Debrief 200903123

First solo cross country. I had this trip planned out for last weekend, but due to rain and low ceilings, I was unable to even start the junket, let alone complete it. Friday however, was an amazing day for flying. There was some slight turbulence, not much at all. I took off of five, and turned my crosswind and downwind. I kept climbing while extending my downwind leg of the pattern then at 2500 feet I turned toward the airport. Once overhead, I started my time off and called I was exiting the pattern northbound. I picked up my heading and so my journey began. Jerry called me from his plane as he was heading in to land after his day's work. He asked me how the trip was going and I replied with so far so good and that's the way it stayed. After I hit my first checkpoint, I dialed in my Xradial for the VOR and made sure I was where I thought I was. I switched frequencies and listened to the Ithaca tower awhile, until I hit Danby, then I switched to the ATIS. After the recording went through the spiel I wrote down what I needed, and noted that it was information Delta.
"Ithaca Tower, Cessna 94609, student pilot, is overhead Danby with Delta."
"Roger 94609, report when you enter a right downwind for one-four."
"Report right downwind one-four."
I started my descent by engaging the carb heat and pointing the nose slightly downward. The controller was talking with a bunch of other aircraft, one was a glasair and a couple more were Cessnas. One I did not catch was the plane I landed behind. But that's later. After awhile, I don't think he expected my lack of speed, he called, "94609 what's your position?"
"94609 is just now turning right downwind for one-four."
"Roger 94609, report when at the midfield position."
"Roger that, report midfield." I was midfield pretty quickly. "Ithaca tower, 94609 is midfield on downwind for one-four."
"Roger, 94609 there's traffic on right base do you see it?"
"Roger, 94609 traffic right base, gotcha" (probably not an appropriate phrase while talking to ATC, but all well.
"94609 do you have traffic in sight or are you looking for it?"
"94609 has the traffic in sight."
"Roger 94609. You are number two, caution wake turbulence, clear to land runway one-four."
"Roger 94609 caution wake turbulence clear to land runway one-four."
"94609 advise you are number two."
"94609 is number two." I saw the plane in front of me turn onto final. It was large, orange, and had two big@$$ props. It was a rather large plane and the color, holy crap was it bright. If I couldn't see it, something had to be wrong with me. I saw letters on it indicating it was an airline of some sort. I read what it said as we passed but I forget now. I turned onto base, lost the airport for a second until I looked just a little further to my right and found it again. I turned final, corrected myself down the centerline and levelled off high purposely. This was a long runway so I knew I had enough time. The plane floated as I took off the power. It began to sink and I applied it too quick and my descent stopped, so I took off some and my sink started again, so I added a little power. I set the plane down and so the roll began. I slowed down quick and performed my cockpit cleanup. I set everything to the side and focused on taxiing. As I was doing so, another Cessna called in. I was wondering if I'd end up taxiing the length of the runway before the controller even started talking to me again. But then he called.
"94609, are you planning on going to the ramp?"
"Negative, 94609 would like baxi-tac(yes I #%^$ed up. :P) Sorryabout that, 609 would like to taxi back to take off one-four."
"Roger that, would you like a right turn departure to the south."
"Affirmative, we're headin home."
"94609, turn right taxiway Delta, right Alpha and hold short of one-four."
"Roger, 94609 Hold short." I followed my instructions and taxied to the hold short line. I waited as he and the Cessna talked back and forth. "Ithaca tower, 94609 is ready for takeoff."
"Roger 94609, hold short one-four, incoming traffic."
"Roger tower, hold short for incoming." After a few minutes, the white cessna 172 hit the tarmac and I was given the clear for takeoff. "Roger, 94609 clear for takeoff." The takeoff was as normal as normal gets in aviation. I picked up my heading while climbing after I'd made it past the end of the runway.
"94609 call when clear of Delta airspace."
"94609 copies." So I waited awhile. No further conversations were made until I was just about to clear Delta and someone called in. I had to wait for a break. "Ithaca tower, cessna 94609 is clear of Delta airspace."
"Roger 94609, switch frequencies and have a nice flight."
I waited a second, thinking about what to say, then said what Jerry told me to, "609 so long."
I gotta figure out something to say when they say "Have a nice flight." Gotta think of something.
The return trip was really not eventful, however the visibility went downhill but not bad enough to cause problems. so I made it back..obviously. Landing was uneventful, and that's a good thing, however the wind picked up a lot. But that's okay. Flight Complete. Mission Accomplished.