Flight Numero Uno- March 22
The ground part took about an hour as we did a very very thorough preflight. I wore an Aeropostale T-shirt over a thin hoodie and jeans. The cockpit felt like a pressure cooker before I even started the engine! Anyway, we went over starting the plane, the run up, and taxiing. Oh my how I hated taxiing at first. Now it's just a prelude of what is to come. We did climbing and descending turns. I was up for a total of 0.8 hours. I was the pilot for most of the flight except take off and landing and I couldn't have been happier. At least that's what I thought.
Flight # Two- March 29
The ground portion of this lesson was considerably shorter than the first. We basically reviewed the first lesson and that was that. When I got us lined up on the centerline of Runway 5, I asked, "So are you gonna takeoff?" and he replied, "Nope, you are. Pick out a point on the horizon and fly straight for it." I looked at him in surprise, "Okay," I said. Just out in front of the runway are two mountains that seem to form a "V" on the horizon. I opened the throttle all the way and we began our roll. Another 0.8 hours. Things were lookin up(no pun intended).
Flight 3- May 10
It had been awhile but my skills(however limited) were still rather sharp. The plane had gone in for inspection and my training was put on hold. We reviewed the preflight run up and taxiing. after taking off, we flew over our practice area, above Ulster. There are a lot of farms and such. We went over steep turns (my favorite along with 720 degree turns about a point, but that's later) and he gave me an intro to approach stalls and recovery techniques. Between the first and second lesson, Jerry had me correct my bank from being too steep to being 'normal' about 3 or 4 times. I just like rush of being damn near on your side and feeling the blood rush to my head while pulling G's. Trying to G-condition myself early! :P Things keep getting better. 1.1 hours today.
FlItE No. Four- May 17
Today we reviewed my steep turns. Judging by remark made by Jerry later in training, I don't think he has many students do dutch rolls at this point. He made it sound like many students had problems with Dutch Rolls; I thought they were easy. We also did 720 degree Turns About a Point. The first one wasn't the greatest but the second was good(he was coaching) and the third, I had watered(a saying of Jerry's) He told me that I'd pretty much mastered the hardest maneuver in the Private Pilot Curriculum. I was happy with that needless to say. We went over the traffic pattern for N27. Another 1.1 hours today.
Flight 5- June 7
We went over slow flight today. Approach stalls and recovery techniques. Then we did simulated landings at altitude and after a trip in the traffic pattern, landed on runway 23. Steppin it up to 1.2 hours today! Haha
Flight Sics- June 15
Slips are one of the coolest parts of flying. The nose of the plane is facing close to perpendicular of the direction your flying in. SO FUN! We did slip recoveries and he started basic instrument flying with me for 0.4 hours. Then we did Climbing and descending turns & timed turns. I was off by about 30 seconds. At first I overapplied elevator then I underapplied and slowed down too much.
Flight Number SevN- June 22
I've noticed my dates of flying are quite sporadic. Today we went up for 1.3 hours. And from the time we left the pattern to the time we decided to go back to the airport, I had the instrument goggles on. They make me tired! I had to talk to myself about the instruments (Thankfully it worked) to keep my heading and altitude. Then we went back to the airport and landed on 23.
Flight Ate- July 27
We did 0.8 hours of instrument flying again, I'm getting to be pretty proficient with my scan of the avionics panel. We did some more simulated landings at altitude and pattern orientation. We landed on 23. 1.4 hours total flight time.
Flight # 9er- August 3
Today we practiced taking off and landings on runway 5. I got some good radio practice, which once you get the hang of it, it's secondary. Half the time I don't even think about what I'm saying. It's like my mind and body know where I'm at and what I'm doing. Obviously got some good practice on the traffic pattern. We were up for 2.1 hours. I had 2.1 hours I had to use before the end of the month and thankfully Jerry took me up for that amount of time. I had my first lesson in fueling the plane too!
Flight No. 10- August 24
Damned vacation! Cuttin into my flight time! Today we did more practice on landings and takeoffs(I have the takeoffs pretty much mastered). We did simulated engine failures on T.O. and on the downwind leg of the pattern. He switched up the take off a bit and had me do a soft field takeoff. That was fun! We flew for 1.0 hour exactly!
Flight 11- August 31
More practice on landings and takeoffs. Today he had me do a full flap go 'round. That is an interesting procedure. As I progress I realize that being a pilot is much much much more than just getting the plane airborne and puttin it on the ground. Not as easy as the movies make it look. It would've been much harder if I had expected a movie like experience! Not being too lofty has its benefits(again, no pun intended). 1.2 hours today.
Flight Numero Doce!- September 14
Runway 23 was the target of my practicing of landings and takeoffs today. It doesn't matter that all I've done for the past 4 hours of nothing but landing and taking off. They ar ethe most exhilerating parts of the flight! They challenge me and I openly take those challenges. I say BRING IT ON!!!!!!! God I love this!! 1.3 hours and we did short and soft field take offs. Jerry told me after we were on the ground and filling out the logbook that my soft field take off was perfect. He said he wished he had someone videotaping it cause he would've put it in an instructional video. I make this sh*t look easy. :P Haha, gettin just a bit cocky. haha.
Flight of the 13th- September 21(Totally wish it was the 13th, then the title would've been better)
"Cessna 94609 Taking off runway 5, bradford county." My voice comes back to its normal pitch as I open the throttle all the way and read my instruments aloud, "RPMS, Oil Pressure, DG's good, Airspeed comin alive, here we go!" And the plane lifts off. Jerry laughs and hits the top of the avionics panel(dash?) and says, "They don't get much smoother than that mister!" I can't help but chuckle at my success. "I always knew I had to be good at something." We both shared a chuckle at that. Some more practice on landings take offs and emergencies. We did my first SLIP TO LAND today. That is the SH*T!!!!!!!! That is a rush. Okay, actually the rush I'm looking for is landing in less than 500 ft with nothing but arresting cables to stop me at full afterburn, but I'm gonna have to wait awhile for that! I think at the moment the slips are going to be my highest level of excitement! Another 1.3 hours.
FLIGHT 4TEEN- October 5
We did quite a bit in the 2.3 hours we were up. About five trips in the pattern and one less landing due to a go around. He pulled all the stops on me and all but one I had Aced(I'm full of 'em tonight!) We were gonna do a go around, and thankfully we were over the runway cause I pulled up the flaps due to a brain fart! and the plane dropped about 15 feet onto the runway. That was interesting. Jerry showed no sign of aggrivation at the mistake and we went about like all was normal, but then again, there is nothing normal about aviation. He covered up my ASI and Altimeter. Traffic pattern altitude is 2000' but we fly about 1800'. I hit 1900'. Damn close. He asked me to guess my airspeed on final, I said 70. He said, "I'm guessin about 60." he took off the sticky note and behold the ASI read 60! AHA! Short field approach baby. I seem to be attracted to those :P. Just after a slip approach to land(which was close to perfect) Jerry says as we moving down the runway, "I'm gettin kinda tired." I looked at the clock and realize we've been up for awhile. I think to myself, "It's gotta end sometime." It was such a good day. Then he asked, "How about you? You gettin tired?" I said, "Nah, I'm ready to get flying again." What he said damn near made my heart explode! "Well I'm gettin tired, you think you can handle a couple two tree on your own?" I said, "If you're willing to let me." I taxied to his truck and dropped him off. I was all that nervous but my heart was racing. There was heavy traffic today too! What an experience. I backtaxied runway 5. The whole time while waiting for a 172 taking off before me, I was waving my right arm in the seat next to me making sure I was really alone. I lined her up on centerline and did everything by the book. On final I noticed I was low so I added power. I cut the engine and the plane bounced, and my own damn incompetence nearly killed me. My left foot stiffened. unfortunately it was on the rudder pedal and my plane flew toward trees, powerlines, and a silo. I felt like I was Will Smith in Independence Day when he is flying through Grand Canyon. I was weaving around those obstacles like it's cool. I kept under control though. I nosed over a bit after applying full throttle, carb heat off, and raising the flaps one by one. The whole thing happened so quick and every reaction seemed instant and completely natural, even calling the go around. I never got above the silo or the tree. Although it was a damnable F*ck-up, I felt I did some good flying to get myself out. I re-oriented myself and came in waaaaaaay high on final. I called another go around. Next time down I got her. It was a good landing. "That's how it's done!" Jerry said. He never said anything to discourage me, even after the near fatal error I had made. That is why he one of the best. Patience alone could get him on the top of that list, but he is also the best teacher I have ever had. "Taxi on down to the ramp I want to talk to ya." he said. I was nervous. I did as told and opened the door when he walked up to it. He extended his hand and gave me a good handshake. "congratulations." He said. I was smiling the whole damn time and he gave me little talk and told me it's just like we've practiced all those times before. It's no different. He told me to go up and do another one just like that. I did. I got her down that second time and we both decided that was most fun we needed for one day. I was stoked. We went to the Flight school room and he signed my logbook and Pilots certificate and we did the whole shirt tail thing. It was amazing. I loved every moment. Even during my mistake. It was exhilerating. The most adrenaline I had ever felt run through me. It was absolutely amazing.
Flight #15- October 19th
1.1 hours of total awesomeness. Jerry warned me as we grabbed the taxiway that sometimes after people solo they can't, and I quote, "Grab their ass with both hands." Then he said, "On the other hand don't be surprised if you do just ducky." Well, I did just ducky. So far I haven't had an off day. Let's keep our fingers crossed and hope I never do! 23 was our runway today. We did emergencies(engine failures) on TO, Xwind, and downwind all of which I watered. Then I did a slip to land completely on my own. He didn't have any part of himself on the controls. I did it perfectly. He got out again and I went up by myself. Everything went perfect the first time around. Jerry came on the radio and said, "I double dog dare you to go do that again!" To which I replied, "I'll take that dare Jer." and so I did. After taking off I called the Xwind when someone in a Diamond asked if I was departing Xwind. I said, "Bradford County Traffic, Cessna 94609 turned Xwind runway 5, Bradford county." Apparently he didn't get it and asked if I was departing again. I had turned downwind and said, "Bradford County Traffic, Cessna 94609 turned downwind runway 5, Bradford county, repeat downwind for runway 5." He finally got it and asked if it was okay if he went first as he coming on a long final. He said he could see me and asked if I could see him. I replied with, "Roger." You know you're a pilot if you talk like that without thinkin about it! I told him to go ahead of me on landing. He said he appreciated it and i replied, "No problem." At the end of the runway I pulled power to 1700 RPMs and applied carb heat. I decided I needed more spacing so I put the power to 2300 (cruise) and took off the carb heat. I pulled the aircraft into a low bank 360 degree turn to the right. Once back on track I turned on base. I pulled power to 1700 (forgot the carb heat) and put on the first notch of flaps. I slowed her down to 65 knots and turned final. It was a long final but it ended perfectly. I pulled the power all the way and added the second notch of flaps. I added power and pulled it again once I reached the very end of the runway. I leveled off and flared. Touchdown was perfect. This is the best.
That was thus far in my training, I am sure there is more to come. :) Hope you enjoyed this. I know I enjoy writing about it, but I enjoy doing it even more. If you have any questions about me or my flying or anything at all, feel free to email me. Azpiazu21@yahoo.com
