Over the past week I worked on the presolo test. It was pretty straightforward although I wasn’t sure how much to say on some. One question in particular was what to do if the engine ran rough in flight. I wasn’t sure whether to exclude things that didn’t apply on the particular plane I would be flying, for example adding carb heat. I figured everything would come out in the discussion before we went flying and it did. We went over the test question by question before heading out to fly. For the most part I did pretty well. The only thing I had to look up and correct were the limitations on student pilots as they were looking for a much more thorough answer than I originally gave. In the end I wound up stating all of them I just had to write them down.
After our brief discussion, I went out to start preflight. I had a new toy, a gats jar, which greatly improved the fuel testing. I could actually have done every single sump with out emptying it, but I chose to pour the samples back in when I checked the fuel levels. Score one for the environment. Josh came out about half way through and tried his best to distract me, but it never really works out. Nathan gave up most of the flight instructor tricks during the ground school and so I am paranoid and usually catch on. After a thorough check we loaded up.
Starting the plane was completely normal. It has become sort of second nature at this point. I clarified the plan, which was to stay in the pattern. I called clearance delivery told them who we were and what we wanted to do. They told us to go ahead and as usual, for me, contact tower for taxi. I did the run up out of the way on the ramp everything looked good. I called the tower and asked for taxi clearance which they granted pretty much immediately. It was a short taxi since 23R/L were the acitve runways. As we arrived, I told them we were ready for takeoff. They cleared us, although I wouldn’t have minded waiting, and seeing the jet on long final I hurried out of there.
We did three trips around the pattern. I was well aware of the fact that I needed to do the best I could because these three landings were the deciding factor in the matter of my solo. The wind was weird. It wasn’t terribly windy but there was a crosswind that varied from directly across the runway to almost a direct headwind. This made it a little hard to judge. The first landing was going according to plan until just over the edge of the airport property. At that point the threshold was getting really big. I was afraid I might not be able to salvage the landing and that I would have to do a go around. I thought that would blow my solo, but I kept it in mind. Instead I calmly added power and held it level until we were back on course. I pulled the power and finished my landing. It wasn’t incredbly smooth, but it was a decent landing.
The next two times around were mostly uneventful. Both landings were good enough. As a perfectionist, I wasn’t satisfied with them, but they were alright. One thing I learned the first time around was to carry a little power all the way down. Apparently this is a common technique with larger aircraft. What I know is that this techique pretty much improved all of my landings. What I want to figure out now is how to fix my problem on the flare. I do it too early or I don’t do it enough. Maybe I’m just chasing too perfect a landing.
Just after touchdown on the third landing, Josh keyed the radio and asked if we could do a full stop and keep the same squawk and stuff so he could get out and I could solo. The controllers said go for it. So I taxied up to the 182 and let Josh out. He got his stuff, let me know to watch the weather that he’d put up on the MFD, and told me to make sure the door was latched. I closed and latched the door and taxied over to the edge of the ramp where I radioed that I was ready for taxi. They cleared me to 23L and I proceded to A8. I didn’t think it would be all that different without anyone else in the plane, but it was really weird without anyone backing me up. I radioed that I was ready for takeoff and they cleared me. I rolled out, made a quick check of the instruments, and pushed the throttle to the firewall. My takeoff was perfect, but I was a bit more worried this time because I’d just done the easy, optional part. Now it was time for the long part followed by the hard, mandatory part, the landing. There was no turning back. Once I was all set up on downwind I snapped a quick picture (probably mildly unsafe but I was more focused on flying anyway). When I was abeam the numbers, having recieved a cleared for the option call from atc, I pulled the power back to 1500rpm and dropped in 1 notch of flaps. I turned base, checked my airspeed, and dropped in the second notch. I turned final, dropped in the last notch and lined up with the runway. I rode the plane in and put it down well inside the touch down zone (which isn’t saying much since that’s about a thousand feet of runway). I was a little off center so I took a little extra time to line it back up while the flaps came up and I pushed the throttle all the way in.
Just after I left the ground, the controller did something that threw me for a loop. I’m used to being told what to do, but this time the guy asked me what I wanted to do. I figured it was all the same, but I would be more out of the way, so I took right traffic and 23R. It worked out pretty well. The only plane I was competing with was the Navy DC-9 that was currently refueling. My circuit went pretty quickly and just as I was about to turn base, my downwind got extended. I stayed pretty slow, trying not to go too far and take forever on final. They turned me just over the hill from Pellissippi. It wasn’t bad. I waited until I was on final to slow and add the last two notches of flaps. This time landing was a little easier and I was pretty much straight and centered. Overall it was a pretty good landing. I took back to the air and considered asking for left traffic again, but the controller was preoccupied with some small jet that was all over the place on the taxi. I opted to continue making right traffic and ask for a full stop when I reached the downwind. Interestingly enough, just as I was about to ask for a full stop, the controller came on and cleared me for another touch and go. At this point, I asked for a full stop landing and my request was granted.
Once back on the ground, I thought I might have a little bit of a wait to cross 23L. I was surprised to hear them hold the Learjet and even more surprised when he explained why. Apparently there was some poor guy lost out off the departure end of the airfield, just flying around. I was fine with this because it was smooth sailing back to the ramp where Josh was waiting. I taxied in and got set up to park. We pushed the plane back and went back inside. There was some fanfare and congratulating, we discussed the experience, and my shirt tail was cut. By the way, my favorite shirt survived but the undershirt did not much to my wife’s chagrin.
Now begins the fun part – cross country training. I’m excited.