07-06-96
1979 C-172N
TEB
Local
1.3 dual
1 landing
[PAST 40-HR MARK]
"Review of all maneuvers for pre-solo"
clear, haze, wind 270/06
80F
I'd thought I might solo (again) this week, but I doubt I'll have the money for the extra time it will no doubt take on top of this week's dual lesson. I'm ready however... been studying to re-take the presolo exam (apparently the records were lost when the school moved back to TEB, and although my logbook was endorsed by J. for "presolo written knowledge" -as well as a solo flight- I've been told I have to take it again.
I came within an inch of telling A. to shove it and go find another school...I probably should have. But I feared even more delay and review if I changed schools, so decided to tough it out. I figure I'm too far along now to change venues.
I made a set of flash cards based on the test, and have been studying them every spare minute I have. With a little daily effort, I soon can go through the whole stack consistently without error.
But first we have a dual flight...
Takeoff has me overcorrecting a little, but OK. It's very humid, and the air feels spongy. Flying towards the practice area, I notice a factory ahead, by the river. Remembering the jolt I got last time I flew over stacks, I veer around, and notice that I'm already well downwind of them... we may get buffeted by the hot gases anyway... but the breeze is flattening out the barely visible smoke, robbing the column of hot gas of its energy well below our altitude.
Today it's airwork first. Over to the Mahwah Sheraton, climbing to 2000. I'm relaxed and confident, hauling 23F around in steep turns, studiously applying my new knowledge of how back pressure and bank can affect yaw during a turn.
The burbling breeze makes MCA challenging today: C's hands dart repeatedly towards the controls- he's a nervous one- but all goes well.
He orders me to descend to 1000 AGL for turns around a water tower. I remember to power back with carb heat for the descent, but it's not my best turn.
Soon, it's nearly time to end the lesson; N07 will have to wait.
At TEB, both runways are in use, and after entering the airspace, C. recommends that I set up a straight-in for 19 (presumably to save time taxiing). I protest this plan, as I"ve not yet been cleared to land. At that very moment, the tower orders me to make right traffic for 24.
My smirk is met with C's challenge to "put it on the numbers". ::)
I start off well, remembering the scale illusion at TEB. But I still flare too high, and have to float past the numbers to avoid thumping it down.
Somehow I know that once I'm up here alone again, I'll do better.
Next- Flight 45: my "second first solo"
