Flight Journal: Flight 68

[beaky]

[color=#000000]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.