A Beautiful Landing and My First Radio Communication

Lesson 15
6-15-12
1.1 hours logged
16.6 hours total recorded in logbook

I had another flying lesson today at last--my first in two weeks. It sure was a hot day for it later in the day than usual too. Perfect weather for flying with the door open!

CubAir hangar and office

Having not flown for a couple weeks, I felt a slight bit rusty. "You haven't forgotten how to fly have you?" Steve asked as we taxied out. "I hope not!" I replied thinking, I guess we'll soon find out. At the end of the runway, I taxied right out to the middle and lined up for takeoff totally forgetting to do the pre-takeoff checklist! As soon as Steve asked me what we'd forgotten, I knew! Oh brother! How could I have done that?! "Don't worry, you're not the first it's happened to," Steve told me. Maybe so, but it's still embarassing, I thought as, with a sheepish grin, I taxied us back to the side of the strip to do the run-up, hoping nobody else had noticed.

With that taken care of I taxied us out once again prepared for takeoff but before before beginning the roll Steve pointed out the red button fastened to the stick. I'd seen this when I got in and knew what it was for but certainly didn't expect to be using it. Steve, however, told me simply to push the button and say, "Hartford traffic, Cub one eight six, departing runway one-eight, Hartford." Easy, right? Whoa! Wait a minute! Talk on the radio? "Uh,  I think I'd better practice once with you first!" I said and repeated the words back to him. Okay! I thumbed the button, "Hartford traffic...Cub one eight six...departing runway one-eight...Hartford." It was my first radio transmission! Not as bad as I'd imagined at all! In fact, pretty fun!

I made a decent takeoff and made circuit No. 1 around the pattern. As I made the approach, I remembered what we'd talked about last time. Flare a little sooner, keep those wings level, now eyes down the runway and start that stick coming back smoothly. I felt the plane begin to settle, sinking toward the earth. Steady now, keep that stick coming back. There you go! You've got 'er made now! And just in that instant, I felt all three wheels touch in the most beautiful landing I've ever made! "Sweetness!" Steve enthused while I laughed with sheer delight as I said, "That was a lot better than I was expecting to do especially on my very first one!" We'd drifted a little farther down the runway than I thought I would've liked to but still rolled to a stop before reaching the intersecting runway. As we taxied back, I basked in the glow of accomplishment. That landing felt sooo good!

We made twelve landings total (touch-and-goes actually) at least one more of which was near perfect. I only bounced a few this time--not very bad--and when I did, I stayed right with it and didn't let the plane get ahead of me. I guess if nothing else, one benefit of all those bouncers of the past few lessons is that I've learned to recover from them!

Now I've just got to get that level-off in there a little quicker. Steve told me after we'd taxied back to the hangar at the end of the lesson where half a dozen people sat watching, "You have all the pieces, now it's just a matter of putting them all together and doing it consistently." Again, he assured me it won't be long and I'll be doing it myself. I know he's right. I'm gaining confidence with each lesson and the thought of soloing no longer scares me as it once did.

What a wonderful flight! It was great!

I was very pleased with this lesson. I could sense definite improvment and am really beginning to develop a feel for that perfect landing. I sure surprised myself with that first one today! Add to all of that the gorgeous flying weather and I would say this was one of my best lessons ever!

Once as we flew the pattern Steve asked, "Do you remember when, as a kid, you used to look up when a plane flew over and think, I wonder what it looks like from up there?" "Yeah, I do," I replied smiling. "Me too," Steve echoed. "Ever since I was four or five on." He didn't remark further but the unspoken implication of his words was, "And now look. We both get to experience it for ourselves and it's every bit as wonderful as we always dreamed it would be." As I breathed deeply the fresh air blowing about us and looked down at the patchwork of fields and green woods below, I couldn't have agreed more!