Journal #11

7/9
N99348 (172)
CFI: Jeff
Hobbs: 2.0 Hrs
5-8pm

Another awesome day.

Did interior & exterior pre-flight of 348 - handled all comm except one change-runway request at Napa (to 24 from 18R) We flew from Oak to SP Bay at 5,500' (with Bravo clearance to 6K) - Did engine fire drill, then engine out drill I flew for a field and attempted to glide for a landing 'on the numbers' - with the numbers being a beige strip across a long green field. Jeff didn't think we'd make it, but we squeaked over it with little room to spare - then recovered etc. Flew to APC for T&Gs - started with no-flap landings, using slips (wow! these felt really extreme the first few times) to lose altitude instead of flaps. This was really tough - but one of them was nice, and one decent. Then we did a 20deg flap landing - not great at all - just getting used to the different way the aircraft floats in ground-effect & flare. On the 20 degree flap landing I landed short for the first time - was lighgly scolded to 'never' do this.

Finally - back to Oakland (bay approach over SP bay to the temple and right traffic to 27L). Jeff asked me for a landing on the 2000' markers that I couldn't see at all - so I was set-up to land just beyone the 1000' markers and had another not-great landing... oh well. Straight into the sun at 7:30pm has pretty poor visibility.

All in all - a great learning day - good maneuvers, probably my best engine-out drill (would definitely have walked away, perhaps the plane too), and the landings, while not great, are improving. Tomorrow may be 'the day' !