The last Thursday of June my primary CFI and I attended a "Fly In" FAA seminar at Reno/Stead airport, KRTS. This is where the famous Reno Air Races are held. See my older post for pictures of last years event to give you an idea of the venue, then watch the video below as we land at the same airport.

The seminar was quite interesting as the subject was Stall/Spin Awareness, considering that just the previous day there was (as best anyone could imagine what happened since there were no witnesses) a stall/spin accident at my home airport as they were turning base to final. It's one thing to stall 3000' above the ground. Quite another to stall at 300'-600'.

http://www.sierrasun.com/article/20100617/NEWS/100619910

I mentioned in my last post about the scheduling of my "phase check", which had been postponed 4 times due to weather this Spring-urary. And this last time it was a bad starter (I don't blame them) and the owner preferred us not to hand start it. Darn, there went my lesson in how to do that. So we spent 3 hours in the terminal and went over the pre-flight portion of the practical. She felt I was ready but still need to show her my skills in the air. So we are set for this Thursday. I'll let you know how it goes.

Matt

My Faux Cross-country

Hola, It's been awhile. And if there are folks out there who enjoy this blog I sincerely apologize for being remiss with posts (official sounding huh?). Many excuses are available to me, but the number one excuse has been the birth of our second child, Julia Rose. She is super cute, of course.

However, I'm back with only a phase check and a practical test to accomplish. I'm that close!

This last Sunday we had brilliant weather for flying. Clear, calm and cool. I got to the airport a 6am, pre-flighted, planned and pottied; and was in the air by 7am. It had been over a month since by last PIC flight, so I started with quick trip around the pattern on runway 19. Then taxied and took off straight out on runway 1.

My mission was to practice a VFR cross country (that's using NO GPS) and using my E6B in flight. I wasn't endorsed to land anywhere other than O02 (Beckwourth) and KRNO. So I devised a route around the Northern Sierra that kept O02 in sight but gave me good checkpoints and 116nm. Below is my flight plan and results. Let's call it the score card.

As you may be able to see I nailed my time enroute, but that was a bit'o luck. My fuel was off by 2 gallons, so not bad there. Follow along below as I snapped a photo of each of my check points. In addition, take a look at the San Francisco VFR sectional to see the route. You can find the VFR chart at skyvector.com (cool site if you haven't been there yet).

OK, here we go. Feet off the brakes, full throttle (smoothly), airspeed active, engine instruments in the green, V1, rotate...

Two hot air balloons enjoying the same weather as I. This is just after take off, straight out runway 1, looking west over Prosser Reservoir

Looking back on Stampede Reservoir, my first checkpoint.

Checkpoint #2, the small but lovely town of Loyalton, CA. The area beyond Loyalton, in the background is called the Sierra Valley. It is also our practice area. Good roads and circular fields to practice patterns and turns about a point.

Beckwourth pass, checkpoint #3. Looking East from my route.

Frenchmen's Lake was checkpoint #4.

The Herlong airport is in the frame, but hard to see as the airport is roughly the same color as the surrounding dirt. Can you find it? I did, but I was almost on top of it before I did.

Lake Davis off my left shoulder, but still a checkpoint.

Gansner airport, Quincy CA. This is a mildly challenging airport to get in and out of. The airport is surrounded by mountains in all directions. I look forward to landing here once I get my ticket.

Checkpoint Cromberg, I think. It was hard to find it so I guessed. The checkpoint was on the starboard side of the aircraft, which is difficult to see from the pilots seat. Choosing a checkpoint you can see from the pilots window is good, when you can manage it.

And the destination, Beckwourth/Nervino O02. Here I took a break, used the poddy and ate a banana. Then I took off to KRNO for practice in Charlie class airspace and a towered full stop landing, even though I don't need it for my license. I like flying into big airports, for me it is fun.

See you next time. I have a "phase check" for next week, it's like a PSAT for pilots. Then time to schedule the practical!!!!

Diamond DA-40 Ride.mpg

A View of My Airspace

"In the fabric of space and in the nature of matter, as in a great work of art, there is, written small, the artist's signature." Carl Sagan


After my lesson last week I soloed around the North Shore of Lake Tahoe to bag another hour. Enjoy the photos I was able to snap as I aviated, navigated, communicated, then took pictures.

Foreground: Squaw Valley. Background: Alpine Meadows, where I teach skiing.

Looking South towards South Lake Tahoe and Heavenly ski resort.

Looking East across the lake at the East Shore and the Carson Range. In the foreground is what's known as Thunder Ridge. Cool name, huh?

A lone cloud formation half way up the modest mountain that is my backyard, Mt. Baldy, with the 11,000' Mt. Rose in the left background.

Desolation Wilderness in the background, with Alpine's sister resort, Homewood in the foreground. Homewood has the best views of the lake. Sometimes at Homewood it seems that if you blow your turn you'll end up in the lake!

Downtown, or rather most all of, Tahoe City, CA. The large white spot is Tahoe City Golf Course.

Could you ask for a better avionics set up in a trainer?

Better view of Mt. Baldy and my personal playground.

KTRK, aka Truckee Tahoe Airport, looking West at 10,000'.

It's dumping here right now. We are expecting several feet of snow by Saturday. We've already had 16+" since Monday. I love ski season.

I'm Back

"Video killed the radio star" The Buggles

It's been awhile huh? Sorry. Life is a busy thing. Especially around the holidays when my ski season starts and all the wonderful time with family. These things take priority over flying, as they should. These are the things that keep me grounded, starting with my wife and kid(s). Sprout is expected April 13 and we are excited.

I have gotten out twice so far this month, working under the hood to fulfill that portion of my training. I'm really close as I only need: 1 more solo landing at a towered airport, 7 more night landings, another 1 hour or so under the hood, then it's on to my phase check and THE PRACTICAL EXAM.

My instructor agreed to shoot some video of me at the controls, once around the pattern. Enjoy!

Across the Country, By Myself

"An unhurried sense of time is in itself a form of wealth". Bonnie Friedman

On Monday last, Nov. 23, my instructor and I did our dual cross-country to Chico, CA, Oroville, CA and back to Truckee, CA. We flew 68F into Chico's calss D airspace just in time for me to hit the head. This was my first full stop at a tower controlled aerodrome so a clearence to taxi to take off was necessary. This is way different from my home base uncontrolled airport, where you simply announce where you are going to taxi to and then do it. 


Apart from some light chop the flights went smooth. Flying over that part of the Sierra is a little unnerving as there are few, if any, places to bring her down in an emergency. But the scenery is beautiful. For any flight around here I wear solid shoes and clothes; and carry with me water, gators and some food. As well as a good knife, flash light and a jacket. Just in case.

When I woke up this morning, knowing the forecast was for a stable high pressure domination over the area, I called my CFI and asked if she'd meet me at the airport, review my plan and endorse my log book for my first solo cross-country. She agreed! It was just excellent, not even any light turbulence, just a nice steady 12-15KTS wind from the SSE.

My flight plan was similar to our dual night cross-country at the beginning of this month (see previous post) but in reverse and 1 different aiport, one I'm more familiar with. I started in Truckee, to Derby airport in Lovelock, NV, then to Nervino in Beckworth, CA, and back home to Truckee. KTRK-KLOL-O02-KTRK, total round trip of 3 hours hobbs time and 201NM. I had a great landing in KLOL, a good one at O02, and then blew it back home in Truckee. Too high and too fast, ending in a moderate bounce and a light side load. Sorry 68F. Enjoy the photos below!

68F on the ground at Derby (LOL).

Pryamid Lake a good 40+NM away.

Upgraded avionics in 68F, the rivets are still warm. On Monday we were the first to fly her with the upgrade, how cool is that?

A dry lakebed East of Pryamid Lake. If it has to happen, engine out here please.

Pryamid Lake, engine on here please! Pryamid Lake is the end point for the Truckee River, which is the only outlet from Lake Tahoe. So this is where the water from Lake Tahoe ends up, only to evaporate into the Nevada air. Yes, that means the Truckee River doesn't flow into an ocean, one of the few that doesn't.

My destination O02 lies just beyond these two ridge lines, which I approached at a 45 degree angle like the Mountain Flying Bible suggests. Thanks Sparky.

I like the contrast in textures and colors in this photo. Do you? This is the other side of the ridge in the previous photo.

Ski season is almost here and that means less time to flight train. And I'm getting close to finishing my training requirements. It's going to be tight down the stretch. Hang in there with me.

Lesson learned

"If you don't like the question that's asked, answer some other question." Howard Baker


I hear you. Why haven't you posted in a while? Where are more photos? In getting ready for the knowledge test I haven't had time to post and I keep forgetting to take the camera with me. Both of these transgressions are forgivable, so forgive me, OK? So here is what has been happening since my last post.

Reno Solo

I went to Reno on my own. Solo into class C airspace. Be sure I said "student pilot" on my initial contact to Reno approach, and then once more with Reno tower. Saying this alerts the controllers to slow down and "hold my hand" through the process.

I was much better with the radio calls; both making and listening. I found it easier to listen to ATC calls by myself. I also feel my calls were easier without my instructor in the seat next to me, judging me, correcting me and generally making me nervous. I don't seem to have the same self consciousness by myself, and since the voices of ATC are disembodied their personal approval or disapproval is not so important as understanding and complying with their instructions.

One of the reasons why children within a certain age range can learn multiple languages better than adults is that they are not afraid to make mistakes. They inherently know they are expected to make mistakes and will be corrected when they do. They take no shame when committing a mistake and being corrected, so the lessons sink in better. This is the idea I am taking into learning to work with ATC. So far it is working as I am making mistakes and learning from them.

After I made 2 good touch and go's I received permission to depart the area to the West. So I asked the controller "How'd I do?". He came back a told me I did fine except for not reporting my position midfield on the downwind. "Then again," he said, "I forgot to tell you to report there." Lesson learned.

Fly by Night

On Monday Nov. 1st the weather was clear and calm, and a full moon was floating over the Carson Range. It is one of the most beautiful sites in the Tahoe area and one of my favorites. So I called my instructor and arranged to use the opportunity to do my first night training.

So after a thurough preflight using my headlamp and topping off the tanks we headed off into the crisp Sierra night.

Our first stop, Reno Stead (RTS) where the Air Races are held (see previous posts). As we climbed over the ridge and looked down to Stead we could see lights everywhere, including Stead's beacon but no runway lights. I keyed the mike 7 times and lit up the runway lights. They popped into existence in succession down each runway, it was the coolest thing to see and control! I made a decent landing considering it was my first at night and a right traffic pattern (which is my weakest pattern to land in).

A quick taxi back to the beginning of the opposite runway (did I say the winds were calm?) and back into the air heading to Lovelock Derby Field (LOL). We had a 40 minute flight and for the most of it I had on the foggles. What are foggles? They are a training device like sunglasses, except they limit your vision to the flight instruments only and "fog out" outside references. Basic instrument flying at night and I nailed it. I feel this is an aspect of my training that was enhanced by my years of flying MS Flight Simulator. Score one for me and all you other flight simmers out there.

Derby Field was desolate, especially at night. So after a quick potty break and snack we were "back taxiing" on 19 to head home to TRK. Another 30+ minutes under the hood (that is with the foggles on) and we were approaching Reno. You could see the glow over the mountains surrounding Reno from miles out. Then we soon passed over Reno at 9500'. How cool is that, I thought.

Followed by an uneventful but excellent landing at TRK. I'm getting better at landing smoothly every time. It is a pleasure to do this and it is my favorite challenge of flying. But still room for improvement, lesson learned.

Test Time

Yesterday I drove down to Minden, NV and Hutt Aviation to take the FAA Written Knowledge Test for Private Pilots. It is ironic that I took the "written" test on a computer, huh?

So I've been preparing hard for this test the last two weeks. Once I set the test date appointment I bared down hard on the Gliem practice test book. I also used many of the on-line prep test sites, but only the free ones.

Taking the test was easier than using the Gleim book as there were fewer questions and the figures were in a separate book, instead of in the middle of the book like with the Gleim. I was sequestered in a small room with the proctor and placed in front of a computer, no surprise there. The CATS system was easy to use and I had no troubles. If you use a CATS testing center for your exams make sure you get a $10 off coupon from AOPA, it's worth it.

Results? I scored a 92%. Score another one for me. My prep paid off and now I can look forward to finishing my training and taking the practical exam. This is going to happen, no doubt.