Kids and Flying!

Nobody is more excited about my climb up "Everest" than my son Teddy. He is totally ready to start taking flights as he puts it: "Just with you Dad!" Teddy also loves fishing and we eventually want to be able to fly up north and take advantage of waters which you can't reach quickly or easily by car.

I worked on the written last night and tonight. I took a combined 100 question test on chapters 1-4 last night and scored 95% and today I did the same with 60 questions and scored 90%. I have the goal of scoring 100% on the written, but I just don't know...I think I'd have to go really crazy to go from somewhere in the 90's to 100%. I do have a family and do have to work...but we'll see....I haven't given up the idea, just trying to honestly evaluate what this entails. Some of the harder chapters are still ahead of me too, like the weight/balance and takeoff/landing distance calculations. I'm doing this so far without ground school. I wouldn't mind a really good ground school, but the time and money involved may be prohibitive....either way though, still climbing the Everest...no turning back this time!

Airspace Classifications!

Solo behind me, still climbing hard on the Everest. Yesterday, I worked through 100 random questions from chapter's 1-4 of my Gleims and got a 96%. I love 3x5 cards...I use them for everything! Here is one of my study aids to the right...I carry these cards around with me and when I get a few spare minutes during the day I whip 'em out and study on the go!

SOLO!

I started thinking about my first solo when I was 13 years old...I thought I would do it when I was 16...that was the initial plan...but the plan was still followed...just a few years later--26 years later than planned! When I arrived at KFES after school yesterday, the winds were too high at first to consider solo, but they slowed down and after 3 landings with my instructor, he asked me if I was ready? I told him I felt ready and I dropped him off. As soon as I started the takeoff roll it felt different, really different without my instructor on board and the airplane was literally wanting to jump off the runway....I was struggling to keep it on the ground until the proper airpseed was attained when my window, for some unknown reason popped open...luckily I had plenty of runway and pulled back the throttle, hit the brakes and consulted my instructor. Even though I was spooked now, I knew I had to do it. I was ready for the feeling during the takeoff roll this time and once I was airborne all of my jitters went away and I felt very relaxed. Winds were calm, the setting sun was beautiful, airborne straight north from runway 36, a warm February evening. I climbed to 850 feet, then turned crosswind, at 1250 feet, I pulled back power to 2200 RPM and trimmed it for straight and level flight, I settled in at 1300 feet, turned downwind and relaxed and enjoyed the view for a few seconds. Midfield--carb heat, 1500 RPM, keep the nose up until white arc, 6 seconds flaps down = 20 degrees, 2 spins of trim nose up, luckily she settled right into to 70...all smooth. Turned base at the two ponds and started judging altitude and relationship to runway 36, I still felt calm, all good. 900 ft. turned final, lined up with runway...over the tree line a burst of wind, no problem, I didn't let it phase me, this was me, nobody else who controlled it through the wind, it was a great feeling....runway made, pulled all throttle off, a little wind at about 50ft, no problem, touchdown right on the numbers...not the prettiest landing, but I was down...pulled up to the hangar, shut the plane down...time for pictures--see above!! In the end, I think this would have been easier when I was 16!! It all hasn't really sunk in yet...I encourage any of my flying readers to share their solo stories in the comments below and for all of you climbing your own various "Everests" feel free to post any milestones you would like to share.

Still climbing the Everest until late last night, worked through all 171 questions in chapter 4 of the Gleim's...this time I got an 89%...last time 71%....progress being made, major climbing....climb the Everest. Next, I will take a combo test of chapters 1-4 for review and then start hitting chapter 5 this week. Chapter 5, that's a tough one--weight and balance, take-off and landing distances using some really hard to decipher graphs, the density altitude is easy enough...plenty of work ahead....a lot more work and a lot more difficult than I ever imagined, but climbing your Everest isn't easy...otherwise you would have already climbed it long ago!

X-Wind

Another tough, but really good lesson today. We had a crosswind out of the southwest using runway 18 today. Since this was our first good weather day in a while, there was a lot of traffic for KFES. I watched a couple of planes come crabbing in for their landings, some landing about halfway down the runway...and this is a short runway--2200 ft.! During the run up, other pilots radiod about the x-wind and the gust above the treeline on 18. We stayed in the pattern and did several landings. Of course, they weren't the prettiest landings, but I felt this was some really good practice. I actually enjoy crabbing into the wind and lining up with the runway and I plan to always keep my x-wind landing skills tuned up as best I can.
It was warm today, in the 50's, the first warm day in a month. The only down side of that was that the warm cabin mixed with the bumpy ride gave me a twinge of airsickness, which I sometimes get (but not recently) when I don't fly regularly...but it passed soon enough...but like I always say, if you are climbing your Everest, it won't be easy and there will be many obstacles to overcome. Speaking of overcoming obstacles, I am 5'6'' and had been really struggling with seeing over the cowling and simultaneously reaching the rudder pedals while still being far enough back from the firewall to be able to comfortably pull the yoke all the way back if needed. I had gone on the Pilots of America forum and found a lot of useful advice. Today, I gave up some height, so I could more easily control the rudder pedals. I also wore my new Skecher's Shape Ups that my wife, Sue, surprised me with for this very purpose. The Skechers bought me at least 1/2" in reach....and every little bit helps. I have also been getting some good distance mentoring and I will write more about that soon in a future entry. Finally, all I need is a calm day/morning and then...the solo?!? So yeah, everything is coming together and I feel like I am getting ready to conquer the air, climb further up my Everest and bury a lot of demons!

Todays photo: Inside terminal at KFES.

More Snow

We received about 3"-4" inches of snow overnight, so that really sealed the deal--no flying today! But, in between shoveling our driveway and our neighbor's driveway with my 11 year old son Teddy, I studied some more for the written. I took the study test for Chapter 4 of the Gleim materials and it was tough. I really need to memorize the VFR weather minimums in different categories, no not categories, I believe the correct term is CLASSES of airpspace. But, I still managed a 71% which is still passing. My goal is to somehow get 100% on this test. There are 742 questions...and I think I can know them all. My grandfather recommended that I buy a Private Pilot's Handbook (see photo). I ordered a used one, they are no longer in print. I am not as sure as he is that this is the "key" to passing the written! LOL But, I believe, that when he took the written in 1963, that is was indeed quite useful!! But, nonetheless, as a person who loves history, the history of aircraft and the artistic styles of the 1960's, it was worth the few bucks I spent on it.

KFES Today

KFES is covered with ice as you can see. Teddy and I went out there this evening to check it out. So, no flying tomorrow....plus we are expecting more snow tonight and tomorrow...But, I studied chapter 3 of my Gleim stuff tonight...got 87% on the practice session...not bad considering I hadn't studied that section for a couple of years. On to Chapter 4 tomorrow.

Festus Memorial Airport

Needless to say KFES or Festus Memorial Airport, does not look, at the moment, like this pic I took back in October. Even though this winter storm was not nearly as bad here as the weather people predicted, I still haven't had school all week. And yes, for my readers who might not know, I am a high school German teacher in a large suburban district. I first visited KFES in the summer of 2006 one evening with my son Teddy, who was 6 years old at the time. We both took to the place and often visit the airport to watch airplanes while we eat lunch, usually McDonald's on the picnic tables near the runway. Because Teddy only knew Lambert and Festus airports, KFES became the "Baby Airport"...which is actually a pretty good name for it...and it is small. The one Runway-- 36/18 is just 2200 feet...there might only be one other airport in Missouri with a shorter runway. This can make landing and instruction here a little tricky, but I would have to think that in the end, it will also make you a better, more exacting pilot....landing out here on our "carrier"! The best part of the airport are the people...always friendly, always willing to let us hang out, look around, just do our thing...not all GA airports are that way. The people that fly and instruct here do it because they love it, not to try to get as much money as they can from you or to show off at all, this is the real deal. There are also a lot of wooded hills near the airport and over the years Teddy and I have seen coyotes, deer and turkeys...and yes all of those animals crossed the runway....so you have to watch out!! Sadly, this airport, like many others across the country, is under threat. The city of Festus sold it or is selling it...I have heard various rumors about the airport's future and I will investigate or ask my readers to comment below if they have any solid information. It is also sad that this is Jefferson County's only airport, a county with over 200,ooo people....the majority of the locals, just don't seem to understand how economically important a thriving airport can be for the future well being and of our community. But, I grew up around small GA (general aviation) airports and often rode along when my Dad would fly charter flights for local business people, so I saw first hand how the local economy and little airports fit together.

Back to Everest: With the bad weather, I spent some time today working on the written test...I studied the first two chapters of the Gleim material again and took some chapter tests on my computer...97% on Chapter one and 92% on chapter two...I will hit chapters 3 and 4 tomorrow...I also studied a sectional chart today and I tried to learn the legend and codes a little bit.