1.5 Hours in a 1940 J-3 Cub!

Crosswind Landings!

It had been a couple of weeks since I had flown, and Friday dawned beautiful. Having checked the forecast, I knew that in the afternoon the wind was going to pick up and be gusty. At 8:30 a.m. however, it was supposed to be about 5 kts without gusts. So I headed to KEXX. Following preflight, I taxied out to runway 24 for take off.

Immediately after lifting off, I realized that this was going to be a bumpy, crosswind day. While the METAR was reading only 5 kts, not far out of ground effect was 10 - 15 kts. I now was committed to one landing! Afterwards, I would decide if I would do anymore.

What made this more challenging was that the crosswind was variable between 80* and 100* off of my right. So the choice of runway was problematic. I would listen to the AWOS on downwind and the wind would be a slight headwind. I would listen again during final, and it would have changed to a tailwind.
I crabbed till I just about touched down and then switched to wing low. The tailwind caused me to float a little, but it was acceptable. Having a little more confidence, I decided to try another circuit.
I did a short field take off and just like last time, I began getting bumped around right out of ground effect.  The amount of wind altititude provided me with practice at flying a square pattern. It was a challenge to keep the plane lined up on final. My second landing was comparable to the first. During my training, I had not practiced many crosswind landings, so this was good experience.
Once more! My third time around the pattern was similar to the first two. Final approach felt fine and my flare was perfect. Just as my wheels touched down, a gust hit me from the right, and I could feel the plane begin to slide sideways putting a big side load on the landing gear. Right then I had a decision to make. The grass was getting nearer, and I didn't feel I had control. So I crammed the throttle in for a go around. As the wheels left the runway, I began floating over the grass between the runway and taxiway at about 10 feet. I accelerated but took out flaps a little too soon, so I mushed along at 10 ft agl for about 1000ft. Eventually, I established a positive climb and got the plane lined back up with the runway.
It is true that the training just kicked in. I made the decision very quickly not to try and salvage the landing. What I did realize is that I need to be much more careful about establishing a positive rate of climb before I take out the flaps. And when I do, I need to make sure I don't take them out all the way. I was glad to get the 3rd (or is it 4th) landing done. I called it a day.
In order to grow as a pilot, you must push yourself just a little beyond your comfort zone. Friday did that for me. I look forward to more opportunities to practice crosswind landings and get better.

Night Currency

July 2, 2012 was the last time I had done any night flying. As December dawned, I really wanted to get current and proficient to take my family up to see the Christmas lights at night from the air. Since it had been awhile, I asked my CFI Jerry to go up with me. My primary concern was to get confident with night landings. I remembered that the runway comes up very fast at night, and I wanted a little coaching.
Jerry had just finished 2.2 hours of dual night cross country, so he went to take a break while I preflighted 69R. When I finished, we climbed in and got started. I did five landings. Each got a little better than the last. I had a tendency to round out a little late. I didn't bang the nose, but the first ones were a little hard. I need to anticipate better when to round out and then be patient as the plane settles down.
I did take a few minutes to fly over Lexington and see the lights. Night flying is so beautiful, and it is a privlege to see what few people get to see at 1500 feet agl. I am looking forward to going back up with my family.
We finished the night with a practice ILS approach into Runway 6. I am beginning to do the book study for my instrument rating, so I wanted to begin to get acquainted with what will actually be required in the cockpit. It was challenging and fun. I am looking forward to my training.

Sugar Valley Airport - 5NC2

I have discovered a hidden jewel of an airport that would remind anyone of the way airports used to be and ought to be. Here there is no 12 foot barbed wire fence, just a friendly community of aviation enthusiasts who want to share the magic of Sugar Valley Airport. Located just outside of Mocksville, NC, 5NC2 is a 2400 foot runway located beside a lake. They have camping facilities, canoes to use, and a brand new 5820 square foot heated hanger that is sometimes used by the community as a meeting space.
This past Saturday, I went to the Sugar Valley Airport to attend a Women in Aviation Symposium that brought in 14 women who are at various stages of their flying lives. Presenters included Linda Finch who recreated Amelia Earhart's voyage around the world in an Electra, Capt. Bridgett "Atlas" Fitzsimmons of the 335th Fighter Squadron, an F-15E Strike Eagle pilot, and 10 other accomplished women in the field.
The volunteers were friendly and went out of their way to make the 150 or so guests feel like part of the Sugar Valley Family. Coffee and danishes were available as the event kicked off at 9 a.m. When the panel discussions and presentations were over at 12 noon, EAA Chapter 1083 provided a delicious lunch. My daughter and I sat by the runway, ate our lunch, and watched the Young Eagle Flights come and go. It was delightful.

 

First Passengers!

     Well, after two weeks of waiting, I finally found some time with my family to take them flying. My first passengers were two of my children and my wife.
     On Friday, Mollie, Kinsley, and I headed out to KEXX after school. After pre-flighting the N4369R, we took off from runway 24. We climbed to the south and toured High Rock Lake from 2500 feet. We were able to see some houses of some friends who live on the lake. Then we flew over their schools in Lexington. The football field is an easy landmark to pick out. We turned south and Lexington passed by on our left.

     We flew over our house and then entered a mid-field cross wind to land back at KEXX. Mollie said that it was the best landing she had seen me do. (She had come along on a few of my lessons.) Total time was .6 hours. Just a taste, and they wanted more.
    Saturday, I took my wife Brooke on her first ride. Our route was the same that I had done the day before with my daughters. She loved looking at all the houses, the lake, and our town from the sky. As we headed back to the airport, she even mentioned that it would be nice to have our own airplane one day. (YEA!) (Of course, after three college educations and weddings!)
     These two days really made me feel like a certificated pilot. It was great to finally share the joy of flying!

Success! - A Newly Certificated Pilot!

After 20 years of dreaming the dream has been fulfilled! Today I sat for my Private Pilot checkride; and I passed! It was a challenging experience, and I learned a lot. My DPE was tough but fair. She did a good job of revealing my knowledge deficiencies. I had a big brain freeze on Airmets and Sigmets (weather warnings to pilots). I was expecting the question, "what are the three types of Airmets," and she asked somthing like "tell me some examples of Sigmets and Airmets." For some reason I named a couple of sigment weather phenomenon under airmet. I'll give it up to nervousness.
Otherwise, I did very well with the oral portion of the test.
The practical portion was what you would expect after having read the Practical Test Standards (PTS). We did: Dead Reckoning / Pilotage; diversion to alternate airport, slow flight, approach and departure stalls, steep turns, turns around a point, unsual attitudes, simulated IFR descending turns, emergency procedures, soft field take off and landings, short field take off and landings.
We were flying along, and she pulled the power and said our engine died. I quickly trimmed to best glide speed and began looking for an open field. I looked to my right and my left, and picked a slightly rough clear field. I worked my check list, and descended until she told me to go around. Then she pointed out that the airport had been right in front of me! Sometimes things ARE right under your nose!
The last manuever was a short-field landing. When my wheels touched down and she told me to taxi to parking, I knew that I had passed! It was an incredible relief to have the practical test over and to hear her say congratulations! All my hard work over the last 8 months and studying over the last two years had paid off.
During the debrief, she gave me some excellent feedback on areas I need to be attentive to. Attending to her comments will make me a safer pilot; I am thankful for that.
I have a number of people I need to express my gratitude. First is my wife Brooke. When she told me at Christmas that it was time to pursue my dream, she gave me an incredible gift. This has been one of the most challenging and rewarding things I have ever done. My three children have also been very supportive and have loved seeing their dad fulfill a dream. My CFI Jerry is an incredible teacher with an encouraging approach to instructing. He believed I could do it; and because he believed in me, I could believe in myself. I know that he would not have released me for the test if he didn't think I could do it. This gave me the confidence I needed. I look forward to doing my instrument rating with him! I also want to thank my friend Robin who helped rekindle the dream that had long lain dorment. He has been a great cheerleader as I pursued the goal.

Well, I guess I am going to  have to change my "willfly1day" to willfly2day"

ATC Communications

On August 23, 2012, I headed from Davidson County (KEXX) to Smith Reynolds (KINT) to follow my flight instructor who was ferrying a Baron. Then Jerry and I went and did soft and short field landings at N97. On the way there and back, I did some more simulated instrument training.
Up at the top left of the page there is an embedded link with my communications with Smith Reynolds tower as recorded from LiveATC. You will notice that sometimes my side was not very readable. But this will give you a flavor of my day.