Another lesson done

September 27th, 2007
SO, I finally get another lesson. I’m down to 5 training days left before D-day OCT 18. It was a nice day, HOT as usual here in south texas. We decided I needed some partial panel work. So we simulated a vacuum failure (i.e. a couple sticky notes over attitude ind and heading ind.). It went pretty good. had it been actual I would have made it to the field. It was not pretty using your mag compass to navigate a vor approach, it is not the easiest thing to do. then we decide to do a localizer approach. From the vor 84 deg radial to intercept localizer backcourse at the lom. Fly out bound don’t forget reverse sensing on the loc outbound i told my self as i was correcting….the wrong way!!! Procedure turn, intercept localizer begin descent. reach the lom begin descent to mda hold that and wait, then correct as i slip below my mda…by 200 feet…NICE, that’s a bust! OK, so lets go try it again. the second was a little better. I wonder about my abilities sometimes. I wonder if i will my concentration developed enough to fly as precisely as is required during the IR practical. All in all I was not too disappointed. I can see things are starting to come together. I’m starting to visualize where I’m at better then i could before.
I Was talking with cfi before the flight and he told me about a little episode a PP student just had yesterday. Turning base his C172 blew a cylinder. It was parked just a couple stalls down, wow, what a mess. windshield was covered with oil, big dent in cowling where the cylinder hit. I bet the left seat was as dirty as the windshield, would have been if i were the pilot!
I have yet to have an engine failure. I had one incident about a year ago. I was flying a C150, I was about 10 miles away from my home base and after 4 hours of flight I get a pop and loss of about 400 rpm. HELLO, yeah im awake now. OK, full power, check mixture, check fuel check gauges, check carb heat. Ok maybe not in that order, but it all got done real fast, and nothing helped! So, what do you do, your losing power, im ten miles out, no place to land around me, HOLD ALT, and fly her as long as you can. I had my gps with me so I double checked location, and i was straight out on a ten mile final, ok no pattern for me! There is still no place to land, but I am holding alt and im almost there, listen for traffic…none! good the field is all mine. Announce a straight in 17, still no traffic. finally within glide range, bring power back a little begin a descent, short final, pull a little more power out, finally got the field made power off, and yeah, breathing again. It was interesting, Its kinda cool how training kicks in and you just DO what has to be done.
Just talked with “JT” (the Father-in-law) told him about today’s flight and he offered a flight this saturday in his C172. I could use an extra training day. I’m way more partial to low wing planes but if i can fly one for the cost of fuel only, im there!!!
All in all, it was a good day, but a bad day flying is way better then a good day working! Now if i can just get to the point of getting paid to FLY! IT will happen!