Lesson 21 : Flying at Night

Tuesday, March 24th

7pm-10pm

Tuesday night was my first time flying the DA-20 at night.  Part of the private pilot license requirements are 10 full stop-and-goes at night at a controlled airport.  We went over to PDK for 5 and then to Fulton County Airport for the last 5.  PDK was a circus.  Fulton County was a ghost town.  

Flying at night around a busy airport is above my head right now and probably something I won't do much of until I have an instrument rating.  The lights are however very beautiful from up there.  I look forward to the night cross country.

PIC Flight 2 : Enjoying a Sunday Solo Flight

Sunday Morning

This morning I flew solo again.  I took the same route to the north over Lake Lanier that I flew yesterday.  However today was different:  at no time did I feel nervous or afraid.  My goal was to fly out over the lake and have a good time and that is exactly what happened.  I knew my buddy Lorin was at one of the marinas watching for me.  Later, I learned he saw me plain as day circling the Lanier shores.  It was a lot of fun and extremely satisfying.

Radio

On my way home, when I called the tower at 10 miles out I learned that their radar was down.  Fortunately, it was not a busy afternoon.  They did ask me several times for my position and I had some dialog back and forth with them.  Radio communication is no longer an obstacle for me.  The chatter that used to be totally incomprehensible is now second nature.  I landed and taxied back to Advanced Aviation.

Evolution

Yesterday I was consumed with trying not to mess up, make a mistake, or get killed.  Fear and isolation dominated my senses and it took all the will power I could muster to manage that fear.  As terrified as I was, the experience was necessary for me to evolve.  Demons are never really defeated in the safe light of day.  You have to climb down into hell and face them alone in the dark.  I am truly grateful to my instructor, Chris, for training me to win that battle.

Today, I relaxed and enjoyed a Sunday morning flight over the lake.  Fear was replaced with confident situational awareness.  Instead of isolation, I experienced a deep sense of respect to be exercising a privilege that I've worked hard to earn.

PIC Flight 1 : Ghosts and Fear Management

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Fear

This morning would be my first start to finish Pilot-In-Command flight.  I arrived around 8:30, pre-flighted 391JA, taxied out, did the run-up, and taxied up to the line.  At that point it occurred to me : I'm about to go flying by myself.  I felt Fear building inside.

I got clearance for departure and throttled up.  Lift off at 55 kts.  Climb out at 70.  This was familiar territory.  It was when I turned North toward the lake that I suddenly felt a panicked urge to go back.  I had never flown away from the airport by myself.  What if I get lost or disoriented?  What if I pass out for some reason?  What if I'm actually passed out now and this is all a dream while in reality I sit slumped over in the cockpit?  I should turn around and land ASAP.

I've heard numerous accounts of "fearlessness" and all of them essentially tell the same story: it's not about not being afraid, but continuing to operate effectively in the presence of fear.  I considered turning around, but decided not to.  I was going to reach the lake and then come back.  So I stayed on my North course and focussed on controlling my breathing and remaining calm.

Ghosts

"Traffic" the radar system alerted.  I looked at the radar and saw a blip that appeared to be an aircraft at my altitude, right on top me.  According to the radar, I should be colliding with another plane.  "Traffic" it said again.  Frantically, I looked all around but saw nothing.  I rocked my wings to check beneath me.  Still nothing.  The blip disappeared.  As I discovered later, this is called a ghost.  Radar systems sometimes accidentally register themselves as separate aircraft on the screen.

Going Home

I reached Lake Lanier and felt a sense of relief.  I put in a left bank to circle back South to go home.  10 miles out from LZU I called the tower and they asked me to report 4 miles out.  I was feeling better again as flying in the pattern was familiar.  4 miles out I was directed to turn left into final #2 behind another aircraft and to call it when in site.  I finally saw the traffic and called it in.  Tower directed me to follow that traffic in.  

I was a little high and fast coming into the final approach, but I got my speed and altitude down where they needed to be.  I touched down at 70 kts: textbook landing.  Turned right on Charlie, contacted ground who sent me back to the Advanced Aviation ramp.  My parking job was slightly off to the right, but close enough.

Final Analysis

So, my first full solo is done.  I did not think it was going to be the gut check that it turned out to be.  During my 1st solo TAGs a month ago,  I was keyed up, dialed in, and had a very specific mission: staying in the pattern for 2 TAGs and a full stop.  Never a mile from LZU.  This was different.  I was on my own the entire time and not just flying a circuit, but actually navigating some 18 miles from LZU over water.

So it was a perfectly executed flight on a picture perfect day, and I was more or less scared sh**less.  I'm going back up tomorrow morning to repeat the solo Lake Lanier flight mission, with one modification : enjoy myself.

Lesson 20 : De-Rust

Friday March 20, 2009

Since my first solo, I've had a few ground school classes doing VFR flight planning.  However, between work demands, funds running low, a string of terrible weather, and the flu I had not been able to fly until this morning. 

Chris and I went up today for 2 purposes : (1) to get un-rusty from not having flown in a month and (2) as a dress rehearsal for the next day, Saturday, where I would do a full solo flight.

It turns out I was not very rusty at all.  My TAGs were very decent.  We flew North to Lake Lanier, then over to Stone Mtn, and back.  Nothing fancy, just getting re-acquainted and prepped for tomorrow.