Darn Marine Layer!!!

Well I started out the day hoping to go for a cross country trip to Hemet and Borrego Springs with a lunch break at Hemet’s airport café. 

Southern California’s may marine layer was slowly burning off so I was hoping to get the flight started around noon.  After 1pm the weather looked good per the numbers over Carlsbad and March AFB. So I finished my paperwork and headed out to Hemet. Unfortunately the weather by the numbers and the actual truth, I’m learning doesn’t always match up.  In the climb towards Mt Soledad, I noticed the marine layer was lower than reported.  Getting bummed immediately as I realized my cross country trip was over. So I stayed low, circled around and headed back to Montgomery.

As I headed back to Montgomery I thought about staying in the pattern or heading to Gillespie for some practice until I listened to the weather. The winds had picked up and were now on the edge of being too  high for me to keep flying per the restraints put on me as a student pilot. So I landed and logged a whopping .6hrs of flight time.   Oh well back to studying! 

I spent the remainder of the day studying, knowing I wouldn’t get much done this weekend due to working for the navy. 

Instrument Training and Check Ride Practice

Well today was a great success. With anticipation the weather being bad, I scheduled a flight with Brett for some training and the plan worked.  The ceilings were low, so we got a IFR departure and went VFR once we were above the clouds.  It was awesome to to take off into the clouds and just follow the instruments.  I can't wait til I start my instrument training.
  Once above the clouds Brett ran me through the standard maneuvers for the test, and we reviewed lost procedures again, review the requirements for a in-flight diversion.  Once done, I headed back to Montgomery. After listening to the weather, I knew I'd have my work cut out for me.  The winds were 12kts gusting to 24, about 10 degrees off the nose. 

The landing was great, just then "there a plane crashed again go around"  so airborne we went.  Soon I was landing again on 28R again. This time we taxied back to the ramp.   I felt good, a little bummed I didn't have a chance to practice maneuvers before the lesson but I did ok.  
After closing up the plane, I meet with Brett for the debrief. He told me he completed 80% of the check ride and I would have done well. Sweet!!!   Next we went over my plans for my planned cross country tomorrow.  He found a few items I missed or got mixed up on, so he wanted me to correct them and send the revised plans to him. 
As we reviewed the logbook, he informed me he increased my cross wind limitations after today's landings.  Wow, that made me super happy. I love doing landings so when they are complemented its great.

Grr Weather!

Today was a bust concerning  going flying!  The cold weather front moving in from the north is sitting over San Diego and the coastal waters so the weather ceilings are low.  Making for great instrument flying rules but not Visual flight rule flying, so I spent the day studying weather and other items.  Brett texted me and we meet up for some ground instruction.  Thankfully he's finding less holes in my knowledge and is confident I'll be ready for my check ride on the 2nd of June.   I'm still a little nervous, but trying to relax and study.   Enough today,  nothing too exciting to report!

First Solo Cross Country Trip!

Well I woke up early hoping the weather would be great. After watching the Shuttle Endeavor launch (AWESOME LAUNCH) I checked the weather, and it was great so I finished my flight planning and scampered off to the airport.  I took my time pre-flighting making sure everything was right. Soon I was headed down 28L and headed north towards Hemet. It was weird to leave the pattern without Brett sitting next to me.  As the plane climbed to 6500’ I got accustomed to the plane, it’s a little different then the one I normally fly (57361), which is in northern California with its owner. 

I see my first check point, sweet everything is going well. Soon I tune in the weather at Hemet and set up for landing. 

After landing, I prepped my plans and charts for the trip to Borrego Springs.  As I was heading to Borrego Springs I got turned around somehow and had to use my navigation skills to figure out my exact location. Once I did that it, was a straight shot to Borrego.  The wind was picking up, and was expected to be bad, so I took a little break and got back in the air for the trip back to Montgomery. 

The trip was uneventful and actually fun!  All the navigation check points worked well. After thirty seven minutes I was lined up for landing on 28L again.  I taxied back to the line happy knowing I had just completed my first solo cross country flight.  I parked the plane and headed for a bite to eat. While eating lunch I decided I was going to head to Gillespie and work in the pattern doing some touch and go’s and short/soft field practice. 

Unfortunately, while I grabbed a bite the wind picked up and was gusting to past the limits set for me, so I packed up for the day and headed home to study. 

With joy I was able to thank Brett for the help and confidence instilled to complete the cross country.  Now we have a plan for the rest of the week even if the weather doesn’t work for me.

Enough for today…  its time for a celebratory beer!