Flight Trip with my Dad: KTTA - KHRJ - KTTA

On Sunday, August 7th, I took my dad for a short cross-country round trip of about 60 miles from Raleigh Exec Jetport (KTTA) in Sanford, NC to Harnett County Regional Airport (KHRJ) in Erwin, NC.

I preflighted the Allegro 2000 Light Sport Aircraft around 10 AM on a sunny and clear day with slight winds from the southwest. I started the engine after giving my dad a preflight brief and taxied to RWY 21. I tookoff at 56 mph with flaps at 15 degrees and climbed at 75 mph heading south. We saw the confluence of the Haw river and Deep river that forms the Cape Fear river. Our flight track was aligned with the Cape Fear river that flows through Lillington, NC all the way to Wilmington, NC where it drains into the Atlantic Ocean.




This was my first trip with the iPad WingX moving map application as my portable GPS backup. My father held the iPad and watched our flight progress, as I continued piloting the airplane using the primary GPS in the cockpit instrument panel. WingX for iPad is a great aviation tool. I plan on utilizing it for my flights as a backup GPS Map, for preparing flight plans and gathering NOTAM and weather information.

I cruised at an altitude of 4,500 ft in smooth air at an airspeed of 100 mph. We flew above the town of Lillington, NC and I crossed the Harnett County Regional Airport runway midway and joined the downwind for RWY 23. I descended following the takeoff by a Piper Cub and did two rounds on the pattern. I then climbed above the runway and turned north towards Sanford, NC. We flew above the Coble Water Ski and Wakeboard Camp.

I started to descend about 15 miles south of KTTA and we encountered some turbulence around 2000 ft altitude due to the summer heat. I checked the weather at the airport and the winds now favored RWY 03. I planned a long final with no flaps at about 70 mph. After the touch down, I exited the RWY at the second turnoff. I taxied to the FBO and switched off the engine near the hangar.

My first cross-country flight trip with a passenger, my father, was a great adventure for me as an FAA certified pilot. We both then drove back home.

Flight Trip: KTTA - KHBI - KTTA

Today at Noon, I preflighted the Allegro 2000 LSA from the FBO - B Bar D Aviation and taxied the airplane to the RWY 21 with my wife as a passenger for a trip from Raleigh-Exec Jetport (KTTA) to Asheboro Regional Airport (KHBI) and back to Raleigh-Exec Jetport. The sky was clear with winds from 190 degrees at 6 knots. I tookoff with 15 degrees of flap and headed west towards KHBI. I climbed to 3,000 ft. There was a strong headwind that reduced my indicated airspeed of 95 MPH to a groundspeed of only 75 MPH. There were some thermal induced turbulence. We enjoyed our flight enroute with the Fall colors of North Carolina presenting a fantastic view. Twenty miles east of Asheboro I listened to the AWOS and the winds favored RWY 21 at KHBI. I entered the downwind for RWY 21 and landed the plane after a short final. I then taxied the LSA to the GA area and switched the engine off. A Remos LSA was parked nearby and the pilot greeted us. We had a short conversation. I then started the engine for taxiing to RWY 21.



I performed the before takeoff checklist and tookoff with no flaps. After the left crosswind leg, I headed east towards KTTA. We crossed the HWY 220 NC and again we enjoyed the Fall colors below throughout our flight. On the return trip, I had a 20 knots tailwind and now my groundspeed was at 115 MPH. Above Goldston, NC, I listened to the AWOS and the winds still favored RWY 21 at KTTA. There was some traffic on the CTAF and I had a Piper just 4 Miles behind and 400 ft above my altitude. I crossed the mid-field of KTTA RWY and joined the downwind for RWY 21. I landed the airplane after a longer final to bleedoff 200 ft of excess altitude. I then taxied to the FBO. Just a couple of minutes later, the Piper Cherokee also landed at RWY 21.



Today's flight trip was 80 NM and I have now accumulated about 11.5 hours of cross-country flight time.

Flight Trip: Solo Flight Crossing the Jordan Lake

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...