What a fantastic day today ! Finally got back into the air and what a sweet lesson. Today's lesson started out in a different aircraft. I'm still flying a Cessna 172 just a different bird. Completed my preflight and was ready to taxi out. A quick call to a busy Millville.....Cessna 5219J on the Big Sky ramp and ready to taxi. Ok got the info, ready to roll and off we go. I taxi out to the active runway 28 and take care of my run up. I notice a twin trailing me and performing his run up also. Ok ready to go, checking downwind, base and final......all clear...Millville radio 29J departing 28. Millville request to advise when in the air. Full power.....slight right rudder 55 knots and ease it back......we're off !!It feels great! It also feels like forever since I flew but it still feels good. Nice and smooth climbing and turning out at 600 msl for 1N4, Woodbine airport about 16 miles south east of MIV. Today provides a great view, I can see the coast, the bay and on departure I could see the stacks clear as can be on the delaware river for the nuke power plant. Ok I have woodbine in view and there is a yellow glider landing on 19 so I will slow it down as I turn out away so that I can turn to 1N4 and enter the down wind for 19 on a 45. I thought it looked small as we flew by but that 75 foot width vs the 150 at Millville really looks tiny. Also the landings today will give me a good look at a short(er) field, 3300 vs 6000 at MIV. Ok Woodbine...5219J entering at a 45 for downwind 19.....rate of decent good, speed good and adding flaps to 10 degrees. abeam the numbers carb heat on throttle back to about 1600 rpm's......turning base nice and smooth..looking good....woodbine 5219J on base for 19 woodbine... adding another 10 degrees of flaps.......ok turning final and lined up nice and centered....woodbine 29J on final 19 Woodbine.....adding another 10 degrees of flaps and reducing power......keeping centered.......feeling like slow motion today, that's a first....ease back....holding the nose up....holding ....mains down......holding back....and nose wheel down. WOW !! That felt good !!!!! I made one missed and another landing that was fair then we headed
back to Millville.
The short flight between airports was great, on heading and altitude no problems with time to really enjoy the nice clear day. Everything just seemed to click. Approaching Millville on what looked like a very long final for 32 I could not help but take in all the scenery. I radioed ...Millville radio 5219J 10 miles inbound from the SE for downwind 28. I picked a point to my 11 o'clock and held that heading so I could give myself room to turn right to a heading that would put me on a 45 for the downwind for runway 28. Millville radio updated the traffic advisory and had me looking for traffic on final for 28 also. I extended our downwind and searched for the traffic....Dave had contact but it took me a bit longer to also find my traffic. Dave said it comes with years of flying. Ok traffic at my 9 o'clock on final so I will turn base and add another 10 degrees of flaps. Looking good .....calling Millville radio to announce turning final for 28 and adding flaps along with power to 800 rpm....got er' made as Dave says. Ok holding it off......nose up.....and DANG not long enough.....a slight thud as I touchdown on 28. I turn off first taxiway and report down and clear. I finish up with my checklist.....carb heat off, flaps up, transponder to STBY......and I taxi back to the Big Sky ramp. I finish my checklist and tie the aircraft down and head inside. A real nice day and finished up with a really nice lesson. Looking forward as usual to thursdays flight.
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