Flights 8-12
Flight 8 (9/20/00) (Total Hours: 13.5) - I started scheduling my flights at 8:00am in preparation for when it gets darker and I'm no longer able to fly in the evening. I got up at 4:30am (wanted to get up at 5:00 am) and couldn't go back to sleep. Left the house at 6:30am and got there around 7:30am. Preflighted the plane and Ron joined me as we took off around 8:00am. Took off from runway 7 in the humid and foggy Orlando air turning west then south. We flew by Universal Studios and Sea World as we headed south to practice landings at Kissimmee. There was a pretty good wind from the East and it kept blowing me off course so I had to crab into the wind. I did one touch and go and kept hearing banging noises from the airplane. As we did our next touch and go, Ron radioed the tower and asked them if they saw a seatbelt flapping in the wind. Sure enough, I closed my door on the seatbelt and the end kept banging on the door. We made a full stop the next time around and I got my seat belt back in the airplane! Back in the air again and I'm feeling more comfortable with landings even though they're still scary. My landings weren't great but they were landings! Then, Ron pulled the power to idle to simulate an engine failure and I made a sharp banking turn from base to final while doing a forward slip to lose altitude. I set the plane down but was pretty nervous as well fell rapidly with high airspeed as we came in. Headed back to Orlando Executive and felt pretty good about landing the airplane. Even though they're not very good, I feel I can put the aircraft down without wrecking it!
Flight 9 (9/23/00) (Total Hours: 15.3) - Off to the practice area again and we did slow flights and stalls to review. I did a couple of them within PTS (Practical Test Standards) and they're becoming very familiar now. Turning while in slow flight requires slow controlled movements. Another emergency descent (our airspeed during descent was about 115 knots) and then a simulated engine failure with a real go-around after we got close to the ground. We also touched on radio failures, hot oil temperatures and alternator failures. Back to Executive and I did almost all the radio communication this time. My landing was okay, but I'm still not where I want to be with those yet. Ron says landings take a long time to become proficient at.
Flight 10 (9/27/00) (Total Hours: 16.8) - It was real hazy this morning. We took off as Ron did a soft-field takeoff. I'm not sure I caught it all but basically, you pull the nose back before it even comes off the ground to keep it from plowing into the ground. Then, you fly the plane in ground effect then ascend. Over south of the practice area, he pulled the throttle to idle and I simulated an engine failure. Pitch the aircraft to 60 knots and find a suitable landing area (I was way too slow on this). I also ended up picking a poor spot to land as well. Something told me this wasn't going to be a good day. Next, an emergency descent for an engine fire. No problems. Flying south we head to Kissimmee Airport. We fly over Disney and contact the tower but because it's so hazy, we can't find the airport. Ron's not lived in central Florida a long time so he wasn't as familiar with the area as I am. He thinks the airport is to the west and I say it's to the east so we go my way and after searching for a little bit we find it. Do a few touch and go's and then we head back to Executive as the haze seems to be getting worse. My landings still leave a lot to be desired. There were birds on the runway near my aim point which worried me a little. That and the turbulent air (plus my lack of skill!) made for some so-so landings.
Flight 11 (9/30/00) (Total Hours: 18.6) - We headed east today as the weather looked better there than our normal practice area. Near the Stanton Power Plant I did a few stalls. They weren't very good as I had forgotten how to do them completely. Like Ron says "This ain't like riding a bike." Then, we fly over to Space Coast Regional Airport (TIX) on the east coast where I proceed to do a few touch and go's. Again, not great as I round out too high. Then he let's me fly back to Orlando Executive using pilotage which is nothing more than navigation by ground references using the map. That's easy for me as I use maps all the time. We fly by the giant Bithlo towers at 1609 AGL (Above Ground Level). You want to stay away from these as they're so tall and can really ruin your day! My landing at Executive is great (according to Ron). I'm not sure what I did different but he says it was just perfect. Ron tells me that he'll probably be leaving in early November sometime as he finishes his training to get a job as a pilot for UPS or Fedex or someone else. I'll have to get a new instructor then. Not sure how I feel about that yet. I like Ron but wonder how I'll do with a different person as well.
Flight 12 (10/7/00) (Total Hours: 19.2) - I thought it might rain this morning but it didn't. Once we got airborne, the ceiling was about 800 feet AGL (above ground level) so we had to stay right at the airport and do some touch and go's in the pattern. The second time around in the pattern just after the tower cleared me to turn base, Ron pulled the throttle to idle and said I lost the engine. I brought it in but didn't turn fast enough to final so he had to add power to make the runway. The third time around the pattern I extended the downwind and the ceiling was getting lower which put me below the buildings at downtown Orlando so we made it a full stop landing. I was disappointed as I wanted to fly more. I executed this last landing correctly as it was a crosswind landing. It still came in hard. <sigh>