Imperfection (mostly!)

I dropped Bob off, got my taxi clearance and headed back out on my own, quietly confident that I was about to do a repeat performance, 3 beautiful circuits executed to the best of my ability and then back in to smiles all round.

Yeah, that’s not how it worked out. At all. Not a single “standard  circuit*” and some tricky decisions.

First circuit was all over the place, a 360 turn for spacing on the downwind, some confusion between me and ATC left me thinking “WTF?” and a little shook up.  Despite all that was going on, I managed to set up for a pretty decent touch and go.

Circuit number 2, a bit of traffic dodging, nothing too stressful but somehow I misjudged the landing a little. I flared a little too early and too much, realised I was too high, resettled the plane but didn’t feel like I had a good handle on just exactly where I was height wise in relation to the runway. I’d lost my visual markers. Dangerous to flare when you don't know how high you are, you risk stalling it from a great height.Time to go around.

Number 3, ATC called an extended downwind. No problem. Let me know that they were going to be departing a Dash 8 in front of me. OK, no sweat. I turn final. Porter still lining up on runway. Hmmm I’m not going to get a touch and go in here am I? Not sure what’s behind me. Think I’ll go for the full stop option when asked. Hmm I’m on short final now, that damn plane is still there. ATC: “Porter XXX, start your roll NOW please”

“JES unable to touch and go; I can offer you runway 24 if you want to widen it out.” I feel too low to alter course and too committed to 26 now. “I’ll take a full stop on 26.” I set up for the landing, as I cross the threshold the plane starts to shake a little, the wing drops. I know what this is; I feel the familiar roll of wake vortices. Power in and around we go. Disaster averted as far as I am concerned. I take a moment to let ATC know what happened

4^th one, another extended downwind. This time I power back to 1500rpm and drop 10 degrees of flaps, I don’t want to end up back abeam the stacks. I finally spot the traffic and turn to follow. I call for a full stop. I’ve had enough excitement for one day. I set up for the final approach, holding off on the flaps for a while; it’s a long way in.  I set up for the landing, determined to see this thing through. I bounce it, damn! I think I can recover this though, I reflare, hold off and down she comes gentle as anything. Sweet!

Exit and off.

Bob’s waiting to guide me in. I take my time with the shutdown routine. Now isn’t the time to screw up. I open the door and immediately launch into a tirade of the things I screwed up

Bob doesn’t seem too concerned though and while desperately wishing that I’d just flown 4 perfect circuits, I suddenly realised; I’d had the world and his wife thrown at me out there, I’d dealt with a whole stack of nonstandard stuff. At some points I was probably less than ideally configured for flight but I stayed in the air. I had to make decisions that directly affected the safety of me and the plane. I may not have made the most optimal ones but I did make safe ones.

Up until this point I wasn’t sure I could do that. I’m still alive and the wings are still attached, what more could a girl ask for?