor handled the radio, as it turned out to be very busy today. Lots of GA, and business type traffic about. We were number 3 for landing on runway 20. I didnt make the best of landings, but it worked :) Clear the active, I request taxi to the transient parking so we can stop at the Pilots shop.

Once inside, its rather nice. A nice looking little restaurant, and 2 pilot shops(CFI, and Executive Flyers). A mini passenger terminal if you will. I purchased my trusty old e6b, and plotter, and also decided that I prefer the David Clark headsets the best. I cant quite afford the ANR set, but someday :)

Back at the plane, I grabbed ATIS, and it was now information x-ray, runway 20 for arrival and departures. Once I tuned into ground, I could tell it was busy! We got cleared to taxi to rnwy 20, via taxiway A, M. Arriving at the runup area, we were #2 for departure, but 2 other planes managed to sneak in ahead of us (sheesh the nerve :)). A few planes had to go around, they were packing them in right on top of each other it seemed! Finally, after about 10 - 15 miutes, we accepted a 'no hesitation' clearence to takeoff runway 20. WOW that was fun!.

Heading back home, nothing to eventful, entered on a left crosswind for runway 2. 2 touch and gos, then full stop. I got my paperwork from my instructor for my written solo test, I must be getting closer :)

Cris Crossed Landings

Lesson #4
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Objectives: Beat the weather and get a flight in to practice some landings, and turns around a point.
Flight Time: 1.5hrs
Total Time: 18.7hrs

Woke up early and headed out to my old stomping grounds in Marin County, gnoss field. I was scheduled for a 10:30am medical. As usual, the field was quiet, and much the same since the last time Id seen it 6 years ago (with the exception of the piper sign being a bit more weathered I swear its the same). Passed the medical, but my eyes arent as good as they used to be. Headed back for home, with a stop off at an old local favorite for lunch :)

I arrived early, and pre-flighted the aircraft as usual. Im getting much more comfortable in general, I even got atis via the overhead speaker while I was checking the fuel etc. My instructor was excited, cause once again the winds were pretty much 90d to the runway layout at the nut tree (gusting to 16 out of 120). The preflight is pretty much ingrained in my head, but I focus on each step as if I were doing it for my checkride, and announce to no one but the wind gods what Im trying to accomplish with each step.

It was rather bumpy below 1500ft today, and at first my landings suffered from it. I wasnt nerevous from the turbulence per say, but from the sudden attitude changes the aircraft would experience on short finals and takeoffs. As I got used to the turbulence, the increased airspeed (70kts instead of 65kts), became the real issue with my landings. I would flare as normal, but with the extra airspeed, the nose would just hold and float. That unto itsself wasnt the issue, its how I reacted to it. I pulled back on the yoke more which resulted in a rather rough pancake style landing (think bellyflop) which I wasnt happy with at all. I struggled with the increased airspeed allday long. After some progress with the landings, it was off to the practice area.

Since it was so windy, I asked if we could do some turns around a point. I figure if I can master them with 25 - 30mph winds, a nice summer day will be cake :) Turning around a point is not on my strong point list, I now know this :( In theory they seem pretty straight forward, but in practice they are much more difficult. I just couldnt get the distance maintained properly, if it wasnt too far it was too close. I wonder what the people on the farm I was circling were thinking we were doing for 15 minutes circling there house :)

On the way back to nut tree, my instructor took the airplane, and turned directly into the wind. We turned on the GPS, and entered a slow flight configuration. As we hit 45kts indicated, it felt like we were crawling visually. The GPS indicated a ground speed of 19kts. I asked if next time its windy can we try to get below 10kts and get a ground speed check from travis hehehe :) Anywhoo, atis was a bit nicer to me returning to the airport, steady at 14, gusting to 18 but out of 140. Approached via the 45 for runway 20, and all as going well. On short final my instructor says, "If you airspeed is high on approach, check your flaps"......well hint hint I thought. I only dialed flaps 10! Man did I feel bad. I decided for a go around. I didnt make that mistake the next time thru the pattern :) My last landing was the best, and tracked the center line very well all the way down. Even held left aileron while we were slowing down.

Next Lesson:
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Objective(s): More landings, I want to solo! Out to KSAC for the pilots shop. I need a plotter and e6b still.