Follow up to 11/1 Flight

Hi!

“You become a better pilot in Nashville”

I’m sure you are wondering how my flight went. It was a fabulous time and a good reminder of why I love flying so much.

Truthfully, things started off a little rough. After doing most of the preflight and reviewing how different 172s are from my prior experience of 162s, it was time to start the engine. And it just didn’t want to start. My instructor and I added more primer, and it still wouldn’t turn. We had flooded the engine. We waited between trying several more times. Thankfully though, we eventually got the engine started and we were off to continuing on with our pre-flight processes.

BNA is such a bigger airport than what I was used to, with the multiple runways and all the different taxiways, and of course the type of aircraft around.

It was surreal trying to line up safely behind the hold-short line because of the huge 737 jets surrounding us. What had been previously a more simple task, took a lot of my brain power. I had learned about wake turbulence and all of the related concepts, but I actually had to apply that knowledge. We had to wait until the jet in front of us had turned off the taxiway that we were going to line up on, in order to be a safe distance behind them. Because there is nothing safe about being directly behind a large aircraft when it uses its engine from being stopped to rolling. That was a huge learning experience for me.

While my instructor was making all the comms that and instructing me on how to navigate large aircraft, she gave me something really important to hold onto. She told me that “you just gotta remember that you and your aircraft are just as important as the 737s and other jets around you. If atc says something you are not comfortable doing with your experience and aircraft size, just say no, and they will find another way around it.” I think that matters a lot and remembering that will keep me and my surroundings safer in the future.

After flying out of BNA, we went to the Gallatin Music City Executive airport, XNX. It was a pretty smooth, short flight, and the airport was rather easy to find because it was near some smokestacks. The flight had gorgeous views of the nearby lake and fall colors from above. Until then, I didn’t really realize how much I missed flying over a lake like I had done every single time I flew this Summer.

I should address the change over from the 162 to the 172. Previously I had been only flying Skyhawk 162s and I flew a Cessna 172. During preflight I thought that the differences would be overwhelming. During flight they were not. Yes, it was a different set up and the instruments read slightly different, but when it comes to it, it’s all the same exact instruments used for the same exact purposes. A huge difference though is the sight picture. This is due to the different shaped cowlings. On the 172 for me, there was more distance between flying level and the horizon, which didn’t take to much trouble for me to get adjusted.

At Gallatin I worked on my traffic pattern, getting back into takeoffs and landings. I did not do comms for this at the untowered airport, my instructor did for me, but I think I will get back to doing comms soon enough, most likely my next flight.

Honestly I was slightly surprised at how well I did the landings, considering that when I was first learning, it took me forever to figure out the balance of things. But, when I was flying, things came naturally and I automatically adjusted. By my last landing, it was going perfectly smooth and even my instructor was more than happy with the results. That said, I can still get better and be more aware and use more right rudder. Another thing that I still can improve on from that flight is using more trim. Trim is there for a reason, and it’s to help me and to make my life easier, and I just need to use it more often.

We flew back to BNA and I landed, (needing slightly more right rudder), and my instructor quickly got us off the runway because a 737 airliner was landing behind us.

All in all, it was a pretty fun time and reminded me of the joy behind why I fly. I scheduled my next flight for next week, where I will get back into maneuvers for preparing for my solo.

In the meantime I plan to review more of the differences between a 162 and 172, preflight wise and in general of how things work, the engine, the amount of fuel, etc.

Jovie