Soloed. . . Again! A Pilot's Journey

papakeith · Post by **papakeith** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 7:28 pm

AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

brain

ready

to

explode!!!!!!

I've resigned myself to the fact that I will just have to do this to get it through to me.
Flight scheduled tomorrow @ 1400z, I will be freakin out until then...

papakeith · Post by **papakeith** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 6:11 am

OK, so maybe that last post was a little dramatic

Still, I fully expect to do some fumbling on this flight. *shug* gotta learn somehow right? That's why I have that guy in the right seat

papakeith · Post by **papakeith** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 5:01 pm

The weather was clearing, but not quickly enough. Ceilings of 1200ft weren't going to cut it for today's planned flight.

So what does a student pilot do when his flight gets scrubbed, and he has the day off from work?

That's right, he takes practice exams.

I took an exam(scored mid 80s) then went to lunch. After lunch I came back and took another practice exam ( high 80s). As I keep taking these practice tests, I notice that the E6B isn't so foreign anymore. It's actually a pretty neat tool. Things are clicking.

Once I was done with the practice tests I set about my Stage II and Stage III student pilot exams. I got high marks on both. I'm glad to have these out of the way. One less thing to worry about. I have some gripes about some of the questions, but all you can do is accept it and move on.

My instructor suggested that it was time to schedule a time for my written. If all goes well I should be taking it on Thursday at some point in the day.

It's all coming together. One more dual X-country, 5 hrs of solo x-country, 3 hrs night, some hood time, and I think that's about it.

I've rescheduled the x-country to orange for tomorrow. The weather looks promising this time.

dons · Post by **dons** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 2:18 pm

You're doing great Keith, keep it up. Things really start to make a lot more sense and fall into place as you get close to the end of the requirements.

papakeith · Post by **papakeith** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 9:14 pm

I got my flight in today. SFZ>ORE>ORH and home again. The weather was a bit hazy, but not too bad. We made the decision to go and off we went.

From the start, I noticed that yet again things had slowed down in the cabin. I was able to handle all the tasks at hand without feeling rushed or behind.

I also had my first interaction with a tower controller. In the end it was no big deal and I did just fine with my communications. I did some touch n goes while there, two right and one left traffic.

In all it was a great day for flying. As an added bonus, I've been signed off for solo x-country flights! Tomorrow I fly out to EEN>0B5, and back to SFZ.

Onward!

Wicked Stick · Post by **Wicked Stick** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 9:31 pm

Keith thats great !!!

Sounds like your really getting the hang of it now and are well on your way to reaching your goal.

If you end up flying this way on a solo flight, give me a ring, I'd be happy to join you for lunch somewhere if able.

papakeith · Post by **papakeith** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 5:17 pm

solo x-country today!!!

I'm so damned pleased with myself

can ya tell?

And to think I almost didn't go. I left sfz this afternoon and it was hazy. Not at all what I wanted for my first solo xc. But as I circled to altitude I found that although it looked bad, visibility wasn't really all that horrible. So, off I went.

It was so cool to have the plane to myself and actually be going somewhere. the checkpoints kept clicking by, and I found myself with some spare time. So, I started dialing up some VORs to cross check my progress. Whaddya know? right on my mark. Before I knew it I was there, Keene NH.

From there I went to 0B5. Just a quick jaunt of 20nm. I took a 15 minute break once I landed there. Had I known, I could have stepped across the street for some ice cream; next time:).

Airborne again I headed home. It had cleared enough to get to 3500. I was doing fine, until I started doubting myself. I was maybe 20miles from home, and I started thinking I was too far right. I wasn't. I had to fight myself pretty hard to hold my course. Just about the time I was loosing the battle, I spotted providence off in the distance and knew I was doing ok.

All in all a great day of flying. One giant step closer to my goal.

Orange and fitchburg are next on my hitlist. Followed up by nashua NH

Wicked Stick · Post by **Wicked Stick** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 8:48 pm

Keith,

Great job !.... If you fly this weekend, let me know, perhaps we can meet up at one of your stops and have lunch or something.

papakeith · Post by **papakeith** » Sat Jul 28, 2007 11:52 am

Thanks Dave. I probably won't be flying this weekend. I'm scheduled to do ORE>KFIT Monday night.

captain_john · Post by **captain_john** » Sat Jul 28, 2007 7:14 pm

Keith, you are at the exciting part of your training!!!

You are gonna love it!

I plan on spending much time at the hangar this week, so if you are planning a cross country... come to PYM! I will fire up the grill and make some dinner!

Keep us posted.

CJ

papakeith · Post by **papakeith** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 6:40 pm

thanks for the offer John. pym will be on my short list once I get my ticket. Unfortunately, I'm not choosing my hops right now. Maybe in a bit. Besides, pym is a bit close. Maybe as a second leg?

captain_john · Post by **captain_john** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 6:47 pm

INDEED!

KPYM is a nice little port to visit as a student. It is very typical with intersecting runways, so wind is not an issue.

Lemme know when you will be coming by!

Glad to have you! I have burgers in the fridge! I will burn the fur off one for ya!

CJ

papakeith · Post by **papakeith** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 7:21 pm

I guess I'm atypical. I've been to Goodspeed, and turners falls; both of which are single runways. I guess it kind of forces you to get better at crosswind landings and take offs. I was particularly proud of my landing/take off at Turner's Falls.

papakeith · Post by **papakeith** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 5:03 pm

the written. . . done

captain_john · Post by **captain_john** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 5:22 pm

Nice!

Way to go!

Keep on plugging away!

CJ

dons · Post by **dons** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 11:06 am

Congrats on getting the written done

Bob Barrett · Post by **Bob Barrett** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 9:45 pm

Keep at it Kieth. You will never regret it. You may someday wish you had not delayed this loong. I was 56 when I started flying and now I am having troubles with my medical. However fortnately I was not on the I-35W Bridge last night in Minneapolis. I get down there regularly but have never taken that bridge. Keep working on that license.

Wicked Stick · Post by **Wicked Stick** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 8:52 pm

Congrats on the written Keith.

I'm flying to ORE Saturday for lunch and to check out someone in the art of formation flying who's got an RV-8 from NH.

If Saturday's your day for a X-country to ORE, maybe I'll see you there.

papakeith · Post by **papakeith** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 10:03 pm

I am heading to ORE in the AM. Of course that is assuming that the 172 I'm supposed to fly got repaired. It was taken off the line Tuesday for a suspected sticky valve.

I'll ask my instructor if I can stop and grab a bite while I'm up there.

papakeith · Post by **papakeith** » Tue Aug 28, 2007 6:22 pm

Another XC is in the books. This time I had to fly into Nashua and Westover, two class D airports. Anyone who has been near me in the past two weeks knows how much I've agonized over the communication portion of my flying. It turns out, it's not as bad as I had made it out to be. Both controllers were very accommodating, and I had no troubles.

All in all a great flight.

Just some night flights, and some hood time and it's on to checkride prep!