Aircraft: C172
Registration: C-GQUO
Dual Time: 1.3 Total: 44.1
Solo Time: 0.0 Total: 13.1
This weeks flight began on a different note. I knew that I had fallen off the horse and needed a lift. I KNOW that I can fly an airplane, I just needed the confidence to be able to relax enough to prove it. So on Thursday I made a booking with Mat and then sent him this email:
Sorry to drag you into the club so early Mat but It was the only opening. I booked us for a 1.5 dual Saturday morning at 8:30.
Ok so since my solo X/C attempt I feel as if I’ve fallen off the horse and it is hard to get back on. This was further reinforced by my flight on Sunday prior to my written, (let’s just summarize by saying that I was tense and behind the aircraft and it did not go well!) (The written on the other hand went great!!)
That said I know that yer the man to get me back in the saddle again. I had a couple of ideas in mind so that we don’t come unprepared!
1: Short and Soft - We fly out to Pendleton or some other small grassy strip and do some work on a REAL short/soft field. I know it’s not on the PTS but it seems like fun and might give me some decent real world feel.
2: Busy and Long – I have been to CYOW only once and it was at around hour # 3. I would like to get more dual experience dealing with ATC and working in controlled airspace.
Those are the two I came up with, during these flights perhaps we can go over what is making me so tense and get over that anxiety because I hate to think I’m THIS close and yet so far.
So let me know what you think and I’ll leave the ultimate choice up to you.
Thanks!!
Mat replied quickly and offered that we should take a full 2.0 to be really comfortable with the flight. I agreed and arrived for 8:00 early to get started. We would be in GQUO which made me happy as this is becoming my favorite aircraft. When I arrived at the club I asked “Mat, so which flight do you think we should take?” He replied “Both, now go get us a transponder code” I was pumped!
I obtained the code and the weather and soon we were aloft. Takeoff on runway two seven was of the short field variety and we departed off downwind for Pendleton. As I climbed to 1700′ I could easily see that we would not be able to make it to CNF3 due to low cloud cover. A quick call to Gatineau Radio and a 220 degree turn later I was now heading towards CYOW. I dialed in 118.8 and called “Ottawa Tower, Cessna 172 inbound for touch and go, requesting South field“. The tower replied with a “Make angled base cleared to land runway two five”
I knew we were now heading in to the BIG airport, landing on the 2nd biggest runway. I was excited but not at all nervous or anxious! I lined up and chopped the power to make a great landing with a hold short of runway 32. Take off was excellent and I was asked to make an immediate left turn. That was cool being able to turn so quickly so close to the ground. As I lined up for a downwind for 32 I watched an Air Canada 737 on long final. I was able to tuck in behind him and then land on 32 with a touch and go. The ATC controller did a great job of keeping separation and again turned us right over the terminal building.
I made these figure 8 patterns and was able to log 5 touch and go’s or stop and go’s. I got to see a king air, a nice Q400 and some various large jets. I felt “like a man” while on short final seeing this giant AC jet waiting for us. He probably burned more fuel on the ground than we would all day in the air. That is when tower said “Quebec Uniform Oscah this will be your last one as it’s about to get busy here“. ”Affirmative, thank you Ottawa Tower” I replied and thought to myself “ABOUT to get busy??!! hmm”
I was vectored towards Rockliffe and popped into a small puff of a cloud. Mat said “Eyes down” and I switched to instruments for the 2 seconds or so it took to get thru. He then handed me the hood and had me don it while we flew back to CYRO.
During the flight back I heard a strong accent on the radio “les cedres . . . blah blah”. I ignored it because I assumed it was for CSS3. (Which shares the same ATF as we have). I turned downwind and performed my pre landing checks. This flight could not get better. As I was turning final I keyed the mic and took a breath as Mat exclaimed “MY AIRCRAFT!” and began a climbing left turn. My eyes followed and out of my left window I watched in amazement as a Cessna flew by about 100 feet below and directly on path with us!
The man had not said “les cedres” he had been saying “two seven”!! This was an out of town pilot who doesn’t follow the rules apparently as he simply did a nice long final right down the river and broke into our circuit without any procedure! I was considering this as I looked up and saw the ASI unwinding quickly! I stated “airspeed” just as Mat relaxed the back pressure and returned control to me. I then flew the overshoot. During which I began to discuss and Mat gave me golden words of wisdom “Fly the plane now, we’ll talk about him on the ground”. and we did just that.
I flew around, realized that I was about to land long so went around again for a beautiful short field landing.
We were happy. We discussed my performance on this flight, It was great! My reward? I’m flying my mock exam THIS SATURDAY!!!!!!
I’m glad you’re back in the air — it sounds like a great flight.
ATC almost always does a good job with wake-turbulence separation, but once in a while they mess up (when you’re VFR) — when you’re operating at a big airport like CYOW, you very quickly fall into the habit of counting 120 steamboats when a big plane takes off across your runway, and of landing steep and long (and taking off steep and short) on the big runways to stay above the jets’ paths. I’ve refused takeoff clearances from 22 when they’ve come less than two minutes after a jet took off from 14 across my runway, especially the big, draggy 727 that FirstAir flies.
I could see how that puts you right on the path. I was lucky to be using the “other end” which seems better for T&G practice. I would be climbing thru 600 AGL while the jumbo began it’s roll underneath me, all of his wake was at the far end of the airfield by the time I was back down to land in behind.
It was almost a work of art the way they had me popping in between departures and arrivals. Quite the mind opener!
I like the peaceful, friendly atmosphere of Rockcliffe when I’m out of my plane, but once I’m in my plane, I miss the fun and fulfillment of flying out of CYOW. I agree that flight operations around a busy airport are a work of art — maybe more of an elaborate dance — and they are a thing of beauty when both pilots and controllers know what they’re doing. It’s too bad Nav Canada and the airport authority are trying to price general aviation out.
Good luck on the mock exam, BTW. I flunked my first practice flight test back in 2002 (nerves?), but did fine on a second a couple of days later and on the actual flight test right after that.
Hint: schedule your flight test for early morning (8:00 am) or late afternoon/dinner time (6:00 pm or later) — you’re more likely to get smooth air and light winds, which will make it a lot easier.
David, what section did you miss on the mock deal? I’m going to guess Forced approach? That seems to be one of my biggest shortcomings. I can select a field and work it but have trouble making it all come together. I hope this just works for me come “d” day!
My booking is Noon till 5 due to lack of resources. Looks like I will be in the turbulence for the whole thing. Here’s praying for overcast stratus…. at 8000′ or greater…….
I had a lot of trouble with the forced, but I don’t remember if that was what I flunked. I can glide a plane into a landing just fine, but all the choreography they make you do for flight training and the flight test just confused me.
On my actual flight test, the examiner kept me on the forced approach until very low — maybe 100-150 ft AGL. He wanted to see if I was going to be able to clear a set of power lines that became visible late in the approach. I knew I would (they were moving downwards in the windshield); he wasn’t so sure, but he gave me the benefit of a doubt and passed me on it.
I think it’s good to talk a lot during any flight test. Say what you’re thinking, what you’re doing, and why, at least until the examiner tells you to shut up: it can make the difference between a fail and a marginal pass for an item that goes a bit wrong.