Dan’s Pilot Times

This past weekend my wife was out of town for a spa trip with one of her girlfriends, so I had some time to myself. Considering I hadn’t flown at night in probably over 5 months, I figured it would be great time to get current on my night takeoffs and landings (since I’d have to do those solo before taking passengers up at night anyway).

I headed to Westosha on a beautifully calm and clear Saturday night. The night air was crisp and the new moon allowed the stars to shine very brightly. Of course, this also meant that pre-flighting the plane was a little more difficult and tedious as everything had to be done by the light of my flashlight. I forgot how difficult it can be to check the airplane and read the checklist in the dark of night. Even once in the plane, things are a notch more difficult. Just goes to show how important it is to properly prepare beforehand.

The flight went great. I first headed up to Burlington (BUU) for a change of scenery and knocked out 2 full-stop landings there. I then proceeded over to Kenosha (ENW), since I always need a little more practice with communicating with towered airports. I had my Mio C320 personal GPS device and the airplane also had GPS to help me find my way. I must admit, I’m pretty happy with my C320 and the NavGPS software…it worked like a charm and jived 100% with the built-in GPS of the plane. It is great for situational awareness. That being said, I realized a pilot must take the data these devices provide at face value. For instance, the tower told me to report out 1 mile right base of the landing runway. Of course, the GPS doesn’t measure distance from the end of the runway, it measures from probably the airport center. That being said, when I reported to the tower 1 mile out (according to my GPS), I was probably 0.5 miles from the end of the runway. And as usual with night flights, distances are hard to measure visually. Needless-to-say, I had to perform a side slip to lose altitude quickly enough to land near the end of the runway. It was good practice, though, as I hadn’t had to perform a slip in some time anway.

After Kenosha I headed back to Westosha and tied up the plane. I completed 4 full-stop takeoffs and landings, one extra from the required three to keep me legal to take passengers up at night for a while. I can’t wait to take Lisa up at night again; it’s so pretty and peaceful with all the lights. I logged 1.1 hours of pilot-in-command flight time.

We got a taste of Spring a little early this past weekend in Chicagoland, with temperatures reaching into the 60′s and gorgeous clear skies.  I wasn’t the only pilot who had the itch to fly as the skies were full with general aviation aircraft.  This past Sunday my wife and I went back to Pilot Pete’s (which hadn’t been to since the fall) for dinner.  Everything about the flight and the day went great.  I had probably my finest landing to date at Schaumburg that afternoon, just a perfect greaser  (the non-existant winds probably helped too).

The flight helped me also flight-test my Mio C320 personal navigation device with the NavGPS Pro software (see my full review here), since I was flying with our club’s older Cessna 172 without a moving map GPS.  I gotta admit, my little GPS system (which cost under $100) performed just as well as a built-in GPS system for my needs.  My only complaint with the Mio is that during the late afternoon with the sun low in the sky, the glare off the screen was pretty bad.  Once the sun wasn’t direct, though, the screen was totally readable and the software did great.

The dinner was awesome as usual at Pilot Pete’s and my wife and I had a great time.  This trip I logged 1.0 hours of flight time.

This past Sunday I finally made it to Kealy’s Kafe at Janesville (KJVL)!  I was supposed to fly there 2 weekends ago, but because of an airsick passenger, I had to turn that trip around.  The weather for the day was brisk and cold (around 15-20°F), slightly windy, but not a cloud in the sky.  After getting the aircraft keys and looking at the aircraft log, I saw that the Cessna 172SP hadn’t flown in about 3 days.  Furthermore, once I got to the plane to pre-flight it, the engine heater wasn’t plugged in.  To compound that, when checking the oil level, the oil was a very slick sludge.  I knew it would be difficult to get the plane started.  Sure enough, I almost didn’t get the plane started and almost didn’t make it to Kealy’s yet again.

As per the 172SP checklist, before attempting to start a cold engine, you are supposed to run the auxiliary fuel pump until the fuel flow meter starts to move.  It’s only supposed to take under 10 seconds to get that needle to move. I turned on the pump and let 5 seconds tick by, then 10, 15, 18… and no movement.  I decided to stop the pump then (I didn’t want to flood the engine) and try cranking.  Nothing.  I tried the pump a little more, still no movement.  Cranked again and nothing.  Kept cranking, and I hear the battery starting to get taxed and run down.  I opened the door and looked outside and saw fuel under the exhaust…I definitely flooded the engine (crap).  I follow the flooded engine procedure in the operating handbook: to basically crank with the throttle open (to use up the fuel in the flooded engine).  I hear it starting to use up the fuel, but nothing firing well, the battery is definitely getting dangerously low.   I decide to plug the plane in and let it warm up for 5 minutes (and hopefully recharge the battery a bit).  After 5 minutes, I try the flooded engine procedure again without success (crap again).  I decide I’m going wait another 5 minutes and try one final time.  Luckily, that’s what the plane needed.  After 6 minutes (one minute extra for good luck), the battery had just enough juice and the flooded engine procedure worked!  The plane started and I let it warm for quite a while before starting on our journey.

The trip to Janesville went fine.  I actually did some reading up on the autopilot system this past week so I was able to fully use it to navigate to Janesville.  That autopilot making flying way too easy.  Lunch at Kealy’s was very nice, I’ll definitely go there again.  It was great to have a little more experience flying into a towered airport as well.

The plane started fine for our return leg, but it was funny/reassuring to see that the pilot parked next to us at Janesville had trouble starting his engine (although I never wish to see troubles for any pilot).  This morning I read another pilot at Westosha (Evan) had scary troubles of his own this weekend.  Apparently it was a rough weekend to fly.  Luckily everything worked out fine for me.   Oh, and I DID plug the plane in when I returned it at the end of the day…I wouldn’t want the next person to have the same difficulties starting the engine as I did.

I logged 1.2 hours of pilot-in-command time this flight.

After more than a month since my last flight, I finally got up into the sky again today.  It’s not like haven’t been trying, though, it’s just the weather around Chicago hasn’t been cooperating on the weekends.  Luckily, since I had off of work today, I was able to schedule a plane and putz around a bit.  My trusty Cessna 152 trainer, N64920, was the plane I flew.

I did a quick jaunt up to Burlington (BUU) just to land somewhere else, rather than run the pattern a few times at Westosha.  The flight was uneventful, but it was definitely great to get flying again.  I’m scheduled to fly tomorrow (Thanksgiving Day) with both my parents for the first time since earning my license.  This practice helped make sure everything goes smoothly tomorrow!

This flight I logged 0.8 hours of flight time.  Have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Continuing our new date night tradition, my wife and I had our second “flying date night” this past Wednesday.  I wanted to go a bit further and up into Wisconsin this time (rather than a quick jaunt down to Schaumburg).  I decided we’d fly to Watertown, WI (KRYV), about 45 nautical miles northwest of Westosha.  My CFI mentioned there was a good restaurant walking distance from the airport called “Steakfire” where you can even grill your own steak (or they’ll cook it for you for one dollar more).  Since my wife and I hadn’t had steak in quite some time, this was the perfect place to fly.

The wind was a little brisk that evening, but helped us to our destination.  Again, since we’d flying back at night, I took our club’s best plane (the 172SP with moving map GPS).  We make quick work of the 45 miles.  Upon making my radio calls into Watertown before landing, my wife was amused with the smooth-talking woman over the radio at the FBO asking “if the FBO could provide any services this evening.”  We taxied and parked and headed over for a great dinner.

This was my second time parking and leaving my plane at an FBO, and the second time where an FBO employee came out to put the parking chalks under my tires.  During dinner we discussed whether it’s standard to tip those guys…and I decided I’d tip the guy when we departed.  When I attempted to give the guy a five-spot, he vehemently said “oh no, that’s not necessary” but did eventually take the tip.  So, I still wonder what the standard is at FBO’s when all you are doing is parking?  Anyone out there have any advice?

Anyway, the flight back went smoothly, although a bit longer because of the wind.  Another great date night!  I logged 1.3 hours of PIC flight.

In preparation for my impending FAA checkride, I’ve been doing a fair amoung of practicing the skills necessary to pass the test.  Last week I flew first with my CFI doing a sort-of mock checkride.  I had to demonstrate turns-around-a-point, s-turns, steep banks, slow flight, and stalls (power on, power off, and while banked).  I also demonstrated slow and soft field takeoffs and landings.

We identified a few points where I had to practice a little more – which I then followed by going up solo to work on them a bit.  After 3 of each, I feel very confident on the slow and soft field takeoffs and landings.  I still want to work on my turns-around-a-point (which I never feel I get perfect).

This coming week I’ll do a ground-school session with my CFI just to refresh on stuff and probably go up this weekend to solo practice one more time before a final mock check-ride and signoff from my CFI to take the real thing.

So I knocked out one of the larger solo flight requirements of my flight training this past weekend – the 150nm solo cross country.  More specifically, the requirements state:

(ii) One solo cross-country flight of at least 150 nautical miles total
distance, with full-stop landings at a minimum of three points, and one segment of the flight consisting of a straight-line distance of at least 50 nautical miles between the takeoff and landing locations;

I went from Westosha up to Dodge County (UNU), down to Janesville (JVL), back through Campbell (C81) before returning to Westosha.  I did full-stops at all 4 airports; all-in-all a 168 NM round trip (see my flight plan here).  Although I had been to all the airports before, this was my first time to Campbell since my maiden Discover Flight flight.  It was really cool for me to fly into the airport where I really started this journey only a few months ago! The flight itself went off without a hitch.  The sky was a bit hazy (actually the most hazy I’ve ever flown in)…but still >6SM visibility.  In past cross-countries I was able to spot my waypoints and destinations usually 10SM out.  This time I had to rely on my calculations and pilotage a little more.  But, again, everything went smoothly.

This flight I logged 2.4 hours of solo cross country flight.

Yesterday I successfully completed my first solo cross country flight.  I decided to head into Illinois since I actually haven’t flown in my home state yet.  My plan took me from Westosha (5K6) to Poplar Grove (C77), up to Beloit (44C), over to my farthest point, Monroe (EFT), then back through Janesville (JVL) before arriving at Westosha to complete my journey.  The cross country took me 136 nautical miles around northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin.  I couldn’t have asked for a more gorgeous day, the weather was just picture perfect.

I’m happy to report I hit all my checkpoints right on time – my plan and the weather/wind reports were very accurate.  Here’s a link to the flightplan I created – you can see I also have a page with all the VOR and radio frequencies so I could find everything quickly and easily.  I also scanned my sectional and printed out the appropriate sections for ease of use during my flight.  (I still keep the whole map with me just in case, though).  I must admit, though, that flying in Illinois a bit west is a lot more challenging than around Westosha because there aren’t as many big lakes (a luxury of Wisconsin) to quickly navigate off of.  I managed, though, obviously!

While at Janesville I asked the tower to do 3 more full-stop landings, for more practice for me to work at a towered field (plus it’s a requirement for my license).  Those landings went great, and the tower guys over there were very accommodating.  Overall, my landings were very smooth (the weather was cooperating) and I had a great time!  You can see a pic I was able to snap with my cellphone coming back from Janesville.

I logged 2.4 hours of cross country solo flight time.  Next time out I’ll try to knock out the longer 150 nm+ cross country requirement and/or start working on night flying.

Today (May 22nd, 2008) was the big day! I SOLOED! The weather held up nicely and the skies were beautifully clear … I had a good feeling on my drive to the airport. I got to Westosha for my lesson and my CFI told me to pre-flight, start the plane up, and taxi it to the clubhouse by myself. I did all that, picked him up, and we ran the pattern at Westosha a few times. Everything wet swimmingly – the winds were at a slight crosswind for Westosha, but my landings were right on the mark. My CFI then said to head over to Burlington (BUU) to try some landings over there. After a short 10-minute jaunt I was on final for Runway 11 at BUU, with a perfect slight headwind. The landing was incredibly easy (as BUU’s strip is almost double the width of Westosha) and my CFI told me to taxi over to a hangar were he proceeded to get out and asked me a final “you ready for this?” I of course said yes and he told me to run the pattern a few times … by myself!

I taxied to the end of Runway 11 and called out my first solo radio announcement: “Burlington Traffic, Cessna 920, Departing Runway 11, Remaining in the Pattern, Burlington” and was off. Full throttle and I was kickin’ down the runway, accelerating faster than ever before. The plane felt like it leaped off the ground without the added weight of my CFI. I was soon in the air realizing, holy crap, this is all me! I was 10000% responsible for getting me on the ground. It was incredibly exhilarating and scary at the same time.

There was another plane around the airport that was taxiing towards the runway as I was making my way around the pattern. I was turning final and had made all my proper radio calls, yet he still took the runway in front of me and proceeded to takeoff. In retrospect there was plenty of room to land after him, but I wanted to give myself tons of space so I executed a go-around on my first pass…no biggie, but I was a little disappointed and spooked. However, I worked the pattern a 2nd time and was again lined up for final. My glide was perfect and my first solo touchdown was very smooth…I was elated! I did it, I officially became a pilot at that moment!

Although I had plenty of room to touch-and-go, I went full stop and taxied back around and ran the pattern again. All in all, I did three takeoffs and landings solo, a full 30 minutes worth of flying. I picked up my CFI and he said the landings looked great and I handled the traffic just fine. We headed back to Westosha and I finished the day with a nice moderate crosswind landing.

I fueled up the plane and my CFI came out and cut the my shirt tail off my back (the tradition for first solos). You can see a picture of what’s left of my shirt here. I don’t think I’ve been more proud of a destroyed item of clothing before!

I can’t wait for my next solo flight! This lesson I logged 0.9 hours and 5 landings dual, 0.5 hours and 3 landings SOLO, baby!