Flight Journal: flight 18

[beaky]

Flight 18
07-30-95

1979 C-172N
N07
Local

sky clear; vis unlimited; wind light at 350

0.9 dual
6 landings


"Normal t.o. and landings, t.p. procedures"


[PAST 20-HR MARK THIS LESSON]

Here I am again... funny how things turn out. Lincoln Park is one of those small, friendly, laid-back airports I've always liked: no tower, plenty of grass, a little restaurant... quite a few wooded hills around, but there is plenty of open ground, too. A forced landing around here can actually be contemplated, whereas at Teterboro, it was best not to think about it.

But N07 also has extremely narrow, bumpy taxiways, and I learn quickly that I'll have to take it slow and easy here. But that's fine... even with the hazards, the delay between startup and takeoff will always be much less than at busy TEB, with its long taxiways and constant jet traffic.
As we jolt down the taxiway to the approach end of 01, we pass a line-up of interesting classics parked along the taxiway: not one but two Navions, a beautiful polished C140, a Taylorcraft, and- way down at the end, an actual Tiger Moth!

To better convey the difference between taking off from N07 versus TEB, I should point out that TEB's shortest runway is over 6000 feet long and 150 feet wide, while the single strip of pavement at N07 is only 2942 feet long and forty feet wide! And there are displaced thresholds at each end: 260 feet for 19, and 840(!) for 01.
I know that still leaves enough room to safely take off and land in 23F, but compared to the gigantic proportions of TEB, it leaves scant room for error.

Man, this runway is narrow! and look at that, I muse as we barrel down Runway 01, picking up speed, there are cars and trucks zooming by on that road just past the end of the runway... okay, airborne now... better not drift- there are planes and hangars close by on each side... hey, I did it!!

As we climb out over the large nursery across the road, an interesting effect is noted. The huge greenhouses produce great roiling bubbles of warm air, and as 23F plunges through one of them, she suddenly pitches and rolls. Not very much, but so rapidly that my corrections are hopelessly late. Soon we're clear of that weirdness, but I can't help feeling that I didn't handle that well. But we are still flying, and M. has said nothing, so...no big deal, I guess.

But I am rusty, I can feel it. No, I'm not merely rusty, I decide- the Titanic, deep in its watery grave, is merely rusty. I am, perhaps, beyond rusty.

Today we're just shooting the pattern, and I rise to the occasion pretty well except for a continued tendency to get behind the airplane. I'm not happy with myself.
 M. takes care of the radio, leaving me free to screw up everything else. I shoot five more approaches onto that tiny runway, stopping and taxiing around each time, as it's too short for touch-and-gos.
 I shed a little more rust with each landing, but I'm still not flaring properly. Part of the problem is the tricky approach to Runway 01: there are tall trees close to the approach end, hence the displaced threshold... which is very long indeed. This is a little intimidating, even though the remaining usable runway is adequate for landing a 172.
 But the real problem is the air. As we drop below the treetops, descending into a narrow void between more trees and some hangars, we enter a low-lying region of turbulent, unpredictable air. So each time I think I've got it made in the flare, the plane is disturbed slightly,and I find myself fighting to save the landing, as precious runway slips behind me. It's discouraging, but educational. So I must soldier on...

The last landing of the series is actually very good, or at least the apporoach is: I make what is called a "greaser"; basically flying the airplane onto the runway rather than stalling just above it to touch down firmly and decelerate right away. As pleasant as "greasers" can be, they are potentially dangerous- the extra speed as you roll out can leave you with not enough room to brake before the end, especially on a strip this short.
Not wanting to roll off into the bushes and then the road, I decide to pull back a bit, to present more flat area to the relative wind as we roll. But as it turns out, even with all three wheels on the ground, 23F still has enough speed to fly. We become airborne again briefly, the stall horn goes off, and the Cessna thumps down hard, more in keeping with my usual landing style. Dagnabbit...

Despite that gaffe, I am in good spirits. I've conquered Lincoln Park! Why, I bet I could take off solo now, shoot the pattern, and land here without breaking the airplane or my neck. But it doesn't happen today... I am not ready.

A List of Things to Remember Before I Can Solo, According to M:

Wings level on takeoff!
Roll fifteen degrees when turning, and hold it!
Watch your altitude!
Airspeed- don't stall!
Altitude...
Pitch for altitude in level flight!
Power for airspeed in level flight!
Don't flare too high!
Easy on the brakes!
EASY ON THE BRAKES!!
Don't stop on the runway!
NEVER stop n the runway!!

I've scheduled another lesson for next week; let's hope that list gets shorter...

The good news: One hour of dual in a 172 at N07 comes to only $79!!

Next:Flight 19