Pilot Life: Knocking Off Some Rust

I haven't flown for ten days and the last time I flew was that mock-checkride I did with one of the other CFIIs. My actual checkride was scheduled for last Tuesday, but we got weathered out and as it turns out, the examiner had some maintenance concerns (which was totally understandable, but at the same time, still...). So now, my new checkride date with yet another examiner is set for the beginning of March. Today saw some decent weather for the first time since I last flew and I really needed to knock the rust off a little bit, so I took the opportunity to get some pattern work in and practice my landings. Plus, my uncle and I once again changed the oil in the engine and I felt that a post-oil change engine run and flight were in order!

Stretching out N5174E's wings for the first time in ten days.

After pre-flight, I hopped in the plane and taxied over to the fuel pumps since I haven't been able to top off the tanks recently (mostly due to some of the really cold weather we had the past week and a half that actually rendered the self-serve fuel pumps inoperable!). After topping off the tanks, I hopped in and taxied over to the run-up pad next to Runway 34 and did the standard run-ups. After run-ups, I got airborne and flew four laps in the traffic pattern and got some touch-and-go landings in (three of them to be exact!), and they were all good landings! After my fourth landing, which was to a full-stop, I taxied back to the hangar and called it a good, quick refresher as I wasn't planning on going up for too long to begin with. I put the airplane away satisfied to have been able to log flight time after a lousy week last week (made worse by the fact that it was the week of Valentine's Day!) and not flying for the past ten days.