Flight 7

Flight 7
2009-07-20 15:00
Temp: 31C Wind: Cross at 5 kts, occasionally

Went for my first afternoon flight. We had to go to Denver in the morning to get Laura's green card, and I figured some afternoon choppiness would be the final test to see if my stomach can handle flying. It can. We're good to go. In fact, I might even be able to read in the car now.

Flew a different plane for this one because someone else already took the one I usually go up in. Identical plane except 3 years older and no autopilot. Wasn't an issue. Started off with a series of touch and go's in the pattern. Not quite the crosswind we were hoping for, but enough to kind of get the idea. The first landing was a little flat, but the main gear went down first, so that's still a victory in my book.

Went around to try it again. Second landing was somewhat better than the first. Not sure if it's the years of flight simulating or what, but something always makes me come in too shallow. It's getting better, though.

Went around for a third one and then flew out of the pattern to do some other stuff. Got under the visor again for more of the "simulated instrument" stuff. Only for 18 minutes, and wasn't really that difficult. The hardest part is by far holding altitude. Went back for the turns around a point and S-turns like we did earlier. This one went MUCH better than before. Even with a decent wind, I was able to hit all the checkpoints pretty well.

After that, we flew back to the airport for a couple more landings. The first one went pretty well, but I decided we should do another one just to solidify it. That turned out to be a mistake, as the next approach actually had a crosswind component to it, and that ended up being our practice for "faulty approach and go-around". So on the last try, it went pretty well. Didn't come in quite so shallow this time.

So that was it. Pretty basic stuff. I believe the next flight is supposed to contain steep turns, so that'll be fun :)