I have to admit, I can't stand it if I haven't flown for a few days. We flew last on Tuesday, when we completed my second dual-cross country flight. Now, it is Saturday, and I am having serious withdrawals. The plane is in the shop for its 100hr inspection, so I probably won't be flying until mid next week.
So, it gives me a chance to explain a little more about what I have been up to in training. I have gone out a few more times alone to practice maneuvers. I am not allowed to venture out to the training area south of Primm, NV and also to Jean, NV (0L7) airport. One of the things that I have had some difficulty with is maintaining altitude during 45deg power turns. I have been practicing them and am getting better. Last Saturday, we planned our first official cross-country flight. The plan was to go from Henderson to Needles, CA, then to Apple Valley, CA and then home. We got going a little late and only got to Needles before we had to turn around and come back.
Even with that it was quite an experience. Needles has two runways, and both had bad crosswinds of 10-15knots across them. We chose the best of the options, but the runway was downhill. The problem was that on the approach, we were going over rising terrain, so it appeared that we were really low, but by the time we got downhill to the runway, we were too high. I had to go around two times before I got the plane down. We did a few more landings on the same runway, and I had the same issues with them. I was trying to "grease" the landing in, but in the cross-wind, it just pushed the plane way off, and it was too much for me to correct for the way I was attempting the landing. My CFI demostrated the maneuver to me and I understood what he was expaining.
Then on Tuesday of this week, I decided to push the second cross-country ahead a little bit, so we decided to go Daggett Airport, just outside Barstow, CA. It was an interesting flight because I learned how to get flight following. The departure out of Henderson was very busy, switching frequencies to activate the flight plan, listen to local traffic, contact departure control, contact the flight following service and, most importantly, fly the plane. I really enjoyed it though, and I learned alot. I was able to successfully navigate us to the airport and back, and my planning of time in route was very accurate.
Next up on the agenda -- solo cross country. That should be for Saturday 1/31. Until them, my heart aches to be back in the air!
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