wulfgarw
Posts: 752
Joined: 3/18/2008
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I went to UND in Grand Forks for aviation studies. I completed the Private pilot course, and got the certificate, and then finances yanked the rug out from under me before I could continue. My last flight was in April of 2000.
Work, life, and finances kept me firmly shackled to the ground since then. I finally got rid of my credit card bills and most of the student loans, and finally got a job that pays me something somewhat resembling a living wage after working for a guy that decided not to pay at all. This adding up to being able to put some money away in the last couple years.
But finally, today, I have finally able to use the key to those shackles.
I got to go flying today!!!
I scheduled a orientation flight with our FBO here in Fargo (http://www.fargojet.com/fjc.php) and getting all my gear together, I invited a CM friend of mine along. She's never flown in a small plane.
We went out to the airport, talked with the instructor a bit, went over what we were gonna do and since she'd already done the preflight, I did a quick walkaround and we went flying. We agreed I would do the takeoff, manage the radios, do the majority of the flying, and she would land with me 'following' her on the controls and taking over if I fouled up. I loaned my thick thermal socks to "Rachel" to be sure her feet stayed warm
Our aircraft is a 2009 Cessna 172 (tail # N5256S) with the latest in general aviation avionics, the Garmin G1000, a "glass panel" cockpit. This system replaces the old 'steam' gauges and instruments with a advanced computerized monitor that integrates flight instruments, navigation, communications, engine monitoring, autopilot, GPS, maps, transponder, air data computers, weather information and even XM satellite radio into one unit and 2 configurable screens. (http://www.fargojet.com/school/view_aircraft.php?id=10) has a overview of their aircraft. We went over some of the basics for Rachel as much as for me, stuff like how to board the aircraft, adjust her headset, use the seatbelts (with airbags!!!) open and close the doors. It was a little snug for both of us up front, but nothing uncomfortable and "Rachel" had the back seat to herself and the blanket.
I was nervous. We went through the checklist which I was learning as we went along, with my instructor going through items that were new to me or were aircraft/avionic specific. Start checklist went fairly smooth and had a good start, with it purring to life in 3 blades, even with the outside temps hovering about 3 degrees F or so. Setting up the new system pretty much called for setting the barometric pressure in the system and on the standby altimeter and making sure the 3 standby instruments (airspeed, altimeter and attitude indicator) were set. All the while checking the engine systems and making sure those remained where they were supposed to, as well as making sure everything else was ready to fly. After configuring the aircraft lights and such to was time to get the ball rolling.
I messed up the radio call for departure clearance a couple of times as I was so far out of practice. But ground cleared us from our position on the ramp to runway 27. I taxied us out to the runway, weaving the whole way as I was getting used to steering with my feet all over again. She had to take over once before the runup because I stabbed the left brake and rudder too hard and almost turned us off the taxiway. But I got it back under control. We got to 27 and held short for our runup. Having done this many times before, we went through that rather rapidly, forgoing the carb heat check, as this engine was fuel injected. Maybe that explains the smooth start. Next we punch in the transponder code ground control gave us since I asked for traffic advisories. I look for the button to activate the transponder, but the Garmin system does that automatically when we lift off, and shuts it off when we land. Nifty. Ok. I'm starting to get the hang of this again. My instructor, again reminds me that rotation speed is 50 knots, and we should climb out at 90 knots. Look up through the windshield at the sky at where any inbound aircraft on base leg or final would be. Nobody there. The sky beckons. I select the tower 'freak' (short for frequency, and shorthand on many radios says "freq") and press the button connecting my sky blue Sigtronics headset to my last captor.
"Fargo Tower, November Five Two Five Six Sierra is at 27, ready for takeoff."
The answer is immediate and gratifying. I wish I could have recorded it.
"Cessna 5256 Sierra, cleared for takeoff, runway 27, remain below 2.500 feet"
That was it! I'm free! But I still need to talk to the man. and then put my money, so to speak, where my mouth was.
"Clear for takeoff runway 27, remain below two thousand five hundred feet, 5256 Sierra
A touch of throttle, maneuver around some ice remaining from Monday's blizzard and ice storm, line up on the runway centerline. A line from "Flight of the Intruder" pops into my mind and had to spout it off to my friend in the back seat.
I crane my head back to let her know I was talking to her.
"Get ready to have the most fun you've ever had with your clothes on!" This elicited a laugh from both women in the aircraft
I lined up on center, made sure I had my toes off the brakes and fed in about half throttle. I had a good 6000 feet of runway available to me, so might as well ramp it up a little slower so I won't get into trouble so fast if I screwed up or forgot something. I weaved a little bit but found that spot on the right rudder to keep us pointed in the right direction. I'm a little left of center, but nowhere near anything to need a aborted takeoff. I continue to feed in throttle and made a quick gauge check. Now I've got full throttle in, and look back up, still going were I pointed us. Passing 50 knots I added backpressure to the yoke and felt the airplane start to fly. The plane leapt skyward, and in the instant the tire left the ground, I felt much of the experience that I thought I had lost flood into my veins. I wobbled a little, but curbed that right quick and in a hurry. I start cackling like a madman and I'm sure my face woulda split if I could have smiled any wider. I felt like, well, hell, mere mortal words couldn't describe it. Last time I felt like this was when I soloed over 10 years ago. It was like someone else took over, nervousness gone and the calm and confidence was exactly where I left off.
Tower handed us to Approach control, and we told them what we were wanting to do, which was fly a little out southwest of town, do a little maneuvering, come back fly over the town a bit and land again. We left out, did some turns, descents and such and sure enough my skills were rusty, but much, much better than what I thought I do. I showed the instructor my apt building, and we saw Rachels before we looped around and talked to the man in the Tower, who gave us a straight in clearance to runway 36.
She did the landing, and we taxied back in, did the paperwork and paid the bill. At lunch after Rachel noticed my hands were still shaking from my barely contained excitement.
Thank you for listening, And to all a good night.
   
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"Alone I Walk
Broken I Stand
Betrayed I Fight
Forgotten I Fall"
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