It is quite hard for me to believe, but it has been two years since I passed my check-ride. In those two years I have added 45 hours to my log book. Two highlights have to be two specific long cross-country flights. The first was a 6 hour two leg endurance flight from KEXX to KMQI (Dare County, NC) and back. This was for my long instrument cross-country with almost all of it "under the hood." It was a beautiful day, but all I saw was the panel! Great training and very enjoyable.
The second highlight was my trip from KEXX to KSHD outside of Harrisonburg,Va. This was a trip over the 4th of July weekend to go visit an elderly mentor of mine. My mother-in-law joined me on the trip for her first time ever in a small plane. The day was outstandingly beautiful as we made our way up the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia and back. She thoroughly enjoyed the flight and said that she would fly with me anytime!
All of this is to say, it was time for my flight review. I met my flight instructor Jerry at a local restaurant for lunch and conversation. We spent more than an hour reviewing the performance numbers of the 172 that I fly along with a discussion of a recent AvWeb article on maneuvering speed. We also mapped out the maneuvers I wanted to brush up on.
A couple of hours later, I met Jerry at KEXX. After preflighting 69R, we took off on runway 24 and headed south to the practice area. I wanted to get a feel for accelerated stalls, and so we spent some time doing steep turns and working to force a stall. At a 45 degree back, the stall speed rises 20%. In 69 Romeo that means the stall speed would be around 72 mph. What I discovered was that it took an incredible amount of back pressure to get the 172 to stall in a steep turn. It much rather wanted to mush and just loose altitude. It seemed that the loss of altitude is more of a hazard than the stall.
I also wanted practice doing aggressive slips to landing. As I was on downwind abeam the numbers on the approach end of runway 24, Jerry pulled the power and said I had an engine failure. I pitched for best glide speed, ran the check list, and turned toward the runway. I was way high, so I employed an aggressive slip to lose some altitude. Just as I was centered on the runway preparing to flare, Jerry called for me to go around. Throttle, Carb heat in, half the flaps, and up I went. So in one short 2 minute period, I received an emergency landing, slip to lose altitude, and a go-around! Great training.
We worked a little on coordinated turns with Dutch rolls, and re-visited departure and approach stalls. We also practiced the "impossible turn." We simulated a take off roll at altitude, climbed 500 feet and then Jerry pulled the power. After two seconds, I put 69R into a 45 degree turn. Best glide is 80 mph and a clean stall speed at that bank angle is 72 mph, so the margin is small. I got the plane lined back up, but it was clear that I would never get back to the airport. My perception is that I would need between 750 and 1000 feet above ground level to make in back to the airport. I finished off the flight review with a couple of go-arounds just as I was flaring and two real great landings.
I came away from my flight review with a greater confidence in my skills and the realization that I have grown and matured as a pilot over the last two years. I also remembered how fun training is and how much I truly enjoy learning. I look forward to moving ahead with my instrument training!
