http://avianfluke.flyblog.com textual meanderings of a student pilot... Sat, 22 Dec 2007 13:28:12 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en "Go ahead and taxi over to Cutter." My face gets very still...I know what is about to happen and strangely, I'm not nervous about it, which does make me anxious because then I'm wondering if I'm overconfident. Larry tells me two takeoffs and landings with a taxi back, and a third ... http://avianfluke.flyblog.com/archives/14 The landings, up until today, have really been more like controlled crashes with no damage to occupants or airplane. You've gotta hand it to Cessna - they built the 152 like a tank. The problem is that if you fly in Texas, you fly in crosswinds, and flaring properly with ... http://avianfluke.flyblog.com/archives/12 I went into today's flight knowing that I was going to make that airplane my bitch. After last time, with the bad flying and the bad feelings that went with it afterward, I knew today was going to be different. We had around a 13-knot wind 20 degrees off the runway ... http://avianfluke.flyblog.com/archives/8 I keep telling myself that I'm new - that I've only got 3.7 hours logged. It's okay. It'll come. About the only thing I did right today was the pre-flight and takeoff. Everything else fundamentally sucked. I couldn't get attitude of the plane adjusted right, I couldn't get an airspeed nailed down. ... http://avianfluke.flyblog.com/archives/7 In fading twilight, Der Instruktor began teaching me pre-flight procedures. I like pre-flighting. You look over the airplane, make sure that nuts and bolts and cotter pins are in their proper places. You make sure that ailerons and flaps move. That things whistle, ring and hum when they're supposed to. You ... http://avianfluke.flyblog.com/archives/5 I go up this afternoon. First lesson with new instructor. I've had a couple lessons before. Nothing serious, and never more than two lessons consecutively. It's a first lesson in what will be a string of them culminating, at minimum, in certification as a private pilot. It quickens my pulse ever ... http://avianfluke.flyblog.com/archives/3 If you've ever met me, chances are flying, flight, or something with wings has somehow entered the conversation. I'm annoying like that. I don't know a pilot out there who didn't want to fly from as early as he could remember. I think it's a lot like being a musician - ... http://avianfluke.flyblog.com/archives/1