Lesson 23

DATE: 25th April 2012

AIRCRAFT: C172P N54288 

ROUTE: CHD --> {Southern Training Area}  --> KCHD

DURATION: 1.0hrs Dual

LANDINGS: 3

TOTAL TIME: 46.2 hours (+ 45.5 JAA)

Lesson Summary - Re-visited stalls and steep turns.

Next Flight - 30th April 

Solo Cross Country 2 : >200nm

DATE: 22nd April 2012

AIRCRAFT: C172P N54288 

ROUTE: CHD --> KPRC / KPRC --> E25 --> KCHD

DURATION: 3.5hrs PiC

LANDINGS: 3

TOTAL TIME: 45.2 hours (+ 45.5 JAA)

Lesson Summary - Long cross country. Departed KCHD. Class bravo transition to KPRC. Stopped at KPRC. Then departed to E25. Departed E25 back to KCHD. Part of the flight had to be a previously un-visited airport.

Next Flight - 25th April 

Lesson 22 - Stage 3 check

DATE: 21st April 2012

AIRCRAFT: C172N N734HC 

ROUTE: CHD --> GOLDFIELD --> CHD

DURATION: 1.0hrs Dual

LANDINGS: 1

TOTAL TIME: 41.7 hours (+ 45.5 JAA)

Lesson Summary - Stage 3 stage check with one of the chief CFI's. Had to navigate to an unknown private strip and then divert. Hood work. Back to CHD.

Next Flight - 22nd April (long solo cross country)

getmypplcast #006 / First Solo Cross Country

This audiocast covers part of my first solo cross country flight. I flew KCHD -> KTUS -> KRYN and back to KCHD. I am sharing the audio from my initial contact with Tucson Approach through to leaving the active runway at KTUS. As you will hear 

The Flight - 18th April 2012 / C172N N734HC 

Direct Link 

getmypplcast #006

KTUS Audio

Want to share with you a small piece of audio from my solo flight today. Soon I will release more audio from this flight.


Today, I was cleared for take off on 11L shortly after two F16's landed on the same runway. Was expecting 11R which is generally used by GA. Ended up having a American Airlines lining up and waiting behind, plus a Southwest 737 on a 5nm final to the same runway.


KTUS 11L Audio

Solo Cross Country 1

DATE: 18th April 2012

AIRCRAFT: C172N N734HC 

ROUTE: CHD --> KTUS --> KRYN --> CHD

DURATION: 2.7hrs PiC

LANDINGS: 3

TOTAL TIME: 40.7 hours (+ 45.5 JAA)

Lesson Summary - First solo cross country to KTUS and KRYN.

Next Flight - 20th April (stage 3 check)

Correction in total hours

Seems I have lost track of my total hours on this blog. Have updated my logbook this evening.


New corrected hours are as follows;
Total FAA Training = 38hrs
Total FAA PiC = 6.7hrs
Total FAA Night = 3.5hrs (10 landings)
Total FAA Cross Country = 7.3hrs
Total (FAA + JAA) = 83.5hrs

Lesson 21

DATE: 16th April 2012

AIRCRAFT: C172N N734HC 

ROUTE: CHD --> CHD

DURATION: 1.0hrs Dual

LANDINGS: 3

TOTAL TIME: 34.6 hours (+ 45.5 JAA)

Lesson Summary - Stage 3 check preparation. VOR, GPS navigation to AK CHIN. Diversion to KCZG and KCHD.

Next Flight - 18th April (2nd dual cross country)

Mountain Flying

This week I had my third (second day time) cross country flight. This particular school incorporates mountain flying into the syllabus. I flew from KCHD to Prescott Airport (KPRC) north of Phoenix and then onto beautiful Sedona (KSEZ). Had breakfast in Sedona before returning back to KCHD.


There is a mountain ridge north of Phoenix. This flight basically took us either side of this mountain at a height of 8500'MSL northbound and 7500'MSL southbound. Flying higher would have been an option, but the winds aloft were relatively light.


The flight incorporated training from my previous two flights, i.e. flight planning; opening a flight plan; class bravo transition; flight following and landing at other airports. 


Both Prescott and Sedona lie at elevations at approx. 5000' above MSL. I therefore had my first introduction to arriving/departing at an airport with an altitude >3000' MSL. This meant leaning procedures. We departed Sedona with a density altitude of 6600' which resulted in a loonnngggggg takeoff run.


Here is a sample of the cockpit audio on the first leg to KPRC.
KCHD --> KPRC Sample Audio

My instructor had time to take a few photographs for me as we headed northbound and then southbound.

Cross Country 2

DATE: 9th April 2012

AIRCRAFT: C172P N54288   

ROUTE: CHD -> KPRC -> KSEZ -> CHD

DURATION: 3.0hrs Dual

LANDINGS: 3

TOTAL TIME: 33.6 hours (+ 45.5 JAA)

Lesson Summary - 2nd dual cross country to Sedona and back via Prescott.

Next Lesson - 1st April (2nd dual cross country)

Solo 8

DATE: 7th April 2012

AIRCRAFT: C172P N54288   

ROUTE: CHD -> {Southern Training Area} -> CHD

DURATION: 1.1 hrs PiC

LANDINGS: 7

TOTAL TIME: 30.6 hours (+ 45.5 JAA)

Lesson Summary - Solo flight practising short and soft field procedures.

Next Lesson - 9th April (2nd dual cross country / Mountain Flight)

New Flight Bag

My old flight bag that I bought 12 years ago has fallen apart. I was basically carrying too much inside it. I de-cluttered when I started my cross country, but the bag started falling apart last week.


I have treated myself to a new flight bag. Was looking for something durable but not too big. Decided to go with the Jeppesen Aviator Flight Bag.

Jeppesen Aviator Flight Bag

Mixing with Military Traffic

A cool part of flying in Arizona is getting to mix it with Military traffic. On my two flights down to Tucson, I have had a chance to listen to ATC talking with Military Pilots.


Check out this audio;
KTUS Audio 
KMZJ Audio

Night Cross Country

DATE: 2nd April 2012

AIRCRAFT: C172P N54288   

ROUTE: CHD -> KAVQ -> CHD

DURATION: 1.8hrs Dual

LANDINGS: 5

TOTAL TIME: 29.5 hours (+ 45.5 JAA)

Lesson Summary - Night Cross Country

Next Lesson - Solo Soft and Shorts (7th), 2nd Cross Country (9th)

1st Cross Country

This week I had an early start for a cross country flight from KCHD to KTUS and back (Tucson International Airport).


Planning for this flight started the night before. I pulled out the sectional and determined some headings and distances. I arrived at the airport at 07:30L and started to pull the weather data. I then finished off the nav sheet. We then filed our VFR flight plan with 1-800-WX-BRIEF. Wow, what a service!


By 08:45L I was in the aircraft ready to start the flight. 

The plan was to fly CHD -> TUS -> RYN -> CHD. For the first leg to TUS we flew using dead reckoning. Had issues with radio on the way down, so we didn't bother filing for flight following. 


My first flight into an International Airport was just amazing (okay, I have flown once into EGNT which is international). KTUS is a hive of GA, Civil and Military traffic. 


After departing KTUS, we flew to RYN (8 miles west of TUS) and then onto KCHD. We filed VFR flight following with TUS DEP. Received this service all the way back to KCHD. Signed off with PHX APP once we had KCHD in sight.


Many lessons learnt during the flight. Work load was high especially on the radio. For my next flight, I know how to manage my kneeboard, charts etc more efficiently. I will also be more confident talking on the busy frequencies.


Selection of audio from the flight
TUS CLEARANCE DELIVERY audio
VFR FLIGHT FOLLOWING audio


Selection of photos from the flight

Tri-fold - Try-harder!

You can't accuse me of not being prepared for my first dual cross country. I had everything except the kitchen sink (that would have thrown off the weight and balance!).

I bought a tri-fold knee board back in 2000 but never used it. Thought I would check it out this week. To be honest, it was ditched during the taxi out. Everything just felt cluttered. I couldn't get full deflection on the control yoke. There was sufficient space for my E6B, pencil, student certificate and my flight plan. But that's it.


I found it easier to place the E6B in the side pocket near the primer. I then used a white A4 size clipboard with my nav log on one side and the appropriate sectional on the other side held on with a large paper clip. The airport taxi diagrams slotted in nicely behind the nav log. My pencil remained in my top pocket and the plotter slotted nicely underneath the sectional. I ended up using two maps for the flight. One was the Phoenix Terminal chart (for the departure) and the other was the Phoenix Sectional (covering airspace down to Tucson). The one not in use was placed n the back seat where I could easily reach when needed. A side note, having the sectionals folded correctly back on the ground at the flying school was important to help keep the time off the controls to a minimum during the flight.

Maybe, it's because I am tall, but I just can't see the tri-fold working out for me. I'm going to stick with the clip board for the next couple of flights. The tri-fold needs to try harder!


Compare the two pictures. I think I have well and truly spring cleaned my navigation tools.

Cross Country 1

DATE: 28th March 2012

AIRCRAFT: C172P N54288   

ROUTE: CHD -> KTUS -> KRYN -> CHD

DURATION: 2.5hrs Dual

LANDINGS: 3

TOTAL TIME: 27.7 hours (+ 45.5 JAA)

Lesson Summary - 1st dual cross country.

Next Lesson - 1st April (2nd dual cross country)

getmypplcast #005 / Night Flying

Audiocast

This audiocast covers my first Phoenix Class Bravo crossing at night! Flight lasted 1.7hrs. Route = CHD, KPHX Bravo transition, DVT, SDL, FFZ, IWA and back to CHD.

The Flight - 20th March 2012 / C172N N734HC 

Direct Link 

getmypplcast #005

Solo 7

DATE: 26th March 2012

AIRCRAFT: C172P N54288   

ROUTE: CHD -> {Southern Training Area} -> CHD

DURATION: 0.9 hrs PiC

LANDINGS: 3

TOTAL TIME: 25.2 hours (+ 45.5 JAA)

Lesson Summary - Solo flight practising stalls and steep turns.

Next Lesson - 28th March (1st dual cross country)

Night Flying - Class Bravo transition

For many wannabe Pilots, there is a burning desire to transition bravo airspace across the top of a major international airport.


In 2010 I had the pleasure of sitting right seat in a C172 over the top of KSFO during the day (N84695 in the photo.

This week I had another chance, but this time I was in the left seat of a C172N . On Tuesday evening at 1915L, we departed 22R at CHD and proceeded to climb west to 3500'. At that point we called Phoenix Approach on 123.7Mhz with the transition request. 


http://www.upload-mp3.com/files/339116_fznop/Bravo%20RT.mp3


The Bravo transition was approved.

On the other side of the bravo we descending into Deer Valley for a touch and go. For the rest of the flight we flew to SDL, FFZ, IWA and back to CHD. I will release the audio from the cockpit soon.