Aircraft: C172
Registration: C-GQQV
Dual Time: 0.0 Total: 34.0
Solo Time: 0.5 Total: 9.0
Today was a lot like yesterday, CAVU and with only a slight wind from the East. This wind necessitated the use of runway zero niner. I arrived at the club early but BRI was grounded and my new booking in QQV was very late. I noticed that the lady flying it landed really long on her way in but was glad to see that I would get going albeit 25 minutes late. While signing me out, Steven suggested that I go back to the practice area. I assured him tat I was making solo flights out there but my time was short so I’d just do some patterns here and over at Gatineau. I also noticed an entry in my PTR suggesting that I obtain a transponder code from Ottawa Terminal by calling 1-866-VFR-CODE (Do not try 1-888-VFR-CODE as this is an adult line, don’t ask how I found that out!!!) I will be sure to try this before my next flight.
So the preflight went easily enough and again I had to ask people to get out of the way before starting my engine. I used a polite “Excuse me but I’m about th fire my engine” instead of the standardized “CLEAR PROP!” shouted out the window. They moved quickly. Once I got QQV started I could tell immediately that it was idling fast. There was something written up about the tach being off but this could be felt in the engine speed. I did not worry too much about it as this is the same way that the aircraft was last time I flew her.
The airwaves were alive with chatter. There were at least 8 seperate aircraft either orbiting CYRO or on an arrival. I managed my run up and slipped in to a backtaxi zero niner for my first take off. The pattern went well with me not worried about the minimal chop in the air. Even though the sky was clear there was a definate haze that you could feel at 1200′. As I lined up on final I was a bit fast, I dropped in the last bit of flaps and watched the speed bleeding down to 60 KT as I crossed the fence. I still felt as if I was coming in hot, as I flared the aircraft it hit the ground and bounced. It was probably my mose violent bounce with a definate nose pitching down movement. I pulled back harder on the yoke and “rode” this second bounce in. Then I aborted the “go” part of this touch and go and taxied off the runway to think about what just happened.
I taxied over to the run up area of zero niner and made my way back up to the pattern. As I was about to turn crosswind I heard an aircraft reporting “Overhead the field for mid downwind entry”. I extended my climb out leg and as I approached 1100′ I began my turn to crosswind. I reported position. Turning downwind now I slowed as I did not see the other aircraft. I called out “Cessna one seven two golf quebec quebec victor is now on mid downwind for runway zero niner”. He called back “Where on downwind?” I looked over my left shoulder to see him aproaching directly off my wingtip at a distance of less than 1 mile. I responded, “I see you off my wingtip, I should be at your 12 o’clock, 1 mile”. He reported seeing me and would tuck in behind. I sped up. This was otherwise more or less normal for the remainder of this circuit, I did not like the way it felt as if my tail was oscillating on the base leg. It felt as if the wind was simply moving the tail around and around in a circular motion. The motion made me feel somewhat ill. I opted to release al controls and just “ride” with it. As I turned final I was not lined up well but brought down the aircraft in good fashion except that the speed was high and the landing long. I saw that GWZA was queuing up to fly out as I blasted by on this T & G.
On the third circuit I heard a Cessna 150 in front of me, something else behind me and some other aircraft joining in from the West. As I turned downwind I felt more chop and made the decision that this would be a full stop, it’s just a little to busy for me today. I brought the aircraft for a nice line up final and heard the call “Rockliffe Traffic, Whiskey Zulu Alpha is backtracking runway zero niner, remaining in the circuit”. I retorted, “Cessna Quebec Quebec Victor is on final zero niner, full stop” and WZA did something very bold. He aborted his turn toward me, lined up for an intersection take off and then sat there. All the while this unfolded I was considering my options.
hmmm, he’s about to go, he knows I’m coming. I can do a go around right here and he will sit and wait, but what IS he doing now? oh maybe he is……
Just as he bagan to roll, I could tell he was then taking off with a short field technique. I knew that as long as he got off the runway before I touched down, we’d still be legal and since he was well ahead of me, there was no issue with vorticies so I simply continued my landing down to a gorgeous flare and touch down, agan quite long but nice. I called him out and said “Thank you” I’m sure he was just happy to save the .1 hobbs on that one!
So there you have it, I broke 9 hours solo. If you asked me today how well I am flying, I’d tell you that I feel almost as if I have regressed but maybe this is simply a plateau. I’m booked for next week with a dual to find out. I didn’t bother to ask about the plane because I am sure it’s just me!