Today, I made a solo flight trip in the local area surrounding the Raleigh-Exec Airport in Sanford, NC. The weather was mild with a 70 F temperature and a 3 knots wind from 300 degrees. It was sunny at 3.00 PM and after a preflight of the Allegro 2000 LSA, I taxied to RWY 3. I tookoff behind a Piper Arrow with flaps at 15 degrees. I climbed at Vy=70 MPH and retracted the flaps at 200 ft. After the left crosswind leg, I flew towards the city of Pittsboro, NC at an altitude of 3,400 ft.
Turning to the right, I piloted the plane towards the Jordan Lake. Unlike the last trip, the view was excellent with no clouds or haze in the afternoon Sun. I crossed the Jordan Lake and saw a few boats below. I then made a steep turn to the left at 90 MPH and headed towards the KTTA.
I entered the downwind for RWY 3 at 80 MPH midpoint at 45 degrees. I saw a plane flying to the south and clear of the traffic, I turned the base leg with flaps 2 and an airspeed of 65 MPH. I was a little high on the final and landed the plane after a short flare. I taxied to he FBO. Today's trip was a beautiful flight crossing the Jordan Lake and gaining some flight practice as a new sport pilot...
Showing posts with label Aerial Tour of Lake Jordan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Aerial Tour of Lake Jordan. Show all posts
Friday, October 8, 2010
Friday, September 24, 2010
First Passenger: Aerial Tour of Lake Jordan, NC
Yesterday, at 10.00 AM, I arrived at the FBO with my wife, Priya to take her as my first passenger on a flight as PIC...
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A write-up from my wife about our first flight together...
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As we approached the hangar, Allegro N50631 airplane already seemed prepped up and ready for the day's adventure.
A friendly greeting from Betty and Doug at B Bar D Aviation and within a few minutes, we were on our way to a pre-flight procedural check. Prasad explained the steps as he was performing them. Check the engine oil levels. Now rotate the propeller manually ten to fifteen times and test the oil dipstick again, see the tank has filled up. The engine compartment lid comes off easily, see how the screws line up with the lines of the box, we just screw them back in so, not too heavy.
As I watch with a mixed feeling of happiness and curiosity, Prasad slowly and certainly pulls the vehicle out of the hangar and faces it perpendicular to the runway. He is in home territory it feels like, and watching his careful and thorough checks, all nerves are smoothened out. See this is how you glide into your seat, and firmly close the window. Buckle up, wear your headset and lets look at the pre-flight test one.
Soon enough, he adds choke to the start and with a whir and a rev the engine starts to a persistent roar. The sudden noise from this new blue toy like plane is startling. Is this little device making all this sound?! The pilot announces the taxiing and off we go, cruising in the Allegro. For a start, I feel no fear. Doug has already told me something I know by now, Prasad will take care.
I am all curiosity - how will this thing lift itself and us up to the skies - can it really 'fly' ? This cute toy plane, is it real?
Well, we were on runway 21 and inching forward as Prasad looks at the engine oil temperature gauge and the tachometer to pick up. Suddenly, the flight has taken off without any topsy turvy tummies! It lifted up like a butterfly that was hovering over land which has suddenly thought of a better place to be. The skies :-)
I could not feel any fear. I admit I anticipated a turbulent ride but the take-off proved otherwise, assuaging doubts and increasing my curiosity quotient. What more, in store? At a height of 3,000 feet above land, Prasad pointed out to the landmarks in the vicinity. Having never been on a flight in a small airplane before, it was hard to orient myself so suddenly and identify with the reckoning. I was 'blind' as I enjoyed the view.
The radio had to crackle itself in and out as other pilots announced their courses. Prasad made a turn-around as he approached the runway on our return we made a 360 degree turn and returned again to land. They say landings are the tricky bit to a flight. Prasad landed after he was parallel to the ground and barely a few feet above it. There was one jolt as we touched down but that was it!
Betty told me that on a clear day if you go up a few thousand feet the views of the mountains are splendid. I believe her. Doug said that the winter weather is more suited to flying LSA-s because the thermals are much nearer the ground and its easier to ride the thermal then. Less bumps. Well today was hardly bumpy by that count, and we had a nice outing.
-----------------------------------------------------
..
A write-up from my wife about our first flight together...
-----------------------------------------------------
"Over earth and ocean, with gentle motion,
This pilot is guiding me..."
This pilot is guiding me..."
As we approached the hangar, Allegro N50631 airplane already seemed prepped up and ready for the day's adventure.
A friendly greeting from Betty and Doug at B Bar D Aviation and within a few minutes, we were on our way to a pre-flight procedural check. Prasad explained the steps as he was performing them. Check the engine oil levels. Now rotate the propeller manually ten to fifteen times and test the oil dipstick again, see the tank has filled up. The engine compartment lid comes off easily, see how the screws line up with the lines of the box, we just screw them back in so, not too heavy.
As I watch with a mixed feeling of happiness and curiosity, Prasad slowly and certainly pulls the vehicle out of the hangar and faces it perpendicular to the runway. He is in home territory it feels like, and watching his careful and thorough checks, all nerves are smoothened out. See this is how you glide into your seat, and firmly close the window. Buckle up, wear your headset and lets look at the pre-flight test one.
Soon enough, he adds choke to the start and with a whir and a rev the engine starts to a persistent roar. The sudden noise from this new blue toy like plane is startling. Is this little device making all this sound?! The pilot announces the taxiing and off we go, cruising in the Allegro. For a start, I feel no fear. Doug has already told me something I know by now, Prasad will take care.
I am all curiosity - how will this thing lift itself and us up to the skies - can it really 'fly' ? This cute toy plane, is it real?
Well, we were on runway 21 and inching forward as Prasad looks at the engine oil temperature gauge and the tachometer to pick up. Suddenly, the flight has taken off without any topsy turvy tummies! It lifted up like a butterfly that was hovering over land which has suddenly thought of a better place to be. The skies :-)
I could not feel any fear. I admit I anticipated a turbulent ride but the take-off proved otherwise, assuaging doubts and increasing my curiosity quotient. What more, in store? At a height of 3,000 feet above land, Prasad pointed out to the landmarks in the vicinity. Having never been on a flight in a small airplane before, it was hard to orient myself so suddenly and identify with the reckoning. I was 'blind' as I enjoyed the view.
The radio had to crackle itself in and out as other pilots announced their courses. Prasad made a turn-around as he approached the runway on our return we made a 360 degree turn and returned again to land. They say landings are the tricky bit to a flight. Prasad landed after he was parallel to the ground and barely a few feet above it. There was one jolt as we touched down but that was it!
Betty told me that on a clear day if you go up a few thousand feet the views of the mountains are splendid. I believe her. Doug said that the winter weather is more suited to flying LSA-s because the thermals are much nearer the ground and its easier to ride the thermal then. Less bumps. Well today was hardly bumpy by that count, and we had a nice outing.
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