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!
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