December Afternoon Outing

Plane: N60614, C-150
Airports: PTS > LLU > PTS

Time: 2.0 hr
Landings: 8

Remarks:
Pattern work, Pilotage, GPS, No Passengers

Comments:
Finally, back in the air.
I hadn't been in '614 since September.
It was a beautiful and mild December afternoon . Almost too nice, as there was little of any cross. wind, though to knock the dust off it was a wonderful day.

I began by just doing a series of standard landings, trying to do it by the numbers and keep my eyes outside the cockpit looking around. Flying is so much more enjoyable when you enjoy the scenery. I've been reflecting on those guys to get a buzz and relax hunting. While I might enjoy walking in the woods hunting, I feel much more in my element when I push the throttle in and pullback on the yoke, playing in ground effect, learning the 'feel' of the plane.

After about 5 landings (one short, one soft) I decided to head to LLU. I climbed to 3000 ft and tried to stay at +/- 100'. Landed at LLU, flew over our house at about 500' and headed back to PTS. I flew over the Millers at Praise State Park on the way back. Two more landings as the sun was approaching the horizon.

Topped off with some hanger talk' at the terminal,I would Say it was a very good day.

Given my God, my family, and the opportunityto fly, I would say I am anexceptionallyblessed man.

Cozy Flight with My Wife

Plane: N60614, C-150
Airports: PTS > LLU > PTS

Time: 1.0 hr / 70.7 total
Landings: 2

Remarks:
Pattern Work, GPS, Pilotage, 1 passenger

Comments:
After two years of training, 1 yr 9 mo of flying on my own, my wife finally flew with me. Not a fear issue, it just hadn't happened. Flying with her was a special thing for me, the C-150 made it more so, being as cozy as it is.

Cake Decorating and Flying! The best of Two worlds

Plane: N60614, C-150
Airports: PTS > PTS

Time: 0.9 hr
Landings: 6

Remarks:
Pattern Work, Aborted landing, Short field, Soft field

Comments:
My second daughter is taking a cake decorating class in Pittsburg, KS, the same town as the plane I rent. Sounds like an opportunity to spend some time in the cockpit. I also invited my son along that he might get to spend some time in the air.

Aviation wise, I applied what I learned from my last trip. I must look down the runway during landings as we level off. Landings were much better.

I had a variable cross wind, but it was manageable, just some wiggle as the wind shifted on me during touch down, nothing serious.

She has three more lessons. I might just get to go two more times, weather permitting. In any case, I probably get to eat some very pretty cakes.

Way Cool!!
Retrieving Daughter from Art Camp
C-150, N60614

PTS > K33 and back

Time: 4.1 hours
Landings: 2

Remarks, Procedures, Manuevers:
Cross-Country, GPS, Pilotage, VOR
1 passenger return trip

Comments:
This trip was a milestone for me.
I make a personal record altitude and dodged the clouds.
With scattered at 5500, I proceeded to 9500.

Way Cool!! Dodging the clouds and seeing them from above, knowing that I was piloting the plane. What a thrill! Just to top it off, the OAT (outside air tempterature) was cool as well, 45-50 F.

This trip was otherwise uneventful. I was much more relaxed and able to enjoy the trip more.

K33, 1241 asl, 2900' long 17/35
I remembered why my landings on 8/03/08 were a little rough (I forgot to look down the runway as I leveled off), and this one went better. Pretty smooth.

Upon landing at K33, I called in and closed my flight plan, punched the code into door lock like Jim told me and headed to the little aviators room. Exiting I found the my passenger arrived early, which was okay with me, though I had hoped to be refuelled before she arrived.

Refueling was uneventful, put in a 1/2 quart of oil, made my phone calls (my wife Sharri, Tom Richards and FSS) and headed skyward again.

On the return trip we leveled off at 8500 ASL, again above the clouds. We talked about our respective week's experience, and I enjoyed the flight, flying above the clouds and continually tracking our position.

Over Lamar, I radioed Tom to let him know our position, as he had a student wanting to get the air when I touched down.

These two trips have been very helpful in building my confidence.
I am looking forward to the next trip, which is yet to be planned, though I am playing with some ideas.

Things to work on:
I need to remember the details on call FSS on VORs. I have FSS procedures down for around PTS, but I wasn't comfortable doing it at K33. So I flew the plane and called in on the cell phone.

Total Hours: 68.8

FLASH from FAA OK City.

I grandfathered in on the new medical regulations. :-)
That means I am a 'young pilot' and my medical is good for 5 years from 2005.
Next Medical 2010.

Back in the air, not tied to the ground by regs.

God is good.

C-150, N60614
KPTS > K33 > PTS Hobbs: 3.8 hours

Remarks, Procedures, Maneuvers:
Cross country, GPS, Pilotage, VOR
1 passsenger (daughter) to Visual Manna Art Camp, Salem Missouri

Comments:
PTS > PYLER > MAP > K33
Density Altitude was very high (about 4000), performance was sluggish
Opened flight plan with Wichita Radio on 122.15

The trip went well.
Climbed to 5500 ASL, though as Jesse (owner) suggested, we were nearly to Springfield, MO before we leveled off. It was definitely more comfortable up there (~80 F) than on the ground (~100 F).

We came down to 3500 ASL as we encountered clouds closer to K33
I become a little disoriented as we approached MAP VOR, though I was mostly second guessing myself, and I was overly concerned about busting a restricted air space to the north. I finally dialed in the MAP VOR and followed the airway, and discarded the idea of cross checking location with the VOR.

We flew through Cannon A MOA, being Sunday it was inactive.
Closed flight plan on the ground via phone.

Delivered my passenger to ride waiting to pick her up.

Refuelled at K33, with the assistance of an aviator based there (Jim).
Aviators have their own fraternity, so to speak, and I am glad to be among them. They are a friendly lot. Thanks, Jim.

K33 > MAP > PYLER > PTS
Opened flight plan for return trip on the ground just before taxiing to runway 17.
I was going to climb to 6500 ASL, however, at 5000 ASL haze prevented me from adequately seeing the ground. I settled for 4500 ASL on the westward leg of my journey.

I was rather uptight going to K33, being the first solo 'long' x-ctry since 9/07/06.
I finally relaxed on the return trip.
I realized that constant pressure on both rudder pedals in cruise was not necessary. Yes, they needed to be in place, but I had been unconsciously putting pressure on both pedals before and it was exhausting me.

I closed the return flight plan with Wichita Radio (122.15) on approach to PTS.

In all, I would say the trip was a success.

If the weather holds out, I will repeat the trip in reverse, retrieving my daughter Friday.

Things to work on:
I got fixated on the numbers when landing, which made landings a little bumpy. I need to look down the runway as I level off.

Total Hours: 6 hours back to Lamar

Giving Rides
C-150, N60614
PTS > LLU > PTS

Hobbs: 2.9
Landings: 5

Remarks, Procedures, Manuevers:
TO / Landings, Turns about point, Pilotage
4 passengers (one at a time of course ;-)

Comments:
One of my nephews (Zach) visited and I gave rides to him, and my children. We had a good time.

I retrieved the plane by myself, as I have found in the past that this is often the best way for me to start out when I fly with the smaller kids. It gives me time to settle into the cockpit routine before the younger passengers join me. It worked out well as I could only take one at a time in the point anyway.

I found that I was privileged to share the runway with a couple crop dusters. New experience working with planes that never topped 500 AGL and didn't have radios.

My second daughter rode back to PTS with me, which was a joy to me as she is my reluctant passenger.

Biannual Flight Review
C-150, N60614
PTS > Local

Hobbs: 1.1
Landings: 3

Remarks, Procedures, Manuevers:
Flight Review (Passed), steep turn, all stalls, emerg. landing, to/landings
With Tom Richards

Comments:
I was good to fly with Tom again, though it took a couple of times to get the schedule, plan and weather to all come together at the same time.

As it had been better than 6 months since I had flown, it was good to have an instructor with me to knock the rust off. It felt really good to be in the air again.

After looking at the logbook further, I determined that we did the biannual early. However, since I got my certificate in December, it is probably better to have gotten it out of the way, and the summer offers better weather for instruction anyway.