Flight 39
05-26-96
1968 C-172K
TEB-N07-TEB
1.6 dual
5 landings
Cool; unlimited vis., clouds broken at 10,000; wind 220/06
"Short field to/lng, norm to/lnd, TP"
We're late getting off today, as A. has the plane and has not yet returned... once he arrives he's positive he had it booked to fly until noon, not 11:30, blah blah, etc. I'm really getting fed up with this disorganization, and if I weren't so close to completing the Private Pilot curriculum, I'd be off to another school. Every time I come here, it seems, there is some sort of problem, particularly with the schedule book.
475 is ready, I'm told, and as I make my way around the exterior, I see nothing's been done about the brake line. I decide to trust J.'s judgement on this, but it's another annoyance: why was my last lesson in this plane cancelled for this problem, but now it's deemed fit to fly?
Another problem: the transponder's been replaced, but now there's a problem with the main radios. One is barely usable, and the other makes a continual buzzing noise. Great. And yes, of course, there's the intercom thing... so it's back to working with the hand-held mic.
On takeoff, I'm suddenly confused about the V-speeds. But it passes.
Over to N07; four landings... not too bad, but not great. On one approach, I'm too high (again!) on final, and I have to go around.
I do so smartly, but forget to start retracting flaps after applying power, and we seem to barely make it out ofthere. Humiliating.
After that, I make up for it with a good landing... then I make a bad one/ The wind is tricky near the ground today; it's toying with me, it seems. I do not meet the challenge very well. The lesson ends on a fairly low note, and I go home.
I'm discouraged... it seems I'm stuck in a rut. I'm booked Sunday morning in 6FR, and I resolve to spend at least one hour a day reviewing the V-speeds, and chair-fly that pattern for another hour. If that doesn't help, maybe I'll bite the bullet and find another school... because something's wrong here. If that doesn't work,if it's really just me and not my issues with the school, maybe I'll just quit while I'm still alive.
I sure seemed to have some ability to fly, but as the standards tighten, it's becoming obvious that I need to work harder.
Thought for the day: Never be afraid to bank into the wind (away from drift) no matter how close to the runway you are!! Get that wing down when you need to!!
Next- Flight 40: Taking up some slack
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