Flight Log 03-06

Today was progress check #2; I would be flying with Bill Brady as it is recommended that progress checks be performed with the chief or assistant chief flight instructor. I went in an hour early for an oral exam and breezed through the knowledge with flying colors; once the plane started it went downhill from there. For some reason I was being lazy and my mind had made an early departure for the clouds. First, I wasn't taxiing down the centerline - this is unprofessional. After the engine run-up I skipped over the checklist bullet that states "Takeoff Briefing and Emergency Procedures" and went straight to getting takeoff clearance. Skipping any sort of safety precaution (no matter how repetitive) as a student, on a progress check no less, is highly frowned upon. Once in the air I had trouble keeping the aircraft at a constant altitude, my manuevers were sloppy, and I didn't use the fundamentals of "pitch controls airspeed and thrust controls altitude", which made for poor landing approaches. Its not that I forgot, I was just being stubborn. In the end I passed. Bill said he enjoyed flying with me, made a 'good job' remark in my logbook, and let me get in some solo time. I didn't feel like it was good, but whatever.

For the second solo, I was permitted to leave the traffic pattern and fly out to the practice area. I found a nice irrigation circle and practiced making right turns about the center. Right turns are more difficult because the pilot sits on the left, so the cabin and right wing block your view significantly. After a few laps I returned to the airport and made a touch-and-go. While on downwind some guy with an ATC callsign of "Roman ###" had contacted the tower for landing. I was trying to figure out which airline uses Roman - only Continental Connection (Colgan) and American Eagle (Eagle Flight) fly to CLL, so maybe it was one of the FedEx feeders. I watched the runway to see who it was, then my heart rate picked up when I spotted a dark gray figure swooping in low and smooth over the threshold- it was an F/A-18 of VFA-106 "Gladiators" stationed at NAS Oceana, VA. VFA-106 prepares newly-winged Naval Aviators (this includes Marines) for active duty with East Coast F-18 squadrons. Maybe in the next few years I'll spend some time with VFA-106... although Amanda will probably order the Commandant to assign me to VMFAT-101 so she can live in San Diego. Needless to say the tower instructed the guy in 45Q (another BVFS plane) and I to extend our downwind legs to let the wake turbulence dissipate.

Progress Check #2: 1.5 hrs (0.5 solo)
Total Log Time: 13.8 hrs (1.0 solo)