One Year

A year since my first flight alone.

A great adventure.

1/10/10

Sunday we decided to take a flight north for a change.

Chehalis-Centralia (CLS) airport, 75nm north of Twin Oaks, was our destination for lunch at the golf course located across the street from the airport.

We departed Twin Oaks and turned north to transition Hillsboro's class D airspace, at which point Audrey was already asleep, and once beyond climbing to 4,500ft and a 30kt tail wind.

Pretty nice to have a ground speed of 140kts (160mph)...

The air was pretty smooth for the majority of the trip despite the winds aloft, with multiple layers of scattered ceiling above 5,500ft, and an overcast layer at about 12,000. Some haze and patchy fog below.

Along the route we had some nice views of Mt Adams and Mt St Helens, following the Columbia river for a short time before it makes it's turn west, and then the I-5 freeway.

We could easily see the airport from 20nm south, and began a gradual descent to enter right downwind for runway 16. Surprisingly, Chehalis-Centralia is a 150 X 5,000ft runway, over three times as wide and twice as long as long as Twin Oaks. I always a feeling of being a little lost in a 172 on such a big expanse of blacktop.

We shut down, woke Audrey up, and headed for the FBO to exit the airport to walk over for lunch.

The FBO was closed, but the keypad lock could be opened by entering a code that any pilot landing there would know. Great, we're in, and it's a very nice place with some comfortable couches, computer, restrooms, etc. We're ready for lunch though, so out the door to the parking lot we go.

I had assumed that the same code would get us back in from the parking lot side, but it doesn't. We were stuck with us on one side of a tall fence, and our transportation home on the other. Well, if nothing else, we'd have Matti climb the fence (probably a crime), enter the code from the airport side, and open the door for us on the other side.

We walked over to the club house at the golf course for lunch, which we found is also a popular spot for the local motorcycle club. A little noisier than the golfers you'd expect, but a friendly group.

On our walk back to the airport we found the back way in. Matti's fence scaling skills would be used another day.

Our cruising altitude for the trip home gave us 35kt headwind, bringing out groundspeed down to about 75kts, dropping lower lessoned the headwind but made for a bumpy ride. We really weren't in any hurry anyway.

12/26/09 Wind Plus Turbulence Can Equal Fun

Finally, after more than a month and a half, I was able to get some time in the air.

Originally I'd planned a trip with Dad and Matti over to Tillamook (TMK) for lunch, then down the coast to Newport (ONP) and back. Unfortunately the wind was kicking up past what I was comfortable with.

I'd seen that my instructor was scheduled to be out at the airport, and decided that maybe it would be a better day to practice some crosswind landings. Hillsboro (HIO), about 5 mi north of Twin Oaks, was reporting Northeast winds of 18 with gusts to 24.

Matti was still up for some flying, even if it was just around the pattern, so off we went.

We readied the plane, met up with my instructor, and taxied out for 02. Up to this point, I've not flown when the wind has been strong enough, or from the right direction, to take off uphill on 02. Something new right off.

We were really bounced around as we climbed out and turned crosswind, and took allot of work to make the plane go where I wanted it to.

The first landing was not too bad, considering. My instructor didn't need to touch the controls, and made no grunts of disapproval.

The next three times around were progressively better, and with some new found confidence with cross-wind and gusty conditions, my instructor hopped out.

Matti and I still had an hour remaining to fly, so we departed Twin Oaks and turned east.

After climbing through 2500ft the air began to really smooth out, and enjoyed the view, although a little hazy, of many of the Cascade mountains in the distance.

We decided to make a landing at Mulino (4S9), and began our descent after passing over Aurora (UAO).

At first the wind appeared to favor entering a 45 degree leg for left downwind runway 32, but an aircraft on downwind for 32 announced that the wind had shifted, and he was going to make a right 180 to enter a right downwind for 14. A 360 degree right turn allowed spacing for the other aircraft, and as well as setting us to enter right downwind for 14.

The wind was nearly non-existent at Mulino, making for an easy approach and landing.

We taxied back, departed, and turned north towards Gladstone and our neighborhood.

The smooth air we'd had above 2500ft suddenly turned quite turbulent, requiring us to slow down considerably, and we turned west to return to Twin Oaks.

As expected, the pattern at Twin Oaks was more than a little bumpy, and final required quite a bit of footwork on the rudder, as well as many power setting changes, as the wind continually gusted and changed direction.

I felt very satisfied with landing number 6 for the day, and it had turned out to be just the day I needed to feel proficient with crosswinds again.

Now I need to become night proficient again.

11/25/09

Fog.... Sigh

Matti and I had planned a noon time flight south along the Cascade foothills, or a loop around Mt Hood, but we were foiled by lingering fog in the valley Twin Oaks is located in. 

Out there somewhere in the fog is Chehalem Mt at 1440 MSL.

Just a few miles in any direction was clear, so we went for some coffee, and sat back for an hour, but still no sign of clearing.

Still, hanging out for a bit at the airport on a foggy day with your son is still a good time.

11/12/09 Alone in the Pattern

Finally... a decent day with some free time available.

I left work a little early and headed out to Twin Oaks to spend some time alone in the air, a first since I was still a student.

So, what to do?

Explore somewhere new?

Fly around and take in the sights as the sun sets and it becomes dark?

Nope.... just an hour doing laps in the pattern.

Actually it was a good choice. My first few landings felt a bit off, but not too bad with a little crosswind. As I felt back in the groove, I began to throw in some soft field takeoffs, no-flap landings, slips, short field takeoffs, etc.

I also had some company in the pattern, a Cessna 150 was doing the same as I. The picture was taken as I walked up from the ramp, and the wingtip lights of the 150 on short final can be seen against the hills in the background.

It was really nice flying around the pattern, with a little time alone.

Fall Color and Rain

Fall color has hit about its high point around the Willamette Valley, so we decided to make a morning flight down to Independence (7S5) for breakfast, spend a little time around the valley, stop at Mulino (4S9), and return to Twin Oaks.

As we were climbing out from Twin Oaks it began to rain a little, but the overcast cloud layer was still over 7,000 feet above our planned cruising altitude of 2,500. A quick check of the ATIS at Salem Airport (a continuous broadcast of weather and other non-control info) was overcast at 9,000 with wind from the east at 3kts, so the route looked good.

The rain continued off and on as we flew down the valley, with a few clouds and patchy fog below, but enough light that the colors really stood out.  The air was very smooth as well.

We landed at Independence, and taxied over to the Starduster Cafe for breakfast, where Audrey discovered that they serve airplane shaped pancakes. What else would the pancakes be shaped like at an airport cafe...

We departed about an hour later, good and full, and turned northeast to head over to Mulino (4S9).

About 15 miles out from Mulino I noticed that the clouds coming over the Coast Range looked darker than they had as we were climbing out from Independence, and decided to turn towards Twin Oaks.

As we entered the pattern at Twin Oaks, the rain began again, and increased as we were making our way around the pattern. Nothing too heavy, and didn't last long, but we were nearing the end of the time I had the airplane scheduled for anyway, and we had had a nice flight. Well, Heatherle and I did.... Audrey had fallen asleep about halfway through the return trip.

I'm not sure that Audrey has made an entire trip without falling asleep.

What a nice fall morning.

Aviation and Ice-cream

There seems to be some connection between free ice-cream sandwiches and aviation. We've been to a few events where every time you turn around, someone is offering you another. Ice-cream sandwiches are good.

This event was the annual open house at the Hillsboro Airport (HIO). Pumpkins to color, both RC model and full size planes to look at, a hook and ladder fire truck, airport ground tours, future plans for the runways, even the equipment that cuts the grass.
Audrey ended up with a backpack from The Department Of Homeland Security, that she filled with balsa gliders, candy, pencils, a colored pumpkin, and other goodies.

A fun afternoon for a spur of the moment trip out.