Sunday, March 8, 2009

X-Country Solo--Complete!

Finally, after weeks of strong surface winds and even stronger at 3000 to 6000 feet--must be Oklahoma, the winds finally calmed down a little bit. So it was time to complete my last major requirement before being able to be tested for my Private Pilot Certificate (to be finished very soon)! The FAA requires a Cross Country Solo Flight of 150 nautical miles or greater with landings at 2 other airports besides your own. So I took off from KPWA (Wiley Post) flew west to KSCM (Clinton Sherman Moore) in Clinton OK, then Southeast to KADM (Ardmore Municipal) in Ardmore, then back over Oklahoma City to my home Airport, about 277 nautical miles as the crow flies. Obviously it all went well. What follows are pics and excerpts from my trip!



ME: "Wiley Post Ground 2099D(elta) @ Oklahoma Aviation with Tango, Request Taxi to 35 Right. Flight Following 262 at Flight Level Four-Thousand Five-Hundred."

KPWA Tower: "2099D(elta) Taxi to and hold short runway 35 Right, left turnout approved, Departure Frequency 124.6, SWAK 5120."

That's me on the Taxi way headed to the active runway at KPWA

ME: "Oke City (Oak City) Departure, Skyhawk 2099D off Wiley Post climbing through Two-thousand five-hundred."

Departure: "2099D climb on course and Ident."

That's me en route to KSCM

Me: "Sherman Tower, Skyhawk 2099D 10 miles to the east inbound to land with the ASOS (A-sauce--Not for steak BTW)."

Tower: "2099D, plan Right Base runway 35 right. Wind 320 @ 8, dew point is minus 2, Altimeter is Two Niner, Niner, Niner, no traffic observed between you and the airport, report on right base at 2 miles out."

That's me standing next to 2099D on the ground @ KSCM

Ft Worth Center: "2099D, Altimeter is Three zero, zero, zero, frequency change approved, contact Fort Sill Approach on 118.00."

Me: "Three zero, zero, zero, frequency change approved, Contacting Ft Sill on 118.0, good day."

Me: "Ft Sill Approach, 20099D with you Five-thousand Five-hundred"

Ft Sill: "Radar Contact, continue on course"

That's me somewhere over Oklahoma (of course I know where I am) Cruising at 5,400, 108 knots Indicated Air Speed, 120 knots ground speed, headed to KADM (Ardmore).

Me: "Ardmore Tower, 2099D 12 miles to the West inbound to land with Echo"

Ardmore Tower: "2009D make left base for runway 35 clear to land."

Me: "Clear to land, runway 35, 2099D."

Me: "Ardmore tower, 2099D going around"

KADM Tower: "go around, make right downwind for 35"

KADM: "2009D, left on Alpha-one Right on Alpha, Taxi to parking"

Me: "Alpha-one, Alpha, to Parking 2099D"

That's a CAP Plane and some Jet, the only others I saw at Ardmore. The on-field Restaurant was closed--frown--but the Tower was open!


Me: "Oke City approach, 2099D is over Oklahoma University, request transition to Class Charlie Airspace, inbound to land at Wiley Post."
Approach: "2099D, maintain course, stay north-east of the Downtown building and continue onto Wiley Post."
Me: "Oke City approach 2099D, would like to cancel with you and transition to Class Delta Airspace, inbound to land Wiley Post."
Approach: "Frequency change approved, radar service terminated, contact Wiley Post Tower on One two six Niner."
Me: "Frequency Change Approved, going to 126.9"

Me: "Wiley Post Tower, 2099D, about 4 miles north east inbound to land with Tango"
Tower: "2099D clear to land runway 17 left, wind 150 @ 10, altimeter 30.03"
Me: "Clear to land 17 left, 2099D"
That's me with 2099D after a successful flight.

7 comments:

FRED aka Nathan said...

Way to go. I did not know you were flying. Boy, it seems like I am the black sheep. Maybe I ought to take up flying (Over Tiffany's dead body, I'm sure).

Matt said...

Good job! Now when is your check ride? One correction on the phraseology, flight levels don't start until 18,000 feet msl, below that it's just altitude, and GPS is so cheating, dead reckoning and pilotage should be required (at least I think, you never know when your systems might fail). Hmm, I might have to try to beat you at getting intstrument rated at least since I couldn't (well, probably won't) get my private before you, that is if I can get this job in Longmont. Good job again! I'm too excited for you! Remember, a good pilot is always learning!

noremac40 said...

Hey Matt! I actually knew that on the phraseology, but kinda changed it just to maybe help those with the limited understanding (plus it sounded cooler--for those that wouldn't know.) I actually was using pilotage and dead reckoning and VOR to VOR (on one leg), but they strongly suggest we used the GPS to help ensure safe arrivals. Guess one student almost got shot down when landing at Vance Air Force Base when he thought he was landing at Stillwater. About 60 miles in the other direction....Anyways...

Matt said...

lol! yeah, I guess that would give a student a good scare. Well, I guess I've got about 20 hours of simulated instrument time, w/o GPS and so it's starting to become easy for me to navigate w/o gps, though it would make holding patterns on NDBs a whole lot easier. So how much longer till you take your check ride?

Carrie said...

You boys and your jibberish talk. However...I decided I think I will start to learn to fly. When one of you is ready to teach me, you just let me know!

And I'm not all chit chat like Natch. ;)

Marti said...

Congrats and keep it up - in the air, that is! Yea for you and good luck on the next bit. I'm with Carrie about the gibberish, but it does sound cool! Way to go! When Matt gets his pilot's license, and Carrie, too, what will the percentage be of members of our family who can fly those tin birds? Natch, we're waiting on your expertise on this one!

Darcey said...

Looks like fun! I wanna go!