2/19/09 Solo Short Cross Country

1.5hrs - Solo Short Cross Country!!

Man, was that awesome!

I arrived out a Twin Oaks about 11:00, so my CFI could look over my flight plan, endorse my logbook, and spend some ground time with me reviewing the NAV/COM, which I've felt a little weak on.

I wasn't scheduled for the aircraft until 1pm, but the reservation before mine cancelled, so I was free to leave when I was ready.

My instructor left, and I was on my own, and I was soon on runway 20, ready for departure. A deep breath to relax a bit, and I was on my takeoff roll and into the air.

A quick look around in disbelief that I was alone in an aircraft, and headed for an airport I've never been to, in a town I've never been to.

I called McMinnville FSS to open my flight plan, but it had not been sent over yet as I was departing more than an hour ahead of time, so I filed a round robin flight plan in-route. I did have to admit to being a student, and not knowing the equipment code, but flight service was very helpful, and I soon had a filed VFR flight plan open.

By the time I reached my cruising altitude of 3500ft, I was all set up with my VOR and GPS, and could relax, check off my checkpoints, listen to CTAF, ATIS, or AWOS of the airports I was near, look for traffic, and enjoy the view of the Willamette Rver Valley spread before me.

Soon it was time to begin my descent, and listen in for traffic at S30 (Lebanon). There was no traffic, so I made my first call, and began maneuvering for a 45 downwind entry for runway 34.

After very decent landing, I taxied off, and decided to follow my CFI's recommendation to shut down, get out and walk around, and enjoy the fact that I'd flown there on my own.

I got out, took a picture of 4KU on the ground at Lebanon, and walked into the FBO. I ended up spending about a half hour talking to a nice old guy about his favorite flying destinations, and the price of fuel. I probably could have easily enjoyed a couple of hours there talking, but decided that I should get headed back.

Once back in the air, I realized that my estimated time in-route on my open flight plan was not going to be enough, so I called and amended it for a later arrival. I was then back to my checkpoints, listening to the radio, and looking about.

Following the Newburg VOR took me right to where I needed to be, and begin my descent to enter the pattern.

The pattern was as good as any I've done, being very watchful of my altitude and airspeed. I was a bit high on final (as always seems to be the case), but trimming for 60kts, full flaps, and coasting in, I was able to bring it down to where I wanted to be. Although I was right at may usual 60kts, I did float quite bit. I was just thinking that another couple of seconds of this and I'd need to go around for another try, when the wheels squeaked.

With a huge grin and a sigh of relief, I cleared 02. All there was to do now was taxi to the pump, close my flight plan, and shut down.

I also finished page three of my logbook with 117 landings, 1.8hrs under the hood, 2.2hrs night, 3.7hrs solo, and 36.3hrs total. Yes there's a lot of logbook left, but a milestone for me anyway.

Lesson 23 2/18/09

1.2hrs Mini cross country to a class D airport.

I had a great trip down to SLE (Salem) today. It was warm (for Feb anyway), the sky was mostly clear, and smooth. Also, as a bonus, my mom was able to come along for a backseat ride.

We departed Twin Oaks, and headed south. Right away I felt much more comfortable with getting all the frequencies dialed in that I would need, opening a flight plan, and tracking the Newburg VOR.

My checkpoints all came as expected, and soon it was time to communicate with the tower at Salem. Communication with the tower felt much smoother, but I still botched at least one call.

After an okay right pattern, we landed smoothly, and taxied off the runway. Now it was time to talk to ground, which also went pretty smooth, and received taxi instructions to the GA ramp.

We shut down, and got out to walk around a bit, get some coffee, and talk to another pilot. A nice little stop really.

Soon we were starting up again and receiving taxi instructions to the run up area. A quick call to the tower, and we were off.

I was able to track the Newburg VOR back, and was shortly over it and descending to enter the pattern at Twin Oaks.

A pattern without any altitude or airspeed reminders end with a decent landing, wrapping up the trip on a nice note.

So barring anything unexpected with the weather, or anything else, I'm all set to embark on my short solo cross country! I definitely feel more confident after today's lesson.

I also have a half hour of ground with my instructor earlier in the day to clear up some lingering unknowns with the NAV/COM and GPS.

Lesson 22 2/16/09

1.9hrs – Night dual cross country

What a very cool experience!

During the taxi out to the runway, we found that the instrument panel lights were inoperable, as was the transponder.

At this point the night cross country to CLS (Centralia – Chehalis) was looking to be a no-go. Turned out that a circuit breaker had popped, but was not extended far enough to have been felt as popped during preflight.

With the last light of the sunset, instrument panel lights aglow, and an operating transponder, we departed Twin Oaks at 6pm with my Heatherle riding back seat (happily she will fly with me again, even after I scared her a bit on the last time), and headed towards CLS, 75nm north.

First up was to open my VFR flight plan, and contact the tower at Hillsboro, since we’d be climbing through their class D airspace. A VFR flight plan is required, but on a cross country flight it's good to have. Basically what it does is help in a search situation if you were not to arrive at your destination by a given time.

Once past Hillsboro, we requested and received flight following, and I began looking for and checking off my check points. Flight following is another tool to add to the safety of a cross country flight. With flight following, ATC will notify you of other traffic in your area, where it is in relation to you, as well as the heading. If the controller's workload is too high, they may not be able to provide flight following for a VFR flight.

The air was smooth, with great visibility, and only a very high and thin broken overcast above. Beautiful for my first night cross country, and about only my fourth in an airplane at night.

The ease of identifying check points, major roads, airports, and other traffic was surprising, as was how far off towns were visible.

We arrived at CLS, and made a straight in approach (no other traffic). I’ve only done a couple of straight in approaches, so fortunately the PAPI (Precision Approach Path Indicator) let me know from quite a distance out that I was somewhat above the approach path.

With the throttle all the way to idle and all 30 degrees of flaps, I was on the approach path by short final, and made a nice landing off to the left of center (aarrgg).

Along the taxiway, with just the runway lights, a few scattered lights around the airport buildings, and the taxiway reflectors shining in my landing lights, the airport struck me as kind of an eerie place. There was not a soul around in the air or on the ground.

At this point I noticed that the attitude indicator was indicating a climbing turn. Not good when you're level on the ground, and the last I had glanced at it on final, it was good. By the time we taxied back to the departure end, the attitude indicator had returned to normal, and was not an issue for the remainder of the trip. Strange......

We departed CLS, turned south for the trip home, and was again divided between taking in the view, maintaining course, looking for other traffic, and communication.

All too soon it was time to begin our descent to TPA (1200ft) for Twin Oaks.

My first downwind entry was way too tight to the runway, and I made a right 360 to reenter the pattern a bit further out. As a came around, I quickly realized that I was going to need to make another 360. Well, third time’s a charm…

The runway lights at Twin Oaks are spaced some distance from the edge of the runway, making it look wider, and therefore closer, than it truly is (at least for me), so I had to work to get down after turning final, but managed a very nice landing to end the evening.

During this lesson, and looking back, I’ve realized that any communication I need to do beyond CTAF (Common Traffic Advisory Frequency used at non-towered airports) needs a lot of work! So many different communications, and so many frequencies…. I think I need a refresher ground lesson on operating all the NAV/COM equipment.

Next up is a mini cross country to Salem for some more class D airspace practice (a lot of nav/com practice as well I’m sure). Then, if all goes as planned, my solo short cross country to S30 (Lebanon). Nervous?....yes

Lesson 21 2/12/09

.5hrs Ground - Night operations and class D airspace

.9hrs - First night lesson and second at a towered airport.

I was really excited about this lesson, as it would be my first night lesson, and one of the very few times I've been in an airplane at night. I had done my homework on night operations, but still wondered what it was actually going to be like.

I performed the preflight, making sure to check all the instrument and overhead lighting, and that I remembered which dimmer operates which lights. We then spent about half an hour talking about tower communications, runway & taxiway markings, airport & aircraft lighting, vision limitations at night, etc.

We departed for HIO (Hillsboro), which is only 6nm north of Twin Oaks, near dark. By the time we left the pattern at Twin Oaks it was time to listen in on ATIS, and then make my call to the tower. ATIS is Automatic Terminal Information Service, and gives weather and runway information. There was not much time to look around, but what I did have a moment here and there to look at was amazing.

We were cleared first to enter left down wind for 30, so I began a turn to the left to swing wide for entering downwind. I was then asked to make a straight in approach, so back to the right. I could easily pick out the runway end identifier lights, but it took me a few seconds to understand the rest of what I was seeing.

On my first approach I was a little high, but pulling out all the throttle, and adding all 30 degrees of flaps brought us down quickly. I began to flare a little early, stopped increasing back pressure for a second or two then continued, and completed a pretty decent touchdown, but off to the left of center. My CFI reminded me that I land on the centerline at narrow Twin Oaks, so there's no reason I shouldn't elsewhere.

Back on the centerline, I cleaned everything up to make it a touch and go, and we were off for right traffic to do it again.

At Hillsboro there is plenty of surrounding town to provide a visual reference to the ground, so it wasn't too bad taking off into the darkness, and I made my way around to right downwind with no problem. At this point I was asked to make a left 360 to allow another aircraft to make a straight in approach. In the dark, making a level 360 degree turn seemed a little more difficult. Maybe due to a lack of distant landmarks. Back on downwind I was a little late on beginning my descent, and on base started to overshoot my turn to final. A very steep bank, demonstrated by my CFI, prevented overshooting final, and I completed landing number two smoothly, and nearer to center.

A quick clean up, and we were off again for one more trip around the pattern at Hillsboro. This landing was a full stop so I could practice receiving taxi instructions, as well as taxi at a more complex airport at night.

We departed Hillsboro, and due to concern for the possibility of fog developing, turned towards Twin Oaks.

Twin Oaks is surrounded mostly by farmland, so it was easy to pick out, and I entered the 45 for downwind. The roads, farms, and nurseries that I've flown over many times were still easily recognizable, but now looked so different in the dark.

As it rolled out of my turn to final, the familiar field and Tualatin river were little more than blackness, and I approached the end of the runway little high, but touched down smoothly, on center.

Fog had yet to develop, so we departed for one trip around the pattern.

Taking off in the dark at Twin Oaks was a strange sensation. There are few lights around, and once in the air and past the end of the runway, the ground beneath and ahead became mostly a black void. I quickly began scanning the instruments as I made the climbing turns to upwind (Twin Oaks is calm wind takeoff on 20, land 02). Once on upwind, I was able to see more distant lights, but still relied on the instruments more than I was used to in the pattern.

I was able to manage the descent better on this final approach, and my altitude remained were it should be, though the touchdown was a bit harder than the rest of the night, but not bad.

Next up is a dual night cross country to CLS (Chehalis-Centralia), about 75nm north

Lesson 20 2/07/09

1.4hrs Short field, soft field, hood work, and a different aircraft.

This would be my first lesson in a different 172 since my intro flight, so I spent a few minutes getting used to were everything was located, how the radios were set up, how the flaps operated (these operated with a switch that you held down to extend, rather than just move to the next notch), etc.

We departed Twin Oaks for Sportsman Airpark, which is just south near Newburg, to work on short and soft field.

The first thing I noticed was the need for less right rudder and longer takeoff roll. This 172 has the stock motor and 30 less horsepower than the 172 I've trained in so far.

We entered right traffic for runway 35 trying to remember all along to use the correct tail number. As we began descending I fought to adjust for the airspeed indicator in MPH rather than knots, different style of flaps switch, extra 10 degrees of flap travel, difference in trim needed, and completely blew the first landing. I was just about to go around, but may have hesitated just long enough to trip the warning alarm in my CFI's head, and he took over. First time that's happened since somewhere like lesson two or three. He said after we taxied off that it would have been okay, but would have bounced pretty hard, and knew that would throw me for the remainder of the lesson. I think it would have been very hard.

We did two short field takeoffs and landings that went pretty well, but my landings were off. The third time around at Sportman was a soft field, which I managed to keep in ground effect much better than my first try a few weeks ago. My soft field landing was mediocre. This 172 seemed mushy and slow compared to what I've been used to, and I struggled to get a good feel for it.

We departed sportman and spent the next .6hrs under the hood making turns, climbs, descents, selecting and tracking a few VOR's, standard rate turns to a heading with the heading indicator covered and counting seconds, etc, all by referance to intruments only. I ended up entering the 45 for downwind back at Twin Oaks while under the hood. Pretty cool, but hard work.

My 6th and final landing of the day was the best of the 6, so it did end on a high note.

After taxiing off and shutting down, my Heatherle said she'd like to just sit in the back for a few moments. Apparently my CFI taking over on the first landing really shook her up (a first in an airplane for her). Back at the classroom she she had a few minutes to talk to my instructor, where he explained what had happened, and why he had taken control. Poor girl was shaken up for the better part of the lesson, but didn't want to say anything for fear of distracting me. Pretty great of her, but I feel terrible for scaring her. At least she still wants to go again.

Next is a night lesson, a night cross country, a lesson at a towered airport with the 172 I flew today, then my short solo cross country.

Amazing how much differant two aicraft of the same model, and only two model years apart, can be.

Some more solo time. 2/06/09

.9hrs solo time in the pattern.

The clouds have descended upon us again, and prevented my solo trip from Twin Oaks to McMinnville, but the ceiling was high enough at Twin Oaks to spend some time in the pattern, and the practice area to work on some turns around a point.

This was my first solo where I would not see my CFI at all. Really seemed like I was missing something... Kind of like having your t-shirt on backwards or something.

Given the weather, I planned to do about 5 trips around the pattern, and then would head a little east to practice some turns around a point. I felt surprisingly relaxed.

The pattern was all but empty, my first four landings were nice, the wind was right down the runway, and I thought one more and I'd head off to practice some turns around a point and S-turns across a road.

On the fifth trip around, I noticed that I now needed to correct for the wind the downwind, instead the crosswind. A little crosswind, this should be interesting... My crosswind training has been limited to only a few landings early in my training. When the weather has been nice enough to fly, there's been no wind.

The first with a crosswind landing ended relatively smoothly, considering. As I passed the windsock, it looked to be about a 45 degree crosswind, but not more than about 5 knots.

The sixth time around I noticed that I needed a bit more crosswind correction on downwind, and base went by a little fast. Final was a bit of struggle. I kept telling myself "left aileron to stop the drift, right rudder to stay aligned with the runway", and managed okay down to about the numbers. From there on I probably looked more like an intoxicated turkey landing. Not my worst landing, but not so good. As I passed the windsock , it was now 90 degrees to the runway, and filled out a little more.

I knew I was passed my skill level at this point, so I was time to taxi off and end for the day.

By the the time I'd wrapped everything up and headed for my car, the wind was back to a slight breeze directly down the runway, but I was done.

Boy, do my crosswind landing skills need work!

Lesson 19 2/03/09

9 hrs - Landings

.9 hrs – Alone again, and away from the nest!

Originally we had planned to focus on hood work, stalls, steep turns, etc. When I arrived my CFI asked how I felt. Well, I felt great. It was a beautiful afternoon, and I get to go flying. “Well lets plan on flying to Aurora and do a few landings, leave me there, fly yourself over to McMinnville for a few landings, and then come back and pick me up”.

Oh boy…. I had felt great, but now suddenly a little tense.

I pulled out my sectional and AFD and started writing down the runway, CTAF, and ASOS, for both, as well as all the headings I’d need, and tension began to give way to excitement.

We departed Twin Oaks, and turned towards Aurora. We arrived at Aurora, entered the pattern, and made one of my best landings to date. Straight, on the centerline, and smooth. Cool! And off around again for a second straight, on center, and smooth landing. Not quite a trend yet, but on the way.

We taxied off, and shut down so my CFI could endorse my logbook for the solo to McMinnville. He asked if I had any questions (I had many but couldn’t seem to sort them out enough to get them out), asked how I plan to enter the pattern at McMinnville for each of the runways, and which would be most likely, how I’d enter the pattern at Aurora, if I had entered the CTAF and ASOS frequencies for McMinnville in the standby (I had), told me I’d do great, and closed the door.

So there I sat for the second time, looking out the window, and thinking about how in a few short minutes I’d be in the air, and alone. This time I’d be leaving my CFI’s sight, and heading towards an airport that was bound to be busy.

I went through the start up checklist, fired up 4KU, taxied out to the pad to complete my run-up, made my departure call, entered runway 35, and off I went.

After leaving the Aurora area, I switched to CTAF and ASOS for McMinnville and began listening. Between bits of important information, I looked out the window at the ground 2500ft below, and though about how amazing it was to be going somewhere in an aircraft, alone, and how easy it flies when all trimmed out. Wow!

I overflew McMinnville mid-field at 2500ft, and began a wide descending right turn to enter the 45 degree entry for the downwind leg. As I neared the downwind for runway 04, I heard someone else announce that they were on downwind for 04. I was unable to locate them, and although they announced that they had me, I didn’t feel comfortable with the fact that I had no idea where exactly they were. Had they actually seen me, or maybe someone else? I announced that I still didn’t have the other aircraft in sight, and was going to make a right 360 to reenter the pattern.

My next pattern entry was uneventful, and ended with a little float on landing, but a smooth and straight landing. I taxied back, made my departure call, and took off for another trip around, which again ended very well.

On my third trip around, on downwind I heard one inbound tracking an ILS, and would overfly at 2000ft, and someone on crosswind (ILS is Instrument Landing System. Often instrument students will follow an ILS down to a certain point for practice, overfly the runway, and then do it again). Okay, everthing is good so far, so I announced my turn to base. Once on base I noticed another aircraft at about 700 ft on either an extended final or straight in approach that I’d not heard anything from. At this point we were converging at a 90 degree angle, so I announced that I was climbing, and would overfly upwind at 1000ft and exit the pattern (I wasn’t sure what altitude to use, and didn’t want to interfere with the aircraft overflying after the ILS approach). Enough excitement there for me…. I overflew upwind to the right of the runway so I could keep the aircraft on final in sight, and headed back to UAO.

Again I spent the few minutes between other tasks looking out the window, and around the cabin, and thinking about how frightening flying was just a few months ago, how it can still be a bit at times, how far I’ve come, and still have to go. A great feeling…

I flew directly to where I wanted to be to enter the downwind for 35 at Aurora, pulled off another smooth straight and centered landing (nice!), and with a huge, and probably goofy, smile pasted on, taxied over to pick up my CFI.

On the trip back home to Twin Oaks we discussed my experience at McMinnville, entered the pattern, was a bit high and long on short final, but managed to end the day with another good landing.

I noticed during my last lesson that I was continuing to look towards the center of the nose when beginning to flare, rather than straight over the nose, causing me to pull the nose to left. Seems to have helped.What an experience!

My CFI endorsed me to fly solo to a few of the local airports, and weather permitting, Friday I will leave Twin Oaks on my own, and fly to either McMinnville or Aurora for some practice.

Sunday evening we are scheduled for my first night dual training. That I’m really looking forward to as well!

Lesson 18 2/02/09

.5hrs - Ground


1.9hrs - Cross country including flight plan, filing/opening/closing a VFR flight plan, fight following, tracking VOR’s, GPS, and beautiful scenery.


This lesson was a cross country to ONP (Newport), which I was really looking forward to. The weather was perfect, the Newport area of the coast is somewhere I’ve enjoyed visiting most of my life, and my sister Teresa would be along. Beside a skydiving trip about 10 years ago, this was her only GA experience.


We got out to the airport a little early, so while we waited for my airplane to be available, and my instructor to arrive, I went over the sectional and AFD with Teresa, and explained a little about what we’d be using for navigation, the altitude we’d be at, and points along the way.


We spent a little time in the classroom going over the flight plan I’d come up with, my instructor walked me through filing a VFR flight plan, and off I went with my Teresa to pre-light the plane.


We departed 7S3, and tracked a heading from the Newburg VOR. I got off the heading a few times, and ended up zigzagging across it a bit while I got the feel for it, but finally settled in.


Teresa asked questions along the way, and seemed to really enjoy all there was to see from 4500ft.


We hit my checkpoint just pasted the estimated time, and pretty close to over it, but probably would have been right on if it weren’t for the earlier zigzag course.





The trip across the coast range was smooth and beautiful, and we were soon on the descent for ONP.


We were originally set up to enter right traffic for 34, but ended up following another aircraft on a straight in approach to 16. This made for a nice approach over Yaquina bay, and the bridge, as well as a campground we’ve been to many times.



The landing was fair. I was off to the left of center, with the nose off to the left a bit. I just can’t seem to get past that, and it’s frustrating…


We taxied for a departure on 34, closed our flight plan, and opened our next (cool), and off we went.

We followed the coast north about 25nm, over a couple lighthouses, headlands, viewpoints, and other spots that have been favorites from the ground. Amazing!!


At Lincoln City we turned inland, and picked up the Newburg VOR. After climbing to 5500, we requested and received flight following. My VOR tracking on the return trip was much better.



Once we cleared the coast range we began our descent, ended our flight following, and turned north for 7S3.


We cleared the ridge and entered the Tualatin valley were 7S3 is located father west than I’ve become accustomed to, and suddenly everything looked wrong. My instructor asked if I had 7S3 in sight. “No, I do not”. It was right in front of me, and I was still at 3000 and 100kts. So now I had to turn to the right and try to lose some altitude and speed quickly.



How could I have not realized where we were crossing the ridge? I knew we were turning before reaching the VOR, and we usually cross in the vicinity of the VOR, so it's simple logic that I’d be heading right for runway 02 at 7S3.



I got down to pattern altitude, and entered the pattern. I then dropped below it, and was slow to regain the altitude. Arrgg… I finally got back on track, controlled my descent well, but landed again with the nose to the left, but at least on center.



Teresa, being great, commented that both takeoffs and landings were great (thanks Teresa!).




Cross country is good stuff!


The great pictures from this trip were taken by Teresa.