Took my girlfriend on a Bay Tour yesterday. The weather and the views were amazing. I miss living in NorCal…
“Gateway Tower, Cherokee 9126M is 8 to the northeast, 3,500, looking to transition westbound for a full stop at Chandler.”
“Cherokee 26M, transition approved at or above 3,500, altimeter 29.83, and ident.”
“Transition approved at or above 3,500, 29.83, and ident, 26M.”
“Temperature 40 Celsius, dewpoint 2 Celsius, altimer 29.86…”
Why yes, that is a 38 degree temperature spread.
It’s been a while since I’ve written anything about flying, but today I went flying for the first time since I’ve moved to Arizona. I did a checkout with the chief pilot of the FBO at Chandler (KCHD) in a Piper Warrior.
Random things about todays flight:
- Flew a Piper Warrior II, which is the first time I’ve ever flown a low wing.
- The throttle on the Warrior is badass! (Cessnas have boring push rod throttles…)
- The cockpit was 140 degrees (this is not a joke) after sitting on the tarmac under the hot AZ sun.
- It’s fucking hot in Arizona.
- The Warrior feels bigger than a 152. That’s because it is.
- We were barely getting a 500 ft/m climb on upwind.
- Did I mention it’s fucking hot in Arizona?
- The combination of thin air and what felt like heavier controls made the Warrior less responsive than the 152s I’m used to flying.
- GREASED a landing a KCGZ.
- When I say greased I mean I didn’t even know we had touched down. When I lowered the nose I figured out I couldn’t go down anymore.
- Finished up with 1.1 hours on the Hobbes.
- Chief pilot said whoever taught me to fly did a hell of a job. My instructor back home was happy to hear that.
Also, my permanent FAA PPL card came in the mail. Today was a good day.
+ 9
I’m getting checked out in a Piper Warrior.
I moved the day after I got my PPL. So now I’m getting checked out in a Warrior at an FBO at KCHD. I’ve never been PIC of a low wing aircraft before. Hmm…
Instructor prices are double what they are back home. Good thing I already have my license.
+ 4
It’s been 9 days since I’ve flown as a PIC.
I’m going to get checked out in a Piper Cherokee at the nearest FBO soon though…
+ 1
My PPL checkride is less than 24 hours before I move to college.
Trying to study and pack and study some more and then say some goodbyes and then study some more is getting ridiculous.
+ 5
I keyed the CTAF 7 times and watched the black hole on the ground 5 miles ahead light up like an arcade game.
A few minutes earlier, “Oakland Center, Cessna 415 has the field in sight.”
“Cessna 65415, roger, radar services terminated, squawk VFR, frequency change approved, be advised you have Embraer 120 traffic two zero miles in trail inbound for Chico.”
“OK, 1200, switching over, and I’ll listen for the traffic, thanks for the help, Cessna 415.”
My instructor and I headed up to Chico last night to log some night and hood time. After being released from Oakland Center, we entered the pattern with a Skywest Embraer 120 behind us, inbound from SFO.
I kept the downwind tight, the base even tighter and turned off the runway quickly in an attempt to keep the Brasillia from going around.
The night ended with 2.5 hours of night, 1.0 hours of simulated instrument, and 5 full TOs and landings to a full stop. Success.
+ 10
After landing checklist at Tracy, CA KTCY.
This place is a ghost town…I’m only here for the XC hours.
