Oct 8 - Solo Cross Country East
The opening radio call was already indicative of what a different flight this would be --even solo -- from my usual jaunts around the circuit or to the nearby practice area: "City Ground, this is GGNJ on a VFR flight plan to Muskoka, Peterborough and back to City". And soon enough, I was off, climbing to 2400, and eventually up to 3000 by the time I got to Frenchman's Bay, my SHP. The original plan was to climb to 5500, however, the ceilings wouldn't even let me safely climb to 3500, so I stuck with 3000 for the first leg of my adventures.
The decision to stay at 3000 cost me a shred of dignity, when Toronto Terminal, from whom I had requested flight following, turned me over to Oshawa -- apparently they wanted to talk to me for a minute. More specifically, they wanted to tell me off for entering their control zone without prior contact. (Their airspace goes up to 3000ft). I knew, actually, that something was not right with my heading, as I was considerably closer to Sturgeon Lake on the right than I should have been. And this nasty little call from Oshawa confirmed my suspicions.
I quickly got back on course, but flustered by my own stupidity at copying down my compass heading incorrectly and not really figuring out what the problem was until later than I should have, I re-navigated by sight, rather than calculation, and this got me into more trouble later in the flight: Although I found and noted arrival times at both my checkpoints, the third section of the first leg got a bit tricky. North of Lake Simcoe, there sure are a lot of trees and lakes that ALL LOOK THE SAME!!! And since I did not have the proper heading, I was basically reading ground to chart and vice versa the rest of that leg. Not cool!
When I flew this route with my instructor last weekened, CYQA was straight ahead. This time, not so much. I called up Timmins Radio at Muskoka at what I thought might probably be 10 miles out, but from there it was all just guess work.
Happily, the nice lady on the radio did note that VDF steer was available, and I obligingly availed myself of this service (which will probably cost me a CADOR later!!!) Thank goodness, cause I was about 6 miles north east of the airport by then!!! In any case, her help caused me to find the airport quite easily, and I soon joined mid left down-wind for rwy 18, and I made a very nice cross wind landing.
The decision to stay at 3000 cost me a shred of dignity, when Toronto Terminal, from whom I had requested flight following, turned me over to Oshawa -- apparently they wanted to talk to me for a minute. More specifically, they wanted to tell me off for entering their control zone without prior contact. (Their airspace goes up to 3000ft). I knew, actually, that something was not right with my heading, as I was considerably closer to Sturgeon Lake on the right than I should have been. And this nasty little call from Oshawa confirmed my suspicions.
I quickly got back on course, but flustered by my own stupidity at copying down my compass heading incorrectly and not really figuring out what the problem was until later than I should have, I re-navigated by sight, rather than calculation, and this got me into more trouble later in the flight: Although I found and noted arrival times at both my checkpoints, the third section of the first leg got a bit tricky. North of Lake Simcoe, there sure are a lot of trees and lakes that ALL LOOK THE SAME!!! And since I did not have the proper heading, I was basically reading ground to chart and vice versa the rest of that leg. Not cool!
When I flew this route with my instructor last weekened, CYQA was straight ahead. This time, not so much. I called up Timmins Radio at Muskoka at what I thought might probably be 10 miles out, but from there it was all just guess work.
Happily, the nice lady on the radio did note that VDF steer was available, and I obligingly availed myself of this service (which will probably cost me a CADOR later!!!) Thank goodness, cause I was about 6 miles north east of the airport by then!!! In any case, her help caused me to find the airport quite easily, and I soon joined mid left down-wind for rwy 18, and I made a very nice cross wind landing.
Once on the ground, another female pilot, who had heard my desperation on the radio, came to welcome me to Muskoka -- she was all smiles and encouragement, and ushered me into the pilot's lounge to heat up my lunch and get my PTR stamped. I decided to fuel up there, too, just in case Peterpatch was closed on a holiday Monday.
Soon I was airborne again, and off to CYPQ, this time double checking my heading!!!
I was tossed around a fair amount on this leg of the trip, but happily found the airport, made all the right calls, crossed overhead the field and joined left downwind, this time for rwy 27, where I made an okay landing in considerable cross wind.
After a short break to stamp my PTR and use the facilities, I was off once more, for the home stretch. Peterborough-City is not nearly as tough as the other two legs, on acct of the Lake on the left in easy sight, and the familiarity of the territory about halfway in. I flew to nearly 4000 this time -- the clouds were still too low to go any higher-- and got flight following until Bluffers.
Boy was I ever happy to see the CN tower in the distance!!! "Home" safe and sound.
I did it!
Soon I was airborne again, and off to CYPQ, this time double checking my heading!!!
I was tossed around a fair amount on this leg of the trip, but happily found the airport, made all the right calls, crossed overhead the field and joined left downwind, this time for rwy 27, where I made an okay landing in considerable cross wind.
After a short break to stamp my PTR and use the facilities, I was off once more, for the home stretch. Peterborough-City is not nearly as tough as the other two legs, on acct of the Lake on the left in easy sight, and the familiarity of the territory about halfway in. I flew to nearly 4000 this time -- the clouds were still too low to go any higher-- and got flight following until Bluffers.
Boy was I ever happy to see the CN tower in the distance!!! "Home" safe and sound.
I did it!