Leaving the Nest

This past weekend, I accomplished yet another milestone in my flight training. I left the traffic pattern flying solo. A little apprehensive and nervous about this entire flight, I had to work my jitters out. As I walked from the ramp to the airplane, biting my lower lip, I prepared myself mentally for this short flight, and began my preflight inspection. After having a few preliminary items taken care of before I went up, I hopped in the plane and began running through my checklist. Cranking the engine, and tuning the radio to the ASOS, I set the altimeter, noted the wind direction, and switched to ground frequency to request taxi clearance. Once I received my clearance, I throttled the plane up just enough to start it rolling.

With my nervousness somewhat at bay, I continued my taxi to the designated runway, completed my run up, set my gages and called the tower. "Hickory tower, Cessna 411 is holding short runway one nine, ready for VFR departure to the north." "Cessna 411, continue holding short." "Holding short, runway one nine." Holding short gave me another moment to double check everything, and prepare myself for this flight. "Cessna 411, Hickory tower. Cleared for takeoff, runway one nine, right turnout approved." "Cleared for takeoff, one nine, right turn out approved." Pushing the throttle in once more, I taxied to the center of the runway, added full power, and began my takeoff.

Feeling comfortable with this procedure since I have done it many times, I continued down the runway, watching my airspeed begin to build, I began my rotation and started to climb. As the plane continued to climb, I noted that the air was smooth. Climbing to my turnout altitude, I began my right turn. It was at this moment, I took a moment to myself and looked around. There I was, alone, flying the plane all by myself, and things were going well. I felt a smile creep across my face.

Turning on a north heading, I began to make perform some maneuvers required for this particular lesson, S-turns and turns around a point. Things went as well as they could have for someone who hasn't done them in a while. Shaky, and then building with improvement. After performing these maneuvers to my satisfaction, I then headed to another local airport, where I would be meeting with my flight instructor to discuss our approaching night cross country flight.
Establishing myself on the pattern altitude, I entered the 45 degree for a left downwind pattern, announcing my position. Following through I turned to base, and then onto final. It was here that I noticed I hadn't timed things right. I had cut my downwind too short, and was now high on my final approach with a short distance to descend. Pushing the nose down, the plane began to pick up speed. Chopping all the power, I attempted to re-establish my airspeed, and stabilize the plane so that I could land it in an acceptable spot.

The closer I got the the runway, the faster the airspeed increased. From the plane, I watched my aiming point slide out from underneath me. Rather than trying to hold together an approach that was falling apart, I pushed the throttle to the wall, retracted a notch of flaps, and announced on the CTAF I was going around. Bringing myself back up to pattern altitude, I made my turn to crosswind, and then back to downwind Following through, I made sure this time to extend my downwind, turned base, and again on final.

Noticing once more I was a touch high, I pulled power and pushed the nose down. Getting a bit fast, I pulled more power, and pulled the nose up. Gliding down at a better rate, but coming in high from slowing the plane down, I touched the plane down somewhat abruptly a bit beyond the aiming point. Happy that I was able to put it on the runway, I taxied to the ramp to meet with my flight instructor.

After a brief conversation, it was time to return back to my home airport. Taking off, and leaving the traffic pattern, I received clearance to land. After turning base, and then to final, I found that I was established on the right path, the right airspeed, and was set for a nice landing. As I flew the plane just short of the aiming point, I leveled off a touch above the runway, and once over the aiming point, chopped the power. The plane gently settled right onto the runway, the tires releasing a brief squawk to confirm I had touched down.


As soon as the wheels touched down, I knew that at least with this landing, I could not have done any better. Sure, I could have been a little more to the right to be on the center line, but my goal here was to touch the wheels down in the aiming point. Having accomplished that goal, and having done it very smoothly, I was completely satisfied with my flight for the entire day.

The best part of all this, was that day, I decided to put my video camera in the back of the cockpit, and filmed my entire flight. So, not only was I able to remember my aced landing, but I could go back and watch it as many times as I wanted. Having been satisfied with my day's flight, and having the confidence and knowledge to know that I was capable of flying solo and able to leave the traffic pattern, I taxied back to the runway, shut the engine down, and secured the plane. I was proud of myself and what I had accomplished that day, and I looked forward to what my next day of flying had in store.