All day at work, I could tell the wind was dead and the clear sky was taunting me. So after work, I headed down to KFCI to practice my landings. When I pulled up to Foxtrot 7, there were two planes out—Eric’s Baron was at one end of the T Hangars, and at the far end there was a Corvalis. They wer all talking toeach other—and there was my CFI, Monty. I stopped to talk for a bit. Then I started the pre-flight (the part I do in the hangar like checking fuel and oil, checking the strobes, putting down the flaps, etc.), and as I pulled the plane out, the owner of the Corvalis was putting it away. So I turned the plane to the left to go out that way (away from the runway—away from direction I normally go). I pulled the car in and shut the door to Foxtrot7.
As I got near the corner, the guy with the Lake that is in a nearby hangar turned the corner. Now I had a predicament. He was stopped. I was stopped. Facing each other. He was not quite around the corner, highwing, but lower than the 172’s and shorter. It looked like I clearly had enough room. And he was waiving me on.
I approached slowly and got within a couple of feet from the hangar to my left. He was giving me a thumbs up. I gave the thumbs up and kept coming forward. I was several feet clear of him on the right and of the hangar to my left, but it was closer than I would have liked. As my wings cleared, he taxied on. And I taxied straight ahead and stopped, waiting to turn until he was clear.
The wind was reported as calm, but the windsock clearly showed the predominant breeze from the north, so I taxied to 33. Did my runup. Monty was in the Baron with Eric. They were now taxing out behind me. A Mooney was inbound and was entering the crosswind for 33. As I pulled out on the runway, I could see him cross in front of me and turn to downwind. I took off to follow him.
As I turned downwind, he turned base and final—very quick plane. I noticed the Baron in the run-up area. Another audience and this time my CFI! And I hadn’t flown in quite awhile. I hit the speeds dead on and crossed the threshold pulling the remaining power. I floated a bit, eased it down, and sort of plopped onto the runway. Felt kind of flat. I asked Eric later, and he said it looked fine—maybe just a bit more flare!
I came to a stop, raised the flaps, and took off again. Turned crosswind and Eric was departing right behind me. A King Air was ready to go right after him. Busy day. I watched the King Air depart on downwind.
The next landing was better, of course. Perfect flare, mains touching gently, then the nosewheel. Stopped, flaps up, took off again.
Last landing was much as the second. I taxied off the runway and back to Foxtrot 7. The fuel truck was busy, and they said it would be about 15 minutes, so I put the plane away and left without topping off.
Glad to get some landings in, but certainly need to get the last remaining hours in for the checkride. Hope to do that soon.
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