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Soloed at Twin Oaks!
After waiting a number of days to finally get the weather to cooperate, I was finally able to perform my solo take-offs and landings at Stark’s Twin Oaks Airpark!Friday was such a beautiful day in the Portland area and the winds were so calm. I was hoping I would have a chance to solo that day, but not sure if things would go as I planned.
The plane I usually flew, N2108Y, was out of commission due to the lack of flying it received (it was really just me and one other) and N734KU was booked until later that day, so I had to fly a plane I haven’t flown since September(!), N5440H. This plane, another Cessna 172, only has 150HP, unlike N2108Y and N734KU which both have 180HP. Not a big deal, except that it took a bit to get use to flying in an aircraft that didn’t have the power to climb like I was use to in the other two airplanes.
5440H also has electric flaps which you have to set by watching the LEDs light up next to it. I had to get use to counting how long it takes for the flaps to increase and stop when I glanced to see the correct number of LEDs light up. The design isn’t terrible, just very different; another thing to get use to on a day I was potentially going to solo.After a couple successful landings with Rick, he said I was ready, and he hopped out and I got things ready for taking off and landing all by my lonesome.
All three take-offs, the pattern work, and my landings all went without a hitch and I was able to finally get signed off with soloing at Twin Oaks. What a great moment that was. With the two airports I soloed at before, Aurora State (UAO) and McMinnville (MMV), I am now signed off to fly between all three airports, titled “The Triangle of Death”! Not that anyone has really died between them, but it is what it is. Now I can really knock out the solo hours!
On top of a great flight, I was able to chat a bit with my former instructor James Boughen. His knee is mostly healed up now and he is back in the states. Great to have you back James!
A fantastic ending to an amazing day of flying!
So what about you? What have you been able to accomplish in the last week that has blown you away. Leave a comment below!
Logs:
Flight Time: 1.3 Hours
Solo Time: 0.5 Hours
Landings: 5April 9, 2011 / Jason / 1
First 50-Mile Cross-Country Flight Happy Birthday To Me!
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One thought on “Soloed at Twin Oaks!”
Was great to see you out there again, keep up the good work. I was on the air at the same time as you… Was good hearing those radio calls all the way round. Nicely done!