Pilot Life: Taking My Friend, Katrina Flying!

After two straight days of rain and thunderstorms around the valley, the weather finally cleared up this evening to allow me to take my friend Katrina flying! She expressed interest in going up with me earlier this week, so I scheduled something for the two of us! And better yet, I was able to take the Cherokee up again this evening.

Finally took up N7625F again flying!

After arriving at the airport, we headed to the plane and I got my pre-flight and walk-around complete. I then grabbed the tow bar and pulled the airplane over to the fuel pumps and added fuel to the wing tanks. After fueling up, I pushed the plane away from the fuel pumps and we boarded the plane. After going through the appropriate checklists, I got the engine started, taxied to the run-up area, and conducted engine run-ups. Everything was running and operating smoothly, so I continued the taxi over to Runway 30. After visually clearing the final approach and departure ends, I taxied onto and lined up on the runway, began takeoff roll, and we were airborne, much to the excitement of my first-time passenger!

We climbed out and headed south towards Payson. I then invited Katrina to take and feel the controls of the airplane. She gladly accepted!

Katrina flying the Cherokee!
(With my help and supervision, of course!)

We headed south towards Payson, enjoying the view and the sunset we were able to see thanks to the improving weather conditions we were fortunate to get this evening. We passed Payson and quickly approached Santaquin. I retook full control of the plane and turned us around back to the north to get set up for turns around a point over the Payson LDS Temple for Katrina's benefit. She also took over my phone and kinda went crazy with it!

A selfie for herself!

And she snuck a selfie of us on my phone!
(Photo credit: Katrina Cookson, my lovely passenger!)

And another selfie for herself as she enjoyed the view!

I set us up for the ground-reference maneuver and circled the Payson LDS Temple while Katrina took pictures.

A view of the Payson Temple and the mountains.
(Photo credit: Katrina Cookson.)

After circling the Temple, I decided to take us into Provo to do some touch-and-go landings and show Katrina what it's like to operate into a towered airport versus a non-towered airport. I got the current wind and weather via ATIS frequency and then established radio contact with the tower. I received instruction to enter right-downwind for Runway 13 and report in at midfield; the last time I flew into Provo in the Cherokee, I had to use the shorter Runway 18! From there, I flew the standard right-traffic pattern pattern for Runway 13 and got set up for a touch-and-go and made my controlled descent towards the runway. I made a descent landing and then retracted the flaps and got us airborne again. I decided to do one more touch-and-go before heading back to Spanish Fork.

I climbed us out and got re-established on the right-downwind leg for Runway 13. The control tower operator called me up and requested that I extend the downwind leg out due to a Diamond Star on the practice ILS approach for Runway 13, to which I complied; I also kept an eye out for said Diamond Star. I eventually made visual contact with the Diamond Star on the practice ILS 13 approach,

We were asked to extend out for this Diamond Star, N321PF.

I reported traffic in-sight to tower and they cleared me for touch-and-go behind said traffic; I also informed tower of our intentions to return to Spanish Fork after our second touch-and-go. Spacing wouldn't be an issue since the Diamond Star is faster than the Cherokee, so I turned right base and established us onto a long final approach for 13. Once again, I configured the plane for landing and continued the descent towards the runway until touchdown for another good landing. I retracted flaps and throttled forward for the second time and got us airborne again. Tower cleared us for a straight-out departure back to Spanish Fork and we exchanged pleasantries before going to advisory frequency. We approached the Spanish Fork Airport from the northeast and flew overhead at midfield. From there, I made a descending right turn and go established on left-downwind for Runway 30.

Once again, I configured the plane for landing and I decided to do one more touch-and-go. I made my descent and approached the runway. Once again, I got another good landing in before throttling forward and getting us back in the air. One last time, I flew the standard pattern, configuring this time for a full-stop landing. Once more, I made the descent and got established on the final approach, and made another good landing. I rolled the Cherokee out and taxied off the runway at the next available taxiway and we taxied back to the ramp, where we shut the engine down. After completing the shut-down process, Katrina took one more selfie!

One final selfie after shutting the engine down. It was getting dark by the time we got back!
(Photo credit: Katrina Cookson, my lovely passenger.)

We both hopped out and I used the tow bar to position the Cherokee back onto the tie-down spot that I pulled it from earlier and finished up all the post-flight inspections and routines. We called it a successful flight and we went out to dinner before heading home!