Lesson 4, 1.3hrs

This was a pretty good lesson:

I arrive early to the airport and the weather is good. While I wait for Ed I read the FAR/AIM manual about student pilot requirements, for both solo and cross country solo. Ed shows up just as the refueling truck does and we watch the guy top off our tanks. Preflight and call for departure clearance - oops, we're not transmitting. The pilot side PTT switch is busted which is strange since it worked an hour ago on Ed's last flight. We decide that Ed will make the radio calls today.

We take off on 13 Right, which is odd, but Ed says the controllers are being lazy and are using only one runway. My takeoff is good and we climb out at 75 knots. Turn left just shy of 500 feet altitude and head for where the I90 meets Mercer Island. From there we head out past Bellvue and past lake Sammamish and head a bit North to practice turns around a point, and turns across a road. I do pretty well but there is some definite room for improvement. It's a lot to juggle: maintain altitude (800'), speed 90knots), and a constant distance from the point. Also, dont hang out in one area too long - we dont want to upset anyone on the ground.

Since we're flying North we're almost at Monroe, we decide to fly a bit further to Harvey field, which has a runway that is only 25 feet wide. There are planes in the pattern and we set up to join them for landing, full stop. I use only 10 degrees of flap and end up touching down midway down the runway. Better to use more flap and have a steeper approach. But the landing is good, and we taxi around and take off again.

We set the VOR for Seatac and follow the needle - just about due South from our position. We decide to arrive over lake Union and contact BFE for a straight in landing. Flying past downtown is fun; just stay midway between the radio towers on the left and the skyscrapers on the right. Following I5 is about right.

My landing at BFE is good. Not a greaser, but pretty good!

The reason we add carburator heat before we turn base and final is to ensure that ice won't form with the decreased airflow experience with lower RPM's.

Next flight is Wednesday. I need to memorize the the things to check and do once best glide speed is established and a landing spot identified:

1) Check the gas. Did anyone kick the fuel selector valve? Are the tanks registering empty?
2) Check the carburator heat and mixture. Also check to see that the priming pump is locked.
3) Check the mags. Left, right, both. Cycle them.

Then, the other stuff: squawk 7700 (emergency), and call mayday on 121.5. Everything on the list is optional - fly the plane first.

There's more to this, I think. Ed and I will practice again and again, I'm sure.