I got a call from my CFI that he could give me my solo endorsement today and also fly him to CHO, drop him off to catch a flight, and get a solo cross country back to KFCI. I couldn’t pass up that chance!!
I headed down to the airport. Flight services reported clear skies above 12,000 and very light winds. Winds at 4,500 were 270 at 13, and I planned the flight there at that altitude. As I turned onto the main road in front of the airport, I saw a Cessna departing on 15, so I figured on using that. I arrived at the gate, and John was waiting for me with his flight bags and work uniform. We headed to Foxtrot 7 for the preflight. Everything looked good, and I pulled 18NS out and pulled my car in the hangar and locked it up. The IO 3690 fired right up, we checked the weather. Broken at 4,600. Well, looked like it might not work out to cruise at 4,500.
I taxied out to 15. The windsock was limply pointing the other way. AWOS reported winds as calm, so we continued to the run-up area and did the run-up. I departed 15 straight out, then turned 180 degrees to the right above pattern altitude to head to Charlottesville. The broken cloud layer looked close, and as I approached 3,500, we decided to head back down to 3,000 msl. It was bumpy. I adjusted for cruise, closed the cowl flap, and settled in, listening to approach. No much traffic. At first, I wondered if we had the right frequency dialed in.
I didn’t use the GPS. The yolk-mounted 496 was having issues. Kept powering off. Something with the cigar lighter. I kept a heading of 330. We spent the flight there focusing on questions for the oral. Some I knew, but didn’t know I knew. They came to me eventually, and the more we discussed, the easier it became. We discussed the electrical system, the battery, airspace, the privileges of a private pilot, what I can and cannot do, what needed to be in the plane to fly legally, minimum equipment, day and night. Can I accept payment for flights? Passengers? Cargo? I knew a lot, had my memory refreshed a lot and determined things I needed to focus on. The 0.7 hours to CHO went by pretty fast.
We flew to the Gordonsville VOR. At that altitude, I didn’t need the VOR to see where it was—I could see it in a field at about 11:50 off the nose. John said a United Airlines pilot owned the land where the VOR was located. We turned toward CHO at the VOR, and contacted tower. They were awake and told us to enter a left base for 21. A mountain just over a ridge called Pine Mountain was our target, and I began a gentle descent as we approached the mountain. We were still bouncing around a considerable amount. I thought of the coffee cup analogy for turbulence I had read in an AOPA article. If the coffee spills out a little, it’s moderate. I was not sure this was that bad, but coffee would be spilling out of the cup.
There were two planes on final and a Bonanza behind us. I saw the second crossing the threshold as I maneuvered to a left base between Pine Mountain and the airport. I reported entering left base to tower and was cleared to land on runway 21. Then an aircraft was cleared for takeoff in front of us. And the Bonanza was cleared to land. I was still on a long left base when I saw the aircraft depart 21. I was still bumping arund as I slowed and added my first notch of flaps. I was hoping that the bumps would stop before landing. The winds were about 6 knots, a slight right crosswind at 240.
I turned final and saw the construction ongoing to extend the runway. A aircraft called the tower to request permission to circle the extended line of 21 to take pictures of the construction at 3,000 feet. Tower pointed us out and the Bonanza, then granted permission. I added a second notch and as we drew close, the last notch. The bumps had ceased, and my approach was smooth. I was drifting downwind and corrected to the right. Still not enough. I made a gentle landing, but somewhat to the left of center. I pulled to the center, and tower instructed me to exit at the next taxiway (Delta) and taxi to the ramp.
We went inside, and I used the facilities. I said so long to John, who went to catch his ride to CLT, which we noticed had not yet arrived. I hurried back to the plane lest I be assessed a ramp fee, removed the chocks, did a preflight walk around, then started up. The linewoman came back out and guided me to the taxiway. They really were very nice this time and no one asked for any money.
I did my run up, and as I held short of 21, John’s ride arrived.
I departed right after and climbed out, turning to the east, flying over the city. I really enjoyed the mountain views.
As I departed, the aircraft taking pictures departed the area, too. Flying back to Richmond. Once out of the Delta, I called approach to request flight following for my return trip. I stayed at 3,500 and kept on a ground track of about150. There was not much activity on frequency, and I had an uneventful but bumpy flight back to KFCI.
I entered the pattern for 15 by crossing at midfield instead of making straight in. There was not traffic in the pattern or on frequency. I entered a left downwind for 15, winds still reported as calm. I never believe the AWOS at KFCI, and the windsock showed a right crosswind. I turned final and made a stable approach. As I touched down, the right wing lifted, and I applied aileron to get it back down. The landing was not perfect, but it was on centerline.
As I taxied off the runway, a plane was taxiing in the opposite direction to 15. I flashed my landing light to indicate he could go ahead, and he flashed back and turned in front of me. I taxied back to Foxtrot 7, my solo endorsement restored and some practice for the oral and check ride attained. The flight back took 0.8 hours on the Hobbs. A great day flying.
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