Jordan was finishing up with another fellow student pilot (joining the rarefied 1/3 of 1% of the population who are airmen) who looked much like I'm sure I did after my introductory flight - flushed, giddy and smiling ear to ear.
Given that we were targeting a two hour lesson, we spent some time on ground school - going over lift, stall speeds, how turning requires additional power, etc. I'm still fascinated with lift and Bernoulli's principle - how higher airflow over the wing creates a vacuum, etc. It was fun to apply that knowledge to something fun and sporty like flying.
After about 30 minutes of chatting over various basics, it was time to fly!
We pre-flighted the plane with me doing most of the work, but Jordan chiming to show me a few efficiency tips (like checking the fuel under the cowling and on the right wing before climbing up on the wing to return the fuel to the tank). I ran through the checklist, and Jordan gave me a few pointers on how to brief the FAA examiner during my first check ride.
We spun up Western 070 (zero-seven-zero), and Jordan told me to handle radio communications. We checked ATIS to get weather (Zulu) and I called for clearance to taxi. The nice voice on the other end gave us clearance, and as we started to roll, revised her instruction to ask that we hold short of the taxi way for Navy traffic.
I eased to a stop at the edge of the taxiway as Jordan and I scanned the now still ramp area. Just as we both looked over our right shoulders, a pristine Navy T-45 Goshawk rolled out from behind a hangar and, in what seemed like an instant, was passing in front of us on the ramp. As he cooly cruised by our 12 o'clock, the pilot glanced up from his pre-takeoff prep to give us a classic aviator's wave - two fingers on a relaxed curved hand up to his helmet visor - finished with a snappy salute and that Naval Aviator's swashbuckling "BSD" grin from under his sun visor.
I don't care how you slice it, seeing a multi-million dollar jet cruising down the ramp - even if it is a trainer - is an inspiring sight. I felt like a kid on roller skates with cardboard wings strapped to my back compared to this honcho commanding his sleek machine, but it also reminded me of why I started flying in the first place. I made a mental commitment then and there that my flying career would not stop at lumbering, slow practice planes like the Cessna (though it is a great machine in itself), but would advance to speed, risk, aerobatics and jets.
Anyhow, shaking off the sense of awe, it was back to reality, ground control gave us clearance to taxi behind the jet (reminding us to stay well-behind the jet) for runway 34. I timidly taxied out onto the ramp, feeling the churning jet wash buffet our little plane just a bit.
I did some left and right turns with those rudder pedals and realized that all that visualization I'd done during the time off due to Hurricane Fay (imagining the rudder pedals and their effect on the ground and in the air) had paid off. I was able to control the aircraft much more effectively now using the brakes and rudders.
In a minute or so, we were treated to the roar of the jet's engines as the pilot started his takeoff roll - all run-up procedures stalled as we both jealously watched the Goshawk zip down 34 and rotate up into a perfect blue sky. In a second he was gone and we were left like two little kids staring at a blank slate. A shiver of wonder, and now it was our turn.
We completed pre-takeoff, (bottom left, up and over, down and right) and I - for the first time, called the tower:
"Good afternoon Asheville control, this is Western zero-seven-zero, ready for takeoff".
We got immediate clearance and taxied out to the runway - once I reached the center line I punched the throttle full-in and watched as the instrument panel came to life...I called
"airspeed is alive"; "instruments in the green", with Jordan's aid, and we rotated up into the blue.
I sledded around a bit - first slipping left, then crabbing right as I struggled to balance the left-turning tendency of the aircraft with the controls. A quick two left turns and we were headed towards the SW practice area.
We spent most of our 1.6 hours in flight working on coordinated turns, full circles to the left and right - Jordan all the while having me look outside the plane to burn that sight picture into my brain. I did a much better job of holding heading and altitude this time around. Trim tab was also much easier to use (again, a result of visualization - "Chair flying" they call it, during the recent inclement weather).
We climbed to 5,500 and then slowed to descended to 4,000, climbed again, then configured for slow flight. Raised angle of attack, slow engine to 1500 RPM, flaps to 10, slowing....slowing, back on the yoke a bit more - and we're crawling along at 55kts ground speed, gradually losing altitude all the while. The controls become mushy, and we have to add power as we extend flaps to 30% - I'm on the "backside of the power curve" for the first time, where you have to ADD power to go slower.
Since you spend most of your time in the pattern in this configuration, it is great practice. Seeing how spongy the plane performs at slow speeds is a real eyeopener. It takes much more overt control inputs to achieve the desired response. Hard pedal moves, a few seconds' wait before the turn begins, more push on the yoke to turn, etc.
After a few minutes we "trim out" for normal cruise flight, then go into slow configuration again to understand more about "setting up" for landings. Out one last time, and we're headed back to AVL's pattern for a few touch and gos.
We call approach and get clearance, set up for a downwind entry into the traffic pattern and descend to 1000 AGL. A quick left turn and 34 is just ahead. We drop in, Jordan is now at the controls but invite me to "ride the controls" with him to feel his inputs as we land. He greases in a perfect landing, then we spin up to full throttle and lift off again (to the north) - again I waffle around the center line as we climb.
We take a left turn into the pattern, and another into the downwind leg. My turns are curved and sluggish - something we can work out with practice. Need to be boxy and crisp. We call approach at mid-field and he instructs us to extend our downwind for inbound Leer Jet traffic on final. We look to our left and see a beautiful white corporate jet easing down the glide slope to a smooth landing right on the numbers. Jordan mirrors my thoughts, "Beautiful sight isn't it?"
We drop flaps and airspeed turn left for base and again for final. Jordan says "you have the aircraft". I trim out for landing - aiming at the numbers. I come in a bit steep, and flop the plane down a bit tersely - my first landing - not pretty, but we achieve the desired effect.
Power up the 172, rotate up at 55kts, and around again. During the next downwind, we are instructed to expedite our based and final legs and landing as other traffic is inbound. We slow down early and add flaps, curving left just after the end of the runway to shorten our base and final legs. This landing is quick, and we glide into a much smoother (albeit still less than perfect) approach. Once all the wheels are on the ground, we turn out on ramp M to clear the runway, and taxi to the ramp. Transponder to Standby...other post-landing checks...
I complete the post-flight checklist and we head back into the offices for a debrief.
Jordan compliments me on my improved rudder work, flight, turns and points out areas for improvement - smoother landings, flaring up more at the end and sticking to the runway heading during climb out from takeoff.
Next -- labs four and five.
Epilogue: Computer crashes and needs a new CPU. I'm about to go nuts waiting to do my next two labs, but they have to be done on the computer where I loaded the software. Oh well, more "chair flying" for this week.
No comments:
Post a Comment