| Lesson 11 | |
| Flight time logged: | 1.2 hours |
| Total flight time logged: | 14.8 hours |
| Total takeoffs/landings: | 49 |
| Total cost to date: | $2460 |
I was worried about today's lesson since it has been two weeks since I had last flown. The weather wasn't that great -- the winds were at 10 knots gusting to 20 knots from the NNW. This gave the runway a considerable crosswind (still less than 15 knots though, but close). My instructor thought it would be a good day to practice crosswind takeoffs and landings.
I was feeling good about flying today and excited to be going up again. Upon holding at Rwy 25 for takeoff, a jet that had just landed became disabled on the runway when one of its engines had an overspeed condition. I had to wait, airplane at idle, for almost 15 minutes for the jet to be towed off the runway.
Upon takeoff, I could feel the strong gusts coming from my right. I attempted to crab into the wind to keep on the centerline while maintaining my 80 knot climb. It was tough with lift being taken away and provided every other second. It was bumpy... and unnerving. I took a deep breath and made my way around the pattern.
On the downwind, I kept drifting in towards the runway with each gust. I had to keep making major corrections. My confidence level started to diminish. I just didn't have enough experience flying in these conditions.
On final, it was a rough ride. The gusting wind blew me to the left of the center line. I felt like I was fighting the airplane (of which, by the way, you should never do). I didn't think I was on a stabilized approach so I performed a go-around.
My second circuit around, I was a little better, made the turn to base and to final much better, and did a touch-and-go. The landing was a little bouncy while trying to land on just the right main wheel with the crosswind.
When I turned crosswind on my third circuit, I spotted traffic in front of me of the feathered kind. It was really more to my two o'clock position. It was a turkey buzzard soaring in the wind. I told my instructor, "Bird at 2 o'clock," and maneuvered toward the left. We passed the buzzard close enough to see its red head and eyes watching as we passed. My instructor told me that was a little close. I know we cleared the buzzard by at least 100 feet.On the base, my instructor wanted me to keep traffic pattern altitude so that I could perform a forward slip to a landing on final. I needed to practice forward slips, but with the gusting winds I was not looking forward to this approach. After turning final, and trying to line up with the centerline by crabbing into the wind, the airplane was being bumped around by the wind and slight turbulence. I put the airplane into a forward slip, but the winds kept me from holding it for too long. I kept going into the slip then out. This cost me runway length. I ended up touching down almost halfway down the runway.
I practiced more touch-and-goes, some with engine-out short approaches, for the next few circuits. It was getting close to the end of my lesson. I finally called it a day... a not so good day. I was confident about soloing, but now I want more practice in conditions like this so I can handle it on my own.
