It wasn't so much that 5 minutes past my booking time, the plane's cowling was still off, while the mechanics checked the spark plugs (though that was certainly a frustration, as I was actually ready to fly early for a change!!), but there were a number of other factors that conspired to make this a particularly challenging and educational flight for me...
After Monday’s dual flight in 2 kt winds, the 17 + (with gusting, in many cases) felt almost unbearable; shortly after take-off, I was tempted to turn around and fly back home. I felt like I just couldn't do it, especially on my own. But then, I thought about how far I had come, and how I used to grip my instructor’s knee at the slightest hint of turbulence, and how I (usually!) no longer did that, even on the bumpiest rides, and how I had flown in PEI, one of the windiest places I know, and how I had PASSED MY FLIGHT TEST just a few months earlier.
And, as my little plane was tossed around the bumpy skies, I used my big-girl pilot voice and talked to myself through the headset mic – I sounded so authoritative!! And I managed to calm myself down, and focus on the flight ahead.
No Horizon
The other difficulty with yesterday’s flight was that –unlike Monday’s clear, blue skies – this time, things were hazy, and there was nary a horizon. I could see fairly far ahead of me, but nothing like the never-ending view from the last flight, even once I got ATC clearance to climb to 3000 near Hamilton’s airspace. This made it considerably more difficult to find my checkpoints along the way.
I managed to do all the necessary radio work, fly through Hamilton’s airspace, and locate my first “official” checkpoint, which was the town of Brantford. After that, though, things got a little hairy...
I watched heading and time and held altitude pretty well... but all those darned fields look the same out there, and unlike in PEI, they are not framed by certain bays and ocean front. Where WAS I?!!! But then, joyously, there was Norwich, that delightful little town that signals Tillsonburg straight ahead. (The Toronto guy who had been doing my flight following confirmed this by noting that I was about 10 miles from Tillsonburg, and terminating flight following at that time.) I cried tears of joy as I realised exactly where I was.
Soon afterwards, I spotted the field, and made the appropriate radio calls, first to Unicom, then to area traffic, before joining mid left downwind for 26.
The leg from Tillsonburg to Waterloo was fairly uneventful; I followed my track quite well, and soon located the airport and joined the circuit. Departing the airport, however, was a whole other story...
First, I was flustered because the ground controller gave me instructions to "Taxi Alpha, cross rwy 32, and call tower when ready for take off". (I was intending to depart on 26.) So, off I taxied down the very long taxiway alpha, across 32 as instructed, past various other taxiways... until finally I had taxied long enough -- I wanted to take off on rwy 26 from the intersection of foxtrot, which ran perpendicular to alpha. But the dilemma was, do I turn ONTO foxtrot? (I had been told only to taxi alpha and contact tower when ready!) So, I stopped on alpha at foxtrot, and contacted tower. :)
We got it sorted out, but I felt a little awkward, and once cleared for take off, did so in a bit of a rush, forgetting to note take off time, AND having forgotten to close the window (yes, I did it on the roll!!!)
To make matters worse, as I was in the climb, I realised I had forgotten to call Island Air whilst on the ground, and now they'd be wondering, "did she make it to Waterloo, or what?" (You're supposed to call the school from each stop. Especially important on solo.) Meanwhile, on the radio, all manner of excitement was unfolding, as storm cells developed behind me, and controllers were suggesting that pilots planning to fly in the area and land at Waterloo might want to make alternate arrangements.
I forged ahead, eager to get beyond the developing storm's reach, and safely back to city.
Vectors to Burlington Bridge
The afore-mentioned storm did little to improve visibility on this already-hazy day, and coupled with the various little disasters that had already marred my departure (confusing taxi instructions, forgotten window and phone call, etc.) matters became less than ideal rather quickly. I held the planned heading, but was not entirely convinced by the chart or my outlook that I was heading in the direction I meant to.
This concern was soon confirmed by Toronto Centre (I had wisely elected to once again avail myself of flight following), who suggested that if I wanted to continue my current heading, he would release me so that I could talk to Hamilton, as he was showing I was about 11 outside their zone.
With as much confidence as I could muster, I responded that in fact I would like vectors to Burlington Bridge. The helpful ATC fellow thankfully gave me a heading that soon resulted in a visual on the Bridge. and from there, I followed the shoreline back to familiar territory.
Don't Stop on the Runway
A 152 is a different beast than a 150, and I had been noticing my landings were long... floating, floating, floating was I! (That was probably also due in part to the fact that I was landing with a little power, given the crosswinds.) And so, when landing on 26 at CYTZ, I actually missed foxtrot, and exited on 33, which I had not done in a while.
On foxtrot, it's a simple "off the runway and then call city ground", but what to do on 33? I was clear of the active, but still should have moved onto alpha, I suppose. Ground certainly thought so, and tried to hide their impatience and frustration as they told me to "continue past the hold short line", which I expeditiously did, and followed up with a humble apology.
It had been a long flight in somewhat challenging conditions and embedded in unfamiliar procedures. I was exhausted, but pleased. I had fulfilled my final flight requirement for my PPL.
All that's left now is for me to do my English Language Proficiency test with the school owner, fork over another wad of cash, and submit the paperwork. And then.... I'll be a licensed pilot!!!