Pilot Life: Cessna 172 Checkout Flight!

One thing I've been trying to accomplish before I return home to Oregon is to get checked out in a Cessna 172 so I can be qualified to fly in my uncle Alan's plane as soon as I got home. I've spent the past two days looking for a Cessna 172 and an instructor who could check me out. I lucked out when my inquiries led me to AvCenter in Idaho Falls; they had a Cessna 172 that they rent out and teach in. I also really lucked out when an instructor became available this afternoon and was able to do the checkout with me on short notice and within a few hours. We spent a little time doing some ground going over the Cessna 172 operating handbook as well as some of the surrounding areas around Idaho Falls Regional Airport. Once the ground school session was done, we headed out to the airplane.

I got my checkout flight done in this Cessna 172N Skyhawk II (N2207E), owned and operated by AvCenter. Ironically, the aircraft I did my checkout in is the same model and has the same paint-job as my uncle Alan's Cessna!

After a quick pre-flight, we hopped in the plane and got the engine started. I called up the Idaho Falls ground controller and requested a taxi clearance for Runway 17, which was granted. I taxied us over to the end of the runway and we did the engine run-ups; everything looked good and the Skyhawk's stellar reputation really started to grow on me! I called up tower and informed them we were ready for departure. We were promptly clear for takeoff with approval for a right crosswind departure to the west so I taxied us onto Runway 17 and we got airborne. We made the right crosswind departure and we flew westbound, a practice area outside of Idaho Falls' Class Delta airspace parameters.

My instructor for the day started me off with some slow flight. I brought the power back and lowered the flaps down to 40 degrees (the Cessna's flaps goes down in 10 degree increments) and maintained altitude at around 60 knots indicated airspeed while my instructor called out headings for me to fly to. It's worth noting that the Skyhawk handles differently compared to a Katana, but a lot easier to control than the Mooney!

Next, we went into some stalls. After doing some quick clearing turns, we started with a power-on stall. I first decreased engine power and then pitched up before applying full power. Stall warning horn eventually went off and I anticipated the full stall, which ended up being a nose-drop. I recovered the departure stall with minimal altitude lost. We then did a power-off stall, with engine power all the way out (and carburetor heat turned on) and flaps deployed. I descended us a little bit to simulate an approach to landing before pulling back to maintain altitude as airspeed plummeted. The stall warning horn went off and the nose again dropped; I immediately applied full throttle and began stall recovery, taking the flaps out in increments (that's something I'm gonna have to get used to!).

Before going back to the airport, the last thing we did out in the practice area were steep turns. We started with one to the right and again turning to the left, all while maintaining altitude, airspeed, and a 45 degree bank angle. After a satisfactory execution of the basic performance maneuvers, we headed back to the airport.

I called up Idaho Falls tower and requested touch-and-go landings for Runway 17 and we were cleared for straight-in approach for the first lap (because we were northwest of the airport in a perfect position to do so!), asking that we report a three-mile final. I made a less than stellar soft-field landing on the first go; it was off center line because I allowed the winds to mess with me, but it was still satisfactory. I gunned the engine to full power and we got back up in the air again. The second landing we did was a standard touch-and-go, no-flaps landing which I executed a lot better. We got back up in the air and my instructor asked me if I've ever done a simulated engine-out landing; I knew where this was going! He told me to anticipate it! Tower cleared me for touch-and-go and I informed him that we would be doing a simulated engine-out, to which he replied, "roger."

My instructor pulled the power and carburetor heat out and we simulated an engine failure. It was a power-off 180 degree turn for the runway. It was really windy too, so I turned for the runway as close as possible and slightly high to account for a rapid loss of airspeed while maintaining best glide speed. The power-off landing was successful and for me personally, a major confidence boost. We got back up in the air for one final lap around the pattern for Runway 17. My instructor wanted me to do a short-field landing and touchdown on the 1,000 foot markers. Once again, I called tower and informed them of our intentions. We were cleared to land and I made my final approach. It got a little squirrelly, but I managed to land where I was instructed and we came to a full-stop on the runway, conveniently right next to the taxiway we were going to vacate at!

We cleared the runway and taxied back to the AvCenter ramp. After parking, we shut the engine down and secured the airplane as part of the post-flight. My instructor mentioned that most of his students are new and inexperienced and said it was a nice change of pace to fly with someone who knows what was going on! My instructor for the day signed me off in my logbook and I was officially checked out to fly a Cessna 172! That means I'm ready to go home and fly my uncle Alan's 172!

I want to take a moment to give a shout-out to AvCenter at Idaho Falls Regional Airport for accommodating me on such short notice and getting me into the air the same day I showed up. And of course I would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge Tom Herbert, the flight instructor who took the time with me to go over the Cessna 172 and fly with me to get me checked out. I will definitely be happy to do more business with the good folks at AvCenter the next time I'm in eastern Idaho!

For now, I proudly take this new little milestone of getting checked out in one of my bucket-list airplanes, a General Aviation classic, the Cessna 172 Skyhawk with stride as I can now look forward to logging time with my uncle in his airplane back home in Oregon.