Stage II - DONE

As I sit writing this blog I am listening to SF Tower on liveatc.com. Puts me in the mood to write about my aviation endeavors

Tomorrow I make my first solo cross country flight. I will be flying out to lovely Modesto in the Central Valley of California from San Carlos here in the Bay Area. This will be about a 62 nautical mile flight and will take me across the Bay and then over the East Bay hills and then Easterly for a bit. The flight should only take me around 1 1/2 hours round trip with favorable winds. To drive this would take 2 to 2 1/2 hrs one way!!

I was in Italy this last month, July, hanging out on the Amalfi coast with Kristina. Since coming back to SF I have passed my Stage II checks, first with Dan since he has been my primary instructor for my x-countries. Passing your Stage II check-rides means you are endorsed to fly 50 nautical miles, or more, from your primary airport. I like flying with Dan - he makes me feel relaxed and positive about my flying. The second part of my Stage II was with Stan who, while being my primary instructor for the last 6 months, was the final Stage II 'check-ride' instructor. I have to admit I do not like flying with him as much. He says things like, 'that landing sucked' or 'you lallygag on the runway too much'. Definitely things I need to correct but perhaps different language could be used?? My wife has even noticed that I am in a better mood when returning from flying with Dan than with Stan. I may be keeping Dan as my primary instructor until time for the final check-ride.

There was a lot that went into the Stage II check. I had to plan the flight getting weather information with winds aloft for both the SF area and the Sacramento Valley. Then I had to plot the flight with magnetic headings accounting for winds and getting out from under the SF Class B airspace, etc. After I preflight the plane I sit down with Stan and he questions me on the flight plan and any 'gotchas', weather or terrain, that I could expect when flying. He also questioned me on general weather items and flight systems and then finally had me go up to the board and figure the 'weight & balance' of the airplane. This includes the weight of the pilot and passenger, Stan, and then fuel which is 6Ibs per gallon which with a full tank, 56 gallons is 336Ibs. We got our CG or center of gravity and then looked at the graph in the handbook to make sure we were within limits. Everything checked out and we were out to go fly after about an hour of answering questions. Whew!

Going out to the plane I got in and buckled up , Stan got in buckled up and I began going over my checklist. I got to the part 'ties and chocks removed' and... STOP. When I went back in to do my oral exam with Stan I tied down just the tail. I had not removed that tie-down. Would have made for a very rocky start and probably would have failed me. Tie-down on tail removed and final walk around complete. Checklists are our friends and we must use them EVERY time, and I do.

We taxied out to the run-up area to bring the engine up to 1800 rpm, checking magnetos and gauges and all that fun stuff. I then programmed in our flight on the GPS. I have become reasonably good at doing this and though I had my flight plan with lovely headings I was going to make liberal use of my GPS coordinates out to Modesto. I plugged in my radio settings on comm 1 and comm 2 for Norcal Approach and the ATIS for Modesto. Better to get as much radio stuff done on the ground as possible.

I taxied up to the hold line of runway 30 (three zero). I called up tower for a right downwind departure for Modesto and was told that I was cleared to take-off 'without delay'. This means you get on the runway and start rolling ASAP. After passing over the Bay we headed over Coyote Hills in the East Bay and I attempted 3 times to call up Norcal App to get 'flight following' to Modesto. This is the great radar service that puts you on the map with a controller who can advise you of other aircraft in the area. Good stuff!

On these check rides you never actually fly to the intended airport, in this case Modesto. Instead Stan notes that I am following my course both with proper altitudes and headings and then mid flight says 'please divert me to Byron Airport'. At this point I start doing a 360, maintaining my altitude of 5,500 ft. While doing this I have my aeronautical chart out and note where I am. Then I get out my plastic plotter and figure distance and use a VOR radial to figure my heading. I then use my E6B flight computer (glorified slide rule) and figure time and fuel to the airport. This is like trying to change clothes in a broom closet. I still have to fly the airplane and maintain altitude and not get disoriented. You return back to the area where you originated the 360 and get on heading from there. When I looked at the VOR radial I noted 035 when it should have been 305. When I looked at the direction I should be heading and my heading indicator I knew I made a mistake. Stan remained silent and then told me that I need to make sure I don't confuse the headings when I had oriented myself. I flew in to Byron and made the calls to land. Byron does not have a tower so you are merely advising other pilots in the area of your intentions. We landed and then he had me do soft / short field landings and take-offs. I do not feel like describing them but they require some coordination and I managed to do them relatively well. We eventually flew out and back toward San Carlos. Stan informed me that I had passed the Stage II and I felt pretty good about it though had a nagging sense that my flying that day was not as good as it could have been. I was happy I passed but really wanted to have a super sharp day of flying and felt I came up a little short. I landed and tied down, came in and Stan signed my logbook with an endorsement I needed for solo x-country. I will need Dan's final endorsement to take off next weekend when I do my actual solo x-country flight.

This is now the period of time where I get in a few solo x-countries, one being more than 150 nautical miles landing at two other airports. My next stage check will be the final sign off to take my check-ride with the FAA examiner who, IF I pass will hand me my private pilot's certificate.

I recently took my FAA written exam and passed with a score of 93 pts. Not too bad.

ciao,
russ