02 August 2010

Closed Traffic

When getting the weather this morning, I think the FSS briefer warned me three times that VFR flight over our practice area (KHWY and KCJR) was "not recommended" due to potential fog.  I filed the SFRA flight plan just in case, but we cancelled it before taking off.  We stayed in the pattern and performed simulated engine-out landings. I tended to be way high on the final approach this time, figuring that high is better than low with no engine.  But I was so high that  I couldn't see how to get the airplane down on the runway even with full 30 degree flaps. My CFI showed me the forward slip technique for quickly bleeding off altitude.  That is a fun maneuver.

A Learjet was cleared for landing on 16L (the parallel runway) and the tower gave us the "caution wake turbulence" call at about the same time my CFI pulled my throttle to idle. I made an ugly pattern to the runway and on the following takeoff the tower indicated that they had a question "when able." I said go ahead on the climb out. They asked if I had changed my pattern due to the Lear. Nope, just simulating engine-out landings.

Today was my first time flying in rain. Eventually the broken ceiling dropped enough that the tower made it pretty clear that we needed to land full-stop. A fun day flying.

Flight time this lesson: 1.1 hours dual, 0.0 hours simulated instrument
Total time to date: 6.5 hours dual, 0.4 hours simulated instrument

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