Well I finally did it!
After a disappointing start to our flying season with a totaled airplane on the second outing (the first of our two Black Baron Specials), we got ourselves a SIG LT-40 Kadet and put it together in two days. Had it out to the field for flights that weekend, and after a few sessions with another instructor I felt I was ready to leap out of the nest.
Tuesday nights are points nights at the club, so there were plenty of onlookers as I got all my ducks in a row for the big event. The wind was almost 90 degrees to the runway and out of the West. No one was flying 'cause it was a little bit strong and we get some roll in the air currents as they come over the tops of the trees on the West side of the field. It felt a little breezy to me too, but I wanted to get this over with.
Got two of the club officers to observe my set up, servicing, aircraft/radio preflight and range check. Looked around and still saw no one interested in flying. Everyone was just sitting around like a bunch of hangar queens! So....
I decided if it wasn't good enough for them, then it wasn't good enough for me either. I waited it out.
Sure enough, the wind started dropping off a bit. Still there at times, but relatively calm at others. It was time to fire the Kadet up.
Got the Kadet started. I LOVE this Irvine .53! Warmed it up, did another flight control check, and headed out for the runway. Still no one else was flying, so I had it all to myself (with much too much attention, I might add[sm=wink.gif]). I found I was a little nervous, too. Everything felt differently. I had to remind myself that everything was exactly the same. Same radio. Same airplane. I just had to fly just like I always did. But, this time with an audience! I got my mind settled, did a taxi demo and then took off. A climb up to altitude and leveled off in the traffic pattern.
The wind was REALLY strong up there! Pretty good crab angle to hold the downwind leg. Had to do a couple of right and left turns, a stall and recovery, and then it was time for my first approach. The wind was a little squirrelly! Plans were to do two touch and go's and then a simulated engine out to a full stop landing.
I really wasn't aware of my spectators now. I had plenty to keep me occupied. The first approach went very well. I noticed that the cross wind dropped off as the plane descended through about 20 to 30 feet AGL. I came in, touched down quite smoothly and applied power for the go. Back up and into the downwind. Time for number two.
I was at about 10 to 20 feet AGL on approach and about 50 feet short of the runway when the airplane rolled hard and lost altitude quick![X(] I corrected, and added quite a bit of power to keep it flying. I told my judges that I was going around on this one.[8D]
My next try was MUCH better, and then it was back around for the finale. The officers told me it would be acceptable to skip the simulated engine out approach since the wind was demanding throttle management, so it was a normal approach to a full stop for me, and I managed to pull it off without a hitch. I had my wings!
It feels really good to be able to go out, fuel up and takeoff on my own now. As one guy put it....Congratulations! You're now allowed to go out and crash unassisted!
I might add that as soon as I was finished, the rest of the crowd started up their engines. I guess they must have figured if the new kid could do it, maybe they had been too conservative. Then again, maybe they had just been waiting to see if I was going to be headed out across the field with my second trash bag!
