Flight# 5

Arrived at the airport around 8 am. Weather was good for a VFR flight. Performed all the preflight inspections and we were ready to roll. ATIS indicated wind from 260 so, we could have picked either Runway 29 or 23 but decided to take off from 23 as the other traffic was using it. Taxied to the Run-up area and completed the Run-up and Pre-takeoff / Takeoff checklists. We heard on the CTAF another aircraft 6 miles away heading for Runway 23. Since it is a few minutes away, we decided to take off. I got to announce to the other traffic (just press the small mic button on the yoke and speak into the headphone's mic) our intentions. I said the following:

"Winter Haven traffic, Cessna 4655 X-ray entering Runway 23 for Take off, Winter Haven".

We climbed to 3,000 ft and headed to the practice area. I learned some thing new today. Bill demonstrated a few things like what you do if the elevator and rudder stop working. These control surfaces basically move the airplane up or down (pitch) and left or right (yaw) respectively. In the small planes, just leaning forward in your seat causes the plane to nose down and leaning backward moves the nose up. Similarly, opening the left door in flight, turns the nose to the right and opening the right door turns the nose to the left. Pretty neat. What we need the controls for? Bill also demonstrated the inherent stability of the airplane. Pushing the yoke forward, pitches the nose down and when the controls are untouched, the increased airspeed over wings wants to fly the plane so the nose comes up automatically and as the nose comes up, airspeed decreases so the nose goes down again. This happens until the plane levels out. It is kind of like pendulum swinging up and down! We also practiced a few Dutch rolls.

We then descended to 700 ft to locate a sod farm which is owned by one of Bill's friends. At the low altitude, as the ground started heating up, the ride was bumpy which made me feel nauseous. I felt little better after eating a cracker. We then headed back to the airport. Climbed to 2000 ft and flew over the airport to enter the pattern for Runway 23 at 45 degrees. While coming down to the pattern altitude of 1000 ft and banking at the same time, the dreaded thing happened. I had to use the sick bag.:-( I was glad I looked at the glove box contents the previous day. Otherwise, I would have had to open the window! Bill took a shortcut and took permission to land ahead of the aircraft about to take off, to take us quickly to the ground. I felt better after while.

The plane which gave us way, owned by a student (Mike). He was learning to fly from one of the flight school's instructors (Jorge). Unfortunately, shortly there after, their plane had to make an emergency landing due to engine failure resulting in plane flipping upside down after the wheel got stuck in the ground. There was heavy rain last night.

I snapped the photo on the left while watching news that evening. It was unbelievable having seen that plane intact waiting for us to land while I was barfing and seeing it wrecked on TV a few hours later! I got to talk to both the instructor and the student at the end of the day. It seems the shoulder harness and the lap belt prevented them from getting injured as they were hanging up side down in the cockpit! Both are planning to continue the training tomorrow in a different plane of course. My hats off to their spirit.

The Hobbs time of this flight was 1.2 hours. Cumulative Hobbs time: 3.6 hours.