| Lesson 5 | |
| Flight time logged: | 2.1 hours |
| Total flight time logged: | 6.6 hours |
| Total takeoffs/landings: | 7 |
| Total cost to date: | $1030 |
After not being in the air since last Thursday, I was ready to get back in the air. My Monday afternoon flight was re-scheduled for this evening due to strong wind gusts. This evening looked somewhat ominous because the skies started to cloud over due a low pressure on top of us. The ceiling was plenty high enough to do the lesson scheduled.
Today I had to do ground reference maneuvers: turns around a point, s-turns, and rectangular pattern. Since these are performed from 600 to 1000 feet above the ground, I had to descend to 1,800 feet, the lowest flying I've had to do thus far. I flew south of the airport towards a more rural area with large fields. I had not seen this area before, so it was a nice change. My instructor brought his handheld GPS to track my path. After doing a circle around a water tower, he showed me the track I drew. It looked like a circle to me. I practiced turns around a point and s-turns four or five times before I climbed back to 3,500 feet.
At 3,500 feet, I felt like I was only a few hundred feet below the overcast clouds above me. With the sun setting in the West, the sky was colored in all shades of gold and indigo. I had to do more slow flight, practice more full power-off stalls, and practice more full power-on stalls. There was no turbulence, so I had a much easier time with the power-on stalls this time. I did not fall into a spin and managed to keep the plane coordinated with my feet. I think I've getting the feel for it now.
After a few stalls, I headed back to the airport. My instructor had me put the"foggles" back on -- basically blinders that keep be from looking outside and only looking at the instruments. He would give me headings and alititudes. Twenty minutes later I took them off to find that I was on the base leg of the traffic pattern. I had entered the pattern on the downwind and turned base all on just instruments. I had a clue that I was in the pattern when my instructor called the tower requesting a touch-and-go landing.
I finished out my lesson by doing two touch-and-go landings followed by a full-stop landing. I like doing takeoffs and landings. I want to do more so I can perfect that landing. I also need to practice more crosswind takeoffs and landings. All of this is to come in a few lessons. I have just a couple of lessons before I have to do a progress check ride with the Chief Flight Instructor.
I'm scheduled for my next lesson tomorrow morning. The weather is not looking good at this point, so I am not counting on flying tomorrow. If not, I'll be doing ground school with my instructor.
