Rich's Quest For Flight

KRYV 232256Z AUTO 11003KT 10SM CLR 22/09 A3015 RMK AO2

My business trip this week was to the Phoenix, where the average daily high temperature was around 110F (43C). Boy was it ever nice to get back to Wisconsin, then to fly on a superior night like this. In fact, I wasn't even expecting to fly since Adam said after my solo that we'd get into flight planning for our cross country work. But you can't blame him for not passing up an afternoon like this. So there's the reason why he asked me when I walked in if I had done any grass landings yet. I said that I had, but certainly not since I really learned how to land. So with our excuse for flying I went out to preflight the plane, and then we were off.

We headed south to Palmyra (88C) and set up to enter the pattern for landing on Runway 9. Things were a lot different at Palmyra this time compared to the first time I was there. Then there was a lot of activity around the field, with planes taking off frequently for rides and such. This time we had the place to ourselves, mostly. This first landing went very well. A plot of trees about 800 feet in front of the runway gave us a bit of a thermal pop, which left us a little high for landing, but that was easily corrected. The second landing was quite satisfactory as well.

After the next takeoff, I spotted a plane directly ahead and above. There wasn't any traffic on the CTAF, so I had no idea what this plane was up to. Then it turned toward us and was descending. I quickly turned the plane to crosswind and put that plane behind us. Just then did the other pilot announce that he was also entering the pattern and that he had me in sight. Also turned out it was the airplane that took off from Watertown after we did. So I got our plane around and landed, and exited the runway as soon as I could. This landing wasn't as neat, landing a little flat without a good flare, but it worked. We climbed out and headed back north to Watertown.

Along the way I found an intersection to practice my turns around a point. It was really pretty easy, and we agreed that this is something I can work on by myself as I build my solo hours. So we landed in Watertown and pulled up to the pumps. The plane was being rented for the whole weekend, so there's no further flying this weekend.

Everything feels great. I'm still buzzing from last Sunday's solo. Now the challenge will be to not get complacent or overconfident. I don't think it'll be a problem. Next lesson will be a ground lesson on Monday, see you all then. Thanks to all who have passed along their best wishes, I really appreciate it.