Summary
Scheduled Time: 1PM - 4PM
Actual Hours Ground: 0.3
Actual Hours Flight: 1.4
Finally, the weather was good enough to go flying. We started with a full pre-flight, as usual, but since this was my first pre-flight of the Cessna 177RG Cardinal, I had lots of questions. Once complete, we climbed in, started the engine, and began the first flight lesson.
We departed Paine Field to the West and headed for the practice area. The first maneuver was Commercial steep turns. These are a little different from your standard steep turns in that the bank angle is 50 degrees rather than 45 degrees and you fly both full turns (left and right) back to back instead of one each way.
After the turns we did some slow flight and stalls. These are basically the same as what I've always done in the past, but the stall recovery is performed before the point of full stall.
Then we had a simulated engine failure. I hit the required speed and found my landing location, but would have come up short due to the extra drag brought on by putting the gear down too soon. We'll have to work on this area.
The final Commercial maneuver of the day was the chandelle. The chandelle is a 180 degree turn with a reducing speed climb. The objective is to turn around in a small space while simultaneously climbing. At the 90 degree point, you should be at the maximum pitch and half the final airspeed. This is quite interesting and will take a few hours to master.
With the maneuvers out of the way, we headed back to the airport for some landing practice. Landing a new plane well is a difficult task. After six tries, I still have some more practicing to do. The plane lands much harder than the Commander and seems to drop out of the sky the last foot or two. It also tends to bounce if you carry too much speed. Dropping the nose after a bounce causes it to porpoise down the runway. Not a pretty site.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Bellewood Talent Show
Andrew and Susan have practiced for weeks for the big talent show at the church. Andrew was part of the "Wee Ones". They performed two songs for the adoring crowd: The Lord's Army and Sing to the Lord (Psalm 96:2).
There were many other acts tonight, including piano solos by the Day kids, many songs by various individual/groups, and the Hess family bluegrass band.
Commercial Training - Day 2
Summary
Scheduled Time: 9AM - Noon
Actual Hours Ground: 0
Actual Hours Flight: 0
Today I went to Regal Air for my second lesson. When I arrived, the weather was low and foggy once again. So rather than fly, I grabbed the Jepessen DVD study guide and watched about two hours of videos covering areas from high performance aircraft, constant speed propellers, landing gear systems, anti- and de-icing systems, and performance maneuvers. Afterward, the weather had not improved in the slightest. Maybe next time...
Scheduled Time: 9AM - Noon
Actual Hours Ground: 0
Actual Hours Flight: 0
Today I went to Regal Air for my second lesson. When I arrived, the weather was low and foggy once again. So rather than fly, I grabbed the Jepessen DVD study guide and watched about two hours of videos covering areas from high performance aircraft, constant speed propellers, landing gear systems, anti- and de-icing systems, and performance maneuvers. Afterward, the weather had not improved in the slightest. Maybe next time...
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Commercial Training - Day 1
Summary
Scheduled Time: 9AM - Noon
Actual Hours Ground: 1
Actual Hours Flight: 0
Today I went to Regal Air at Paine Field in Everett, WA for my first commercial lesson. I arrived two hours early so I could complete the open book test on the Cessna 177 RG Cardinal. This is standard procedure for flying an unfamiliar airplane. When I arrived, I realized that I forgot all the paperwork - Regal Air rules and regulations - that I'd completed the night before. I called home and Susan said she'd bring them to the airport for me - how sweet is that!
The test took nearly the full two hours. Afterward, my instructor Mike reviewed the test with me and we started discussing the plan. I told him that I'd like to complete the written exam in two weeks and the practical exam in three to four weeks. He suggested I get on the schedule three to four times a week and we should be able to get it done in that time frame.
We then did about an hour's worth of ground review, covering weather services and charts. This is an area I consider myself weak in, due to the lack of severe weather in the Seattle area. We looked at the overall weather across the country, then drilled into some areas with severe weather, including Dallas, TX and Portsmouth, NH.
After that, we walked out to look at the Cardinal. It is a 1976 model with a 200 HP fuel injected engine, a three blade propeller, and retractable landing gear. Mike told me about some of its issues, specifically its tendency to drop out of the sky and land hard during approach. The 'land hard' part will be an unwelcome change from the soft landing Commander I've been flying lately.
The weather was not good enough to fly, so that wrapped up Day 1. Now I need to put in about two hours of ground school at home.
Scheduled Time: 9AM - Noon
Actual Hours Ground: 1
Actual Hours Flight: 0
Today I went to Regal Air at Paine Field in Everett, WA for my first commercial lesson. I arrived two hours early so I could complete the open book test on the Cessna 177 RG Cardinal. This is standard procedure for flying an unfamiliar airplane. When I arrived, I realized that I forgot all the paperwork - Regal Air rules and regulations - that I'd completed the night before. I called home and Susan said she'd bring them to the airport for me - how sweet is that!
The test took nearly the full two hours. Afterward, my instructor Mike reviewed the test with me and we started discussing the plan. I told him that I'd like to complete the written exam in two weeks and the practical exam in three to four weeks. He suggested I get on the schedule three to four times a week and we should be able to get it done in that time frame.
We then did about an hour's worth of ground review, covering weather services and charts. This is an area I consider myself weak in, due to the lack of severe weather in the Seattle area. We looked at the overall weather across the country, then drilled into some areas with severe weather, including Dallas, TX and Portsmouth, NH.
After that, we walked out to look at the Cardinal. It is a 1976 model with a 200 HP fuel injected engine, a three blade propeller, and retractable landing gear. Mike told me about some of its issues, specifically its tendency to drop out of the sky and land hard during approach. The 'land hard' part will be an unwelcome change from the soft landing Commander I've been flying lately.
The weather was not good enough to fly, so that wrapped up Day 1. Now I need to put in about two hours of ground school at home.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Southwest Washington Tour
Saturday July 28, 2007
We started the day with a 9:30AM departure to meet Tom and Kendra at I-90 Marine in Issaquah. He was there to pick up his boat, which was having an oil leak fixed. We arrived before the shop opened, so I turned Andrew loose on the exhibit boats out front. He eagerly explored the ins and outs of a beautiful catamaran fishing boat. He especially liked the sunken toilet buried deep in the hull in the living quarters.
Finally the shop opened and Tom went in to pay for the work. An employee pulled his boat around front and we hooked it to the Denali. On the way out of town, we grabbed a bite to eat, then headed south for Chehalis.
Tom, Lanna, and the girls had a reunion to attend and we had plans to check out the Chehalis Fly-In and Chehalis Days at the fairgrounds. Based on what we saw driving in (not much activity at the airport) and what Lanna said (Cat show at the fairgrounds), I was considering a change of plan. Considering our proximity and the fact that the Haksch's had not seen Mt. St. Helens from Johnston's Ridge, I suggested Mt. St. Helens. Everyone seemed to like the idea, so Tom gave us directions that met our two requirements: 1) shortcut to the mountain and 2) with a mom & pop burger joint along the way. He pointed us to Toledo and we were on our way.
After lunch, we followed the route all the way to Johnston's Ridge. We dropped George off at the front and found a place to park. It was an hour before closing, so we were in a bit of a hurry. When we arrived at the front door, George already had our passes, so we walked right in. The movie was starting in five minutes, so we hurried to the end of the line. The doors opened and we entered the dark theater and found some seats. As we waited, Andrew started to get anxious. "Will it be loud?" was his primary concern. As the lights dimmed and the movie started, Andrew's anxiety continued to build. He seemed very concerned for our safety as we watched the mountain explode and the trees get shattered on the screen. Finally, the movie ended and the crowd of tourists gasped at the next sight - which I won't reveal here. You know what I mean if you've been here before.
The next stop was the large mountain model display. Andrew was fascinated by the lights. We walked around the model to see the mud flows and blow-down zones more clearly. Andrew's anxiety level was near normal again, but he still was a little concerned. I showed him our location on the map and told him that the landslide went through Spirit lake and right up and over the ridge, as depicted by the colored lights on the model. This lead to a game of, "Am I safe here?". He would pick a spot and we'd try to determine what, if anything, would get us if we were there during the eruption.
Outside, a ranger was giving a presentation, but Andrew wanted to walk. Andrew's definition of "walking" is Daddy carries him up hills and he runs down hills. When I ask him to walk up hills, I usually get, "I'm too tired" face down on the ground response. I've been trying to prepare him for the day when he becomes too big and heavy for Daddy to carry anymore. Although I love to see him grow, I'm not looking forward to that day.
At 6:00PM, the building closed and we headed back down the road to Coldwater Lake. As is generally the case, the cloud that was blocking the crater vanished once we left the ridge. We hurried back to a good viewpoint, but the cloud magically reappeared by the time we arrived. Such is life in the mountains.
On the way home, the question of dinner was raised. I threw out a couple suggestions, including places in Centralia and Olympia. Hunger and time-to-reach-the-restaurant ruled and Country Cousins was selected.
After a fine dinner we were back on the road. We finally pulled into the driveway at 11:30PM, completing our 14 hour Southwest adventure.
We started the day with a 9:30AM departure to meet Tom and Kendra at I-90 Marine in Issaquah. He was there to pick up his boat, which was having an oil leak fixed. We arrived before the shop opened, so I turned Andrew loose on the exhibit boats out front. He eagerly explored the ins and outs of a beautiful catamaran fishing boat. He especially liked the sunken toilet buried deep in the hull in the living quarters.
Finally the shop opened and Tom went in to pay for the work. An employee pulled his boat around front and we hooked it to the Denali. On the way out of town, we grabbed a bite to eat, then headed south for Chehalis.
Tom, Lanna, and the girls had a reunion to attend and we had plans to check out the Chehalis Fly-In and Chehalis Days at the fairgrounds. Based on what we saw driving in (not much activity at the airport) and what Lanna said (Cat show at the fairgrounds), I was considering a change of plan. Considering our proximity and the fact that the Haksch's had not seen Mt. St. Helens from Johnston's Ridge, I suggested Mt. St. Helens. Everyone seemed to like the idea, so Tom gave us directions that met our two requirements: 1) shortcut to the mountain and 2) with a mom & pop burger joint along the way. He pointed us to Toledo and we were on our way.
After lunch, we followed the route all the way to Johnston's Ridge. We dropped George off at the front and found a place to park. It was an hour before closing, so we were in a bit of a hurry. When we arrived at the front door, George already had our passes, so we walked right in. The movie was starting in five minutes, so we hurried to the end of the line. The doors opened and we entered the dark theater and found some seats. As we waited, Andrew started to get anxious. "Will it be loud?" was his primary concern. As the lights dimmed and the movie started, Andrew's anxiety continued to build. He seemed very concerned for our safety as we watched the mountain explode and the trees get shattered on the screen. Finally, the movie ended and the crowd of tourists gasped at the next sight - which I won't reveal here. You know what I mean if you've been here before.
The next stop was the large mountain model display. Andrew was fascinated by the lights. We walked around the model to see the mud flows and blow-down zones more clearly. Andrew's anxiety level was near normal again, but he still was a little concerned. I showed him our location on the map and told him that the landslide went through Spirit lake and right up and over the ridge, as depicted by the colored lights on the model. This lead to a game of, "Am I safe here?". He would pick a spot and we'd try to determine what, if anything, would get us if we were there during the eruption.
Outside, a ranger was giving a presentation, but Andrew wanted to walk. Andrew's definition of "walking" is Daddy carries him up hills and he runs down hills. When I ask him to walk up hills, I usually get, "I'm too tired" face down on the ground response. I've been trying to prepare him for the day when he becomes too big and heavy for Daddy to carry anymore. Although I love to see him grow, I'm not looking forward to that day.
At 6:00PM, the building closed and we headed back down the road to Coldwater Lake. As is generally the case, the cloud that was blocking the crater vanished once we left the ridge. We hurried back to a good viewpoint, but the cloud magically reappeared by the time we arrived. Such is life in the mountains.
On the way home, the question of dinner was raised. I threw out a couple suggestions, including places in Centralia and Olympia. Hunger and time-to-reach-the-restaurant ruled and Country Cousins was selected.
After a fine dinner we were back on the road. We finally pulled into the driveway at 11:30PM, completing our 14 hour Southwest adventure.
Chehalis Fly-In
Friday July 27, 2007
The Chehalis Fly-In stared Friday night with a barbecue cookout. I borrowed a Cessna 172 and flew from to Renton to Chehalis after work with George and Andrew. The flight down was mostly uneventful, with the exception of Andrew repeatedly giving me the thumbs down indication. I occasionally look back and ask how he's doing and he gives me a thumbs up or down, depending on how he feels. I was not expecting to get a thumbs down. I tried to figure out what was wrong, but flying a plane in busy airspace is pretty close to a full time responsibility. Each time I asked, I got the thumbs down and an upset - but inaudible - complaint. Then I noticed he was pointing at something in the front of the plane. I finally realized that he wanted to look at the map! I gave him the map and he was thumbs up the rest of the trip.
We met Tom's family at the airport and headed for the food. We made a contribution to the Washington Pilot's Association and ate burger patties and potato salad - they were out of hamburger buns.
After a short visit we were on our way back to Renton. I decided to return by a different route; both for variety and to allow George to get a closer view of Mt. Rainier. Once again, I got the thumbs down from Andrew shortly after take off. Turned out that he was upset because he didn't know what to do with the cookie bar wrapper! I took it from him and he was fine. While passing south of McChord Air Force Base, we overflew two huge C-17 cargo planes that were approaching the base. We arrived safely in Renton at sunset.
The Chehalis Fly-In stared Friday night with a barbecue cookout. I borrowed a Cessna 172 and flew from to Renton to Chehalis after work with George and Andrew. The flight down was mostly uneventful, with the exception of Andrew repeatedly giving me the thumbs down indication. I occasionally look back and ask how he's doing and he gives me a thumbs up or down, depending on how he feels. I was not expecting to get a thumbs down. I tried to figure out what was wrong, but flying a plane in busy airspace is pretty close to a full time responsibility. Each time I asked, I got the thumbs down and an upset - but inaudible - complaint. Then I noticed he was pointing at something in the front of the plane. I finally realized that he wanted to look at the map! I gave him the map and he was thumbs up the rest of the trip.
We met Tom's family at the airport and headed for the food. We made a contribution to the Washington Pilot's Association and ate burger patties and potato salad - they were out of hamburger buns.
After a short visit we were on our way back to Renton. I decided to return by a different route; both for variety and to allow George to get a closer view of Mt. Rainier. Once again, I got the thumbs down from Andrew shortly after take off. Turned out that he was upset because he didn't know what to do with the cookie bar wrapper! I took it from him and he was fine. While passing south of McChord Air Force Base, we overflew two huge C-17 cargo planes that were approaching the base. We arrived safely in Renton at sunset.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Andrew's New Toy
Monday July 23, 2007
As part of Andrew's potty practice incentive program, he can earn a point each time he sits on the potty. After 20 points, he can choose a new toy. Usually his choices include items for his wooden train set - switches, turns, engines, cars, etc. Tonight was different, though. This time he got a gift from his Nagymama - a Little Tikes garbage truck!
I know, a garbage truck - what's the big deal? Andrew has been somewhat fascinated by the garbage and recycle trucks that visit our neighborhood every week. Then, a few weeks ago we hauled some old stuff to the local transfer station, which we called the 'dump'. I let Andrew shove old stuff through the opening in the wall and into the pit as a large front loader scooped and piled it in a massive pile at the end of the building. Andrew talked about this for days!
After seeing the truck, all thoughts of bedtime evaporated. I showed him how to load and unload it and he proceeded to start collecting garbage (various small toys in the living room) and dumping it at the dump (pile next to the couch). This process repeated, with each collection being further away (in the hall, then off his shelf in his bedroom).
Finally we had to tell him it was bedtime. He parked his truck in our bathroom, read stories, and went to bed. The next morning, he came into our room and climbed on the bed. He asked me if it was time to get up and if I wanted to play with him and his new garbage truck. :)
As part of Andrew's potty practice incentive program, he can earn a point each time he sits on the potty. After 20 points, he can choose a new toy. Usually his choices include items for his wooden train set - switches, turns, engines, cars, etc. Tonight was different, though. This time he got a gift from his Nagymama - a Little Tikes garbage truck!
I know, a garbage truck - what's the big deal? Andrew has been somewhat fascinated by the garbage and recycle trucks that visit our neighborhood every week. Then, a few weeks ago we hauled some old stuff to the local transfer station, which we called the 'dump'. I let Andrew shove old stuff through the opening in the wall and into the pit as a large front loader scooped and piled it in a massive pile at the end of the building. Andrew talked about this for days!
After seeing the truck, all thoughts of bedtime evaporated. I showed him how to load and unload it and he proceeded to start collecting garbage (various small toys in the living room) and dumping it at the dump (pile next to the couch). This process repeated, with each collection being further away (in the hall, then off his shelf in his bedroom).
Finally we had to tell him it was bedtime. He parked his truck in our bathroom, read stories, and went to bed. The next morning, he came into our room and climbed on the bed. He asked me if it was time to get up and if I wanted to play with him and his new garbage truck. :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
