my discovery flight, a report
06-25-2006, 04:05 PM
#1
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Joined APC: May 2006
Position: C-172
Posts: 8,024
my discovery flight, a report
Well, here is the long awaited report of my discovery flight today.
My instructor was neither old or ugly, but he was just great. Inspired
confidence in me. He showed me how to check the weather and decipher the codes. HSLD, you would not believe the acronyms. The first line of mine said "METAR KBFI 251653Z AUTO VRB06KT 10SM CLR 24/12 A3022 RMK AO2 SLP234 T02440117 TSNO." If anyone knows what that means, I'll take you to dinner at El Gaucho. Anyway, no NOTAMs today. Then we checked out the key to this brand new Cessna 172. We did a thorough check of everything, including climbing up and down the wings and kicking the tires. By now, it was darn near 85 degrees and I was sweating profusely.
Inexplicably, there was an F-18 parked right next to our little plane. Not sure what it was doing there since it's not Seafair yet and it sure wasn't painted blue. The pilot was nowhere in sight or I would have asked him for a little spin.
Having never done it before, my instructor nevertheless let me take off and I didn't even know I had done it until we were airborne. He let me turn left and right and a bunch of other things. He played tour guide and pointed out Mt. Rainier, Mt. Baker, San Juan Islands yonder, Bremerton Naval Shipyard. I was just thankful I caught a glimpse of my condo! He even let the plane glide. Very funny. I got clammy and I'm sure I turned green, but managed to control the barf reflex.
It is definitely a different experience than sitting in the middle seat, wedged between two NFL linebackers, and munching on stale peanuts. If I have the natural coordination required of a good pilot, I was not aware of it. But I'm not giving up just yet. I'll go back for more when I can carve out the time.
My instructor was neither old or ugly, but he was just great. Inspired
confidence in me. He showed me how to check the weather and decipher the codes. HSLD, you would not believe the acronyms. The first line of mine said "METAR KBFI 251653Z AUTO VRB06KT 10SM CLR 24/12 A3022 RMK AO2 SLP234 T02440117 TSNO." If anyone knows what that means, I'll take you to dinner at El Gaucho. Anyway, no NOTAMs today. Then we checked out the key to this brand new Cessna 172. We did a thorough check of everything, including climbing up and down the wings and kicking the tires. By now, it was darn near 85 degrees and I was sweating profusely.
Inexplicably, there was an F-18 parked right next to our little plane. Not sure what it was doing there since it's not Seafair yet and it sure wasn't painted blue. The pilot was nowhere in sight or I would have asked him for a little spin.
Having never done it before, my instructor nevertheless let me take off and I didn't even know I had done it until we were airborne. He let me turn left and right and a bunch of other things. He played tour guide and pointed out Mt. Rainier, Mt. Baker, San Juan Islands yonder, Bremerton Naval Shipyard. I was just thankful I caught a glimpse of my condo! He even let the plane glide. Very funny. I got clammy and I'm sure I turned green, but managed to control the barf reflex.
It is definitely a different experience than sitting in the middle seat, wedged between two NFL linebackers, and munching on stale peanuts. If I have the natural coordination required of a good pilot, I was not aware of it. But I'm not giving up just yet. I'll go back for more when I can carve out the time.
06-25-2006, 04:24 PM
#2
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jun 2006
Posts: 903
Boeing Field, June 25th at 1653Z. . . AUTO observation, Winds variable at 6kts, Visibility One-Zero miles. Skies Clear (below 12K at least). Temperature Two-Four degrees celcius. . . Dew Point One-Two celcius. Altimeter Three Zero Two Two. Remarks AO2 (Automated sensor with precip detection). Sea Level Pressure 1023.4 mb. T group is Temp dewpoint group, which the actual temperature is 24.4C, dewpoint actual is 11.7. TSNO (Thunderstorms, not observed. . . if I recall).
I haven't observed in years, but no meterologist can forget metar code.
Sounds like you had a great time. Stick with it and you'll never want to go back.
I haven't observed in years, but no meterologist can forget metar code.
Sounds like you had a great time. Stick with it and you'll never want to go back.
06-25-2006, 05:28 PM
#4
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,151
Originally Posted by vagabond
Well, here is the long awaited report of my discovery flight today.
My instructor was neither old or ugly, but he was just great. Inspired
confidence in me. He showed me how to check the weather and decipher the codes. HSLD, you would not believe the acronyms. The first line of mine said "METAR KBFI 251653Z AUTO VRB06KT 10SM CLR 24/12 A3022 RMK AO2 SLP234 T02440117 TSNO." If anyone knows what that means, I'll take you to dinner at El Gaucho. Anyway, no NOTAMs today. Then we checked out the key to this brand new Cessna 172. We did a thorough check of everything, including climbing up and down the wings and kicking the tires. By now, it was darn near 85 degrees and I was sweating profusely.
Inexplicably, there was an F-18 parked right next to our little plane. Not sure what it was doing there since it's not Seafair yet and it sure wasn't painted blue. The pilot was nowhere in sight or I would have asked him for a little spin.
Having never done it before, my instructor nevertheless let me take off and I didn't even know I had done it until we were airborne. He let me turn left and right and a bunch of other things. He played tour guide and pointed out Mt. Rainier, Mt. Baker, San Juan Islands yonder, Bremerton Naval Shipyard. I was just thankful I caught a glimpse of my condo! He even let the plane glide. Very funny. I got clammy and I'm sure I turned green, but managed to control the barf reflex.
It is definitely a different experience than sitting in the middle seat, wedged between two NFL linebackers, and munching on stale peanuts. If I have the natural coordination required of a good pilot, I was not aware of it. But I'm not giving up just yet. I'll go back for more when I can carve out the time.
My instructor was neither old or ugly, but he was just great. Inspired
confidence in me. He showed me how to check the weather and decipher the codes. HSLD, you would not believe the acronyms. The first line of mine said "METAR KBFI 251653Z AUTO VRB06KT 10SM CLR 24/12 A3022 RMK AO2 SLP234 T02440117 TSNO." If anyone knows what that means, I'll take you to dinner at El Gaucho. Anyway, no NOTAMs today. Then we checked out the key to this brand new Cessna 172. We did a thorough check of everything, including climbing up and down the wings and kicking the tires. By now, it was darn near 85 degrees and I was sweating profusely.
Inexplicably, there was an F-18 parked right next to our little plane. Not sure what it was doing there since it's not Seafair yet and it sure wasn't painted blue. The pilot was nowhere in sight or I would have asked him for a little spin.
Having never done it before, my instructor nevertheless let me take off and I didn't even know I had done it until we were airborne. He let me turn left and right and a bunch of other things. He played tour guide and pointed out Mt. Rainier, Mt. Baker, San Juan Islands yonder, Bremerton Naval Shipyard. I was just thankful I caught a glimpse of my condo! He even let the plane glide. Very funny. I got clammy and I'm sure I turned green, but managed to control the barf reflex.
It is definitely a different experience than sitting in the middle seat, wedged between two NFL linebackers, and munching on stale peanuts. If I have the natural coordination required of a good pilot, I was not aware of it. But I'm not giving up just yet. I'll go back for more when I can carve out the time.
06-25-2006, 05:42 PM
#5
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Posts: n/a
Congrats on your flight,
Sounds like you had fun, and dont worry about natural coordination or otherwise, its all training. It is like any skill, practice and you get better.
As far as the METAR goes, watch what you offer or you will end up taking ALOT of people out to El Gauchos
Sounds like you had fun, and dont worry about natural coordination or otherwise, its all training. It is like any skill, practice and you get better.
As far as the METAR goes, watch what you offer or you will end up taking ALOT of people out to El Gauchos
06-25-2006, 05:50 PM
#7
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: 737 Captain
Posts: 777
Congrats on the flight. I don't know any of the METAR stuff so your dinner is safe with me. You'll do fine in the future - just relax and enjoy the view. Your coordination and feel for the airplane will come with time.
06-25-2006, 10:29 PM
#9
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Joined APC: May 2006
Position: C-172
Posts: 8,024
Thanks everyone for your support and encouragement, both of which have been sorely lacking in other areas on this forum for a while. I had a lot of fun today. I am in such an expansive mood that I am taking everyone who responded to this thread to El Gaucho! 
Surreal, 1653Z still makes no sense. I can fake the others, but not this one.
ERJ, I know someone who used to fly the F-18 for the Canadian Air Force. He told me it was the best thing to happen to him ... until he met me.
Surreal, 1653Z still makes no sense. I can fake the others, but not this one.
ERJ, I know someone who used to fly the F-18 for the Canadian Air Force. He told me it was the best thing to happen to him ... until he met me.
06-26-2006, 04:27 AM
#10
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Joined APC: May 2006
Posts: 62
Originally Posted by vagabond
...1653Z still makes no sense...
1653Z = 9:53am Pacific
And congrats on venturing out into the wild blue.
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