Around The Traffic Pattern: Situational Awareness

From: KASH To: KASH
Hours: 0.9
Type: Cessna Skyhawk C-172R
Number: N674DW
CFI: Brady Valliere
Discription: After being on standby since this morning, I finally got an airplane. Webster 74, a sketchy airplane that I had turned down yesturday and I only took today because it was the only one available. With an inoperable attitude indicator, turn coordinator and heading indicator, I wasn't too happy about this airplane. It was safe, of course. There was a back up indicator and according to the Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR 91.203), I didn't need the other two instruments for VFR flight. And once I was in the air, the attitude indicator accurately gave me my bank angle, but wasn't showing pitch, which was alright and the turn coordinator was actually working fine as well. So at least I had an aircraft today.

Anyways, after we took off from Runway 32, for a left downwind, I almost turned right when Brady corrected me. I need better awareness on that. After climbing to traffic pattern altitude (TPA), we headed downwind. I made the call to tower at midfield for the option. Remembering my last lesson, I had my eyes peeled for traffic. Several times I had to report to tower that the traffic was not in sight. But once I eyeballed them, I followed them in. Slowed myself down, full flaps, idle over the numbers, flared the airplane, landed on the mains then the nose. It was the best landing I've done so far, it was almost perfect. Brady retracted the flaps and we climbed into another left traffic. Comming around a second time, I again kept my eyes out for traffic before turning to final. This time I came to high. The VASI (Visual Approach Slope Indicator) lights at the end of the runway were reading white over white, meaning I was too high. I brought back the power and lowered flaps but I couldn't get the airplane to descend and maintain airspeed. Over the numbers I finally got red over white VASI lights, meaning that I was good to land on the glideslope, and I brought Webster 74 down for another almost perfect landing. Unfortunately, my next two approaches both were too high and resulted in go-arounds. The first go-around I did things somewhat out of order, on instinct. The second time I did it right, pitch-up, power-up, clean-up, which means, bring nose up, full power, retract all flaps. Then we went around again, following close behind a guy climbing out on take off, so I kept Webster 74 at about 75 KIAS to get some room between myself and the other aircraft. Then when I got to final, I was still too high, but I managed to get the airplane on the glideslope before the end. We landed. I tried to get off on taxiway Charlie, but it was too soon, so I steered for taxiway Delta. Got off. Then lights, camera, action. (Turn off lights, except beacon, turn transponder to standby, retract flaps). Called ground for permission to taxi and ended the flight.

Overall, the flight itself was pretty good. The approaches weren't bad and I maintained good situational awareness. My final approach needs some tweaking so that I can manage to descend on the glidepath rather than find myself too high and executing go-arounds all the time. Just takes practice. But my flare is beginning to come together. Since both go-arounds were my decision (Brady told me to do the first, but I was going to anyways), I think I can handle a safe landing. Another practice or two and I'll hopefully be good enough to solo.

Logged: 23.8 hours, 66 landings