Back at it

After four months away from flying, due to a knee injury, I finally got back to it this past week. After flying for an hour or two on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, I completed my long cross country on Thursday.

Monday I spent just doing take offs and landings, normal, soft field, and short field. Tuesday I spent doing stalls, turns about a point, s-turns, and steep turns. Then on Wednesday it was under the hood and unusual attitude recovery. Of course on all three days the weather was perfect with no or very little wind and by flying in the morning I didn't have the afternoon turbulence.

Wednesday I got off later than I wanted and flew from 3V5 to GLL VOR for the first check point, slight course correction and on to AKO with a few checkpoints along the way. Wind was picking up so got to do a cross wind landing into AKO. Stopped at AKO for fuel, $3.75 a gallon as opposed to the $4.85 at 3V5, prices went sky high when it was announced the airport would be closing on Oct 31. Friendly folks and great service at AKO. After departing AKO I headed north to SNY with a tail wind and was making 138 knots ground speed in a 172N. Another cross wind landing in SNY. After taxing back and departing switched from VOR navigation to GPS direct.

GPS direct is a great way to navigate, don't know why anyone would use VORs if the GPS is working, but understand the need for the training. The direct route took me right over a series of bluffs on the Wyoming/Nebraska border. It was 2 p.m. and I was getting severe turbulence so turned south for a bit to get away from the bluffs and the air smoothed out. Stayed on a parallel track for about 15nm then turned slightly north to intersect the GPS direct track.

Now I only have my tower work to do and then it will be time to schedule the examiner.