Well, after many delays due to weather, I was finally able to finish my solo cross country work. Thursday was a fun flying day. The weather started off kind of nasty, didn't think I was able to go up, but was able to.
If you've ever seen the movie “Airplane,” and know the line “I picked the wrong day to quit smoking.” Well, today would have been “I picked the wrong day not to take Dramamine.” I should note, that I don't take Dramamine before I fly. If you had a weak stomach Thursday, wasn't the day for you to go up.
Thursday I took 707PD up for a spin for my long solo cross country, which had to be at least 150 miles, with at least three stops, one had to be at an airport with a control tower. Took off from runway 28 at KRYY, had to extend my upwind for about 3 miles but was able to bank right and head on my course and go to my cruising altitude of 5,500. When I called the Flight Service, and when I opened my flight plan with the Macon Flight Service Station, I was warn of moderate turbulence below 8,500 feet. They weren't stretching the truth!
As I passed over Allatonna Lake, the plane was bouncing around lightly, nothing too major. As I got closer to my cruising altitude it got rougher and rougher. As I passed “Alert Area A-585” near Sugar Hill, I started to experience Moderate to at some points Severe Turbulence. At one I actually left off my seat a bit before the seatbelt locked, my feet came off the rudder pedals, and I felt my bum lift off the seat. It was rough. A good challenge though. It's weird that in a way, I enjoy turbulence, but I respect it. When I start IFR training I will have to see how much I like it then with my “Foggles” on. When I passed West of Blairsville Airport (KDZJ) the turbulence let up. Had a successful and quite smooth landing at KRHP (Western Carolina/Andrews, NC Airport.) Since taxiway Alpha 1 is still closed, I had to make the announcement on the radio that I was taking to the active runway, and will do a 180.
Took off from KRHP for a cruising altitude of 6.500 heading to Pickens County (KJZP.) Never been to KJZP before, so it was a nice change and something different too. Flying there wasn't as bumpy as going from KRYY to KRHP, but there were times that it go bumpy. Had a bit of a tricky landing on runway 34, as the crosswind was very close to the maximum demonstrated for my Cessna. I had lined up for the center line on the runway, but due to the strong crosswind, I was a little off by the time I landed. Nevertheless, all three wheels touched the ground safely, and taxied back to the start of runway 34 to head back to KRYY.
It was time for me to head back to KRYY, so took off from runway 34, and went to a cruising altitude of 4,500 feet. Again, not much turbulence, but there was some. When I took off from KRYY earlier in the day, the METAR for KRYY at 1646 Zulu was winds 280 @ 6knots. By the time I was flying back, winds were coming straight down the runway at 290 but at 12 knots with gust up to 23. Now, the good news of it all was that it was pretty much down the runway so I didn't have to deal with crosswinds, but the (potential) problem was the gust. At one point during the landing portion, I felt the plane losing altitude too fast, and was able to give it some power before a problem were to occur. Well, I used the winds to my advantage to kill some of my speed and aerodynamic breaking on the runway, so I was actually able to exit off Alpha 4 instead of the usual Alpha 3. Nevertheless, landed safely and that ended my trip for the day.
So, since all my cross-country solo work is done, and I've finished the 10 hours of solo flying needed; it's now time for me to get ready for my check-ride with the FAA Examiner and the Oral portion of the test. On Tuesday (weather permitting) I'm going to do some solo work, and on Wednesday my instructor and I are going to go up and will be doing the maneuvers that I will have to do for the Examiner.
Below is the route that I took for my Long Solo Cross Country (KRYY-KRHP-KJZP-KRYY.) Map provided by Skyvector (Click on link for bigger picture, and to take a look at the site!)
Here are two Pilot reports (translated for Non-Pilots) that were reported by other pilots in the area I was flying in on Thursday:
Below is the route that I took for my Long Solo Cross Country (KRYY-KRHP-KJZP-KRYY.) Map provided by Skyvector (Click on link for bigger picture, and to take a look at the site!)
Here are two Pilot reports (translated for Non-Pilots) that were reported by other pilots in the area I was flying in on Thursday:
PIREP – 3/1/12 – Flight Level 7,500, Type BE36 (Beechcraft Bonanza 36,) Turbulence Moderate to Severe
PIREP – 3/1/12 – Flight Level 7,000. Type C25B (Cessna 525B Jet... interesting note, I actually saw this guy when I was flying to KJZP,) Turbulence Continuous Moderate to Severe Chop
Interesting note about today's (Friday 3/2/2012) weather. The Storm Prediction Center has placed us under a Tornado Watch until 12AM Saturday. Yesterday (Thursday 3/1/2012) I turned on my AC for the first time this year, and today it's still on. As of this writing (6PM on 3/2/2012) it's 76 with a heat index of 78. Today's high was 76, and yesterday it was 77.
The two maps below are from the National Weather Service in Peachtree City for the severe weather tonight (Firday 3/2/2012)
The map below is from the National Weather Service Website. Yellow is current Tornado Watches, and Red is current Tornado Warnings.
Below are the prediction maps from the Storm Prediction Center
Keep ya seat belts on, it will be a bumpy right tonight in the sky and on the ground!
3 point solo cross country! I remember mine RYY-AHN-TOC-RYY in 707PD. You are very close to your PPL, what else do you need now? You got your 5 hrs solo XC?
ReplyDeleteI really like 707PD, I wish they would fix the right magneto. I just ran the numbers, and checked the AIM, and I've reached all my mims. This week should be meeting up with my instructor and going up to see what needs to be ironed out (steep turns are killing me, makes me a little sick too.) And then will go up with Joe or Bob for a practice test and meet up with Hutch to practice for the oral, and then I will be ready. I was hoping to take the big test by the end of the month, but weather, and my schedule this month has kind of messed it up, so hopefully the very beginning of April. I've already started to get very nervous. How is everything going with you?
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