Return from the North
I am back in Alamogordo and have "hit the ground running" so to speak:
Yep, this morning I had a lesson immediately following the monthly safety brief (all pilots/students/aero club staff are supposed to attend it). We accomplished some ground reference flying, s-turns, instrument-only flight and navigation, emergency procedure drills, and a bit of take-off/landing drills.
I was having major problems getting the nose wheel lined up properly- a critical issue, because if you land a) not parallel to the path of the runway and/or b) too far from the centerline...bad things happen. I did- somehow- improve a bit on my flares for most of the landings, though. We had a crosswind for a lot of the time too, which certainly messed things up in all ways just a little bit (not that that's a good excuse of course).
I am just plain too slow in executing my emergency procedures. During a simulated engine fail, Phil showed me how fast I should be by performing all the required actions himself: he flew through all of the procedures correctly, in order, and safely. Also, one of my "choices" for an emergency/improvised landing strip would've destroyed the plane according to him- not a good decision.
In ground reference maneuvers I did okay with S-turns but am just too danged shaky on circling at the proper distance because I tend to underestimate the 1-mile radius from the chosen point. I have no ready solution for this beyond simply practicing it to get a better "feel" for judging distances.
At the very least, Phil noted that he didn't have to touch/take the controls from me much at all in either "sortie", which is one minor good thing to help me feel alright.
...and oh yeah, the pictures:
My cousin Erin got married; this was one of many splendid experiences taken in Minnesota during my leave.
This is my brother and I in front of the "wedding getaway" car, a Chrysler New Yorker (unknown year). I really like it.
Just for laughs, how I looked on my last day of leave; scruffy, unshaven (except for the wedding a week ago), sweaty, tired. Much like the vacation in its entirety. =)
More pictures and talk to follow.
That is all.
Yep, this morning I had a lesson immediately following the monthly safety brief (all pilots/students/aero club staff are supposed to attend it). We accomplished some ground reference flying, s-turns, instrument-only flight and navigation, emergency procedure drills, and a bit of take-off/landing drills.
I was having major problems getting the nose wheel lined up properly- a critical issue, because if you land a) not parallel to the path of the runway and/or b) too far from the centerline...bad things happen. I did- somehow- improve a bit on my flares for most of the landings, though. We had a crosswind for a lot of the time too, which certainly messed things up in all ways just a little bit (not that that's a good excuse of course).
I am just plain too slow in executing my emergency procedures. During a simulated engine fail, Phil showed me how fast I should be by performing all the required actions himself: he flew through all of the procedures correctly, in order, and safely. Also, one of my "choices" for an emergency/improvised landing strip would've destroyed the plane according to him- not a good decision.
In ground reference maneuvers I did okay with S-turns but am just too danged shaky on circling at the proper distance because I tend to underestimate the 1-mile radius from the chosen point. I have no ready solution for this beyond simply practicing it to get a better "feel" for judging distances.
At the very least, Phil noted that he didn't have to touch/take the controls from me much at all in either "sortie", which is one minor good thing to help me feel alright.
...and oh yeah, the pictures:
My cousin Erin got married; this was one of many splendid experiences taken in Minnesota during my leave.
This is my brother and I in front of the "wedding getaway" car, a Chrysler New Yorker (unknown year). I really like it.
Just for laughs, how I looked on my last day of leave; scruffy, unshaven (except for the wedding a week ago), sweaty, tired. Much like the vacation in its entirety. =)
More pictures and talk to follow.
That is all.