Saturday, November 12, 2005

First time at Chester County (40N)

Back at the home field today. Of course I'm back home and the fairy tale no cross winds is over. Hmmm...well practice makes perfect so off to another day of landings. Bill and I saddle up for a short hop to 40N Chester County for a round of T&G's. There is alot of activity at Brandywine this morning,it seems there is a taxiway extension ongoing to tie in runway 9 and lighting along with a future runway width extension. Hats off to the management at Brandywine for really keeping the facility moving forward. OK we're off and its a bit bumpy but not to bad as we make way for Chester County. Runway 29 is the active at 40N so I head south sothwest to allow for a turn that will put me on a 45 for the downwind of 29. I call out my location and eventually enter the pattern. I am no. 2 behind a cherokee if I remember right. Once abeam the cherokee I turn base and prepare to follow them in. Runway clear I add my last notch of flaps cut the power (a little high at this point), hoding it off, I hear the stall horn moaning, then quiet......Ahhhhh hold it off ok.....not to bad. Flaps up, mixture check, fuel check, increase to full throttle and off we go for 4 more rounds. My radio work is ok, except for my initial call in to report my entering a 45 for the downwind ( i said final) DUH! then corrected immediately with a "correction, Cessna 46C entering a 45 for DOWNWIND runway 29, chester county." After releasing the mic button I told my instructor that would cause a pucker factor to me if I was on final. We made our way back to Brandywine and after announcing position entered the pattern and was no. 2 to land. I had to really crab my way in and it felt pretty good, Bill gave me an "atta boy" with good instinctive reactions. We talked a bit after securing the aircraft and I think Wednesday I will fine tune my flairs and Bill seems to think I'm ready to go. WOOO HOOOO.....I'm excited. My goal was to solo as a birthday present to myself. It looks like I'll make that (Dec. 8th). I'm at 22 hours and that includes about 5 weeks off between schools. Looking forward to Wednesdays lesson. As a side note I can now add another airport to the list; KMIV, 1N4, N99, KILG, KVGT, 40N.

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