Discovery Flight

6/3/2002
Met Jeff at Oakland Flyers at 9am sharp. Talked, did a weather check at Kaiser FBO, then did a long pre-flight of the aircraft (forget the numbers - 9938P?). Taxied to Oakland Runway 27R (27L is closed for the summer, repaving). After the runup checklist in the runup area, and another cessna (172?) taking off before us, Jeff got us cleared to take off and we turned on the squawk box (to on?). He lined us up with the runway, and had me take off. Even though I thought we should lift off (reading on the net etc) at around 65 knots, I waited for his word, and the plane literally glided off the runway around 75 knots. Then I was flying - actually using the controls. But I forgot to mention the truely strange foot-pedal stearing. Very bizarre indeed on the taxiway.

Once in flight, Jeff reminded me to keep my hand on the throttle thru the takeoff - I guess for safety / problems etc. We climbed out - headed for san pablo bay, started with left hand turns, and a fast cruising cessna passed us headed north-west. Started with some simple coordinated turns (up to 30 degree bank), left, then right - and constantly had to remind me to look outside of the airplane. This was quite difficult after years of dreaming to fly - constrained by imagination, and the massive console of flight sim (95, 98, 2002, etc). In the real plane, while climbing, yes - the ground does disappear, but the view is incredible! On all sides, and clearly below you during descent, you can see every detail. The idea of VFR - particularly in an area I've lived in for 25 years, is strange at first, but I have to force myself to abandon all ideas I had about heading (north isn't where we Northern Californians think it is) and geography. Navigating based on ground landmarks is interesting indeed - kind of like learning a neighborhood - although I'm sure I'll eventually use charts.

Funny things - On several occasions (all above 2500 feet) I dropped the checklist. This had the very useful 'descent', 'climb', 'cruise' and other later obvious steps on it. While not a big deal, and while not handling any of the avionics in the aircraft, I realize that CRM - cockpit resource management will be a very important skill to learn.

Now to the landing - instructed (Jeff handled all ATC) to approach the Mormon Temple in Oakland - staying towards the Berkeley hills (to avoid outbound traffic), at 2500 feet. Did the checklist for descent to 1000 feet while approaching the Oakland Colusieum - then turning somewhere SE to parallel the runway 27R (thus entering the pattern). Turned right on base around 1000 feet, descended more - this was quite nerveracking, even being 600 feet - just gliding downhill it seemed over the 880 Nimitz freeway, and to my great surprise, Jeff had me turn to the final leg and line up with the runway. I had clearly overshot, but I think the wind was coming from 220 at around 8 knots, which would have lined us up anyhow (was he sparing me the details of crabbing/slipping?). Anyhow - as if by magic - and some good direction to use the rudder on final, we came down directly over the centerline of the runway - a little high. On that 'little high' word - I probably pitched a little too much down, and resisted the urge to pull up and 'flare'. Jeff said to wait, but when he said to start, I overreacted and caused the stall-buzzer to go off. He took most of the controls, as we were within feet of the ground. We landed! - a big single bounce, but wasn't jarring (at least to me). "Not the prettiest landing..." was Jeff's comment. I was pretty much speechless.

Total hobbs time: 1.1 hours. Total flying time was probably 50 minutes.