Recently in Flying Category
Other than being halfway to my death in terms of years now, today was pretty darn awesome.
On my todo list for where to go once I got my pilot's license, was to visit Santa Cruz, then head north, and follow the coast, up past Golden Gate. The conditions were ripe to do it today - bday vacation day, blue skies, zero fog, kids in school, and wife AFK. To help sweeten the pot, my normal ride at the flying club had no reservations today.
It is nearly a straight line from Sacramento to Santa Cruz, even accounting for the terrain. With the wind, it was only about an hour to make the trek, too. Through the delta, over Livermore, and through the Sunol Pass. Once towards the Silicon Valley, air traffic control had me stay to the side for a few minutes, before allowing me to cross at a 90º angle across San Jose International. Onto the west side of the valley, back into the hills, and over them until I came to the Pacific Coast. At this point, I turned to Watsonville to the south to land. Watsonville is a pretty busy airport!
After a lunch break, I headed north, following the coast. No flight following here, at least not down at 2500 feet. Emergency options out here are limited (you watch for fields, decent but empty beaches, and plan "C" - the ocean). Fairly quickly I was up to San Francisco, and opted to stay below SFO's "class bravo" airspace. Hopefully a few pictures came out of the Golden Gate bridge - I was more busy flying than photo taking. I'll have to take this trip again again when I have a passenger, and let them take photos.
After flying over the GG bridge, it was then over Alcatraz, then San Pablo bay, Carquinez Bridg, and then into the Concord area. The mothball fleet is still out there (you can see it when you're driving on 680) - I flew right over it. From there, it was back through the delta, and home sweet home.
Tonight I got checked out to rent at the San Jose GA airport (Reid Hillview, KRHV). They speciallize in tail draggers, but they do have single Cessna in the fleet; a Cessna 172M.
The "M" is apparently just before Cessna standardized the panel; it shows MPH instead of knots. A few other things are clearly less refined than I'm used too; the fuel and engine data are all on the far right, pretty much invisible at night without a flashlight; and, the flaps are different. I'm used to moving the flaps to the position I want, and the electric motors move things into place. On the "M", instead, you basically have an up/down - the more you want, the more you hold it in.
The other fun part of this was that this checkout was at nigth, in unfamiliar airspace, with a new (to me) instruction, in an unfamiliar plane. Fun! :)
In the end, I'm now able to rent 172's from both Sacramento and now San Jose.
One of my goals when I was learning to fly was to take the plane and go visit the PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) and the coast line. Yesterday, the weather was pretty darn awesome - and it looked like it was my chance. And, my son wanted to go, too (who kinda freaked on the last trip).
The route was set - Sacramento to Sunol, cross over San Jose International, keep going going going until we hit SANTY intersection near Santa Cruz. From there, we'd hang a left ,and head over to Watsonville airport, and have a chance to use the facilities and stuff. After 4:30p, when the TFR (Temporary Flight Restriction) was lifted (Blue Angels are in town for Fleet Week), we'd go up the coast from the Monterey Bay all the way up to San Francisco; pass the Golden Gate bridge; then turn towards Sacramento, cutting through the Travis AFB area.
Well, so much for the plan. After spending a lengthy time preflighting, explaining to Joshua what I'm doing, answering questions, etc; and after taking the plane over to the fuel pumps for fuel; and after we getting to the runup area, the news came out. While revving the engine up to test it (before leaving the ground!), we found the right side magnetos weren't burning so great. The engine drop was much more beyond tolerance. If we flew, it'd fly - but.. if we lost the left side magnetos we would have been in trouble. So, mission aborted.
We taxied back to park the plane, locked it up, took the keys back to the office. They scheduled it for a look by the mechanic.
The club has 3 Cessna 172's that I'm comfortable with; between this one being down, and my primary being down (windshield replacement, and normal 100 hour maintenance), that left only a single plane in the fleet. We scheduled the remaining airplane for an early evening flight, for a slightly different tour.
Evening came; we got the plane, and I did the normal preflight and fuel up. Everything's a go for this plane, horray! We took off, banking to the south at 600 feet. The fun part on this is that the first time Josh went up, the bank bugged him - he looked out beyond the wing at the wrong time and saw dirt. This time, he was a bit more prepared for it mentally. This time.. he .. also didn't even notice the bank at all, even when I told him we were doing it. He asked me a few minutes later when we were going to do it..
We headed out into the Sacramento Delta, away from typical practice traffic and actual people-going-places traffic. We followed the river towards Rio Vista, checked out the ferry, the bridges in the area, etc. Mount Diablo loomed above the haze, as usual.
I gave my son the yoke for a while; let him get a bit of exposure to what the plane will do. Simple soft turns, and keeping the horizon level. Only one turn did I have to really step in, he did fairly well otherwise. He can now tell his friends he operated a vehicle at 100+ mph..
We made it back to the airport just after sunset. California sunsets are always something to see. The airport had turned the lights on, which you could almost see; it was a surreal moment.
Joshua's first trip was fairly traumatic for him. He's a bit clausterphobic, but only when moving vehicles, and he's not so good with heights. He was in the back seat at the time (I had my instructor with me in the front seat) and we didn't make it so far. This time around, kinda rocked. He had front seat, the good window, better view, full communications, had some time with the yoke, and.. did great. He's looking forward to going up again..
As a side note, since I had the plane after office hours, I went back after 9p, took the airplane out again, and got some night flying in, and in particular, night landings in. I can legally take passengers at night again (I have to meet currency requirements to take passengers).
A few local friends have asked that I take them with me in the airplane after I receive my license. In the event that I take you flying with me, I'm going to ask you to read the following.
(Last updated 9/21/2006)
Before We Go
Light General Aviation (GA) aircraft are very different from commercial airliners. The noise level is much higher, so you will be wearing an aviation headset or earplugs during the trip, and the motion due to turbulence may be more noticeable. There are no on-board toilets. Please make sure you are comfortable before we take off.
Airfield Safety
Please don't stray from the pilot while you are on the restricted areas of the airfield. Keep away from other aircraft, even if they are not moving, especially their propellers. If you hear anyone shout "Clear!" or "Clear prop!" it means an aircraft is about to start: be sure you are nowhere near it. A propeller turning at speed is almost invisible, and in any conflict it will win. It can also throw dirt in your face if you stand too close behind an aircraft. Take care when boarding the aircraft only to step where the pilot shows you - and use the handholds, especially if you have just walked across a muddy field.
On board
No smoking. No alcohol on board. Intoxicated passengers will not be allowed to fly.
The pilot will show you how to open and close the door, adjust the seats and use the seat-belt. Keep the belt fastened whenever the aircraft is moving, and make sure it's tight during takeoff and landing. If you are sitting in front, check that your seat is far enough back to allow full movement of the controls. If you have any luggage, please stow it securely in the back. Please don't put anything on the floor, where it might interfere with the controls.
Once the power is switched on, you can talk to the pilot via your headset. Adjust the microphone so it's just in front of your top lip, and speak at a normal level. From time to time the pilot will need to use the radio to communicate with other stations - please do not talk when he does, or your voice will be transmitted too. Make a note of the aircraft's callsign, which is on a plate on the dashboard. If you hear anyone on the radio using it, stop talking so the pilot can hear them.
In the Air
The pilot is in sole charge of the aircraft at all times: please do anything he asks you at once. Don't touch any of the controls, including the pedals in front of you, unless he asks you to. You can adjust the air vents if you wish. Please make sure your seat is securely locked. If it starts to slip back when the aircraft climbs, just let it go - it will only slide a few inches. Whatever you do, don't grab anything in front of you!
When the aircraft is climbing or descending, you may need to hold you nose and blow gently to equalise the pressure in your ears. Unlike a car, when an aircraft turns it leans over, and you may find this sensation unusual at first. Turbulence may cause the aircraft to bump around a little. This is quite normal so please just relax and enjoy the flight.
If you have questions about anything, please feel free to ask. If you feel uneasy about anything, or too hot or cold, or unwell, please tell the pilot sooner rather than later. But remember that the pilot's first priority at all times is to fly the aircraft safely, so he may not be able to give you his full attention immediately.
Landing
Before and during landing, there may be events that you were not expecting: a surprising number of changes of direction and engine speed, and sometimes you may feel you are leaning over, or notice that the runway is not where you expected to see it. Sometimes, just as you are expecting to touch down, the pilot will "go around" for another approach. And in the final stages of landing, you may hear a buzzer sounding. All these things are quite normal and nothing to worry about. However, it is the period when the pilot's workload is highest, so please don't distract him.
The flight is not over until the aircraft is parked and the engine stopped. Don't unfasten your seatbelt or open the door until then.
In Case of Emergency
If anything unexpected happens, remember that the pilot has been trained and tested in dealing with emergencies, so please remain calm and do whatever the pilot tells you to do.
Our flight plan today includes allowances for diverting to a different airfield in the event of unexpected bad weather.
In the unlikely event of engine failure, the aircraft glides gently down, and can be safely landed in a small field. In case of an of field landing, the pilot will provide you with instructions for a safe landing. You may be asked to open your door ajar in the event of an off-airport landing. Most importantly, make sure that your seat belt is securely fastened and that you comply with the pilot's instructions.
Common Questions...
Am I fit to fly? If in doubt, ask the pilot. It's not a good idea to fly if you have a bad cold or sinus problems, as the changes in air pressure can be painful if you can't "pop" your ears. Scuba and flying do not mix - separate them by 24 hours.
What should I wear? Wear clothes that are comfortable, but not too bulky. Skirts and high heels are not advisable. Dress as you would for a long journey in a small car. Sunglasses or a peaked cap are a good idea, as it may sometimes be necessary to fly with the sun in your eyes.
Can I eat on board the aircraft? Yes, however, please be considerate of the types of food you bring on board. Please avoid bringing food likely to cause a mess. Also, avoid consuming large amounts of fluids as there are no restrooms on board the aircraft. Ginger (ginger cookies, etc.) has been shown to ease motion sickness.
Can I take photographs? Yes, but don't expect too much from the results, and please don't bring a lot of equipment. Aircraft windows are rarely of optical standard, and there will be a good deal of vibration from the engine. The pilot will try to help you to get a good view, but remember that his first priority is always to fly the aircraft safely. This may mean not going as close as you would like to places of interest, or approaching them from the ideal direction.
How can I help? The most useful thing you can do to help is to keep a good lookout, and tell the pilot if you see other aircraft. Use the "clock code" - 9 o'clock is to your left, 12 straight ahead, 3 to your right.
About the pilot:Jason Fesler is a private pilot. I do not fly commercially; I am not a charter service; I do not care about schedules. You are welcome to look at my log book at http://www.logshare.com/log.jsp?email=jfesler@gigo.com
. You are allowed to pay a portion of the flight costs; I am legally required to accept only up to your share of the costs.
Is there risk with flying? Like everything else, life is a risk. You should consider the risks, and decline to fly if you are uncomfortable. The NTSB maintains statistics about general aviation; the DOT maintains information about driving. I am trained in emergencies, and most emergencies are non-events. But, stuff happens.
Schedules: I do not care about schedules. If the weather is bad, we don't fly. We will not compromise safety for the sake of being somewhere at a specific time. Most airports have car rental options if it is required. With general aviation, you fly when you're NOT in a hurry.
