| Lesson 22 | |
| Flight time logged: | 1.8 hours |
| Total flight time logged: | 35.3 hours |
| Total takeoffs/landings: | 123 |
| Solo time: | 0.0 hours |
| Total time solo: | 4.4 hours |
| Total cost to date: | $5720 |
Finally, the weather this morning was clear enough to do another cross-country. I pulled out my nav log to update it with the current winds aloft and to recalculate my times and ground speeds. When I filed my flight plan, I received a standard briefing on the weather and any NOTAMs. The skies were mostly clear with no signs of thunderstorms.
We departed LZU at 11:35 AM and headed west towards Cedartown. The skies were clear over the airport, but as soon as I reached my cruising altitude of 4,500 feet, I could see cumulus clouds building in the distance. Both my instructor and I predicted that we would see rain showers and possible thunderstorms later in the afternoon. This would not impede our flight because we would be back long before the clouds grew into storm clouds.
On the way out the Cedartown, I did have to change my altitude from 4,500 feet to 4,000 feet to avoid the clouds. Every time I flew under the building layers of cumulus clouds I was flying into convective turbulence. You can count on bouncing around anytime you fly under a cloud in a light aircraft. I had asked for and received flight following from Atlanta Approach, so I was on radar the entire flight and provided their services.
Upon reaching Cedartown, the first thing you notice is that the area is mostly wooded. Trees are everywhere. This also includes the airport itself. The single runway is surrounded by trees. It looks like a strip was cut out of the forest. Even so, the trees were far enough from the threshold that they were not a factor in landing. After landing, I closed my flight plan and setup my kneeboard with the information I needed for the return flight. My instructor needed to be back on the ground at 1 PM, so we needed to head back. This runway does not have taxiways, so this would be my first time ever having to back-taxi on a runway. Basically, this is just entering the runway and taxing up the runway to the threshold.I took off, exited out of the pattern to the east, and intercepted my course for the flight back. I had planned to fly at 5,500 feet on the way back, but too many clouds had formed and would not allow it. I chose to climb to 3,500 feet. On the climb out, I contacted Atlanta Approach for flight following again. Not too long after contacting them, they asked me to climb to 4,000 feet due to some flight operations over at Dobbins Air Force Base. I climbed to 4,000 feet and established cruising speed.
The flight back was a little shorter due to having a tailwind. We were moving along with a ground speed of 122 knots. I also noticed that the visibility was getting lower. We had over 10 miles of visibility when we departed from LZU on our way out to 4A4. Going back, it looked like the visibility had dropped to about 6 miles. Listening to the nearest ATIS facility revealed that this was the case.
I manage to stay right on my course and before long I had LZU in sight. I called Atlanta Approach and indicated that I had LZU in sight. They gave me the tower frequency to tune in and terminated radar services. I obtained the ATIS and then called the tower with my position. I was asked to report right downwind for 25. I entered the right downwind for 25 and reported in. I was then cleared for landing.
At about the time I was abeam the numbers, my instructor pulled the power and indicated that the engine had failed. It's been a while since I practiced emergency procedures, and I must admit that I was surprised by this. I quickly ran through my ABCs -- airspeed for best glide, best landing area (the airport of course), and emergency checklist. I flew the plane as a glider all of the way down to the runway.
My next flight will either be more practice or my solo short cross-country. I'll be flying back to Milledgeville again, but this time alone. Let's hope the weather cooperates.
