It's Been Awhile

August 3, 2012

It's been three weeks since my last lesson, and two weeks since I last flew. I must say, I was surprisingly a little nervous about going back up. Was I going to remember how to do approaches, how to talk to ATC, was I going to totally botch the landing? I was about to find out...

The winds were from the East, but it looks like everyone is still using the North runway. Time for some crosswind takeoff practice. Mark is in the seat next to me, there to help me out. After all preflight inspections, I tune the radio to all the frequencies we'll need and prepare for takeoff. The incoming traffic has by now landed, so I roll out onto the runway and apply full power. The wind is trying to play games with me, but I fight through it and safely make it off the ground.

Mark takes the controls while I put on the dreaded foggles. I take the controls again and keep us flying west. It's time to listen to Spirit Airport's weather, then call up STL Approach and give our intentions. It appears that Spirit is using their East runways, and since we are going to practice an ILS approach, I tell the controller that we want Runway 8R. He has us continue flying west for quite a while and at one point Mark told me to look up because the Washington Airport was just ahead of us. Wow, we really are way out there. The controller finally turns us onto the inbound course and not long after he clears us for the approach. I tell the Spirit tower that I'm inbound while following the course that my primary NAVAID says. Looking great! As my DME indicates that we're getting close to the runway, I start wondering when I can descend. I keep forgetting that when the needle starts to move down, I can start bringing the plane down. Thanks Mark for reminding me. Now we're looking really good, all needles are centered. I descend to the missed approach point, look up and smile.

We go missed and begin our climb. The tower tells us to contact Approach. We tell approach that we want to do the VOR-A at Creve Coeur Airport. He vectors us around to the inbound course while I'm scrambling to set up the new frequencies. Spirit and Creve Couer airports are less than 8 miles from each other so it didn't give us much time to prepare. Mark takes over the radio a couple times so that I can get organized. The VOR is now set and we can follow it inbound. Within minutes we were looking straight at the runway. Not bad at all!

After going missed, we turn northeast and climb to 1500ft. No need for a controller so we tell him goodbye and fly the remainder under VFR. At the last 5-10 miles, I get to take off my foggles. Ahhh, such a relief... today I needed the joy of flying with sight. This time, the airport is all ours so I go for the East runway. I'm feeling a bit confident since I saw that I could still handle instrument flying after being away from it for weeks. The East runway is the most hated runway that we have because of its short length with the added challenge of having power lines at the approach end. This should be interesting. I focus, and focus hard. I'm not in the mood to have a bad landing today. Power back, drops flaps, turn... drop flaps, push nose down, adjust power, turn... on final approach I drop the rest of the flaps and adjust power. I don't feel high and I'm not so low that I'll run into the power lines. I start smiling... I've got this. Just feet off the ground, I flare, hold it off, keep waiting... and touch down. Smooth. That has to be one of the best feelings for a pilot; a good landing.