Flight 91

01-09-00

C-172P

N07-4N1-FWN-N07

1.8 solo; 3 landings

"Round robin w/Marc S.; full-stop lndgs; last was worst; good nav"

Near 50F; gentle SW wind; hi sct clouds.


 I'd originally booked 143 for 3 hours to make a round-trip flight to Montauk, but the owner (it's a leaseback) wanted it at 2PM, so I planned an alternate trip that would fit into two hours.It turns out to be a liesurely round-robin, with three landings in the process.

My friend Marc S. will be joining me; he's very keen on aviation but his devotion to music and photography is keeping him from starting flight lessons. He meets me at Lincoln Park, and after starting off a little late, I forgo landing at Newton and decide to head northeast directly, towards the Tappan Zee Bridge, so Marc can enjoy an aerial view of Nyack, his hometown. I've been staring at the terminal chart often lately, so my navigation is very good. He takes a few photos of his house from 1800 feet, then we're off to Greenwood Lake. The light wind is very forgiving on my course-keeping, but the sky to the southwest is a mass of winter glare... to our right, the sky is a deep clear blue with a few high clouds, but to the left a great sheet of cloud is crawling into the vicinity, shoving a mass of haze ahead of it. But the air is fairly smooth, and M. seems to be enjoying himself.

I nearly overshoot 4N1, but make a suitable approach, landing long but setting the 172 down quite nicely. We shut down on the ramp so we cn make a "pit stop", then have a quick look inside the Constellation. The wall aft of the flight deck has been removed, and a sheet of Plexiglass has been installed, with a small hatch near the floor so one can enter it. I'm surprised to see that the flight deck is intact- they've even hung airline uniform jackets and hats in their places! We get permission to crawl inside and take a seat... very cool.

Soon we're roaring out of there, banking over the hillss to take up a course to sussex. FWN proves a little harder to find... I hate to make excuses, but the glare was definitely a problem. I'm using the SAX VOR to try to pinpoint the airport, and sure enough, as the needle centers on the chosen radial, I look over the side and see we're right over the runway.

I've landed many times here, but my approach is not up to snuff. The hill northof the field intimidates me, and I end up approaching high and find myself diving for the midpoint of 21, still way too high. I decide to go around. I think about how I might have tried slipping, then remind myself that the key os not to salvage a bad approach, but to make a good one to begin with. The next attempt goes better, but still relying on the flaps too much to descend steeply after clearing the hill, I touch down a bit long. Plenty of room to roll out, though.

We leave immediately, on course for Newton, which we will overfly as there is not enough time to land there. I manage to stray off-course, and fail to spot the small airport. Checking later, I will see that i was very close, but just failed to see the smnall runway in the woods. but it's odd that I didn't just look for the 300-foot tower that lies about 1.5 miles northeast, and the 200-foot tower right next to that one! I'm ashamed to admit that both towers were aligned directly with my course... I'm sure they were under 143's nose before I even started looking in earnest for the airport.

I soon pick up my intended course back home. Getting back into more familiar territory makes the navigation easy now. The 185 radial from SAX confirms that I am dead on course at the 10-mile mark, and we arrive just north of the field about 5 minutes later.
The final approach is, again, too high, and in trying to force things I get too much airspeed, flare long, and bounce sickeningly, although still maintaining the centerline. A tense moment passes as I consider a go-around, but she is settling, so I hold it off and keep working the centerline.
The displaced threshold mark is now halfway between us and the very end of 19. Another much smaller bounce, then 143 gently but firmly settles on with room to spare. Seems the plane slowed a bit with each bounce. I got lucky.

As we taxi in, we pass J., the instructor who checked me out here, standing by another plane. He looks right at me. He does not smile, nod, or wave. Uh-oh.

He doesn't have to say anything: I've already decided that the next flight will be nothing but landing practice. My lack of consistency is inexcusable.
Anyway, Marc had a great time, and his company, and cash contribution towards the rental, are appreciated.