08/10/11 First Flight with Passengers!

I was finally able to schedule taking my first passengers up.  I took my sons Jack (12) and William (10).  To be fair, I had already taken them once with my CFI to Williamsburg to eat lunch.  But this would be the first time they had been up with just me.

Everyone was running late.  No one had eaten. No one was ready. I hated my first flight with them to be rushed.  But there was no need to hurry.  I picked up William from a neighbors, fed them some pizza, and we headed down to KFCI.  We go there in good time—rush hour traffic had died down.  I did an extra thorough preflight and explained to them what I was doing. They were engaged and interested in seeing all the details.  William thought the blue gas meant it had water in it since it was blue.  I said the water would look like little beads in the strainer.  He thought I said ‘bees’ and we all had a good laugh about bees in the fuel. 

The boys helped me push the plane out, I pulled the car in, made everyone take a bathroom break, and we were off.

William took the back seat, and Jack sat up front.  We decided on this arrangement because William got to fly with me and the CFI one other time and Jack had not.  We planned to switch seats later. 

There is always something to learn or see on every flight.  This was no exception. The boys liked seeing the biz jet, the King Air, and various helicopters and planes on the ramp as we taxied out.  William loves the King Air and wants to fly one some day.  He also thought the ILS was funny looking, and we talked about what that was.  We planned to fly over our house and neighborhood, then go to KSHD, turn around and come back.  I did the run up, took off on 33 and we were off.

The boys loved to see things on the ground from the air.  We spent a lot of time talking about which direction our house was in.  Orienting them to the world from above.  And just figuring out what the heck everything was.  Things look so different from up here!

 

It was perfectly calm with little wind.  A very smooth ride.  As we got over our neighborhood, we saw the pool first.  Actually, William saw it first—it was on his side.  I circled it so they could see it.  And the shopping center by our house.  Our house is very close, and I shifted to circle that for a moment.  Then we flew over their school.  Once they had had their fill, I headed to KSHD and started climbing up to 4500.

The clouds were well above us but gave a nice fishbowl effect as we flew beneath them. The rays of the sun shining through at times. On the way, I realized it would take a little too long to go to KSHD so I changed our destination to KCHO.  I’ll get to KSHD another time.  I let the controller know about the change of plans.  I was on flight following.  

Along the way, I let Jack take the controls for a bit.  He had a little trouble, but soon got the hang of it.  We saw interstate 64 and talked about how we were following that to Charlottesville.

The boys were excited to see the mountains ahead, and soon we were at the first ridges.  I crossed the first ridge as we descended for a long right base to land on runway 03 KCHO.  They cleared me to land about 7 miles out—I guess they weren’t too busy.

 

Only other aircraft was a Skylane than was 10 miles out on a left base for 03 as I turned final.  So my first landing with passengers.  I made a pretty good one.  For safety, I decided to make it a full stop, and tower instructed me to exit first right. 

I taxied back and we watched the Skylane land. The boys critiqued my landing comparing it to the Skylane.  We tied (I hope they weren’t just sparing my feelings).

 

I was able to keep my same squawk code for the return flight.  I was cleared for takeoff just after the Skylane turned off.  The boys switched seats, and I departed KCHO to head back home to KFCI.

I made the return flight with flight following at 3500.  It too was uneventful and smooth.  Although moderate turbulence had been reported in the area below 12,000, there was not a bump except a very few when we crossed the mountain ridge.  The boys were very comfortable—the last trip I had taken them on was a hot and bumpy Saturday.  This was a clear smooth evening, with temps in the ground in the 80’s.  

I let William take the controls.  He had trouble flying level—kept wanting to climb and turn right.  We talked about the instruments and what each one meant. There were several prisons that we passed over on the way back.  They were interested in these large facilities that were easily identified from the air, including the State Farm in Goochland on the James River. 

We flew over my parents’ house as we approached Chesterfield.  The boys got a kick out of seeing that.  Then I began my descent to KFCI.  As I entered the 45 for the left downwind for 33, another Skyhawk was entering on the upwind.  I did not see him until we were on final.  No wind and another easy landing at FCI.  We taxied back and put the plane away.

My boys had a great time flying.  Their favorite parts were flying the plane, seeing the pool and our house, and the cool mountains around Charlottesville.  It turned out to be the perfect evening.  I as glad to be able to take them up.  I’m sure it is the first of many—and I hope their interest in aviation continues.  They now have had an experience and opportunity I never had—that of flying general aviation for fun and to enjoy the pleasure of flight.

 

07/30/11 Checkride

My first flying lesson was July 14, 2009.  Just over two years later, my checkride took place.  As with my solo on May 21, 2010, I did not feel ready.  But I guess my CFI thought I was ready, like he thought I was ready to solo.

            The DPE scheduled me for 8am on Saturday, July 30.  She could have met at any time, but since I worked, she said the weekend was fine.  The weather all week was hot, but otherwise good for flying. I flew Tuesday with my Instructor and did some paper work.  Then I flew Friday alone and just got some landings in.  I made three perfect landings.  I had added 50 lbs. to the rear baggage compartment to be sure I was safely in CG and the W & B looked perfect.  That really helped on the flare; otherwise, with full fuel and one or two up front, the plane is in its most forward CG configuration.  I cleaned the windshield and wiped all the bugs off the leading edges.  The plane looked fantastic, especially because we had just waxed it after the annual in June.

            Thursday the examiner called and said she’d be running a little late.  So we moved it back to 8:45am.  I know how it gets windier as the day goes on in the summer, and I really did not want it to drag out too long where I’d be flying in higher winds.  I wanted winds calm!

            Friday morning, I got the A/FD and new sectional since the old Washington Sectional had expired on 7/28/11.  The A/FD did not have NC, and I had planned the cross country to KIXA which is in NC.  I emailed my CFI and asked if I should get the Southeast A/FD too.  He said go with what I’ve got.  I stayed up until 10pm that night studying and putting my cross country flight information in a three ring binder.  My tabs were:

1. Weight & Balance
2. Airports (print outs from the digital A/FD)
3. Route
4. Nav log
5. Flight Plan
6. Weather

            I planned the trip on the AOPA flight planner and used that to print my VFR flight plan form.  I also called flight services and got the outlook briefing and went to bed.

            Here is what I was told to bring with me:

·        Logbook

·        Medical

·        Driver’s license

·        Reference Materials

o       VFR Sectional (current, with flight plan on it)

o       A/FD (current)

o       FAR/AIM (current)

o       Reference AFM

·        Printed 8710 (because of FAA computer issues)

·        CFI letter to DPE regarding logbooks and inspections

·        Knowledge Test certification page

·        VFR flight plan (FAA Form 7223)

·        XC plan/log

·        Weight and balance

·        Foggles

            The day arrived, and I printed DUATS off first thing.  Put it in my three ring binder.  Then I went running for an hour with my workout group and afterward headed down to KFCI.  I called flight services on the way down and got a standard brief.  First stop, a quick shower and change in the FBO.  They have a great facility, but the hot water must not have been working.  That was a cold shower! But fortunately, it was already pretty warm outside.  Next stop was the hangar to double check the fuel, oil, and AROW.  All was in order just as it had been Friday. I headed back to the FBO. With my extra time, I reviewed some of my materials. For whatever good it would do. 

            The examiner was a little later than expected.  She was so nice, just as she had been on the phone.  On the phone she had said: We are just going to go have fun—this is not a test to try to trick you or trip you up like on some college exam.  You’ve proven that you have the knowledge and demonstrated the flying skills.  This is just going to be a fun conversation about flying and then you’ll take me flying just like you will friends and family.

            We had been prepared for the FAA computers to be down.  I had a printed-out Form 8710 with me that my instructor had signed.  It turned out we didn’t need it.  The computer was working fine. For some reason, they had been taking the system down every Saturday for maintenance, but had not that day.  So my 8710 was filled out, and we got all the paperwork in order.  Then we sat down for the oral exam.

            She asked me to lay all the items out on the table.  She looked at my log book.  She looked at the knowledge test.  Then with the chart spread out before us, she explained airspace to me.  She had worked as an FAA operations inspector and had been in aviation for many years.  She had a wealth of knowledge.  She explained the politics and business behind the airspace.  Why it was the way it was.  It was fascinating to hear about why things were the way they were.  I heard about how Richmond could have had a Part 121 repair facility, but we lost it to Columbia, SC, because of how inept our City is.  I learned about the Henrico Police and why their hangar is at RIC and not FCI.  I learned about how RIC and CLT were each the same size, but CLT became what it did while RIC did not.  Why air carriers went to ORF and not RIC.  How LYH got its instrument approach.  What having an ILS means to an airport.  Why there are extensions to the E for instrument approaches.  What airspace costs—it can be extremely valuable like real estate.  How RMN was supposed to be a reliever for IAD but how the ILS there is shut down right now because of a dispute over trees on the approach. How the Class B was formed at IAD, DCA and BWI, and the interesting carveouts up there to keep certain satellite airports out of that airspace—one a military flying club.  Much political clout is required for all of that.

            We then discussed the airspace for my flight.  What was required for my –plane to be legal. It had come up that I practiced law and wanted to get into aviation law as part of my practice.  We then discussed CFR 91.213 and the true meaning behind MEL.  It is not just GOOSE A CAT.  When we refer to an STC, what is it supplementing? It is supplementing the type certificate data sheet referenced in 91.213.  She said 90% of all FAA enforcement actions are a result of 91.213 violations.  We discussed that and reviewed it in detail.  It was fascinating.  And she referred me to a flow chart to aid in the decision making process. 

            The type certificate data sheet is a list of all equipment on a particular aircraft when it was first manufactured. That includes the engine and the prop.  Any change to that requires an STC.  That’s why you need an STC when you get the Rosin sun visors or put a three bladed prop on.  It is not just a recalculation of weight and balance.  It amends the original type certificate data sheet for that aircraft. So sometimes pilots and even CFIs get themselves into trouble by thinking certain things can be placarded while the plane is really not airworthy.  The decals on the plane, such as “Keep Static Ports Clear” are required to be airworthy.  It does nt mean the plane cannot be flown physically or mechanically.  It just cannot be flown legally.  A CFI recently flew to CLT in a twin with one fuel flow meter inoperable and placarded.  Well, that gauge is part of the engine, and cannot be placarded. That CFI underwent an enforcement action. So we talked about what made the plane legal to fly, and I really came away with a much deeper knowledge of all of that.

            We reviewed my weight and balance, the runway length at my destination.  “See”, she said, “5500 feet.  For jets.  It’s for insurance purposes.  Many insurance companies will not allow private jets into airports with runways shorter than 5000’.  So it is about money and politics.”  We looked at my route and the checkpoints I had picked.  We talked a bit about the weather.  Then it was time to go fly.  It was already 11:30, so I knew I’d be a bit later than planned. 

            I had left the pane in the hangar since a few things in the preflight, like checking the fuel tanks and strobes, are easier to accomplish in the hangar.  She liked the plane very much, and I checked the oil, fuel, and lights, and then pulled the plane out.  I completed the preflight and sat down, strapped in, and started the engine.  Checked the AWOS.  DA was high.  We had talked about this during the oral, and again we discussed how this increases takeoff and landing rolls. It also affects climb performance, and I knew I’d be close to 500-600 fpm after takeoff instead of the 1000-1200 fpm I get when I’m alone or during the winter.  The wind was 50 degrees off the nose at about 7 to 8 knots.  Later, it had changed to 20 degrees off the nose.  It went back and forth all day. I taxied out to 33, and the runup was fine.  She asked for a normal takeoff since we were simulating a XC, so that’s what I did.  After takeoff, I exited the pattern on the 45 and turned on course and continued to climb. At 2000 feet she told me to level off at 2500.  She asked where we were.  I told her we should see Swift Creek Reservoir off to our right, but it was too hazy.  Also, Lake Chesdin, my first checkpoint, was ahead, but again a bit too hazy at first to see.  Just then, it came into view; however, she asked me to do steep turns after I cleared the area.  She said she’d look for traffic.

            I made a left clearing turn, then a right. It looked all clear.  She asked me to make two steep turns.  First to the right, then to the left.  I had no horizon or visual reference, but she said I’d get some leeway for that.  So I made my left turn, and stopped it on the correct heading of 320.  Then I made the right turn and did the same thing.  I gained or lost no altitude—but I had really been practicing those.  She then asked me to demonstrate slow flight, no flaps, which was again, not too difficult. 

            Next she asked for a power on stall.  I demonstrated that, but felt I may have been to quick to recover because next she asked me for another (I found out later that she does usually have you do it twice).  I did the power on stall again, and I let the stall horn go for some time before recovering.  After I recovered, she asked me to put on my foggles. 

            After I got them on, she asked me to look at my lap but take the controls.  This was totally new for me.  She asked for a left turn without looking up from my lap.  Then a right turn.  She said it very accurately creates the sensation of actually getting into IMC and getting in an unusual attitude.  She then asked me to recover.  I looked up at the panel.  I was in a climbing right turn.  I leveled the wings and recovered from the climb.  She then asked me to navigate back to KFCI using the panel-mounted GPS.  I tuned in FCI and turned 180 degrees to head back.  We discussed that the best course of action even if I didn’t know where the airport was would be to turn 180 degrees and head back to where I knew the weather was better.  I did fine on this portion. She asked me to remove the foggles while she took the controls.

            After I removed the foggles, she asked me to demonstrate turns around a point.  There were no particularly suitable spots, but I picked a house with a pool.  She told me she did not mind what altitude.  I started to circle.  I got a little close, but felt I was doing all right.  Then she asked me to tell her when I was ready to begin.  That took me aback.  So I told her, ok, I’ll circle that house with the pool.  And I did so at 1500’ doing pretty well.  This had been a weaker part of my flying that I had not practiced too much until recently.  She asked me to fly back to the airport when we were done for some landings, so as soon as I got all the way back around, I announced we were done, and climbed to 2000 feet as she had asked to head back to KFCI for landings.  I was so glad to have the flying maneuvers out of the way.

            I entered the pattern and she asked for a normal landing on 33.  I turned base, lined up perfectly on final, and flared.  It felt gusty, and I kept thinking of the winds.  In the flare, the plane came down with a plop on the runway.  She said, that was perfectly safe and within PTS standards, but I know you can do better than that.  I told her that I definitely could.  We taxied back for a soft field take off. I love these.  I kept the nose up and added a notch of flaps.  The takeoff was fine. She asked for a soft field landing.

Again my approach was fine. Flare was good, then we plopped down.  I kept the nose up and stopped in plenty of time.  But she said again, I know you can land better than that, though it was perfectly safe.  But I just want to poke you.  You seem to stop flying the plane.  Just keep flying don the runway. Try not to land.  We talked about it for a bit.  She said she could tell I was the type who liked to analyze everything.  So another takeoff—a normal one.

            This time, abeam the numbers, the engine mysteriously quit as it does on so many checkrides.  I like engine out landings, but I did not do so well the three or four times we practiced before the checkride.  I am not sure what it was.  But I knew I’d make it this time.  Pitch, pick, and troubleshoot.  I turned to the field after pitching for best glide.  Did the engine out checklist.  And then knew I had the field made.  I said so and said I’d add a notch of flaps.  She said a notch? GO ahead and dump them all in! I said ok! I’m dumping flaps!  I put them all in and turned to line up.  I had eaten up some of my runway and was thinking I should have aimed a little further from the threshold.  But we still and a lot left.  I got over the runway and flew the plane.  Held it off.  Tried to keep it from landing.  The wheels kissed the ground ever so gently and we were down.  Great, she said. Taxi back to the hangar.

            So I taxied back not really knowing whether to ask.  I felt like the landings were a negative but the rest was positive.  Maybe that first stall.  Maybe when I first started that turn around a point.  I really had no idea whether I had passed or not.  But I did not ask.  We talked about the landings.  We talked about CFR 91.213.  I put the plane up and did not want to delay by refueling.  We walked back to the FBO.  On the way we ran into my CFI and another student who was ready for his checkride coming out. They talked about the plans for his checkride and they asked me how it was.  I said it was fun.  I really didn’’t know what to say.

            We went into the FBO and the examiner told me to get some water and meet her in the conference room while she did some paperwork. I felt pretty good about that.  She came in after a few minutes with a temporary airman certificate and told me to sign it! I was done! I had passed!  I was excited, relieved, overjoyed, exhausted, hot, thrilled.  It really did not sink in right away—I’m not sure it really has fully yet. We talked more about the landings, more about CFR 91.213. I really did mean what I told my CFI and the other student.  It was fun.  I did enjoy it.  The examiner told me her role is not over, and that I should always call or email with questions or anything I wanted to discuss.

            I drove home very happy!!! A long journey has ended where another begins.  I have my license to learn.