Lesson 30 4/13/09

1hr – Beginning of prep for the checkride

1.2hrs – Simulated engine out, turns around a point, S-turns across a road, crosswind landings, simulated soft and short field takeoffs.

The weather was looking crummy all day, and when my instructor called a half hour before my lesson was scheduled, it looked like a no-go. We talked for a few minutes, and decided it would be worth coming out for the ground portion, and see what happens with the weather.

My instructor started with quizzing me on regulations, airspace, and interpreting the sectional. Not too bad, but I have some studying to do!

We departed Twin Oaks with winds WSW at 20G25kts, and headed south for some ground reference. I’ve had very little practice with ground reference maneuvers due to a pretty windless winter, so this would be great.

As we passed Newburg, my instructor pulled the throttle. I quickly pulled carb heat, knew that I had just passed over 2S6 (Sportsman Airpark), and trimmed for best glide. I was a little low adjacent the numbers on downwind, and turned base into somewhat of a headwind, so base became an angled approach to a short final, but I touched down just past the numbers nicely with a crosswind. Best was that my instructor was able to remain pretty silent.

We taxied back for a simulated short field takeoff, and headed south for ground reference.

I found a suitable point, and entered a left turn at about 900ft AGL. I could probably draw a better circle using a crayon, eyes closed, with my left foot, but after a few times around I had a better handle on it, and managed to maintain altitude well.

Next we did some S-turns across a road, and again I could have probably done better with the crayon in the above scenario. I did better after a few tries, but more work is needed. During the S-turns, I did run into more rain than I’ve experience previously, which was interesting. The visibility was still very good, and the sound of the rain, and seeing the pattern it produced on the windshield, was very neat.

We could see that the weather was going to go downhill, and turned for home.

Back at Twin Oaks, the wind, and slight crosswind, favored landing on 20, which has always been a little tricky for me. The first two landings required losing quite a bit of altitude on final, but I managed the gusty wind well, and the end result was good.

Before calling it a day, we practiced a simulated soft field, which I understand well, but have difficulty holding the nose down in ground effect. 4KU seems to just pop up and be ready to fly, so I maybe need to practice in 40H with a passenger in addition to my CFI.

The third and last trip around I had dialed in all the way and back down. Always a good way to end the lesson.

Next lesson is Thursday for more ground reference practice, stall and steep turn review, and whatever else my instructor adds in.

I do have a lot of studying to do!!

I also finished off page four in my logbook with 52.4hrs total time, 11.1hrs solo, 9.7hrs cross country, 3.6hrs night, 159 day landings, and 14 night landings. Cool...