Cancelled Training Flight Today

Had a flight in the 172RG scheduled this afternoon but Fall has arrived in the Pacific Northwest and that means cancelled flights. Today was rainy and a "little" breezy as the last few hours of METARS show:

KBFI 042353Z 19014G29KT 10SM FEW025 BKN110 14/09 A2960 RMK AO2 PK WND 17035/2300 SLP022 60006 T01390089
KBFI 042305Z 19020G35KT 10SM BKN025 14/09 A2956 RMK AO2 PK WND 17035/2300
KBFI 042253Z 18016G29KT 10SM SCT023 14/09 A2955 RMK AO2 PK WND 18034/2232 RAE2155 SLP007 P0000 T01390094
KBFI 042213Z 19017G31KT 10SM SCT025 BKN033 14/10 A2953 RMK AO2 PK WND 18031/2208 RAE2155 P0000
KBFI 042200Z 19016G24KT 10SM BKN025 BKN032 OVC050 14/11 A2952 RMK AO2 RAE2155 P0000
KBFI 042153Z 18012G28KT 10SM -RA SCT023 BKN030 OVC050 14/11 A2952 RMK AO2 PK WND 19029/2115 RAB29 SLP995
KBFI 042150Z 18014G28KT 10SM -RA SCT022 BKN030 OVC050 14/11 A2951 RMK AO2 PK WND 19029/2115 RAB29 P0000

Was at least able to get a few ground briefs in this week:
- Spins
- Short Field Approach and Landing
- Flight Instructor Professionalism and Characteristics

CFI Training Flight #4

N5252V 1.2 hrs - Started flying the "vintage" 172RG again. Today was just a get aquainted from the right seat flight, since the last time I flew the RG was in May from the left seat. We went up to KPAE for some landings and I got in a normal and short field landing, plus a soft and short field takeoff. This airport was way to busy today, so we bailed and went back to KBFI. Made a no-flap landing on the short runway (13L) with plenty of runway to spare.

Lunch at KSPB

Flew my friend David down to Scapoose, OR. for lunch. He is leaving Washington in a couple of days to begin flight training at Flight Safety in Vero Beach, FL. At least for the next few years, this will be his last flight in the Pacific Northwest (and probably the last in my 182). Was also able to put 2.3 hrs on the 182 towards the breakin of the new cylinders.

I'd been to KSPB a few times, but wasn't aware of the restaurant just across the street from the NW end of the airport http://www.scappoosecreekinn.com/.

CFI Ground Training

The majority of the CFI training is learning to teach and being able to present a topic both in the air and on the ground. For my training, I'm doing full ground briefs for each topic/maneuver and this involves reading each relevant section of the Airplane Flying Handbook, Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, etc., and then preparing a lecture type presentation.

Briefs completed so far (8/19/2008 - 9/22/2008):

• Principals of Flight
• Fundamentals of Flight
• Normal and X-wind Takeoff and Climb
• Manuevering During Slow Flight
• Power Off Stalls
• Steep Turns
• Traffics Patterns
• Normal and X-wind Approach and Landing
• Turns Around a Point
• Soft Field Takeoff and Climb

CFI Training Flight #3

N493GW 1.1 hrs - Pretty crappy weather day with light rain and 2500' ceilings and 1000' scattered layer at KBFI. More right seat training and I talked my CFI ("student") through the run-up and takeoff. I was responsible for the radio and cloud clearance for the flight. We headed out over Lake Sammamish and setup for slow flight and power off stalls. I had to take the controls for the first time as my instructor put the airplane in an intentional unusual attitude.

After that I was the student again, and had a simulated engine failure. I'm getting more comfortable with these and the secret is to spiral down over your intended landing site and roll out on the downwind at pattern altitude. After going around over the cows, we headed back to KBFI for a short field landing.

Next week I'm moving back into the 172RG.

CFI Training Flight #2

N493GW 1.7 hrs- Second CFI training flight and I had to teach takeoffs, steep turns, slow flight and power on/off stalls. Next, I was student again and had to show that I could handle a simulated engine failure. I flailed through it and not sure if we would have actually landed safely in the field that I picked. It's always best to remember "aviate, navigate, communicate". Learned some useful things from my instructor for handling engine out emergencies, so these will get easier with the more simulated engine failures that I do.

CFI Training Flight #1

N493GW 1.5 hrs - First time back in this plane since my instrument training days. Today I had to demontrate (and talk through) starting, taxiing and takeoff. After departing KBFI, my instructor became the student and I talked him through straight and level flight, climbs, descents, and turns. After that I demonstrated slow flight and we returned to KBFI.