Dec 9, 2010 - Review and Something New
Today was AWESOME!!!
Not too much turbulance, but the airport was busy -- two tower frequencies, but somehow I handled it okay. We reviewed various aspects of flight: Range and Endurance, Slow Flight, Stalls (lots of rudder practice) and -- suddenly -- spirals!!! (Well, demo of the last, not practise exactly.) Yep, just as we were leaving the practise area, or so I thought, that crazy Lari pulled a fast one on me... well, it wasn't so fast, really, because the dear man is so blatantly obvious (or maybe I -- as a teacher -- am just more in tune with what he's up to, having a bit of an eye for strategies of that nature!), but anyway, rather than introduce a new concept, he tried to distract me with something on the ground, then, while I obligingly played along and looked outside, he put the plane into a rapid descent, steep bank and all. The REALLY crazy thing is -- I KIND OF LIKED IT!!!! Instead of being gripped with terror like I usually am as soon as we get the slightest bit off kilter, the adrenaline started flowing, and I was just a wee bit into it, lol! Then he had me focus on the ASI rather than outside, while he did it again -- he is so good!
Even slow flight was okay. More than okay, really. Playing on the edge of stalls was nerve-wracking but adrenaline rushing.
Slowly but surely, I am going to get used to the feeling of strange, I think. Ha!
But.... the BEST part of the lesson was that when we came back to City Centre, I almost landed the plane by myself, hahahahaha!!!!! What an incredible feeling!!!! I am still a bit high from it, a several hours later and on my way out the door to my kids' Christmas concert!
I still feel completely overwhelmed by all the information I have to learn and all the reading I have to do in between the other aspects of my "real life", but this evening, I am walking around with a smile on my face!
Not too much turbulance, but the airport was busy -- two tower frequencies, but somehow I handled it okay. We reviewed various aspects of flight: Range and Endurance, Slow Flight, Stalls (lots of rudder practice) and -- suddenly -- spirals!!! (Well, demo of the last, not practise exactly.) Yep, just as we were leaving the practise area, or so I thought, that crazy Lari pulled a fast one on me... well, it wasn't so fast, really, because the dear man is so blatantly obvious (or maybe I -- as a teacher -- am just more in tune with what he's up to, having a bit of an eye for strategies of that nature!), but anyway, rather than introduce a new concept, he tried to distract me with something on the ground, then, while I obligingly played along and looked outside, he put the plane into a rapid descent, steep bank and all. The REALLY crazy thing is -- I KIND OF LIKED IT!!!! Instead of being gripped with terror like I usually am as soon as we get the slightest bit off kilter, the adrenaline started flowing, and I was just a wee bit into it, lol! Then he had me focus on the ASI rather than outside, while he did it again -- he is so good!
Even slow flight was okay. More than okay, really. Playing on the edge of stalls was nerve-wracking but adrenaline rushing.
Slowly but surely, I am going to get used to the feeling of strange, I think. Ha!
But.... the BEST part of the lesson was that when we came back to City Centre, I almost landed the plane by myself, hahahahaha!!!!! What an incredible feeling!!!! I am still a bit high from it, a several hours later and on my way out the door to my kids' Christmas concert!
I still feel completely overwhelmed by all the information I have to learn and all the reading I have to do in between the other aspects of my "real life", but this evening, I am walking around with a smile on my face!