A flight to Winnemucca for a 99's meeting

*Note: Graphic Intensive Post!*

May 10th, 2008

On Friday (May 9th), Brenda (BJ) from the 99's called me and said there was an open spot on a flight with Petra for the meeting in Winnemucca the next day. After conversing with my husband, I called Petra and took the slot.

Saturday morning I headed out to Caldwell airport to join up with Petra, and her instructor, Steve, who would be giving her somewhat of a cross country refresher course. I arrived a little early, so I sat on a street at the end of the runway watching the helicopter students practice pattern work. I had the sunroof open so I could watch them fly right over the top of the truck.

When I met up with Petra, I spent some time examining the Cherokee 180 (PA-28 180) we'd be flying in, and figuring out what the differences were between that and the Archer II (A PA-28 181). The 180 definitely has a shorter wingspan, and the wings also have the rectangular "Hershey Bar" shape. This appears to make for a shorter glide ratio, and a faster approach speed. The windows are also a bit different, and the plane seems to sit higher as well. Here's a few pictures of the preparation for takeoff, and the sectional of the area.





Here's a video of the takeoff out of Caldwell.

The route took longer than expected, there were some miscalculations, but no worries. It was still really fun to see everything from the back seat and not be the person fully engaged as the student in learning. Things started to make more sense, now that I could see them from a different angle. Some of the views were really neat, here's some pictures from the flight to Winnemucca.




I also had some fun with the Sepia and Widescreen features on my camera, I thought it might look neat... they came out ok.


The landing in Winnemucca was pretty hard... the two of them were fighting over the controls coming in! Come on guys! Positive exchange of controls! I can understand the difficulty of landing in an unfamiliar area, though, and the want of the instructor of the student to land the plane. Here's our landing.

We collapsed a strut on landing, so we taxied to our spot a bit crooked. I bet it looked interesting to the ladies waiting for us, watching us come in.

Steve straightened out the strut, we met up with the ladies, and then took a courtesy van from the local FBO and headed out to a cute little Basque restaurant to conduct our meeting. I had my first Monte Cristo sandwich, and it was pretty good!

I got a chance to talk with Cammie about my bouncy landing I performed in front of her, and she explained some ways to keep it from happening. I need to get my speed under control, and be a little gentler on the round out for the flare.

After we arrived back at the airport, we had some fun taking pictures of each other and our planes. I also got a couple of pictures of the ladies' room in the FBO, all of the walls were together one big mural. I took them with my phone as I didn't bring my camera in with me. I'll get them up here when I get some time, they are pretty neat!

Pat Jenkins has a gorgeous Cessna 185. Talk about a dream plane! I'd love to own a tail dragger.

Gene Nora Jessen was also here with her very nice Beechcraft Sierra. Cammie had ridden along with her teaching her the ins and outs of her new GPS.

Here's the little Cherokee 180.

Here we all are!

We said our goodbyes and hit the road, er, the sky. Here's a video of the takeoff from Winnemucca.

Some more photos I took on the way back...



And... a video of the landing back in Caldwell.

It was a fun trip. Thanks for the ride, Petra! I really appreciate it.


I have a night cross country that I did on the 15th to write about, it's coming soon. No pictures, though.

A Pattern Work Refresher

Friday, May 9th 2008

Thursday night I called Ryan and asked him if I could take up the Archer Friday morning, for a refresher. Since it has been over two weeks, Ryan stated he should go with me for at least three touch and goes. This was fine with me, so I scheduled the plane.

Friday morning we got up in the air, and a couple of my landings were a little bumpy. I also showed him this problem I seemed to have with coming in very high upon approach. We worked on my airspeeds for two more landings, and that really seemed to help. Turns out aiming for 85kts after abeam the numbers, 75 on base, and 65 on final (like I should have been doing, I'm sure I was TAUGHT this... somewhere) makes for a really nice approach and landing.

After this, Ryan hopped out and I taxied back out for some solo time. The tower controller thought it might have been my first solo because of the circumstances, but I was sorry to disappoint. I told him it was my fourth or fifth (I couldn't remember) and he still congratulated me.

Here's a shot on the taxiway showing my buggy windshield and how nice the day was.


I love flying out of Boise because the controllers change things up on me. It keeps it challenging. Today he seemed to be alternating runways on me, which makes me change from left traffic to right traffic and vice versa.

It seemed everyone was in good spirits today. The controller even took down my name.

On one of my downwinds for 28R, the controller was trying to determine spacing between an Embraer Jet and myself. He asked me if I had ever done any short approaches. After a pause (as I tried to remember what a short approach was, and then remembering a day with Cammie) I explained I had done one or two. So, he suggested I perform one over to 28L, to get my pattern completed before the Jet arrived. I turned, and if I do say so myself, it looked pretty darn good. My landing was even smooth. What surprised me was that both the controller and the pilot of the Embraer Jet congratulated me. They said it looked very nice.

I was hit on today!

As I turned from my crosswind to my downwind on that same circuit, in the midst of the chatter I heard the pilot of the Jet say "Boy, I wish I was up there with her, she sounds cute!" The controller came back and said "I'm sorry, what did you say?! Please repeat?" Of course the pilot didn't, but I keyed down and said "I heard that!" The controller came back after what sounded like clearing his throat, and said "I think he's just wishing you well, Heather." And in the plane I got the giggles. Anyway, today was very fun.

When I dropped Ryan off, I had noticed Cammie getting someone ready to go in the Cirrus, so in my pattern I had kept an eye on her status. And of course, right when she was holding short on the runway I was landing on, WAITING for me to complete whatever it was that I was going to do so they could take off, I proceeded to BOUNCE, right in front of her! I guess I was a little nervous, because I knew she'd be watching me.

I got to talk to her about it more, and how to fix it on Saturday, when I met up with her during a 99's meeting in Winnemucca (which I'll post of soon).

Here's a video I took of some Soft Field work that day, a takeoff, and a touch and go.

This thursday is going to be my night cross country. It'll be from Boise to Weiser, and then to Ontario, OR. I'm excited. And hopefully I can do better planning it, too.