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Another lesson in Cessna 152, 94247, May 17, 9am

Weather: 17 10:53 NE 8 10.00 Mostly Cloudy BKN022 79 65 62% NA 81 30.15 1020.8

Got to the airport 10min in advance... I really wasn't sure it was going to happen as I drove through patches of beautiful fog on I-278.... But at the airport, sky looked clear above clouds!

The FBO was closed and the instructor was not around... He showed up a bit late and he was expecting already preflighted plane (a surprise to me...). I did the preflight on my own (insert: wide grin!) while he cleaned the winshield. We talked about winds aloft (needed to XC flights); I learned what the digits after AO2 are in the METAR (temperature in thousandths of C, and altitude in mb, which, I correctly guessed, is for Euro pilots).

Taxi: As usual had problems with taxiing @ 1000rpm - I just do not feel those goddamit breaks Smile

Note to myself: be delicate stepping on them as Carmen does not enjoy the plane shaking! All the time I am under impression I go too fast, but apparently that's the way it is - going slowly fouls the plugs (bleh!). Also, the trick to turn is to apply rudder in steps: full left - center - full right.

I did my first comms: "Solberg traffic, Cessna 94247, backtaxi to runway 22, Solberg". Backtaxi was okay but why did we turn around right at the end of runway?

Takeoff: I rotated too late, at 65 Sad

should apply pressure at 50kt to rotate at 55kt (and checked everything in green, and apply FULL THROTTLE!!!).

This time we flew around the clouds and it was very cool! We had a layer at roughly 1700ft, which we I had to fly on the top of. Super cool. Air was very smooth, no turbulence.

Pitch-Power-Trim: this is to climb: first pitch to the desired pitch attitude (glance at the attitude indicator). then adjust power to the desired climb rate (do not exceed 500ft/m), then trim down. In climb press on the right rudder; more when turning right, less when turning left. For whatever reason (have to check this one) left turning tendency is constant. To level off initiate 10% before desired level.

Turns: note to myself - be more aggressive and always apply rudder in coordination. Actually, on 10-20deg turns I really "felt" the coordination and it was a "good feeling"... a pleasant feeling. (CFI also demoed really uncoordinated position, it felt like a "vomit" position Smile

Note: a nice 30deg turn can be easily judged by looking at the Cessna's wing strut - when parallel to ground you have the right bank angle! End the turn 10deg before desired course.

The descent: I got lost in my head (information overload?) but I was flying very well (hey he was even impressed by coordination!). I learned how to reduce throttle - do not watch the rpm - just listen to the noise change. I liked this a lot. Note: remember to reset the gyro before tracking to the airport.

I knew where we were (above the reservoir) because I learned the Google Map of the surroundings by heart Smile

but then, in cloud I could not locate the airport - so he use VOR to find where the airport is. I flew the left pattern with few adjustments... the checklist went like a blur... (note: 3 trim rotations down! do not reduce power to back throttle...) I then did an attempt to land Very Happy

Next time (5/31) : preflight check winds aloft forecasts. Get a real logbook. Bring books. Do not fixate on a one instrument, keep scanning. Ask why noone else was flying while we did fly (with so many clouds...).