Met my new instructor at 2A0 today. I flew with him once when I got back from Florida when I had 10 hours. He's been flying for 40 years since he was a teenager. Nice guy, very smart and experienced.
The main goal for me was to get me signed off for solo here at this new airport. We preflight, and put fuel in the plane. Winds are calm, as it's still early in the morning. He says let's go up.
We head out to the practice area. He says "Give me some steep turns. I would like a left turn 360, but keep going make it 720." I do a clearing turn, pick my heading, and then turn left. Did ok to good, but I busted 100' once. Arrrgh!! On the second 360, I felt a bump, and wondered what it was. "That's your wake." Oh, I had read about it, but not experienced it. Rolled out 20 degrees prior, and rolled right into the right turn. Full 360. Rolled back out. He seemed pretty happy.
"How slow can you fly this?" I said, well I'll do my best. Carb heat out, 1500 rpm, in the white, pull flaps, down to 50 knots. adjust throttle and pitch a little. He said "Let's do another notch of flaps and fly slower." Second notch, and down to 45 knots. Stall horn squealing like an alley cat. "Turn to a south heading." Gently I turn and hold until south. I thought that was pretty good, not great, but good.
"Let's do a power off stall." - I made sure I spoke out loud what I was doing, as I figured he would be able to catch a mistake easier that way, and it keeps me calmer. Carb heat out, back to 1500, in the white, pull first notch, smoothly pitch up, reduce to idle, keep wings level and nose straight, keep pulling, nose breaks, nose below horizon, carb heat and throttle in, accelerate to Vx, climb at Vx, and then climb at Vy, flaps to 0. Ok, did that one ok as well.
Back to the airport for a few touch and goes. Enter the pattern, come in, and landing is not very good. He says it was ok, not bad at all. He said let's get the pattern established. 70-65-60 was what I was taught in the Skycatcher. He said let's do that. I get abeam, pull carb heat, back to 1700, hold altitude, and pull flaps in the white. Nose down and hold 70. Turn base, go to 65-70, and pull second notch. Turn final and adjust throttle and pitch as needed. This airport has 800' pattern altitude, and I'm used to 1,000. I don't like being so low! I am much better set up this time, and come in very gently. But oops, I flared too high. Settled nicely though and landing was good. He said I adjusted well from my too high flare.
A few more touch and goes, and one full stop so I can adjust my seat. For some reason I am too scrunched up to the pedals.
We take off again, and I announce and turn to cross wind. Just as I finish the turn, he pulls carb heat and throttle and says "what do you plan to do?"
First time I have been surprised by an simulated engine out, so I said we are turning back, we are above 500 feet. We turn back, and I come in a little high. Skycatcher floats nicely.
Pull two notches of flaps, and gently land down. Yeah!
We call it a day, and review. I need to tighten up my numbers, specifically holding the altitude on turns, and tighten my pattern numbers. He said that I was very solid on the controls, and had good control of the aircraft.
I got signed off for solo at this airport, plus I am signed off for traveling back and forth to my old airport!
I still need to get any solo xc trips signed off by him the day of the flight.
All in all, a great day. Some days you can't seem to do anything right, and then other days you can see and feel the progress. Today was one of the good ones.