07/14/09-Lesson 1: First Flight (Discovery)
I really couldn't believe more folks weren't flying. It was a great morning.
Monty drove up shortly after 8:30 am, and we walked over to Foxtrot 7, the T-hangar where N18NS, the Cessna R172K Hawk XP owned by my law partner, Skip, is kept. We opened the hangar door and Monty showed me how to do the preflight. Of course, first we wrote down the Hobbs and tach--I was paying this time.
Obviously, I learned a ton about the airplane. Two antenna--one required for each Comm radio. The wire between the tail and the center of the wing is for the ADF (UHF). Small antenna on the tail are for the VORs. Counterweights in the elevators help reduce fluttering.
Meanwhile, we checked the aircraft over. From bolts to cotter pins, aileron hinges to fuel contamination. Eventually, we were ready to pull the plane out of the hangar. For the first time, I climbed into the left seat. Master on, fuel pump: high, mixture rich, prop full, throttle 1/8 of an inch in, and turn the key to start--wow! We were ready to go!
Taxiing--I looked like a drunken sailor, all over the place. Fortunately, Monty was ready to help out, but by the time we made the first turn, I was better. 90 degree turns are not so easy. My seat may have been up a little far--Monty said my heels should be resting on the floor and I should be moving the rudder pedals with the balls of my feet--lifting my feet to depress the brakes when necessary (and don't use the brakes too much). I asked whether it was common practice for aircraft to announce their taxi intentions on the CTAF when taxiing from the hangars to the runway. Monty said that it is not encouraged, because (especially on a busy day) there would be too much chatter--did he say he was departing? On the runway? On final? Better to just announce departure and entering/in the pattern, and exiting the runway. When we got to the run up area, I moved my seat back a few notches. Runups complete, we heard a CAP Flight on a five mile ILS final for 33. Announce. Strobes on. We made a quick departure.
Now, the wind was about 60 degrees off the nose to the right and was up to around 11 knots by the time we departed, so Monty did the real work while I "followed" him with my hands on the yoke and feet on the rudder pedals. Right rudder, right ailerons, full throttle, and we accelerated down the runway. As we lifted off, Monty eased off both the rudder and the yoke and then told me, "your airplane, the FAA wants us to keep climbing at full power to about 1000 feet. Keep the nose about on the horizon." So that's what I did. Another aircraft announced that it was on the 45 entry for the left downwind, 33. Monty announced we were departing straight out. Monty saw the traffic, an SR-22, to my left, before I did. He knew where to look because the reservoir to our left was about 6 miles from the airport (it's also shaped like an arrow pointing directly to KFCI--a fact that would come in handy later). The SR-22 had announced he was 5 miles out, so knowing where to look was easy when you knew the landmarks. We heard traffic on the CTAF inbound for 23 Chesapeake. Yes, similar sounding runway configuration, same CTAF frequency, similar sounding airport name, all in radio range. Your FCC at work.
There was a fair amount of chop below 2000 feet. As we bounced around, I remembered my previous experiences flying N18NS and also what I had read: it's like driving on a dirt road--let the plane fly. Don't over correct. Monty mentioned it was like a boat. It bounces on the waves, but it will stay afloat. I noticed my death grip, and took one hand off the yoke and used just the fingers of my left hand to move the yoke. Monty dialed back the power over 1000 feet. I kept it pointed at 330, and the nose level with the horizon.
Once we got above 2000, the bumps grew less frequent and it became easier to control. The earth heats the air, and it is bumpy close to the ground, Monty explained. We leveled off at 3000 and turned north to find my house. I guess that is SOP for a "discovery" flight. I saw my parents' house first, and I circled to try to take a picture with the BB--no dice. It was not working well. Something was wrong, and it would not save. Oh well, I wasn't going to get many pictures. Next we flew on to my house. We descended to 2000.
Now I live to the west of KRIC, north west of KFCI, and just under the outer ring of the KRIC Class C airspace which extends from 1400 to 4200 feet. Monty told me to make a right turn. He knew visually where the Class C was. He called Potomac Approach and advised that we were doing aerial photography work and that we wanted to fly at 2000 feet in the northwest corner of the Class C for a few moments. Approach did not seem to be busy (the controller was working two frequencies), so our request was granted, and we were given our very own discreet four digit squawk code. I circled my house at 2000 feet, and tried to get pictures. Again, the BB was inop. No matter. We turned east and saw downtown Richmond, KRIC easily visible just beyond. Hey, there's my office. Much better to be up here!
We departed the area to the southwest, and Monty had me fly toward the reservoir. The area over Swift Creek Reservoir is the practice area for students at Heart of Virginia Aviation at KFCI. When we arrived, Monty had me execute a standard-rate right turn, maintaining airspeed and altitude. Then a left turn. Then a climbing right turn. Then climbing left. Then descending turns. The entire time, I controlled the throttle, prop, trim, etc. I sped up and trimmed the aircraft. I slowed-down and re-trimmed. We discussed power, pitch, trim, and airspeed. Funny, in the climbing left turn, I needed right rudder to center the ball. Monty told me not to worry about the ball. Use visual references to fly the plane. That's why it's called VFR. Just check heading, airspeed, and altitude every once in a while.
Time to head back to the airport. Monty said we'd make a simulated ILS for 33. He gave me headings to fly, and we started back. I noticed the gyro heading indicator was off from the magnetic compass. Monty explained precession as I readjusted the gyro to line-up with the magnetic compass. The CAP Flight announced taxi intentions. Monty and I laughed because of our prior discussion. An aircraft announced a departure from 33. Then the CAP Flight departed just before we turned final. Another aircraft announced on the 45 for entering left downwind for 33. I stayed at 2000 to intercept the localizer. The needle began to move, and I turned in.
Once lined-up, the glide slope became active. I pulled back the power. I kept about 80 knots and had to fly about 10 to 20 degrees to the right because of the wind, which was still about 030 at 11, to stay lined-up. Monty threw in some flaps. I advanced the throttle. He showed me how the PAPI and the ILS were about the same. Two white, two red. After a few moments, I noticed we were a little high in the approach. I decreased power, and the plane descended. Monty put in another notch of flaps and, as we approached the threshold, said, "My airplane. Follow me." Again, he did the work, but I followed along with my feet and hands on the controls. Monty made a very nice landing with the stall horn sounding just before the mains settled on the runway. Right rudder and right aileron. Keep flying the airplane as you slow down.
Then, "Your airplane". I continued to slow the plane and taxied off the runway. Cross the hold-short line. Strobes off. Flaps up. I taxied back past the Pilatus, around the apron, back to Foxtrot 7. Monty took control again and turned the plane 90 degrees, lining up perfectly so we could push N18NS back into the hangar.
After the plane was safely stowed away, we discussed the medical, training, and ground school study--studying on your own vs. taking a class at the airport. We shook hands, and I rushed off to work in the building I just seen from the air. It was a great experience--now to convince the wife!
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