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Flight 8 map

SQL -> SQL

Aircraft: 1998 Cessna Skyhawk SP (Tail #: N54JA)
Flight hours: 1.2
CFI: Garrett Krosse
Cockpit voice recording (via Black Box app):

These recordings are no longer available

Flight and Lesson Summary

I depart San Carlos (SQL) and practice several power-on stalls over Livermore. With winds gusting up to 20 knots, this is my first taste of wind shear and flying in heavy turbulence.

Flight Notes

  • I have been playing with Microsoft Flight Simulator recently and working on running through preflight and takeoff checklists. I felt much more comfortable with the preflight and engine startup procedures for this flight, but still messed up a ground ATC call. Oh, well. My guess is that my confidence with ATC communications is going to come more from practice and less from rote memorization.

  • I felt super behind and self-conscious with my taxiing for this flight. For the last few flights, I have felt myself riding the brakes to stay on the center line. I noticed that I felt a little too close to the rudder / brake pedals throughout the flight - definitely something that I’ll pay more attention to next time. There isn’t really any room for error there - especially if you’re flying by yourself.

  • There were strong, gusting crosswinds of about 20 knots at take off, so Garrett helped with out a bunch as we lifted off the ground. The climb out and journey towards the Sunol grade is pretty bumpy, and I fought with some seriously wispy air to keep the wings level throughout our climb. I’m glad that we made the decision to cancel a steep turns flight with similar conditions earlier in my training. I was disappointed at the time, but it now makes sense why it probably would have been more stress than learning if we went up that day.

  • On our way to the valley to practice stalls, we do a lot of altitude adjustment through different airspace shelves to avoid clouds. It’s a great exercise and helped me get a better sense for approximate altitudes of clouds in the distance.

  • As I finished up my last power-on stall, I handed the plane over the Garrett to do a free-fall at my request. We slow down to about 60 knots and he pushes the controls down. We drop about 1,000 feet in three seconds and it’s awesome. Coolest feeling ever. This is definitely going to become an end-of-lesson tradition. I’ll try to get the next one on video and post it here.