The patchwork farms

Today I flew my first cross country solo. I flew her from my field in Pearland down to Wharton and back… 101 miles through the skies of southeast texas.
This is what I have been training for. I have been striving to get to this point ever since I sat down in that left seat and puzzled over all the dials and controls. In fact, I remember awkwardly taxiing on the ground thinking, how am I ever going to fly this thing? Today it all came together.
So I was nervous in the morning. I had done some pattern work the day before so I was feeling pretty good about stick and rudder stuff. Today was different though. I was going to point the plane somewhere and go. I was going to navigate, use the radios and command my own mission over to Wharton and back. I would be all alone but I felt ready.
I went over my flight plan with my instructor and filed it with a weather briefer over the phone. My tanks were full with 4 hours of fuel, more than enough for my 1 and a half hour journey. (We are expected to take at least an extra half hour of fuel). I preflighted the plan and taxiied down to the runway. I taxiied like a pro.
I did my engine runup and set up the Loran ( a kind of terrestial GPS) for my direct route to Wharton. I took a deep breath and looked around for planes. This is it.
I turned down the runway and gave it full power… the white dashed lines whizzed under me faster and faster then a little pull back and WOOSH. I was in the air. I felt immediately calmer. The trees passed under me and I was on my way.
As I flew over the farms west of the airport I had a little jump. For a split second I didn’t know where I was! It was all patchwork under me, like a giant green quilt. Get it together I told myself, how far off could I be off? I mean I just took off!!

I scanned around me and nothing. It was the same in every direction. What the heck is going on? And then off to my right, just below the right wing a prominent road went off into the distance. Was that highway 6? If that’s it then 288 must cross it and… there it was!! Ok that means for whatever reason I flew southwest initially, no problem. I just turned right and headed for the intersection. I minor flub but it was enough to keep me in check the rest of the flight. The Loran was back on course and everything was fine. Now I know to choose checkpoints close to the airport so I can get an initial bearing. Take off and climbout are dynamic and it’s easy to let the compass drift off a little.

I leveled off at 1800 and looked out the window to make sure I knew where I was.
The big lake was off to my right and the two little lakes I was headed for reflected the sun beautifully. I knew if I headed for the lakes I’d be fine. And that was it. I just kept her trimmed and point for the lakes. Or rather you don’t neceassarilly point the nose at the lake. I mean, initially you do but if the wind blows you off course you will be fighting it the whole time. Instead, point the nose at the lake and if you get blown so the lake is off to the left, point the nose to the left of the lake. This will correct for the wind by putting some of your thrust into the direction of the wind. It’s known as the wind correction angle and can be computed before flight if you know the winds. Now, that angle just an initial guess! All that goes out the window during flight, you just do whatever you have to do to stay on course.

I tried to contact Montgomery Country Radio but nothing. I tried both frequencies. Oh well, I’ll just keep trying. I’m not going anywhere. I just looked out and scanned for traffic, and admired the view. Visibility wasn’t that great. It was called as 7 miles but it seemed a little worse. It’s a little unnerving to see white mist in every direction. 7 miles sounds like a lot but from 2500 feet, you always wish there was more.

I looked for other marker on the ground to confirm my position. There was Needville off to my right. Then there was New Gulf off to the left. I’ve seen cities from the air but this time it was different. I was flying over them. I wasn’t play a video game or watching passively from the passenger seat. This was real.

I located the airport from maybe 10 miles out. It was easy enough to spot because it is in the middle of nowhere. The characteristic white hangers lining the runway might as well have been neon orange. I make my call over the radio and one biplane remarked “she’s all yours” as I saw him take off and turn off into the west. The view of that biplane taking off from a lonely east texas airport at 1000 feet should be a postcard.

I got in the pattern, and turned on final. I was high! Very high. The papi’s were all white. Further telling me what I already knew. I let the power out and my approach steepened. Not enough.
I went to idle. Ok this will work but my deck angle is a little lower than usual. Well my airspeed is perfect and my projected landing spot looks good. I get to within 20 feet and flare and hold it off. Touchdown!!

I taxiied off and onto the ramp to get my head together. This was momentous for me. I had did it! But it wasn’t over. I went back to the start of the runway and did another engine runup. It all looked good. I realigned my gyro and I was taking off again.

The trip back was WAYY easier. I guess because I had already flown it. I even remembered terrain on the way back. Oh, there is that thick patch of trees over there past the twin lakes. Oh there is the golden patch with no trees over there. I had half an hour to calmly fly and drink in the view.
When I got back to the airport vicinity I had a bit of a problem finding the airport. Well I just didn’t find it immediatley. When you are in a plane and monitoring altitude and heading and wings level not knowing where you are going for even a split second is annoying. I just told myself to calm down, just look for it. I picked out off to my right and headed for it.

I landed with no problem. I had flown 101 miles and it was a great feeling. I taxied back and debriefed with my instructor. It couldn’t have gone better.

I remember getting in my car and driving away onto the ramp. My car had never felt so close to the ground. I felt like I was chewing grass. I felt like a bug… doomed to crawl along the surface it’s whole life while the heavens wheeled above him.

How I got my groove back

I have not flown solo in a plane since June! That’s crazy. I met my instructor at the airport to do a few touch and go’s to get back into good form. We jumped in the plane and I found myself landing a little squirrelly again. I’d balloon up from the runway in the last 20 feet and then “save it” be nosing down and getting back into ground effect before my airspeed died off. Not very graceful at all.
Anyway I did the same thing twice and we taxied off the runway to get gas.

“How was it? Oh, I know they weren’t great”
“You are a little rusty but just take it up a few times and get back into it. I noticed you nose down a little during the final 40 feet or so. You pick up airspeed and then zoom up for the flare… try not to do that”

That was it!! The clouds parted and I saw the light. I had been doing that unconsciously and him saying that just made me aware of it. I think I would pick a spot to flare and would nose down to it when I came close. There is no sense in that. If anything just keep your airspeed good and flare wherever you have to.

So I went back up and that first landing was dare I saw PERFECT. I had found it. My groove was back. I didn’t even taxi off the runway, I gave it full power with flaps up and was back up in the air. I came back and another good landing!

Can this be working? Another touch and go and I was back for my third landing.
It was great. That was 3 good landings in a row. I was back and now more ready than ever for my 1st cross country solo.