Aircraft: C172
Registration: C-GQUO
Dual Time: 0.0 Total: 57.2
PIC Time: 1.4 Total: 27.9
Total Time: 85.1
METAR CYND 091300Z 30004KT 15SM SKC M18/M21 A3024 RMK SLP245=
There were no photos to take today as I forgot the camera but imagine the most perfect day you’ve seen with sun shining and the air clear yet cold as all get out! It was a very special day for me as it would be my 100th flight! The flight began last night as Rica and I went over to the airport to look over an aircraft that we might be purchasing a 1/2 share in. We spent a good hour or two shoveling off months of snow and clearing a path around the Piper Cherokee 140D that’s parked at Rockliffe. We worked hard at clearing the airplane then sat inside for a good 15 minutes getting a feel for what it might be like to own an aircraft. We left elated and on my way home I had a revelation.
All of the flying that I have done so far is “training” and not really going anywhere! I had no real practical purpose to fly except to do it for the sake of doing it. That didn’t bode well for me as a prospective aircraft owner. Would we actually USE an airplane? Something more than a trip to the practice area and back? So I decided that if an aircraft was available today, we’d book and fly it!
I got home to find a nice 2.5 hour slot available for Jan 09 at 9:30 am. I booked it then began digging up my flight plan paperwork for Maniwaki. I ran the numbers to have them fresh in my mind and expected to use the aircraft’s ADF to get me there. I slept poorly excited at the prospect of going somewhere new. When I awoke and looked outside all I saw was glorious blue skies with mega cold temps!
When we arrived at the airport there was bad news, they were not going to allow rentals due to the runway being 90% ice and with a CRFI of .3. Simon was near the dispatch and offered to me that since he knew my flying he would release the aircraft to me as long as he got a decent pirep form the first instructor out that day. He also graciously moved me to C-GQUO which has a wonderful Garmin 430 GPS. I pre flighted and filed my flight plan awaiting Kathy’s pirep. Soon she called it in as “okay” and we were good to go!
I used a soft field technique to take off and soon we were climbing away from Rockliffe and heading up the Gatineau river. I noticed that the AI had a slight tilt of about 5 degrees when we were wings level. I opted to not cancel the flight as it would clearly not be required on this CAVU day! As we leveled off in cruise I tested the carb heat and was surprised at how stiff it was to move. Ahh well this was the 100th flight, it had to go on!
We flew up the river and I tuned in the Otttawa VOR to the 9 degree radial and followed it as well as the GPS’ magenta line up to Maniwaki. As I got close I called for unicom field advisory. No answer. Tons of radio chatter from Carp which shares the frequency but Maniwaki was silent! I found the airstrip and we flew the pattern for a nice low and over of their long but icy runway. The total time from engine start was 1.0 hours. There was a brisk headwind! I opted to skip the landing as there was quite a stiff x-wind and we had no business at CYMW.
I used the DRCO at Mt Laurier to contact Quebec radio. It was the first time I ever did that so it was interesting to hear a phone call over the radio. I updated my ETA to Rockliffe and proceeded to climb up to 4500 and head South. Once level we were hitting groundspeeds of 150 KT! Rica asked if she could hold the controls so I granted her control as I got comfortable and tried to close off a major draft with my toque. She did a marvelous job of keeping us over the river and soon we had to descend down to 1700 in prep for landing at Rockliffe.
Over the chelsea dam I took control and descended to 1200′. There was another aircraft in the near vicinity so after some conflict resolution I was number 1 for the icy x-wind landing on 27. I flew a picture perfect pattern and slipped down to a short final over the numbers. I assumed the correct flare attitude and was given the sweet siren sound of a full stall landing. As we rolled out I felt elated!
So 100 flights, a possible aircraft buy and a wonderful trip. Thank to all my supporters so far and here’s to another 100!
Total Times
| Total Flights | 100 |
| Total Time | 85.1 |
| Total PIC | 27.9 |
| Total Dual | 57.2 |
| IFR | 4.3 |
| Simulator | 4.7 |
| Day Total | 82.9 |
| Night Total | 2.2 |
| Night Dual | 2.2 |
| Day PIC | 27.9 |
| Night PIC | 0.0 |
| Landings | 149 |
| Night Landings | 8 |
Time on Type
| Cessna 172 | 84.0 |
| Cirrus Elite II | 4.7 |
| Cessna 150 | 1.1 |
Tags: X/C
I’m glad you’re striking out on more cross-country flying. I landed on the huge Maniwaki runway once with it was sheer, glistening ice, and it went well (just make sure you don’t have any sideways motion when you touch down) — I wanted to practice for some day flying down to the famous ice runway in upstate NY.
I’m very excited that you and Rica are looking at the Cherokee 140. How were the avionics? Did Rica mind climbing up on the wing, having only a single door, and having windows that don’t open? The plus side is the that door is *huge* — you’ll be surprised what you can get in through it and into the back of the plane, compared to those tiny Cessna doors.
Thanks David, the Rockliffe runway was plenty of ice practice for me today thank you!
Rica didn’t mind the low wing idea at all. She hopped right on inside and sat in the left seat without really mentioning the fact she had to slide over. I am impressed with the size of the door and I like how you can sorta step down into the aircraft instead of having to heave yourself up. It also looks like the cabin heat might work a little more effectively with less air gaps.
The plane is FROZEN, is it a normal operation to have Red store it in a hangar overnight to thaw out? How do you get your bird airworthy on these days? I was hoping I could get a twofer, the hangar to thaw out the plane and a swipe with the plow to back all the snow out of there!!
I’ll keep dreaming for now.
Red will do snow removal for a bit over $650/season – in addition to snow-blowing your spot, it includes checking on your plane, brushing some snow off if it’s really buried, etc.
Cabin heaters in Cherokees have a bad reputation, but mine has been very good (at least in the front) — I have to turn it down to keep from overheating. I understand the back is a bit drafty, though, because of the open battery vent in the floor underneath the back bench, and pax often like a blanket over their laps in the winter (I keep two fleece blankets and pillows on board year round).
When I tied down my Warrior at CYOW, I could just call and have it pulled into the hangar overnight for $30-40. At CYRO, Red’s pretty busy, and the tiny hangar is always full with disassembled planes; maybe when the big hangar is finished, it will be better. I’m sure you could convince him to do it once if you whined enough. In the meantime, I have covers on all my plane’s flying surfaces to keep the ice off. I haven’t looked at C-FBJO since the freezing rain after Christmas, so I have no idea what I’m going to find tomorrow if I make it in, but hopefully Red will have at least cleared my spot.
If the Cherokee 140 doesn’t work out, I might actually decide about partners this spring, after a couple of years of hemming and hawing. A 1/3 partnership in my Warrior would run $15K or more, so it’s not quite as cheap as a 1/2 in a 140, but I can haul a lot more a bit faster with the same fuel burn, and have a full IFR panel including a Stormscope. Still not sure, though, if I’m grown up enough to share