July 3, 2008

July 3, 2008

 

Today was Dan Air Flight 400 a.k.a. Mountain Flight Introduction. This morning we drove to Penticton, Joanne dropped me off at Southern Skies Aviation at the airport, then she continued into town to run errands. I met Matt, my new flying instructor. Gee ... I got my pilot's license when he was one year old. HA HA HA < SNORT > HA HA !

We took off in Cessna 172 C-GHJC ( Hotel Juliet Charlie ) and headed for Oliver. We took a somewhat roundabout route through the mountains. I got my first taste of flying at low altitude in the mountains. Matt instructed me to hug up against the side of the mountain, as closely as I felt comfortable. I flew lower than the peak of the mountain I was beside, with the mountain side about 200 feet from my left wing. Close enough for the first time ! At Oliver we headed out into the "restricted airspace" designated for flight training operations, over the mountains east of Oliver. We did some fairly routine "upper air work"; slow, steep turns, and a multitude of stalls in a variety of aircraft configurations. We flew into a canyon, and I experienced my first slow flight, steep turn, minimum radius turn around within the confines of a canyon. It wasn't that narrow a canyon, and I had quite enough room to complete the turn around.

I asked Matt if we could fly to Osoyoos and do a touch and go. I wanted to have the comfort of having an instructor beside me for my first flight into Osoyoos's somewhat difficult, short airstrip. We flew to Osoyoos. The airstrip was too short for a "touch and go". I did a "stop, backtrack, and go". As we climbed out of Osoyoos, Matt spotted the beginnings of a forest fire, slightly west of Osoyoos, near Crowsnest Highway 3 on the way to Keremeos. I didn't see it. I was too busy flying the airplane. As soon as we were high enough to reach Penticton by radio, Matt reported the forest fire. I was unaware that Southern Skies has a government contract of some sort, that all their flying employees are always on the lookout for forest fires. A rather ingenious way for the B.C. government to get help with forest fire spotting and reporting. Forest fires here in the Okanagan / Similkameen region are an annual problem of some significance !

We flew back over Oliver and on to Penticton. I wanted to impress Matt with my flying abilities, and prove that my "dusty / rusty wings" had worn off. AHHHHH ... really "greased on" my landing at Penticton ! HA ... just like riding a bicycle !

As for the bill for today's pre-flight ground ( classroom ) briefing and dual ( with instructor ) flight ... YIKES ! ! !

DSK