I want to fly away...

After several weekends of very crappy weather (sorry kids!), the cessation of the Presidential election meant that all the hot air that was emitted into the atmosphere finally cleared, dropping us into Autumn (or Fall, as these folks like to call it). Therefore all week, there have been blue skies and cool temperatures. I was expecting Saturday to dawn with a return to rain, as that's usually my luck. But no, the God(s) were smiling, and I went flying!

A couple of guys from work and I, rented a Cessna 172 (the four seater), and flew a little over 80 miles north (about 45 minutes) to Lufkin. It's a nice short hop, gets you out of Houston, and the route passes over the national forest and a couple of nice looking lakes. We celebrated the arrival with a beautiful landing (even though I say so myself), and then partook of a very nice burger, that actually involved real vegetables and meat. Amazing! Well done Lufkin Airport! I'll be back...

The flight back was as uneventful - cruising at 100 knots at 6,500 feet puts you above the minor turbulence caused by the hot ground, and the pollution that covers Houston is below you as a dirty brown smudge. It's a little worrying that we have to live in the pollution most of the time.

I seem to have got the landings in this larger aircraft sorted out now. My technique is to come in on final at 65 knots, and round out about 4 feet above the surface, try and fly horizontally letting airspeed bleed off, and as soon as a sink begins, pulling back on the yoke causes the stall horn to let out the smallest of squeaks before the ground comes up to touch the wheels. Nice!

posted by Sam @ 19:43