Flight 68

2/6/97

C-172K
TEB-TEB

1.2 dual; 1 landing

"X-wind t.o & lndg; turns around point; wind shear procedures"


Scattered clouds at 3000; vis 10; wind NW 14-20

Aside from the blustery wind, it's a fine day for flying. The sun is bright above scattered, harmless-looking clouds, the temperature is well above freezing, and there is something like the hint of Spring in the air (the Jet Stream has veered south this week).

And best of all... I am prepared. Did a little chair-flying yesterday... yeah, chair-flying. I used to be very keen on that, but lately it seems silly to me, and i can't tune out my surroundings sufficiently to enter that meditation-like state wherein one imagines all the aspects of flight while reciting the holy mantras of The Checklists.

But I did it; forced myself to do it. I also perused my notes again, and spent some time ruminating over the mistakes of the last flight. Then, on the bus, I did something I haven't done in ages: a little public chair-flying! Silently, of course...

"what do you think of this wind?" I ask C. when we meet out on the ramp. I'd made a point of getting the weather before the preflight, and walking out here has confirmed what the briefer said- it's damn windy here, and not much better anywhere nearby.

"Well," he replies, "think you can handle it?"

"Sure", I tell him. This is not entirely true, but I know he will bail me out if needed- after all, he'll be up there with me. But I will try my best not to pay for him to do any flying today.

"Let's go," he says.

It's apparent as I taxi to the run-up area that the wind is fickle indeed today, and a little nasty. The plane actually wants to weathervane despite the nosewheel, and I find myself at last applying, in actual earnest, the wind corrections for taxi that I've practiced half-heartedly during every lesson so far.  Today, I can actually feel the wind tugging at the airplane, challenging me. It is eye-opening, for sure.

Runup is routine, except the needle on the tachometer behaves strangely. Switching to one magneto produces a spastic quivering. I run through the nag check again, and C. and I both decide the average position of the needle indicates a normal drop for each mag. I call Ground for permission to taxi to the runway.

"Yield to the Westwind on your right, then taxi Bravo to 6."

I wait for the 60s-era bizjet to taxi past the ramp. I'm instructed to follow it, so I slowly make my way across both runways to taxiway Lima, which will take us way down to the departure end of Runway 01. The crosswind taking off from 06 would have been tough, but this development is even worse- it's a long way down to 01. And for some reason, this Westwind is crawling like a snail...finally, to my relief, it turns off toward a hangar- we won't have to wait for it to take off. I receive my take-off clearance almost immediately... and C. chides me for doing the pre-takeoff checklist after receiving the clearance.
 Uh-oh... is this going to be another one of those days?

This little error will be the last for this flight. I make a good crosswind takeoff, and soon we're climbing crabwise to 1000 feet.
 There isn't much turbulence up here, just a relentless driving winter wind. Once we're leveled off, C. utters some profanities.

"The damn cabin air opened up- we're gonna freeze our butts off!!"

That reminds me of something I'd noticed during the preflight: the little vent door aft of the cowling that opens when you pull the cabin air knob to let in fresh air was being held shut, just barely, by a piece of cheap duct tape.  Obviously the tape has failed, the door is being held open by the slipstream, and the cabin heat cannot compete with the incoming rush of icy air. It's not too bad for me, I notice- I think the outlet in the cabin is on the right. Within moments, C. is squirming and complaining about the cold. He will continue to do so throughout the flight.

For some reason, this helps me focus even more, and I have a good feeling about this lesson.

The visibility is superb today, so we will try some maneuvers, despite the wind. C. orders me up to 2500 feet. The clouds seem to descend to meet us.

"Looks like these clouds are lower than reported", he comments, "about 2500, maybe".

I take a good look as we pass 2000. "3000", I tell him. This is what was reported, and although I am new to this, for some reason I can tell 2500, and these clouds are higher.

"Mmmmnnn... don't know about that..."

I level off at 2500, still below the bases.

"3000", I repeat.

Predictably, C. changes the subject.

"Gimme a 360 to the left."

I roll into it easily, even in the right direction this time, and make a point of explaining aloud what I am doing. About a minute later I am rolling back to level, my eyes on a carefully-chosen point on the horizon. Not bad- the altitude hasn't wavered much at all. There is a turn to the right after that, of course... although trickier, it goes just as well.

I am pleased, and eager for my next trick. The wind is too strong to go down to 1500 for some S-turns across a road, so it's time to try turns around a point. C. points out a building, and around it we go. The wind makes it a struggle,and I voice my unhappiness with my performance. But C. tells me I'm doing fine. Soon my little exhibition is finished.

"Let's get outta here before I freeze my ass off!" C. grumbles.

The approach and landing, with the wind still gusting out of the northwest, are... interesting.
 C. coaches me throughout, reminding me to keep the airspeed up a little to compensate for the wind. I manage to set the upwind main down first, but the nose is not quite straight, and the wind is still pushing us, so the tire protests with an alarming "skwerp!!"

Still wary of the wind, I "fly it all the way back to the ramp" and shut down. As we push the Cessna back into its parking space, I feel like a new man- not at all like the miserable loser of two days ago.

"Good job!" says C. "You're the man!!"

"No, you're the man!" I fire back, laughing. I am expecting him to continue this little game, but he accepts the compliment, and that's the end of it.

Maybe he thinks he deserves it.