Lesson 17 1/29/09

1.5hrs - Navigation to three local airports, hood time, towered airport, and a few firsts.

It started out as a very foggy day, with visibility of .5sm or less in many areas, but being optimistic I completed the flight plan for our trip to three local airports. Fortunately by the time my lesson was scheduled for, the fog had cleared for all but one of the three airports we would be visiting.

Prior to leaving we called for a weather briefing, which I had not done before. It’s much easier using DUATs online, but I can see where internet access is not always going to be an option. The pace that the information was given was a little fast for my novice understanding, and my ear-hand coordination suffered, leaving me with a note page resembling something copied down by the house cat.

First stop was McMinnville (MMV). I’ve flown to McMinnville many times now during my training, and know the way by looking out the window, but this time I followed the compass heading I’d determined. It actually worked, and I wound up right where I was supposed to. We entered the pattern for a touch and go, and off to Aurora (UAO).

We followed my predetermined compass heading and wind correction, arriving directly at Aurora.

Cool, two for two.

Since it was quiet at Aurora, we made a straight in approach, which I’d never done before. On a straight approach you are lined up with the runway a few miles out, and remain so during the descent, rather than entering the pattern on downwind, and making a turn to base, and a turn to final. The advantage to this type of approach is that it's quick if you are already inbound on the runway heading. The disadvantage is that it is more difficult to see other aircraft in the pattern, and more difficult for them to see you. Anyway, at first it felt way out of sorts because my key points in the pattern were not available, but soon began to look familiar, and one touch and go for Aurora.

After departing Aurora I did some time under the hood. The "hood" is a view limiting device that limits your field of vision to only the instruments.

This was my first experience in the air with reference only to instruments (I had done .7hrs with a simulator). I can’t even read a book as a passenger in a car, so this felt very unnatural.

We did several standard rate turns to a heading, climbs, descents, and climbing and descending turns. We also did several standard rate turns with the heading indicator covered, counting the seconds, rolling out of the turn, and checking the heading. A standard rate turn, also called a two minute turn, will result in a 360 degree turn in two minutes, or three degrees per second.

I flew around for half an hour without being able to look out the window, and without getting sick or needing more than just a little guidance. Not too bad. It is surprisingly tiring though, and very difficult to not follow what your sense of balance is telling you.

Our original third destination, Mulino, was still fogged in, but it was a great day, and we still had time, so our next stop would be Hillsboro (HIO).

Hillsboro is towered, which was also a first in my training. We were cleared for a touch and go, as well as right traffic for a second touch and go. I’d not flown a right pattern yet (all pattern turns to the right). It was not really any more difficult, just different.

After the second touch and go at Hillsboro, we were off to home. On downwind my instructor pulled the throttle to practice an engine out landing.

Had this been an actual emergency, it would have been a bummer...

I was too high and fast, tried slipping but that maneuver definitely needs work, and ended up practicing a go-around instead.

The second time around with no power was right on, and ended the lesson on a nice note.

Next lesson is a cross country of more than 50nm. If the weather is good (could be, according to current forecasts), Newport (ONP) is the destination. I know the goal is to learn how to navigate safely from point A to point B, but I can’t help looking forward to this just for the experience of flying to a place that I know and enjoy very much from the ground. If that doesn’t work out, there are a few options down the Willamette valley that should be interesting as well.

E6B Flight Computer

Here is an amazing piece of plasticized paper.

With this, some of the things you can quickly calculate are:

Speed, distance, and time computations
Fuel computations
True airspeed and density altitude
Corrected altitude
Off-course correction
Radius of action
Distance, weight, and temp conversions
Determining wind correction for heading and groundspeed

Lesson 16 1/21/09

1hr ground – Pilotage, dead reckoning, radio navigation, GPS, E6B, plotter, and DUATs.

1.4hrs – Going somewhere!

We spent an hour covering the types of VFR navigation, answering questions I had regarding the E6B, and getting registered on DUATs and how to use the site. We also filled out a flight plan to include ETA, fuel burn, wind correction, etc.

It was a beautiful day with clear skies and little wind anywhere we looked, so we picked Tillamook (TMK) as our destination.

It’s only 48nm from Twin Oaks, but I was really excited about this because TMK is on the coast, and we would be crossing the Coast Range to get there.

We departed Twin Oaks, turned west for TMK, and climbed to 4500ft. The coast range is a beautiful drive, and was simply amazing from the air.

We followed the heading I’d planned and arrived at TMK very near our ETA. As I entered the pattern, I could see the beach just a little further west, and the Pacific beyond. Again, simply amazing.

At TMK is a WWII blimp hanger that houses a very nice air museum - http://www.tillamookair.com/ – which I've been to a few times with my family while on vacation, but never where I could taxi up to it in an aircraft. There is also a nice café at the museum, so being lunch time, we took a table, had lunch, and talked about my CFI’s learning experience and what brought him to Twin Oaks, and what brought me to Twin Oaks.

Soon it was time to go, but not without a short flight out over the beach and up a few miles north for the view, before heading back east.

We climbed to 5500ft, and on the return trip, practiced VOR (VHF Omnidirectional Range)navigation, tracking the Newburg VOR back towards Twin Oaks.

From the coast I could see Mt Hood, Mt St Helens, Mt Rainier, and several others. Simply amazing? Yes it was.

My next lesson, scheduled for next Tuesday, will include planning a flight from Twin Oaks to McMinnville to Aurora to Mulino and back to Twin Oaks. If that goes well, my instructor will endorse my logbook to fly solo to any of the three to practice.

After that will be a dual short cross country of at least 50nm to somewhere of my choosing.

It just keeps getting better!!

Lesson 15 1/17/09

1.2hrs - Short and Soft Field takeoff and landing.

This would be my first post solo lesson and I was really looking forward to starting the next portion of my training.

I also met up with Roy, who I’d met through the AOPA forum. Roy recently earned his certificate, and it was nice to talk flying with someone who had been a student not long ago.

My instructor arrived and asked how I was feeling, referring to my solo the day before and smiling. “Great! I still feel on top.” Actually like a kid on Christmas with a new toy.

I had been informed by the office that the previous renter had reported that there was no drop in RPM from the carb heat. Okay, it could sideline my lesson for the day. Sure enough, the cable had come off the control arm, so it was an easy fix, and only delayed our departure by about 20 minutes.

Prior to departing, we discussed soft field and short field operations in the classroom.

Soft field takeoff involves holding full up elevator while taxiing, entering the runway with out stopping, and lifting off and remaining in ground effect while gaining enough speed to climb out. Ground effect is a reduction in drag when close to the ground, and is effective until approx the one wingspan length above the ground.

Short field takeoff involves starting as far to the end of the runway as possible, holding the brakes while fully advancing the throttle, checking the engine gages, and releasing the brakes.

We departed for Lenhardt airpark (7S9), which has a grass runway adjacent to the asphalt runway.

First my instructor demonstrated a short field landing and takeoff, then I followed with the same. It seemed pretty straight forward, but I’d expect that it feels a bit different in an actual short field situation. It was kinda fun and exciting to be sitting there for a few seconds at the end of the runway, on the brakes, with the engine at full throttle.

Next my instructor demonstrated a soft field landing and takeoff. Lenhardt has some rather tall trees to drop over on final for 02, and on my soft field landing approach I dropped a little low after clearing the trees, and may have startled a few unsuspecting horses quietly enjoying their afternoon. This threw me off a bit, and I touched down in the grass a little harder than would be ideal for a soft field landing. My soft field takeoff went well, but I didn’t hold it in ground effect very well. We climbed away just fine without touching back down again, but probably only because we were lightly loaded. Something else to practice, and fun to do too.

Now it was time to head back to Lenhardt. Back in the valley near Twin Oaks it was quite bumpy, and I mentally noted how little this bothered me compared to lesson 9.

My first landing attempt ended high on final, so I had to go around. The second ended fine, but I seem to be starting the flare a little high now for some reason.

I left with a new E6B and plotter to learn how to use for next lesson, when we begin navigation.

his is so much fun!

1/16/09 Solo!

That's right boys and girls, solo day!

My instructor and I had discussed my solo as probably taking place at Aurora or McMinnville, which much wider and longer, as well as having visual approach slope indicators, making them easier in many ways than Twin Oaks. When both Aurora and McMinnville were fogged in, I figured it would not be the day I'd solo.

Twin Oaks was clear and beautiful, so it would be a great day to fly anyway.

Heatherle came along for the first few trips around the pattern, and we let her off to practice with no weight in the back, which would be closer to how the airplane would handle solo. My instructor and I made several more trips around, throwing in a go-around and engine out for good measure.

After the sixth landing, my instructor asked how I was feeling. "Great" I responded. "Good, because I think you are ready to solo". Wait, solo? Here at Twin Oaks?? How about one more time around the pattern?

After landing number seven, we pulled into the grass and shut down. My instructor says "Well? I know you can do it... but we can wait until tomorrow and hope to get into Aurora if you'd like" I sat there for a minute or two, said I was ready, and began plugging my headset back in and flipping back to the pre-start checklist. As he was endorsing my logbook I looked back out the windshield and thought "Wow, I'm actually going to do this, in a few minutes I will be in the air, and alone! How would this go...." A hand shake from my instructor, a word of encouragement, and the door closed leaving me alone.

I started 4KU up, and taxied out.

A deep breath to relax, and I was soon at full throttle heading down runway 20, and then into the air. "Oh Wow!" I said to no-one.

I turned upwind (Twin Oaks is calm wind takeoff on 20 and land on 02 with no touch and go's) for runway 02, looked out the right window at Mt Hood in the distance, and thought how strange it is to be able to see out that side without looking around my instructor.

I was a little high as I turned final, but was able to bring it back to idle and get back on track for a nice smooth touchdown. "Yah Baby!" I said to no-one but myself.

As I cleared the runway, my instructor congratulated me on one of my better landings, and I could see Heatherle jumping up and down.

The second trip around involved watching for inbound traffic, as well as a flock of feathered friends, and ended with a slight bounce on landing, but on the centerline and under control.

The last time around I stole a glance around the cabin, as well as outside, just to burn the moment in memory, and ended with a landing closer to the first than the second.

After my third and final landing I taxied to the fuel pumps, shut down, and sat for a second. My instructor and Heatherle arrived with congratulations and my solo was done.

Back at the office my insturctor cut the back off my t-shirt, which is a common tradition. The decorated t-shirt tail will be given back to me when I earn my certificate. I logged 1.3 hrs of instruction, and my first logged time (.4hrs) of PIC (Pilot In Command).

Absolutely incredible! Three months ago I was near terrified to be in the air, and now I have flown an aircraft as the sole occupant.

This quote from Tom on The Purple Board forum sums up well the feeling of the moments prior to solo:

....A moment in time where you see clearly your immediate future and know full well that you'll be imminently responsible for your own life, no one else can help you out, it's totally your own responsibility... and then you push on the throttle and take off, anyway... wow. There's nothing else like it.

Well said.

Lesson 14 1/16/09

1.4hrs - Pattern, landing, power off landing, go-around, loss of power in pattern practice, steep turn, MCA (minimum controlable airspeed), power on/off stall, rinse and repeat.

Lesson 14 was primarily review and practice. My CFI explained the he was going to remain mostly quiet, primarily telling me what maneuver to do next, but not how.

We departed Twin Oaks, and headed for Aurora. There has been a temperature inversion with a stagnant air warning, so it was very interesting to see the top of all that haze and fog filling the valleys, and go from a temp in the mid 40’s on the ground to 61 degrees at about 3000ft.

The distance covered over a short amount of time still comes as a surprise to me from time to time, and I had to make a large descending 360 to lose some altitude so I could enter the pattern. The pattern at Aurora was a little busy, keeping me quite busy, but we were able to get some good practice in.

My flare and touchdown has suffered a bit on past few lessons, no bounce or anything like that, just off center and a little hard, and is frustrating because I know I can do and have done better. Fortunately each subsequent trip around improved, as had my speed control in the pattern. I would often end up quite fast on downwind, and need to really work to lose some speed to reach Vfe (maximum flaps extension speed).

After seveal trips around the pattern at Aurora, we departed to a practice where I spent time practiceing slow flight while making some clearing turns, then a power-off stall and recovery, as well as a power on stall. I’m able to identify the signs of the approaching stall, and properly recover from a power-off stall, but have difficulty identifying a power-on stall. I can identify the approach to the stall, but often recover before the full stall. When I do get a full power on stall, my recovery is much better, and I’m less likely to drop the right wing as I was before.

Next up were steep turns, which I understand and really enjoy doing, but I still need some practice.

So time to head home. I had Twin Oaks all dialed in to the GPS, which was the fun new toy to play with on this trip, and was happily letting it guide me back when my CFI flips if off “Oh too bad…. your GPS just shorted out”. Fortunately I could see my familiar landmarks anyway, and entered the pattern. Then “Oh, too bad...” says my CFI “your altimeter just quit”. I’ve had a little trouble maintaining correct pattern altitude, so a couple times as we went around he asked how high I thought I was, and would let me take a peek to see how far off I was. I was off a little, but improved on the second trip around the pattern.

Really a good lesson, and great to be airborne.

Lesson 13 01/11/09

1hrs Pattern work

Finally, back in the air!

All morning I was expecting a no-go on today's lesson, but at an hour before my lesson was scheduled to begin I hadn't heard from my CFI, so Matti and I hopped in the car. I was really hopeful for this lesson, because I've not flown in three and a half weeks, and it would be the first time that Matti would be able to come along since my first intro flight over a year and a half ago.

The ceiling remained at 2000ft, so we were able to spend at least some time in the pattern. Usually pattern work has been at Aurora or McMinnville which are much larger, but today would be all at Twin Oaks which is more difficult.

I went through the pre-flight with Matti, explaining what I was doing and looking for as we went.

My first takeoff and pattern felt great, and I happy that I still felt comfortable after a little time away. My first landing was very smooth. Great!

My next few times around were not as great, and I felt a little behind. My turns were a little steep, my altitude varied some, and I'd tend to be a little close in the pattern not giving me a lot of time for stabilized approaches. Being rather small, Twin Oaks still throws me off a bit, and I think I'm getting farther out and higher than I truly am in the pattern. One time around I was high and fast, and went around. This was also good practice, since the forward pressure on the yoke and right rudder required always surprises me. But I was able to complete the go-around cleanly, and make a much better pattern and approach.

The last few times around were improved, and I felt much more ahead of what was happening, and was really enjoying myself.

So a total of 6 landings, some good, some okay, pretty happy in the end with my performance after a little time off. A good day out.

Matti took some great pictures of Twin Oaks, and of himself. In one picture some of the flooding from the Tualatin river can be seen.

Weather......

Well, not quite back in the air....

The weather just isn't cooperating, but on the up side, I have finished my pre-solo written exam (both the exam my instructor uses, and that in the The Complete Private Pilot), have become very good at weight & balance and performance calculations, getting to know my sectional, and logged .7hrs in a simulator.

Today's lesson, as has been the case for a few now, was limited to the ground due to the weather. This time though, my instructor thought it may be worth the time to get on the simulator to practice some VFR into IMC. After a few minutes I was able to maintain straight and level flight, and make some okay standard turns, climbs, and descents, but even sitting in a warm stationary building, this was surprisingly difficult. There are 6 primary intruments, (attitude indicator, turn coordinator, heading indicator, altimeter, vertical speed indicator, and airspeed indicator) and making an adjustment to correct something effects all in some way, so its the ulimate in multitasking. It was definitely better than staring wishfully out the window at the fog.

My next lesson is scheduled for Sunday, if the weather will just help me out a little....