Pilot Life: Bumpy Solo Flight!

After redeeming myself this past Tuesday, the next part of my private pilot training agenda was a second solo flight in the Provo traffic pattern. I was suppose to do this yesterday but the winds were exceeding 10 knots, which is the upper limits for me as a student pilot so it got pushed back to today. On top of that, my instructor was hoping that I could knock two solo flights off in just one big flight today because he was going to be out of town for the weekend but that did not happen due to a decision I made while I was doing pattern work. More on that in a bit, but regardless, it was great to kick off the weekend by flying on a Friday afternoon after getting out of classes for the day!

Diamond DA-20-C1 Katana (N220NH), "Wolf 03," the aircraft I took up on my second solo flight in the Provo pattern.

After I got dispatched out, I went out to the airplane and conducted the usual pre-flight inspections. I noticed that the weather wasn't favorable but visibility was still good enough so I kept going. After completing pre-flight, I hopped in went through the start-up procedure. Once I got the plane started up, I suffered a minor setback; the headsets the school loaned to me for the flight didn't work! So I shut-down the airplane, went inside and swapped headsets and tried again. Second time: successful. With working headsets, I proceeded to pick up my taxi clearance from the tower and taxied out to the run-up area where I conducted the usual run-up procedure. Following that, I continued my taxi to the runway, got my takeoff clearance and began my takeoff roll.

Once airborne, I proceeded to fly the pattern, keeping in mind of a pending decision I will have to make in the back of my mind. But first things first, I needed to do some touch-and-go landings in what was basically an encore performance of my first solo flight that took place a week ago. I set myself up for the first landing. Compared to my first solo flight, the setup for today's flight was a vast improvement. The only wild card I noticed while airborne in the pattern today: it was really bumpy! I did my first touch-and-go and set myself up for the second with similar result; another good landing and I got back up in the air.

At this point I needed to make a decision as pilot-in-command. The original plan for today was to do my pattern work and then head out to one of the practice areas to do some maneuvers; originally two separate flight segments that my instructor combined into one. However, having noticed how bumpy the air was today despite marginal weather with good visibility, I decided to err on the side of safety and not leave the pattern. With my low experience level at this point, I just didn't feel comfortable going out there and pushing my luck with how bumpy the flight got. Plus, I suspect the wind conditions changed towards the upper end of my student pilot limitations (the same ones that prevented me from flying yesterday) while I was airborne so I made the executive decision to err on the side of safety and just stayed in the pattern.

With the decision made, I prepared myself for the third landing and while I was at it, I decided to squeeze in a fourth landing so I made today's third landing a touch-and-go. On my third approach, I experienced déjà vu as the tower controller at Provo instructed me to extend the downwind leg of my approach to accommodate landing traffic. It really was like my first solo flight all over again! Last time this happened, I bounced on my third landing! Once again, it was time for me to redeem myself and make today's third landing a good one! I set myself up for a long final approach and proceeded down to the runway and my third landing, compared to the one on my first solo flight, was a vast improvement!

I throttled forward again and got back into the air for my fourth and final landing for today's flight. While setting up for the approach, I received a rather unorthodox confirmation that going out to the practice areas after the pattern work was not a good idea: I bonked my head on the DA-20's canopy! Given how it was bumpy up in the air today, I experienced a rather sudden, nasty jolt that I did not see coming while looking out the left side of the airplane scanning for movement. I felt myself being lifted out of the seat for a moment only to be held down by my seat belt and shoulder harness, but it was enough for me to hit my head on the canopy. After letting out a few swear words, I just knew I had to get back on the ground and call it quits for the day so I continued my approach for landing, which was uneventful.

After landing roll out, I taxied off the runway and it was during this time that the winds completely shifted direction and favored Provo Airport's shorter crosswind runway. With my head still ringing, I contacted the ground controller to advise that I was ready to taxi back to the UVU ramp. During my taxi, I had to cross the now-active crosswind runway; I was advised to hold short of crossing in order to wait for a landing DA-20. Once the traffic passed, I was given taxi clearance to cross the runway and continue to the UVU flight ramp. Upon arrival at the ramp, I parked the plane and conducted the standard shut-down procedures and I called it another flight.

Soon after, I got in contact with my flight instructor about the flight and my decision for not leaving the pattern and gave my reasons. He verified and commended me for making what turned out to be the right call of not pushing my luck. As pilot-in-command of an aircraft, you're required to make smart decisions based on possible as well as current circumstances so that you don't jeopardize the overall safety of the flight. As pilot-in-command, you're responsible for operating the aircraft in a safe manner in accordance with regulations. Today, I made an aeronautical decision and stood by it. And I'm glad I made the right call.

(With my head still ringing, I'm taking the weekend to shake off that bump on the noggin!)