Building More Solo Time

Lesson 31
11-26-12
0.9 hours logged
37.0 hours total recorded in logbook

Though I'd been hoping to fly my first solo cross-country today perhaps and had prepared myself for this, when I arrived at the airport Joe told me that between the cold temperatures, low ceilings and snow showers, he didn't think it would be the best day to make such a flight both for my sake and for the Cub's. He did, however, deem it a good enough day for solo pattern work. The wind velocity was low and the wind there was was practically straight down 29.

While Joe warmed the engine, using the engine heater, I preflighted the plane. Joe pushed it out of the hangar and I climbed in and closed the door. Today, for the first time, I would be doing everything from start-up to shutdown on my own. After getting everything in the cockpit situated and in order (important when you're flying solo), I mentally went through the start-up procedures in my mind as my hands performed the steps and the engine roared to life. A look at the instruments showed everything reading the way it was supposed to so I taxied out to the end of the runway. There, I went through the pre-takeoff checklist and, taxiing onto the runway, was set to go. Remembering Joe's admonition just before I'd left to make sure not to advance the throttle too abruptly because of a tendency these Continental engines have to choke and cough and sometimes even quit when the throttle is pushed forward too quickly in cold temperatures, I made sure to add the power smoothly and gently so the engine wouldn't gulp in too much cold air and was airborne in seconds. I noticed at once the improved engine performance due to the cooler temperature--the climb rate was excellent.

It seems that it takes me once around the pattern to sort of re-aquaint myself with things so on my first approach I found myself coming in way too high. Although I might have been able to get it down to the runway safely, since I didn't like the look of things, I simply decided to abandon the approach and go around. Joe had reminded me before I left that this is a perfectly viable option.

Turning downwind for 29

My next approach was much better and I made a gorgeous three pointer on the grass. Beautiful! I noticed on this flight that it actually seems almost easier to land without the extra weight of someone in the front seat. The plane is just lighter and feels easier to control. I left the carb heat in so the engine could breathe warm air as I advanced the throttle for another takeoff. Once climbing out, I could easily push it in with my foot. I made three more fairly decent landings on the grass, then decided that since I was doing fine with those, I would try a couple on the pavement. So next time around, I lined myself up with hard surface 29 and made a landing, admittedly not quite as smooth as those on the grass had been, but I was down.

After trying one more of those, I decided to try a couple crosswind landings on runway 36. Joe had told me I could try this if I felt brave. The wind was not blowing too strongly so I figured it would be a good day to try a few solo even though it was a direct crosswind. I entered a new pattern and started my approach.  Left stick, right rudder, all the way to the runway and I was down. Whew! I took off again, made one more trip around the pattern, one more crosswind landing and decided to call it a day. Those crosswind landings can still be a little more exciting than I like! I guess that just means I need to work on them more. But it had been almost an hour anyway.

So with eight new solo landings to my credit, I taxied back to the hangar, cut the engine and climbed out. I was rather stiff with the cold and back in the warm office I made my first entry in my logbook with a hand still numb but I was excited to have made another successful solo flight and to add another 0.9 hours to my solo flight time. 

Despite the gray day, there was still a gorgeous
sunset that evening. The red sky seems to indicate days
 of better weather soon to come.
Perhaps I'll be able to fly my solo cross-country soon!

Joe had disappeared but Stephen talked to me for a while about what's next after I finally get my solo cross-countries done. It really isn't that much--just a few more hours of work but I don't see myself finishing before Christmas between weather, the holidays, and people's busy schedules. As long as I finish before spring though, I'm content. I suppose I have to be. Nothing can change the weather. I only hope I can get my cross-countries done soon. It would be nice to finish in less than 60 hours too.