Flight 30

03-24-96
1975 C-172M
TEB-4N1-TEB


1.5 dual
4 landings

[PAST 30-HR MARK]

"Normal to/lndg, radio nav (VOR), emerg proc, emerg landing"


Coming down with the flu, I think...

Slight sore throat and minor body aches, but as I arrive at TEB, I decide I am fit to fly, as it's not getting worse.
J. briefs me beforehand: we will simulate the second half of the checkride.
As I suspected, once we're off the ground, the symptoms seem to disappear.

The weather is much better today, but sunset is nearing as we follow a VOR radial to Greenwood Lake.
What follows is nothing new: another emergency approach and landing.
  But in this interval just before the sun slips below the horizon, the ground is abruptly covered in shadow. The low glaring sun and dark ground make it hard to find 4N1's runway.But I find it, and set up to "fail" the engine on downwind.
But I'm too far out... as the numbers draw closer, I realize that without power 475 is not going to make the runway.Embarassed, I go around.
Next try does the trick- much better.
As we roll for takeoff after that landing, I have my second bird encounter at this airport: two Canada geese in formation appear from the gloom, crossing my path from right to left just before I take off. They're far enough ahead to not be a hazard, but they pass by at about 30 feet off the runway!

I find my way back easily, despite the waning twilight. It's pretty much dark now as we approach the airport, and I almnost fail to spot the treacherous radio tower north of the field... but no, it was just J.'s head in the way; there's the beacon... I salvage the situation by handily swinging wide around it. Easy. And as it turns out, as I pivot the airplane, I see that I can roll right out of the turn to a decent final.
Very little wind, so the landing is very easy.
We taxi back to the ramp, following the little green lights, and J. tells me I'm ready for the stage check.
Finally!

Next: Flight 31