Once again, cold and high pressure dominates. Once again, no wind. It was a pretty day, after the snow storm last night, although the bit of snow on the taxiways made moving around on the ground entertaining. Three little wheels on a light bird make life entertaining, that’s for sure — much better in the air. Today was more landings — woot for touch and goes. I’m feeling more and more comfortable with the approach and landing and I think Willis is as well, so that bodes well for being able to solo before I die. I screwed up one approach that I’m not happy about – had to go-around. Also had one approach cancelled by the tower – the plane ahead of me was slow to get off the runway, probably because the tower made the taxiway conditions sound really bad (and there was that whole Southwest flight sliding off the runway last night).

We practiced a couple of power-off approaches, and I’m feeling much better about those — I drilled every one of them. Also flew the last three landings without an altimeter or airspeed indicator, practicing approaches and landings with instrument failures. I had no problems with it – actually, it was a bit easier because I was flying the plane looking out the window instead of looking at the instruments — I should really try that more often. The last approach, he also declared a simulated flaps failure after I had put down the initial 10 degrees of flaps. And here’s where we have “Brian’s dumbass moment of the week”. Willis made some comment about how it was no problem to fly without instruments and with flaps stuck at 10. I, of course, made some remark like “I’m good as long as we don’t lose the engine”. So he decided to simulate losing an engine. We did make the runway, no problem. Actually, my smoothest touchdown of the day. Last landing, there was traffic close behind us on approach, so we were asked to expedite the approach. We were abeam of the runway and made a 180 degree turn onto landing. I think I even made it look good.

Things left to do before my first solo: pass medical exam (and thereby get my student certificate), get non-owners insurance, cross-wind landings, an hour of instrument flight, and short field / soft field takeoff and landings.