Today we practiced slow flight again. This time I was to practice being more accurate in maintaining altitude during transition. On my first try I climbed 200 ft; the maximum tolerance on a commercial flight test. It took me a while to make sure I was doing everything right and I moved through the process quite slowly. My instructor demonstrated entering slow flight again, this time showing how quickly and smoothly it can be done. I tried again and this time I only climbed about 50 ft. No matter how slow or fast I do it, I always forget when to use carburetor heat.
Exiting slow flight is something I'm going to need to get used to. When adding full power with the nose already so high it takes a lot of forward pressure on the wheel to maintain altitude and get the nose back down.
After doing these maneuvers it's hard to tell if my instructor is impressed or not. I think that even if he is impressed, he’s not making a deal out of it because he wouldn't want to let my ego get too big. If I start to think I already know how to fly I might try to do something I'm not yet ready for, creating a dangerous situation.
We did a touch-n'-go at Abbotsford, passed a plane that was approaching head-on, flew into Washington and tracked the "whatcom" VOR. I assume whatcom is short for something like "Washington Communicator", but apparently the FAA has at least a little sense of humor; the morse-code designator for the unit is ···· ··- ····, or in English, "HUH". Get it? What-com? Huh? It's not much, but I smirk every time I look at the chart.
Exiting slow flight is something I'm going to need to get used to. When adding full power with the nose already so high it takes a lot of forward pressure on the wheel to maintain altitude and get the nose back down.
After doing these maneuvers it's hard to tell if my instructor is impressed or not. I think that even if he is impressed, he’s not making a deal out of it because he wouldn't want to let my ego get too big. If I start to think I already know how to fly I might try to do something I'm not yet ready for, creating a dangerous situation.
We did a touch-n'-go at Abbotsford, passed a plane that was approaching head-on, flew into Washington and tracked the "whatcom" VOR. I assume whatcom is short for something like "Washington Communicator", but apparently the FAA has at least a little sense of humor; the morse-code designator for the unit is ···· ··- ····, or in English, "HUH". Get it? What-com? Huh? It's not much, but I smirk every time I look at the chart.
Approximate flight path for third lesson
Before the today’s flight I inspected the airplane myself while my instructor watched to see if I was capable of doing it on my own from now on. Now I can come in early, inspect the plane and do the calculations saving us both time. That means more time in the air! It’s hard to explain, but I quite enjoy inspecting the plane before each flight. Being outdoors, examining each part of the craft and knowing that it could mean your life if you miss something; it’s cathartic. I booked some extra time with the plane for next week to make sure I have enough time to inspect and maybe spend some time in the cabin memorizing checklists. Memorizing a checklist doesn’t seem that hard, but memorizing five to twenty of them is a little different. Hopefully the extra time won’t make me feel as rushed in the air as I have been so far.
While walking to the bus stop a large silver car with an older gentleman pulled up along side me and asked if I needed a ride. At first that might sound a bit creepy, but really, I expecting this sort of thing to happen and was just wondering when it would. It seems like in the aviation community, if you're involved, you're suddenly a friend. It makes sense considering that if you work with aircraft in anyway you're probably responsible as lives are on the line. In any case, he was heading to Vancouver so I accepted. I soon learned that he had his own Cessna 182 and was returning from his second home on is the island. I explained to him that I had just started my training. Even with such an age and wealth gap, two pilots always have something to talk about. I hope I run into him again.
Tuesday I have a hearing test in the morning as per my medical exam and in the evening I have my first class of ground school. I’ll tell you how it goes.
While walking to the bus stop a large silver car with an older gentleman pulled up along side me and asked if I needed a ride. At first that might sound a bit creepy, but really, I expecting this sort of thing to happen and was just wondering when it would. It seems like in the aviation community, if you're involved, you're suddenly a friend. It makes sense considering that if you work with aircraft in anyway you're probably responsible as lives are on the line. In any case, he was heading to Vancouver so I accepted. I soon learned that he had his own Cessna 182 and was returning from his second home on is the island. I explained to him that I had just started my training. Even with such an age and wealth gap, two pilots always have something to talk about. I hope I run into him again.
Tuesday I have a hearing test in the morning as per my medical exam and in the evening I have my first class of ground school. I’ll tell you how it goes.
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