One of my goals for what to do when I stopped having to work so incessantly at Cybertel, was to get back to flight lessons. I had about 55 hours when I got my private licence, back in 1991, but I have hardly flown since, and haven’t been up solo, though I did check rides in several airports (and one seaplane lesson in Sausalito).
So I renewed my medical certificate and I’ve been up twice from Santa Monica (SMO), with an instructor. Two weeks ago, went up and just did some practice flying above Malibu; today did takeoff and landing practice and got to fly over my neighborhood here, and West Hollywood and Westwood. I remember the feel of the plane pretty well, and most of the procedures are coming back to me (they’re mostly on checklists too, but the checklist is mainly there to reinforce the procedures you’ve got memorized). Beautiful day, we could just see the Santa Barbara Islands. Also got to steer around a Citation jet that apparently couldn’t find the airport, and saw another pilot do his first solo. Did five takeoffs and landings (it’s good to keep those numbers equal) today. Next week, we’re planning to overfly LAX (through the “special flight rules” corridor) and land at Torrance, Long Beach, and possibly Hawthorne.
I can’t take passengers till I renew my BFR Biennial Flight Review, but probably won’t want to anyway till I get over around 100 hours.
Photos at http://www.obtainium.org/gallery/flying – the plane I’m flying is Cherokee 8567C, or “six-seven-charlie”.
