Finally!! A little flying - part 2

[beaky]

I finally get my turn... in my very first "SP" model Skyhawk. Wow. So new, so ... taut. And well-appointed, too.
Haven't flown a 172 in a while, but I have flown quite a few in my day. Fortunately, they haven't changed much- but a few things are different with these new ones, like the startup sequence, for example.





     
Had to take a pic of the panel: GPS and autopliot (which I left off for this flight); leather seats that actually stay where you put them; vents galore; seat belts that aren't a bad joke... just lovely. Amnd quiet, too- I think they stuffed a little more insulation into these.
I managed to start the fuel-injected engine perfectly... then remembered the chock on the right wheel. Sigh... shut it down, removed the chock, then flooded it on my second attempt.
But no problems after that, although I had to be careful of the electric trim switches on the yoke where the PTT usually is (it's on the front part of the yoke in this model, instead of the top of the horn). I stuck with the trim wheel for this flight, also- not a good time to be trying too many new things, what with me a little rusty and all.





Another view: this is somebody else at the controls. I made three decent landings... the last was perfect as I started the flare, stall horn just starting to complain, but I pulled back just the eensiest bit while she was still airborne, and wound up floating a little. Damn. Oh well- at least I kept a firm hand on this more energetic bird throughout my flight, and I'm happy enough with my preformance, all things considered. I had pooh-poohed spending $115/hr on what is essentially "just a 172" in the past, but now that I've tried one of these, I think it's worth it. This will be the perfect mount for my next cross-country... might even take a lesson in it to learn how to properly use the AP and GPS.

     



This is not the solo student mentioned earlier, and in fact this landing worked out much better than it might appear. Got to get a little aggressive sometimes when the wind is changing quarters on you...especially with the more-vulnerable 152.
     



I decided to try a new vantage point on my way out: just by the little cemetery at the approach end of 25. Here's QJ again, on short final.
     



Haven't seen this beauty in a while... a gorgeous red... uuhhh... you know, I'm not sure what this is! Almost certainly a homebuilt... anybody?
     




     


A good look at the pronounced slope at the east end of the strip; an overrun on 07 means you'll roll right down into the little cemetery...

[Demo]

Nice shots!... that landing looks  :o but you said it turned out nice so i'll take that  ;D

[Hagar]

Fascinating. I see lots of them but I've never flown in any type of Cessna & didn't realise there was so much difference. You said this is a new one. I had no idea they were still in production.

I also have no idea what the mystery plane is. There's so many pretty little light aircraft around these days.

[beaky]

Nice shots!... that landing looks  :o but you said it turned out nice so i'll take that  ;D

He was just jinking into the crosswind a bit-  touched down with slightly less bank, upwind wheel first, as you're supposed to.
When the wind is out of the NW there you have to really watch it, and keep making little changes all the way to the rollout.

[beaky]

Fascinating. I see lots of them but I've never flown in any type of Cessna & didn't realise there was so much difference. You said this is a new one. I had no idea they were still in production.

I also have no idea what the mystery plane is. There's so many pretty little light aircraft around these days.

C'mon, Gramps, get with it:  ::)

http://skyhawksp.cessna.com/




It's really an improvement; totally won me over, despite my illogical love for clunky old airplanes. And best of all, it's still just a 172- no surprises.  :)

And you really ought to take a hop in one of these, or better yet an old 150.  Maybe Fozzer will take you up sometime, if you're feeling brave...   or I'm sure you can chat up a Cessna pilot at Shoreham; maybe slip him  a few quid and some prints of your "Spitfire Girl"  photo series...

[FLYING_TRUCKER]

Glad to see you back in the saddle there again Sean.

You must have some decent weather because we are on our third day of rain here.  Looks not to bad tomorrow but Wednesday is rain again.  We are dipping down to single digit numbers in temperature at night now and one needs a jacket first thing in the morning.

Just curious about the third shot:
I see a cemetery.
I see the fuel truck.
I see the fuel tank.
I see the red arrow on the fuel tank and the green truck.
Where is the road and is that where the aircraft refuel?
HMMM...maybe there is two roads there that we can't see?

Cheers...Happy Landings...Doug

[Hagar]

[quote]


C'mon, Gramps, get with it:

[beaky]

Bloomin' cheek. Oh, wait a minute. I am a Grandpa.

I've been promised a ride in a Vans RV8 which I think will suit me a lot better than one of them nosewheel jobs. It just ain't natural on a light aircraft. The same chap also has a proper J3 Cub if I fancy a little puttering around.

You will enjoy that- I hope he lets you take the stick. I hear the 8 is almost as nimble as the 4 (which I've flown), and they are all pretty  fast. And crammed under that bubble canopy, you'll feel like a fighter jock. Great fun.

I also have a little stick time in the J3: quite the opposite, but very enjoyable.

[Jared]

Very nice photos from what looks like a fun day

on a side note..my school has aquired two new SP's just this past summer with G1000 they also aquired a stock seminole with steam guages.....

[Fozzer]

Lovely shots, Rotty...!

I have a great respect for Mr. Cessna's high-wing spam-cans.
They always seem to say "I'll take you safely up into the air, and bring you safely back down again!"... ...!

On the rare occasions when I feel rich, and get the opportunity to have a P1 trip with the CFI in the club's Cessna 150/152's I feel relaxed and at home in them...
I haven't tried the club's Piper Warrior low-wing model which I expect would handle differently....?

I hear that the C172 is slightly nose-heavy (bigger motor?) compared to the nicely balanced 150/152 and more care has to be taken to trim up more, to keep the nose wheel off the ground when landing.
...and the new Skyhawk motor is fuel injected, so no more nasty carburettor freezing... ...!
...do you find that you still keep looking for the Carb Heater knob every time you close the throttle...LOL...!

I must shift myself out on my comfy chair and take another trip up into the blue again....
...in the trusty '152... ... ...!

Paul... ...!

[Willit Run]

Great Shots, Sean!!

 Good to see that you got up.  Monday was a beautiful day!!

[beaky]

Lovely shots, Rotty...!

I have a great respect for Mr. Cessna's high-wing spam-cans.
They always seem to say "I'll take you safely up into the air, and bring you safely back down again!"... ...!

On the rare occasions when I feel rich, and get the opportunity to have a P1 trip with the CFI in the club's Cessna 150/152's I feel relaxed and at home in them...
I haven't tried the club's Piper Warrior low-wing model which I expect would handle differently....?

Never flown a low-wing Piper myself either, but I've been aboard Marco's nice Cherokee- seems to practically land itself, but other than that it's just another light single.

I hear that the C172 is slightly nose-heavy (bigger motor?) compared to the nicely balanced 150/152 and more care has to be taken to trim up more, to keep the nose wheel off the ground when landing.
...and the new Skyhawk motor is fuel injected, so no more nasty carburettor freezing... ...!
...do you find that you still keep looking for the Carb Heater knob every time you close the throttle...LOL...!

The Skyhawk wants a little weight in the back ideally, but it's not an extreme transition going from the 150/152. It flies just as it looks: a longer-limbed and slightly heavier 150. You can "chop and drop" on final in the 172... you'd better, because it will float like crazy if you're not on the ball. Best thing about it compared to the 150, other than being able to haul two adult pax (or one adult and two kids, or maybe one adult and two midgets who are very fond of each other), plus baggage, is that compared to the 150, it climbs like a bat out of hell and goes just fast enough to feel like you're actually going somewhere. And the SP- yummy! It's like a low-end luxury automobile inside; "posh" is the correct term, iI believe.

Oddly enough, I not only didn't make that error with the carb heat... I actually enjoyed not having to worry about ice, and didn't miss the "carb heat: on" part at all, despite my fondness for anachronisms.

But "fuelies" have their own problems: vapor-lock in very hot weather, and that startup sequence (mixture full rich; fuel pump on,; mixture idle cutoff; fuel pump off; ignition on; mixture full rich... it's nothing but the equivalent of a coupla primer shots, only more confusing).

I must shift myself out on my comfy chair and take another trip up into the blue again....
...in the trusty '152... ... ...!

Indeed. What is your story, anyway? Did you ever get your license? Medical no good? Have you ever soloed?
I just read about a fellow in the US who got his ticket at age 82 just for the hell of it- what are you waiting for?
If money is the key issue, you might want to consider coming over here and banging out the PP program over the course of a couple of weeks. Even with airfare, etc. it might work out cheaper for you... average rate for  instructor and 152 around here is slightly less than $100/hr, fuel included... and you could do the whole thing without ever paying any user fees.

Then there's the new Sport Pilot rating... about half the trouble and expense, and perfect for fun flying.
Not sure how much good a US license would do you back home, but it might be fun and very rewarding to "earn your wings"!

[beaky]

Glad to see you back in the saddle there again Sean.

You must have some decent weather because we are on our third day of rain here.  Looks not to bad tomorrow but Wednesday is rain again.  We are dipping down to single digit numbers in temperature at night now and one needs a jacket first thing in the morning.

Just curious about the third shot:
I see a cemetery.
I see the fuel truck.
I see the fuel tank.
I see the red arrow on the fuel tank and the green truck.
Where is the road and is that where the aircraft refuel?
HMMM...maybe there is two roads there that we can't see?

Cheers...Happy Landings...Doug

It's been like that here, too, but I got a nice break with the weather Monday, and I can expect more of the same before winter sets in. We'll be seeing the usual lovely weather this month ,then maybe rain next month, then either cold clear weather or foggy, clammy weather in November, with some snow at the end.
As for your questions: I have a Google Earth image that will explain all, but I have to start a new thread or PM you to avoid busting the limit.