Lesson 79 - More Review

Tuesday was just too hot for me so, rather than flying, we finished the oral exam review. Yesterday was much cooler so, we did go flying. After a quick review of slow flight, steep turns, power off and power on stall, we went down low for some turns around a point. We missed those on the last flight so wanted to get them done this time. I picked my point and entered downwind. My spacing from the point and altitude control were pretty good but, I let my airspeed drop more than the PTS limits. Now that summer is here, I have to remember that it will take just a little more power to keep the speed up.

Next, I entered the pattern at Burlington for some crosswind landings. I am getting better on them but I'm still not really comfortable touching down in the slip. On the last approach, Sandy pulled the power on downwind. When it was obvious we had the runway made, she called for a go around and we departed back toward the east.

On the way home, Sandy had me put the hood on. This time, she had me tune a couple VORs and intercept radials too and from them. I am getting better at this too and my headings and altitudes were within generally PTS limits.

I am scheduled for a practice checkride next Thursday. I hope to get another solo in before that.

Lesson 78 - More Crosswinds and Stuff

I think Westosha is the toughest airport that I have used for training so far. I have never done very well there. The runway is narrow and the steep drop off right at the departure end of runway 3 can produce some weird air currents. I know that Sandy likes to take her students to 5K6 for crosswind practice because it is so challenging. Yesterday the wind was almost directly perpendicular to runway 3/21 so, that is were we went. I was only 50% on the day - three landings and three go-arounds. I wasn't happy with how I did but, Sandy wasn't too critical of my performance.

After the landings, we climbed up to 2700 feet for some power on stalls. I haven't done them for quit a while but still did fine. Next, I did some slow flight ending with a straight ahead power off stall. As I was climbing back up after the stall, Sandy pulled the power. I pitched for best glide, picked my field and went through the engine start procedure. I made my simulated emergency call, did the passenger briefing and, we both agreed, made my field.

We had also planned to do some turns around a point but, the airplane was scheduled after my flight and we ran out of time. The wind at KUGN was right down runway 5 and I made a good normal landing.

I still want to do another solo to polish up some of my maneuvers. Soon after that, I will do a practice checkride with one of the other instructors.

Lesson 77 - Ground Reference and Gusty Crosswinds

Winds were 12 knots gusting to 19 yesterday, making it a good day to work on ground reference maneuvers. Sandy pulled the power during our initial climb out from runway 32. I picked out a field just to the left of the nose and made a gentle turn toward it. That was the decision that she wanted to see and she quickly gave me the power back. I continued the climb to 3700 feet and flew us out to the practice area. On the way there, Sandy had me tune a VOR and intercept a radial inbound. I had no problem with that.

While we were up high, I did a couple steep turns and a turning power off stall. Then, Sandy pulled the power again for another simulated engine failure. This time I went through the whole procedure. I set up best glide, picked my field and turned toward it. While we descended toward the field, I went through the engine restart procedure and simulated an emergency call on 121.5. At 500 feet AGL and with the field made, Sandy gave me the power back. As I climbed back up a little, I realized I had forgotten to give a passenger briefing before the simulated emergency landing. I will have to be careful not to forget it on the checkride.

I leveled off at 1600 feet (about 800 feet AGL) and we picked out a road for some S turns. I've never been very good at those but, they were OK this time. We followed the S turns with a rectangular pattern. I didn't have any problem with that despite the gusty wind blowing diagonally across the field.

I was expecting some turns around a point next but, Sandy just had me head toward the airport and climb up to 2700 feet. On the way back, she took the controls and told me to close my eyes. I knew that when I opened them again we would be in some weird attitude and, I wasn't wrong. When she told me to open my eyes and take the controls, all I could see was blue sky. The attitude indicator showed a right bank and the airspeed was dropping rapidly. I pushed the nose a little below the horizon while leveling the wings and added full power to get the speed back up. As soon as we were under control, Sandy took the controls back and had me close my eyes again. When I opened then this time, it was just the opposite situation. I saw a windshield full of ground that was coming up fast and the right wing heading upward. I pulled the power to idle, rolled level and pulled back firmly, but not abruptly, to bring the nose level and bleed off the excess speed before adding the power back in- just like I was supposed to. Sandy was happy with how I handled the unusual attitudes and told me to take us home.

I turned back toward the airport, got the ATIS and called the tower to let them know we were coming in. The wind was from 280 and the tower was using runways 23 and 32. We were number 3 on to land on 32 and had to extend our downwind to allow the two aircraft ahead of us on 32, and a Falcon jet on runway 23, to land. The wind was 14 knots gusting to 22 now so I had to work really hard to stay on the center line. Sandy helped out at the last second and we landed fine.

Because of the gusts, this wasn't supposed to be a crosswind lesson. Still Sandy didn't want the adverse condition to go to waste so, she had me tell the controller we wanted to taxi back and stay in the pattern for a couple more landings. Attempt number two was pretty good except that I bounced and ended up touching down with a little side load. When I was close to the runway on number three, a sudden gust got me pointed further off center than I felt comfortable with so I added power and went around. That got a complement from Sandy for my good judgment and for a very nice go around. The last landing was good but, harder than I wanted it to be.

If we get a day with steady winds Thursday we will concentrate on crosswinds.

Lesson 76 - Hood Work and Uncontrolled Field Operations

It was hot and hazy yesterday. Visibility was down to 4 miles at the airport so, solo to the practice area was out. Sandy gave me the choice of solo in the pattern or hood work and high maneuvers. I decided on the dual.

We took off and climbed to 2700 feet. Once I leveled off, Sandy handed me the hood and took the controls while I put it on. After a short time flying straight and level, she had me make a couple turns and then descend to 2000 feet. Next, she had me track away from the Northbrook VOR on the 330 radial. While staying on the radial, she had me climb back up to 2500 feet. A few more turns, apparently to get me totally lost, then she had me take off the hood and asked me to fly to Galt.

Coming out from under the hood and being required to find an airport was something new to me and Sandy talked me through the steps to orient myself. First, she had me hold my altitude and do a 360 to give myself time to collect my thoughts. While in the turn, she prompted me to look for prominent land marks. I couldn't see very far but, I did locate Wonder Lake. Galt is located west of the lake so that was my starting point. I called Galt traffic and announced that I was about 5 miles southwest then I flew toward the lake until I had the airport in sight. Another call to announce my position and request a wind check. I didn't get any response to my call so, I overflew the field to check the wind sock. The wind was pretty much a direct crosswind but, I thought it might be favoring runway 9 if anything. I continued to the north until clear of the pattern then descended to pattern altitude and turned back toward the field.

I made a good pattern entry but ended up too high on final so I did an early go around. The second attempt was better and I landed OK. We rolled out to the ends of the runway pulled clear. We decided the wind was so close to a direct crosswind that 27 was just as good as 9 so took off to the west rather than taxiing back to the other end. I did two more landing before we headed back to Waukegan. Sandy had been planning this scenario all along and never had intended to do the high maneuvers. She made good use of the low visibility to teach another lesson.

Lesson 75 - More Solo Maneuvers

Yesterday was another beautiful weather day. When I walked into the Skill office, Sandy just handed me the keys for 8ES and asked if knew what I was going to do. I told her I was going to work on ground reference maneuvers. She approved and sent me on my way. During the preflight, I found the fuel tanks were under half full. The FBOs fuel truck has not been running for the last few days so, they haven't been able to get to the ramp to fuel the airplanes. I went back into the school where one of the CFIs directed me to the fuel pumps (I had never had to go over there before). Back in the airplane, I started up and called ground for permission to taxi to the pumps. Once fueled, I called again and taxied to the runway for departure to the west.

Unlike Sunday when I saw several other airplanes while in the practice area, on this day I had it to myself. I did a couple steep turns while I was still up high then dropped down to 1700 feet for rectangular patterns and turns around a point. I had wanted to do some S-turns too but ran out of time. My ground reference work was OK but not great. If I get the chance, I will spend another solo session working on them.

If the wind is right, Thursday will be a dual session for more crosswind practice.

Lesson 74 - Solo Maneuvers

My Thursday lesson was canceled because the winds were gusting to 40 knots. Yesterday was an almost perfect day though so, I went out to the practice area for some solo practice. I only did high work this time so it was a lot of steep turns, slow flight and power off stalls (edited 6/11 - see comments). My altitude control during the steep turns was much better. My next solo will be to work on ground reference maneuvers.

Lesson 73 - An Almost Solo and Crosswinds

While Sunday's session was an almost flight, yesterday's lesson was an almost solo. There were a few rain showers around but ceilings were forecast to be 4000 feet or higher and winds were supposed to be light. Sandy didn't want me to go out to the practice area but cleared me to solo in the pattern.

I got the key and went out to preflight the airplane. I found a rubbed spot on a tire that I thought was questionable so, I asked Sandy to take a look. While we were inspecting the tire, it started to rain a little and the wind seemed to be picking up. We listened to the new ATIS which was reporting a ceiling of 1700 broken (well below my solo limit) and wind gusts to 16 knots (just barely over my limit). Plan B was do do a dual session to work on crosswind landings.

The wind was from 040 so, we started out on runway 5. With the wind so closely aligned with the runway, the crosswind component was small. I was holding my correction OK on final but, I was rolling level just before touchdown. Sandy's fix for that was to switch to runway 32. This was more of a direct crosswind and it quickly became obvious to me that I had to keep making corrections all the way through the touchdown and roll out. The gusts were bouncing us around more on this runway but, each of the five landings I did was an improvement over the one before.

With the low ceiling, the tower controller was busy with IFR traffic taking off and landing on runway 5. He had to keep switching our patterns from left to right and back. I'm sure he was happy to see us go when we finally asked to taxi back to parking.

It was a real work out for me but a good lesson in gusty crosswinds.

Bad Weather, Tire Damage and a Practice Oral Exam

A low pressure center has been camped out near the Chicago area for several days now. The bands of rain and thunderstorms rotating around it forced me to cancel my Thursday lesson. Sunday wasn't looking much better but, Sandy and I talked it over and decided to try going ahead with the lesson. If we could get out to the practice area that would be great. If we couldn't, we would just go out in the pattern where we could get back on the ground quickly if a storm moved in.

As I was driving to the airport, I saw dark clouds right over it. Then a bolt of lightning struck right where I estimated the field to be. I called Sandy's cell phone to get an update but didn't get an answer. A few minutes later, she called me back. She had been out in the pattern with another student. They had done two landings and were taxiing back for another one when the tower told them there was lightning just to the west. They, and another instructor and student who had also been in the pattern, decided to taxi back to the ramp. They were just pulling into the parking area when the storm hit. Unable to get out of the airplanes because of the wind, they had to wait until the rest of the staff came out to help them tie down. Everyone got thoroughly soaked. The storm was passed now though so I would go on in and we should still be able to do our flight.

When I pulled into the parking lot, the sky right overhead was blue but there where dark clouds all around. Inside, we checked the radar and decided to fly out to the west and have a look. If we couldn't get to the practice area, we would come back and stay in the pattern. It seemed like a good plan but, when Sandy went to dispatch the airplane, the other CFI who had been in the pattern with her when the storm hit told her he had just grounded it. His student had landed with the brake on and flat spotted the left main tire. Sandy and I walked outside to have a look. The rubber was worn off across the whole width of the tire and there was a half dollar size spot where the cord was sticking out. This being Sunday, there was no mechanic around to fix it. The other Skyhawk was reserved so, we had to give up on the flight. Instead, we ended up doing an hour and a half of oral exam review.

The exam review was good but, it was frustrating to be grounded yet again.