kimberlyanne546
Final Approach
Went today for a checkout in the 172.
As promised, we logged exactly 1.5 hours in the plane.
Did one takeoff, then navigated to the practice area, and performed one steep turn to the left and one steep turn to the right. I've never done steep turns in this plane and gained 100 - 300 feet. I guess when you are not on a checkride they don't make you do them over until they are perfect?
After the steep turns, I was asked to show slow flight, and then slow flight while turning to a heading.
Next I did a power off and a power on stall. Apparently my power off stall could have been done with a less nose high attitude and less G forces and my power on stall was pretty coordinated but almost went to the right since you often hold right rudder but have to release some just before the stall.
We completed (almost) an emergency landing - very close to the field - then flew back to the Petaluma airport while discussing VORs, Radios, and other equipment.....
It was VERY busy and chaotic on the radios, with some problem pilots (people flying straight in when there were plenty in the pattern, people trying to do a left pattern when 29 is strictly right, etc).
My first landing - I flared too high - and sort of ballooned. Tried to add power, and re-flare, and by the 2nd or 3rd try it was fixed.
Of course he asked for another landing.
Not sure how many landings later - maybe 3-5 - but I finally heard the stall horn, got rid of the high flares, and did a few "OK" landings. Not as lined up with the centerline as I could have been.
Later on, I decided to "hang out at the airport" and check out the Pilot Lounge / Airport Building. It had a bathroom, couch, computer for DUATs, etc..... none of which I knew was ever there!
A pilot that I know walked into the lounge and commented on my first landing. He is a student pilot but almost at the point of getting his cert.
He told me that my first landing was pretty bad.
So, a few questions:
Can landings look "worse" from the ground than they actually are? Like, when viewed from the side?
Why would I have been "checked out" in a plane if I was not safe? It sure did seem different than a lesson, as a private pilot, and I got to log PIC time and dual time.
I am sure all the touch and go's were so that he could keep my landings improving, and he told me to "go by myself" at least once before having passengers.
It is sort of a bummer to start all over again in a new plane when I felt very comfortable in the 152. I will miss that plane but moving up to bigger and faster planes just makes sense.
I realize I am a private pilot but today's flight sure made me feel like a student again. There is so much to learn, and earlier I stated I wanted to fly lots of different planes. Now I realize the value in putting most / all of my time into one plane over and over to improve.
Kimberly
As promised, we logged exactly 1.5 hours in the plane.
Did one takeoff, then navigated to the practice area, and performed one steep turn to the left and one steep turn to the right. I've never done steep turns in this plane and gained 100 - 300 feet. I guess when you are not on a checkride they don't make you do them over until they are perfect?
After the steep turns, I was asked to show slow flight, and then slow flight while turning to a heading.
Next I did a power off and a power on stall. Apparently my power off stall could have been done with a less nose high attitude and less G forces and my power on stall was pretty coordinated but almost went to the right since you often hold right rudder but have to release some just before the stall.
We completed (almost) an emergency landing - very close to the field - then flew back to the Petaluma airport while discussing VORs, Radios, and other equipment.....
It was VERY busy and chaotic on the radios, with some problem pilots (people flying straight in when there were plenty in the pattern, people trying to do a left pattern when 29 is strictly right, etc).
My first landing - I flared too high - and sort of ballooned. Tried to add power, and re-flare, and by the 2nd or 3rd try it was fixed.
Of course he asked for another landing.
Not sure how many landings later - maybe 3-5 - but I finally heard the stall horn, got rid of the high flares, and did a few "OK" landings. Not as lined up with the centerline as I could have been.
Later on, I decided to "hang out at the airport" and check out the Pilot Lounge / Airport Building. It had a bathroom, couch, computer for DUATs, etc..... none of which I knew was ever there!
A pilot that I know walked into the lounge and commented on my first landing. He is a student pilot but almost at the point of getting his cert.
He told me that my first landing was pretty bad.
So, a few questions:
Can landings look "worse" from the ground than they actually are? Like, when viewed from the side?
Why would I have been "checked out" in a plane if I was not safe? It sure did seem different than a lesson, as a private pilot, and I got to log PIC time and dual time.
I am sure all the touch and go's were so that he could keep my landings improving, and he told me to "go by myself" at least once before having passengers.
It is sort of a bummer to start all over again in a new plane when I felt very comfortable in the 152. I will miss that plane but moving up to bigger and faster planes just makes sense.
I realize I am a private pilot but today's flight sure made me feel like a student again. There is so much to learn, and earlier I stated I wanted to fly lots of different planes. Now I realize the value in putting most / all of my time into one plane over and over to improve.
Kimberly
