AdmiNirvana

Today Tex and I took Phaedrah up for a ride in 5519J. Though she liked the ride, it got a little bumpy at the end–and she ended up getting a little motion sickness. All in all she had a good time, which is what counts!

Do we possibly have another pilot-in-training in the family? Only time will tell!

What great day! We started out by doing some usual pattern work at Benton, a total of three landings. After the third, my coach asked me to taxi up to the building’s garage, and then he proceeded to get out of the plane.

Next he said: “Now it’s your turn, do three more of the same. Have fun!”

I did three more trips around the pattern on my own. Coach stayed on the radio, just in case I needed him–but it was smooth flying. After three decent (but not great) landings and doing it all on my own, I came back in and parked it. He took a polaroid of me next to N5519J, filled out a Solo Certificate (for framing) and then wrote stuff all over my shirt and cut it out

Tomorrow I had more time scheduled with my coach, but the plan has changed–it’s now all to myself. I’m planning on taking her south over our practice area and just doing some basic S-turn stuff and circling our house a few times (turns about a point)! Taking it easy at first and just having fun. I can’t wait!

After heading down to Disneyland last week, I got back on the horse and went up with my flight coach this morning. After having a week off, a bit of “skills rust” formed–mainly just flying the plane on final before landing. Nothing major; I just needed a few gentle reminders to cross-check things.

Overall today’s lesson was “in my hands” and in the words of my coach, he was “only along for the ride”.  We departed from Benton Airpark on runway 33, and made a left downwind departure South on towards Red Bluff’s big airstrip. At Benton, we had 29 knot head winds from the North, but fortunately straight down the runway. By the time we made it to Red Bluff , the Northerly wind had died down a little–but because of it I made a decent (but unintentional) short-field landing. I received a word of caution from the coach, and also another lesson learned today–keep the airspeed at 65 knots on final no matter what it takes (power, flaps, whatever!). Don’t get so stuck in routine that you forget the basics.

After doing a touch-and-go at Red Bluff, it was off to Redding Municipal for some controlled airspace (Tower) work. I called in to Redding Tower about seven miles to the south with this line:

“Redding tower, cessna five five one niner juliet. We’re seven miles South over the I-5 weigh station inbound for a touch-and-go and request a left crosswind departure with information Romeo.”

Which won me some accolades from the coach.   I have never really been radio shy, and apparently this is now really helping me out down the road when dealing with controlled airspace.

Fortunately for us, Muni was slow today and I was the only plane in the area. After the call Redding Tower cleared us for a landing on 34. Nasty thing was that we were back in some rough North wind: 29 knots according to Muni ATIS–and now at about a 15-degree crosswind from the East. I did my best to keep it lined up, but rolled a little too much to the right in my slip just before touchdown. Coach helped out at the last bit, and made for a hectic few second.  But overall not a bad touchdown–for a 30 knot crosswind!  As my coach said: Any landing you walk away from is a good one! Heh.

Leaving Muni airspace and heading back to Benton, my coach said he’d take over for the landing at home. The winds were just getting too strong and starting to lean in further from the Northeast. Sure enough, as I flew over midfield at Benton, the windsock was straight out and at about a 20-degree angle from the East.  My coach did some amazing flying work coming down and we made it home safe.

During the de-brief we discussed how my landings still need some practice, but nothing so bad as to keep me from Soloing. I did received another “good job” on my radio work and for that I received a “1″ again today (on a scale from 1-5, 1 being best). According to my coach–my first solo could be any time now, so I need to come prepared and in a beat up old shirt(?) I guess there’s some rite of passage when a PiT (Pilot in Training) first solos at Benton!

I’m on for trips up Friday morning and Saturday morning. We’ll see how it goes!

I’ve wanted to for some time, and since time, finances, and Phaedrah now (mostly) allow–so it begins!

I’ve had three lessons so far.  The first flight was on March 6th, followed up by the first assisted take-off on the 7th.   I last went up yesterday on the 11th, which involved the first “solo” pre-flight (checking the plane and prepping it for take off) as well as the first “unassisted” take off.   I say “unassisted” because after we took to the air, it got a bit squrriley on me and the instructor had to help out some.  Okay, a lot.

The training facility is at Benton Airpark, which is a bit down the road from downtown Redding.  The trainer aircraft I’m learning in is a 1980 Cessna 172, which they happen to have a picture of on their site (it’s the old looking one). 

Bottom line is that it’s turning out to be quite a challenge, way fun, and immensely involving.   There is a lot to learn–more than I expected by far–but once airborne, it really doesn’t matter.  It’s awesome.