I ARE A PILOT (and aircraft owner!)...

The Saga continues with a new (to me) aircraft.......


On February 5, 2002, I joined with three other pilot buddies to form the Felts Field Flyers.  We now have our own aircraft to putter around the skies.  Cessna N3082U is a 1964 172E and flies great.  That means we needed to start a new logbook page!

Flight 93/February 9, 2002-Today, Shawn and I took our first flight in N3082U, our new (old) Cessna 172.  I did a long pre-flight to snoop and look at everything and it checked out.  We pulled it out of the hanger and fired it up.  It took a couple of minutes for the oil pressure to come up into the green.  It does have 50 weight oil in it from the coast.  We need to change that to 15W50.  We took off of runway 3 left and the wind pushed us to the north a little bit.  I turned to the north toward Mead then west toward Davenport.  There was a fog/cloud/haze layer around 4,500 so we hung out at 4,000 feet.  The little plane cruised at about 120 miles per hour and sounded strong.  The six cylinder Continental engine has a throatier growl to it than the 4 cylinder Lycomings that we are used to but less vibration.  We reached Davenport and turned around.  We were going to try to get out to Two Rivers, but there was too much cloud cover.  On the way back, we called Spokane Approach to get our clearance into the Class C airspace and while I had them on the horn, I had them check to see if our transponder encoder readout matched our altimeter.  It did.  On approach I dropped 30 degrees of flaps and kept having to add left rudder.  Wind was low and directly down the runway and I had a lot of left rudder but still moved off the center line.  A nice touchdown and off to the fuel pump.  That's a new experience.  I stuffed in 10 gallons (after slopping a little) and put $23 on my Chevron card.  We then taxied back to the hanger and put her away.  I logged 0.94 hours on the tach for the 1 hour we put on the hobbs.  We were running at 2,400 rpm to get that 120 mph.  (1.0 PIC/90.3 hour total)

Flight 94/February 15, 2002-A quick late morning touch and go session.  I still need to learn where all the buttons are.  Mikey joined me.  Landing 1, 2, and 3 are perfect.  Number 4 is ok with a slight bounce.  On the downwind for number 6 I feel something touch my leg.  Later, as I reach for the Carb Heat knob, there is no knob.  It got unscrewed and fell off!  Luckily, I held my cool and did not go looking for it.  No crisis.  I make the landing with no problem.  Not perfect but better than number 5.  My landing grades today:  A, A, A, C+, and C-.  Oh...I was able to pull out the carb heat and called for a full stop after number 5 going into number 6, since we were done anyway.  When we landed, I found the knob under my feet and screwed it back on.  Yee-ha!  It's great to have our own plane.  I tucked it back into the hanger, (now I need plane parking, rolling, towbar, and hanger wall practice).  The sun was out and it was a nice day.  Tomorrow we'll change the oil.  (0.6 PIC/90.9 Total)

Flight 95/February 16, 2002-Our first foray into aircraft maintenance.  An oil change.  When they did the annual in Everett, they installed Aeroshell 100, a 50 weight oil.  That's a little thick for our cold weather in Spokane.  We decided to go with a multi-grade, semi-synthetic oil:  Aeroshell 15W50.  Art and Ted took her up for 20 minutes to warm up the engine.  On the ground, we found the quick drain and with the aid of a funnel and a bucket, drained out seven quarts of the thick stuff and poured in 7 quarts of the new stuff.  Of course, this requires a test flight.  Tommy showed up to watch the fun so he hopped in the right seat, Ted was in the back and I took PIC.  We headed south over the gap toward Valleyford, then turned around.  On final, I got a little slow and went to 30 degrees of flaps a little earlier than Tom liked.  That's why I need to take him along every once in a while to check on my bad habits.  A perfect touchdown and back to the barn.  (0.5 PIC/91.4 total)

Flight 96/February 17,2002-I had an urge to read the Lewiston Morning Tribune, so Chris and I went to Lewiston to buy one.  We lifted of runway 21L at about  12:45pm in sunny weather and smooth air using flight following at 5,500 feet.  Lewiston tower gave us a straight in approach to runway 11.  A smooth Grade B+ touchdown.  Chris and I tied her down, called home,  and then went into the passenger terminal, bought a paper, used the facilities, and went back out on the tarmac (carefully remembering the secret code to reopen the gate).  We watched a Horizon turboprop land, did our own preflight and headed for the runway.  Off the ground at 2:05pm climbed to the west, then turned to the east to get out of the canyon.  Then we turned north toward home, again with flight following.  The clouds started moving in at around 8,500 feet.  We were cruising at 6,500.  I was looking for Pullman, saw Moscow, thought it was Pullman so were skirted PUW just to the east of the runway.  Around Oakesdale, I called in to advise that we were changing altitude to 4,500 and was told to expedite as there was traffic at 5,500.  We stayed at 6,500 until around Rockford then descended into Felts.  A grade C landing at Felts and back to the gas pump, then the hanger.  It's been a while since I did some cross-country.  This was fun.  (2.0 PIC/93.4 total)

Flight 97/February 25, 2002-With Shawn's help last Friday and all by myself on Saturday and Sunday, 3082U is fully washed and waxed.  It took a total of 9 hours to do everything, (except the belly...I gave up on Sunday at 3pm.  It was too cold).  I had to be the first one to fly it before it got dirty.  Ted and I blasted off during the lunch hour.  I took the pilot seat first, fired her up and taxied to runway 3 Left.  I paid extra attention to my approach speed (70mph on the nose) and not to go to the third notch of flaps until I had the runway made.  Three perfect touch and go landings.  Ted and I switched places and he did three more.  Of course, my door came open twice.  The lesson:  Open the pilot window, then shut both doors.  The plane is so airtight that the doors don't close solid.  (0.5 PIC/93.9 total)

Flight 98/March 3, 2002-Shawn has been wanting to got out to the Two Rivers/Fort Spokane area by air.  It's one of our favorite camping spots.  He's never gotten that far before so He, Chris, and I took off in 3082U around noonish.  A perfect CAVU day with just a little wind which added a few bumps.  We flew over Long Lake Dam and Little Falls Dam on the Spokane River then to the confluence of the Spokane and Columbia Rivers.  Turned south toward Davenport, then east over Reardan and the family farm.  A couple of bumps as we crossed the Deep Creek and Spokane River canyons, then a grade A landing on Felts Field runway 21 right.  After our flight. the boys went over to the restaurant for a burger and I soldered a new plug on the wire for the co-pilot microphone switch.  It worked!  (1.2 PIC/95.1 total)

Flight 99/March 22, 2002-Chris, Shawn, and I flew N3082U up toward Sandpoint and Schweitzer ski area.  I had thought about landing but winds at SZT were 11 knots gusting to 23, so I passed.  We then turned south and followed US 95 toward Coeur d'Alene, then west to Flets Field.  Chris piloted about 45 minutes from the right seat with a variety of turns.  He did great.  (1.5 PIC/96.6 total)

FLIGHT 100/April 3, 2002-A major milestone.  My 100th flight as a pilot.  This was real basic:  just a short touch and go session during lunch.  I made three takeoffs and three landings (it's always good when those numbers match), at Felts Field in N3082U.  Another milestone:  that third landing was my 300th landing as a pilot.  Wow.  On a side note:  I experimented with the new GPS bracket that I made for the airplane.  It works good.  I can see the unit and reach the buttons.  It can also be seen by the right seat occupant.  (0.4 PIC/97.0 total)

Flight 101/April 5, 2002-Around 11:00 a.m., Shawn and cousin Lindsey took off from Felts Field and headed north.  We climbed to about 6,500 feet and took a tour of north Idaho and Priest Lake then turned around and flew to Coeur d'Alene then home.  It was Linsey's first flight in a small plane.  She did not want to take a turn at the controls.  As we were descending into the airport, it did get a little bumpy.  The landing was OK.  We fueled up and taxiied to the hanger and tucked the plane away.  Shawn borrowed my keys to call home then he and Lindsey took off to see Grandma....taking my keys with them.  I'm stranded at the field.  A hanger neighbor had a phone so I called Nancy for the second set.  I then walked 1/2 mile to the terminal to wait.  A good flight with an entertaining end.  (1.7 PIC/98.7 total)

Flight 102/April 19, 2002-I took a buddy, Marc Kroetch, on a flight out to the north and east.  Marc wanted to grab a few aerial photos of the Mead area, Spirit Lake, and a few other spots.  I used flight following as we were inside the Spokane International Airport Class C airspace for the first part of our flight.  Marc was a good passenger and spotted some traffic, even before ATC.  After Mead, we turned to the northeast and flew over the Stoneridge Golf Course, Spirit Lake, and Twin Lakes Golf Course.  We then deviated to the south and took photos of Liberty Lake and a friends house.  I entered a right downwind for runway 3 right.  A little fast on the landing and a slight balloon.  My first flight with the new wheel fairings.  I'm sure we made a few extra MPH with those puppies.  (1.2 PIC/99.9 Total)

Flight 103/May 8, 2002-Up with Mike L. at lunch.  Went to the north to Eloika Lake and back.  Some cumulous clouds made for a few bumps here and there.  Came back into SFF on a right base but waaaaaay too high.  At about 3/4 mile final and 800 feet, I decided not to go to 40 degree flaps and try to make the runway.  I went around and performed a perfect landing.  This is fun.  Now crossing the 100 hour threshold.  (0.8 PIC/100.7)

Flight 104/May 10, 2002-A short flight with my nephew, Brian in the right seat.  It was beautiful weather but a lot of cumulous clouds so a little bumpy.  We went east to Liberty Lake and back.  A good intro flight for him.  (0.4 PIC/101.1 total time)

Flight 105/May 12, 2002-It's Mother's Day and we got a gift.  Nancy let the three of us go out and play in the plane for a couple hours.  Chris, Shawn, and I went over Coeur d'Alene Lake the full length, then back.  Nice warm day.  The climb performance was a little less than usual with the higher temp and the three of us in the plane.  We went to the Custom Aviation self-serve pump for gas.  A shorter ladder and a gassy mess when I overflowed one of the tanks.  Yuk. (1.0 PIC/102.1 total)

Flight 106/May 16, 2002-Work was boring.  Nothing was going on.  So, I took a couple of hours off and hit the skies.  My victim today:  ex-radio co-hort and flying fan, Wayne.  A simple loop around Coeur d'Alene Lake.  Some moderate afternoon bumps, except for one.  Just over Freeman, the plane took about a 10-15 degree yaw all by itself.  I stepped on the pedal to recover, but that was a first.  Kept an eye on some traffic just ahead of us heading into Felts 21 Left.  A bumpy final approach and....smacko!  I caught a gust, thermal, or just screwed up, but I found the runway with the right main then ballooned up.  I then made a perfect touchdown, however I did use about 2,500 feet to do it.  Not really a landing.  We'll call that an arrival.  (0.9 PIC/103.0 total)

Flight 107/May 23, 2002-A quick half hour lunchtime jaunt with my buddy Mikey.  We went north to Eloika Lake and back.  (0.5 PIC/103.5 total)

Flight 108/May 31, 2002-In my quest to provide an anti-gravity experience to every member of my Friday lunch group, I have selected Mr. Mike Shea as today's guest.  After our unscheduled breakfast meeting, we arrived at Felts Field around 9:00 a.m.  A leisurly pre-flight, explaining as I went.  Took off to the east over Liberty Lake, then north over Spirit Lake, Priest River, and Newport.  Then turned west to Deer Park, and Loon Lake.  Time to head for the barn.  I'm at 6,000 feet so I push down the nose to get down. Check the radio-winds on the ATIS were reported to be 210 degrees at 11knots-no problem.  Hmmm, as I get closer, the tower just advised a MedStar helicopter that the wind was 170 degrees at 20 knots-problem.  Well, we'll give it a go, what the heck.  Bumpy downwind, bumpy base, bumpy final, crosswind approach.  I'm working hard here.  Touch down!  Ahhhh.  Relax.  Wrong!  The left wing and main wheel lift up-at 55mph.  A quick into-the-wind correction with the yoke and all is well.  While all of this is going on, the tower advises the guy in the Piper behind me to go around.  Apparently he was right on my tail.  As a good pilot, I don't tell all the details of the landing to my passenger until after the flight.  He thought everything was perfect!  Fill 'er up with gas and back into the hanger.  (1.3 PIC/104.8 total)

Flight 109/June 1, 2002-This is the real reason I learned how to fly and bought an airplane...the Fly Out Breakfast!  Airplane partner and all-around nice guy Ted and I depart Felts Field at 7:44 a.m.  Our destination:  Lake Chelan Airport half way across the State of Washington.  It's about an hour away.  Ted flies on our trip over.  Fairly non eventful except for the airplane that ATC advises was on our nose and climbing into our altitude.  We turn north to avoid.  We come over the ridge above the Columbia River at 3,500 feet and the airport lies less that five miles ahead at 1,200 feet.  Ted works us down into the pattern for runway 20, makes a perfect touchdown and we're directed to park on the lawn.  Blueberry pancakes, ham, and eggs for breakfast and then we wander around and look at other peoples toys.  The highlight:  a young couple from the Seattle area in a Twin Beech C45 something.  Yikes!  There's a million or so dollars.  After the wandering, we push the plane out on tho the taxiway and fire it up.  I'm in the left seat.  I take off and follow the Columbia River to gain enough altitude to get out of the canyon.  I get up to 5,500 feet and turn east.  It's another non-event to Spokane.  I call Felts Tower and am given runway 3 left, then they call back and give me 3 right.  No problem.  Hey!  There's a couple of raindrops.  We're home just in time.  A little high on the flare, but nice touchdown at 11:51 a.m.  Plus, Ted's navigation calculations were right on in both directions.   (1.3 PIC/106.1 total)

Flight 110/June 8, 2002-Everyone should go up with their instructor every once in a while.  Today was it.  Tom and I took 3082U to the south practice area.  Stalls, steep turns, and emergency procedures were on the list.  I passed!  And I learned a few things.  My next challenge:  Grass.  (0.8 PIC/106.9 total)

Flight 111/June 14. 2002-With my friend Marc for another aerial photo tour.  We did Priest Lake, Spirit Lake, Hauser Lake, and Liberty Lake.  A screaming landing.  I was a little high on final approach so I went to 40 degree flaps and dropped it like a dive bomber on to Felts Field's Runway 3 right.  Wheee!  A great touchdown. (1.8 PIC/108.7 total)

Flight 112/June 16, 2002-It's Father's Day and what does Father want to do?  Go flying, of course!  I take Chris and Shawn on a longer trip today:  We're off to Walla Walla, Washington about 100 miles to the southwest of Spokane.  I have done all my pre-flight planning and we are wheels up at 8:45 a.m.  Chris is in the right seat and keeping track of our progress.  We find our checkpoints at Rock Lake, LaCrosse, the Snake River, and Waitsburg and we're right on time.  I did mis-calculate my climb out, but everything else is good.  We find Walla Walla, enter a right base for runway 20 and touch down.  A quick taxi to the new terminal and head inside.  We can't find a Sunday Walla Walla paper!  The gift shop is closed.  Back to the plane.  I check the oil and decide to put in a quart.  Then I check the fuel.  It reads low.  Hmmm.  Is the plane not level or was it not level when I filled it up this morning.  Hmmm.  We taxi to the pumps and it takes 11.7 gallons.  It wasn't level when I just checked it.  Oh well.  It's better to have too much fuel then run out of gas over downtown Spokane.  Off of runway 20 at 11:05 a.m. and hit all the same checkpoints on the way back with Shawn in the right seat.  We have a little more tail wind than I thought, so we make good time.  I line up for a right downwind for Felts Field runway 21 left.  It's windy with about 11 knots at 170 degrees...wait...190 degrees..wait.  Oh boy, here comes another "Al's Crosswind Special" landing.  Real sloppy on final.  I'm everywhere.  I get it lined up just before touchdown and we're finally safe!  The boys had fun, I had fun, now it's off to the hardware store for more deck construction parts.  (2.6 PIC/111.3 total)\

Flight 113/June 21, 2002-I skipped out of work this afternoon.  It's a nice warm day.  I want to play.  I called Ted to see if he could come out and play too.  He says OK.  I pre-flight while I wait and taxi over to the fuel co-op we just joined.  Ted shows up and we pump in 10 gallons.  We take off to the north with the thought of going to Deer Park for a quick touch and go.  We hear a few planes in the pattern for DEW so we decide to go to Chewelah/Sand Canyon (1S9) instead.  It's about 25 nm north of Spokane.  We spot the airport and set up for a downwind for runway 17, but, we can't find the wind sock.  So we go around and set up for a landing on 35.  A King Air finally calls and says he is ready to take off on 17 but will wait for us.  I land on 35, turn off mid-field and the King Air rolls by.  We find three retired Boeing folks who flew their Bonanza over from Everett to visit a friend.  We know the code to open the pilot lounge door (bathroom).  They are instantly happy.  I take off on runway 17 to the south.  Back to Felts Field.  (1.3 PIC/112.6 total)

Flight 114/June 25, 2002-A hot day but the evening looked flyable.  Today's passenger is long-time friend, Paul Delaney.  We pre-flight, add 10 gallons of fuel, and taxi to runway 3 left.  It's almost 90 degrees out but no wind.  We take off to the north, fly around Mt. Spokane, east to Spirit Lake, then south over the City of Coeur d'Alene and the lake.  I turn to the northwest about Arrow point and head toward Post Falls.  Paul is taking digital photos all the way.  He gets a few of Stateline Speedway and Liberty Lake.  I call in to the tower and am given runway 3 right.  There's no wind so I ask for runway 21 right to take Paul over his house.  He lives just off the approach end of runway 21 R.  I avoid some departing traffic off to our right and turn to my final approach to the runway.  Just a touch fast and a slight bounce, then on the ground.  Tuck it into the hanger and close the doors after a quick windshield bug patrol.  (1.1 PIC/113.7 total)

Flight 115/July 20, 2002-It's been 25 days since my last flight.  Between vacations, the Arlington Fly-In, work, and hot weather, I just haven't been able to get in the air.  Today Mikey and I are going to Lewiston, Idaho.  It's a nice sunny day with some light haze as I look up from the sky.  No real wind.  I get there early and pre-flight.  There's only 7 gallons of gas in the plane, so I'll need to fill up.  Wow-a line up at the co-op pump.  I keep an eye on it while I wait for my passenger.  Mikey arrives and we roll over to the pump to fill her up.  The brake handle is fungooed.  I fiddle with that a few minute and get the handle turned over to the right position so it works.  Then I get set to gas up.  Oh no!  It's been so long, I've forgotten the combination to the gas pump lock.  A quick call to Tommy and I get the numbers.
We take 28.6 gallons.  I start up the engine, flip on the avionics and...no intercom!  I fiddle with the system and find the power plug loose.  Now we're ready.  We get flight following set up and lift off of Runway 21 Left.  There's a biplane fly in so the field is a zoo.  I climb over the Spokane South Hill and it seems to get more hazy.  We reach 4,000 feet and more smokey air.  At 4,500 feet, with another 1,000 to go to my climb altitude, I can barely make out the ground and I can't see Steptoe Butte 30 miles ahead.  Spokane Departure calls me to advise of some traffic about 5 miles away at my 2 o'clock position.  I look over and can't see anything but smoke.  I climbed another half minute and decide that we are aborting the Lewiston destination.  It's no fun flying if you can't see the ground, the terrain, or other aircraft.  We drop back to 4,000 and turen east for some Coeur d'Alene Lake sightseeing and race a couple of boats on the lake with our shadow.  We fly north of the City of Coeur d'Alene then turn west for home.  Still a lot of biplane traffic, confused pilots, and busy tower controllers.  I come into the runway a little fast, float, and finally touch down.  I make 1.17 hours on the tach and will have to estimate my clock time.  (1.3 PIC/115.0 total)

Flight 116/July 22, 2002-Passengers today are son Shawn and niece Lindsey.  After fueling up, we take runway 3 Left for our takeoff run.  It's 91 degrees out and we have full tanks so the 4,500 foot strip is a good idea in case we have to step on the brakes.  We fly to the east over Post Falls, the City of Coeur d'Alene, then turn south over the lake.  It's out usual lake circle so we turn east at Windy Bay and head for home.  It's almost 8:00 p.m. so I caontact the tower to get in line before they close.  We fly over the house then over a baseball game at the fairgrounds then turn into runway 3 Right for a smooth touchdown at 8:05 p.m.  Still a busted Hobbs.  0.73 on the tach.  (0.9 PIC/115.9 total)

Flight 117/July 31, 2002-I took Brother in Law, Jim Wegner up for a flight this evening.  We flew west to the farm in Reardan and did three circles over the ranch.  Harold, Doris, and Marilyn came out and waved.  We wiggled wings and flew out to Two Rivers.  A quick return and back on the ground.  1.14 on the tach (1.3 PIC/117.2 total)

Flight 118/August 3, 2002-We changed the oil and filter this morning so it needed a test flight.  I lifted off with plane partner, Larry Lambeth, and we headed to the northwest over his house.  Looked over the fire area along SR 291 by Nine Mile Falls.  We then turned to the northeast around the Suncrest area at about 4,500 feet.  As we were flying along there was a quick flash of blue and another Cessna zipped by.  Kinda close.  It got my attention.  Flew north of Deer Park and back toward the barn.  I checked the Felts ATIS at they were using runway 3.  I called in over Mt. Spokane High School and the controller said, "report a left base for two-one left."  I called back and mentioned that the ATIS was calling for runway 3 and recieved a very terse reply that he told me to "report a left base for runway 3 left."  Larry and I both looked at each other and were sure that he said runway 2-1.  What the heck.  It was busy.  Uneventful landing.  0.64 on the tach (0.8 PIC/118.0 total)

Flight 119/August 5, 2002- Flew with Tom in 457BC for an evening excursion to Colfax and back.  Still acting as PIC as he recovers from surgery.  (1.1 PIC/119.1 total)

Flight 120/August 9, 2002-Ted and I went south to Pullman to the airplane fixit guy.  We lifted off at about 9:20am after I was able to fully confuse the tower with my own directional confusion on the difference between the right runway and the left runway.  Uneventful flight and sighted Pullman but, as always, I was unsure where the airport was.  Runway 5 was active so I had planned to enter a left base.  Ted sugggested a left downwind so I went for that but didn't see the airport.  I then did my usual base approach over the WSU stadium and landed.  We met Terry the fixit guy at his hanger.  We had him fill the front strut with oil and air, examine the oil filter, re-torque the oil filter bracket, replace a cowling screw, and repair the cowling door latch.  All in one hour.  Ted flew back.  It was bumpy.  0.79 on the tach (0.9 PIC/120 total)

Flight 121/August 19, 2002-After a week at Priest Lake, it was time to fly again.  I needed some aerial photos for work so Tom and I took off in 3082U.  Since he is still w/o medical, I was PIC.  I sat in the left seat and we flew over Interstate 90.  I gave Tom the controls, he slowed down, and I opened the windows.  After 47 photos, I landed the plane.  (0.6 PIC/120.6 total)

Flight 122/August 23, 2002-It was camping weekend at Two Rivers Resort.  But hey, Jay at work just lives across the river at the Seven Bays airport with his Cessna 172A.  He picks me up at 7:30 and by 8:05 a.m., I'm pushing the throttle in on my first grass strip.  I take off with 10 degrees of flaps and lifty of about halfway down the 2,600 foot strip.  We tour the area for a few minutes and I set up for my first sod landing.  Normal approach with a little float and I'm down!  Yes!  I turn around at the end and power up again.  Another take off and this time do my turn over the campground and back into the downwind.  Another grassy greaser and milestone.  (0.8 PIC/121.4 total)

Flight 123/August 28, 2002-Some lunchtime touch and go landings with Tom.  We do 3 soft field landings, (my first real attempts since my checkridge.  Not a good thing.  I need the practice).  Then, the big one:  Tom directs me to ask for a landing on the sod between the two runways.  It's about 1,800 feet long.  I come in a little high but land succesfully with plenty of room to spare.  Not a real good soft landing, but the sod was real firm so it was OK.  Cool.  (0.6 PIC/122.0 total)

Flight 124/August 28, 2002-A nice evening.  We fill up with fuel and taxi to 3 left.  (My major screw-up:  I blew over the hold short line for the approach end of 3 Right.  I was busy scooting around someone at the end of the taxiway.  Not a major crisis and the tower just asked me to keep moving so I would not be under the plane on final.)  Our destination tonight:  A fly over the ranch to video tape where the fire was yesterday.  We reach Reardan at about 7:40, take our video of the 10 burned acres and the ranch and head back.  We cross over the city in twilight (my first twilight flight) and manage to get in just before the tower closes.  Shawn liked the night view.  (0.9 PIC/122.9total)

Flight 125/September 6, 2002-I take off with Tom in 457BC.  Trevor is in the back.  I handle the takeoff and Tommy takes over around Spangle.  He is still without a medical so I am PIC.  We cruise down south and sightsee.  We then inspect Colfax, Tom's in-laws, and his folks place.  On the way back I get my first instruction on how to do a Chandelle.  Tom lands.  (1.4 PIC/124.3 total)

Flight 126/September 6, 2002-I see my brother at lunch so invite him up for a flight.  We head to the north.  It's a little bumpy but he seems to be enjoying it.  The clouds are building so I cut it a little short.  (0.6 PIC/125.1 total)

Flight 127/September 7, 2002-A cross-country flight to Wenatchee.  Ted and I lift off at about 6:15am for the Mountain Flying Clinic in the foothills of the Cascades.  A smooth ride with a bit of a headwind.  I call for a straight-in approach for runway 30.  I do a long landing with a perfectly smooth touchdown to make taxiway Delta right in front of our destination.  We arrive at 7:45 for the 8am seminar.  (1.5 PIC/126.4 total)

Flight 128/September 7, 2002-After the seminar, it's time to take one of three mountain flying courses with an instructor.  Through the luck of the draw, I fly first on the "Sugarloaf" course.  My instructor is Alan Hunter from Wings of Wenatchee.  We take off to the north and turn into what I think is a very narrow canyon.  Alan demonstrates a very steep turn using flaps to get the nose up and rolling the plane into a 60 degree turn.  He  then instructs me to fly on the right side of the canyon as close as I am comfortable and try it myself.  Wow.  We then fly up the canyon for a lessen on rising terrain and what the sight picture looks like so you can tell if you will clear the terrain or should turn around.  We are now in 5,000 to 7,000 foot mountains (from Wenatchee at 1,000 msl).  We then work on crossing ridge lines and following the windward sides of the canyons to avoid downdrafts.  I do a couple more turn arounds in the narrow canyons and remark that I seem awfully close, maybe 500 feet, to the cloud ceiling so Alan says, "let's go up and take a look.  I start climbing, and climbing, and climbing.  We reach the bottom of the cloud in about 1,200 feet with little whiffs of the fluffy stiff around us.  The lesson:  keep an eye on the clouds way out in front and when they start to flatten out, you're getting close to the ceiling.  We come over Lake Wenatchee and follow a couple more canyons.  We turn into one canyon and the exit is a small notch with a cloud ceiling above.  It looks like just a tiny little hole.  Ted in the back finally speaks up:  "Are we going through that?"  The answer is yes.  We clear the trees by maybe 100 feet or less to stay out of the cloud.  Not for the squeemish.  For the rest of the flight I follw the side of the canyon maybe a couple hundred feet from the side wall.  We cross Stevens Pass, Cashmere, and return to Wenatchee.  My only flaw in the flight was a very sloppy cross-wind landing.  A great flight.  I've never flown so low and done precision manuevers so close to trees, rocks, cliffs, and clouds.  (1.5 PIC/127.9)

Flight 129/September 11, 2002-A year ago a group of sleaze-ball, low-life, scum took away our flying priviledges for a short time and have changed the aspects of flying for the forseeable future.  It ticks me off!  To prove to those jerks that they did not succeed, I took to the air for a few lunchtime touch and go's.  Three up and three down.  (0.6 PIC/128.5 total)

Flight 130/September 11, 2002-I got home and it was such a nice day.  Why not go up again?  I took Chris and Shawn out and we did the Worley Casino, Lake Chatcolet, Lake Coeur d'Alene, Stateline, and Liberty Lake tour.  We called in over Liberty Lake and was given a left base approach to runway 21 left.  As we were getting closer, the tower controller got into a spirited discussion with an ultralight pilot who, on top of having a very weak radio, was insistent on taking off from runway 3 right.  Hmmm.  We have a problem.  Just as I was going to suggest that we do something else, the tower asked us to change the plan and land on 3 right.  No problem.  The ultralight took off, we changed our approach and did a right downwind over the fairgrounds turned base and final, and touched down on 3 right.  We taxied over to our hanger and that, we thought, was that.  As we were buttoning things up, we saw a USAF KC-135 do a low pass from west to east with their boom hanging down.  Hmmm, then it dawned on Shawn.  Remember that part about the downwind over the fairgrounds.  Tonight was the "Tribute to America" show at the fair.  Yep...you guessed it:  5 minutes before the 7:00 p.m. tanker fly-by, the 10,000 folks in the stand were treated to a Cessna 172 fly-by in the opposite direction.  To top it off, one of the noted spectators was none other than Washington State Governor, Gary Locke.  We're certainly glad that the Washington State Patrol troopers don't have ichy fingers.  It probably would have been more interesting if we had a clue of what we were doing as we were doing it.  We just did what the tower controller told us to do and the fairgrounds is right under the downwind leg.  Nuff said.  We made it back after a great flight.  (1.1 PIC/129.6 total)

Flight 131/September 15, 2002-I reached a major goal today.  I landed at 66S, Cavanaugh Bay Airport at Priest Lake, Idaho.  This is a 3,100 foot sod strip on the edge of my favorite lake.  There is a little free campground by the tiedown area.  It was my goal all summer to get in here.  I wanted to take one of the kids camping, but maybe next year.  Mikey and I took off at about 8:05am, landed at 8:55, grabbed a cup of coffee at the resort across the street, and were back at Felts Field by 9:50.  Smooth air.  My landing was a little fast, but all in all, I did OK.  (1.6 PIC/131.2 total)

Flight 132/September 20, 2002-A good pilot is always learning...right?  Right.  So...I take off with my neighbor, friend, camping buddy, NWA 747 driver, and trusty flight instructor Tommy for a carefree jaunt on a Friday morning.  We wander south of Spokane with no real destination in mind.  As we approach Steptoe Butte, he says, "have you ever landed at Colfax?"  "No," I reply.  "Let's do it, " he replies.  I finally find the field to the southwest of the town, buried in between the wheat fields.  I set up in a left downwind.  I proceed to turn base.  I lose the runway out of my site.  I am lost.  Where is it.  "Over there," he says.  "#@$%^&, " I reply.  I set up for my landing.  Squeek.  "Did you feel that nosewheel touch?" says my instructor.  I landed too flat.  Rats!  I taxi back and lift off and head for home.  We get back to Felts Field, I set up for my landing.  Touch down. AND I DO IT AGAIN.  Another flat landing.  !@#$%^&&*%$.  Just when you think you are doing OK, I screw up.  More practice needed.  (1.3 PIC/132.5 total)

Flight 133/September 27, 2002-I continue the quest for the perfect landing with 4 touch and go's at lunch.  Ted joins me and helps out by fueling up the bird before I get there.  The wind is calm on the ground, but once I lift off there is a stiff cross wind that forces me to fly sideways.  The first landing is fine.  On the next three I'm high but make nice touchdowns.  This is good practice because tomorrow is my Biennial Flight Review.  (0.6/PIC/133.1 total)

Flight 134/September 28, 2002-Biennial Flight Review.  Every two years, I have to get checked out by a certified flight instructor.  Today is the day!  Tom is in the right seat as we take runway 3 right.  As I am turning on to the runway, he calls for a short field takeoff with a 50 foot obstacle.  I clear the "tree" and climb at best rate of climb speed 70mph to his satisfaction.  Out in the practice area he starts with steep turns, one to the right, then left.  Slow flight.  Turns with slow flight.  Now (gulp) stalls.  Climbing, full power stall, then slow flight to a stall, then a slow turning stall, then a slow turning stall with flaps.  Oops!  I try to level before I push the nose forward, then I reach for the flaps, and start a spiral.  Tom recovers.  We try it a few more times and I get it right.  Emergency landing procedures and I am reasonably OK on my approach.  Turns around a point.  I'm good to the left, but keep losing it to the right.  Rats.  All in all, I do OK but there is, of course, room for improvement.  tom signs me off.  (1.2/PIC with dual instruction/134.3 total)

Flight 135/October 8, 2002-A quick touch and go session at lunch.  I did three.  The first was a decent cross-wind landing with about 8 knots from the side.  (0.4 PIC/134.7 total)

Flight 136/October 13, 2002-To Priest Lake and Cavanaugh Bay airport (66S).  Son Shawn and I lifted off around 10:30 a.m. No wind on the way and no wind at the field on arrival.  A nice set-up and approach.  I got very intent on coming in over the trees.  So intent that I only went to 20 degrees of flaps.  No wonder it took a while to slow down.  Nice touchdown.  Shawn was suprised that the sod was so smooth.  He was expecting something really rough.  Shawn and I checked out the campground and he was impressed.  We then stopped in to the Cavanaugh Bay Resort for refreshments and sat next to some folks that came in a 182.  A nice takeoff in between the trees and head home.  It got somewhat bumpy around Mt. Spokane.  There was also some confusion with another plne that had "uniform" in their call sign.  We landed nicely and cleaned her up.  The hanger neighbor taxied up in his Grumman T-Cat.  He was the "uniform" that I got tangled up with on the radio.  (1.7 PIC/136.4)

Flight 137/October 18, 2002-To Lewiston, Idaho on the "three hour tour" with my friend Mikey.  This is the continuation of our aborted flight on July 20th, (see flight #115).  Today it's a nice day with just a little haze.  Wheels up at 8:05 a.m. with smooth air all the way.  I point out all the highlights on the way, (you've seen one wheat field, you've seen them all).  We cross over the ridge by the Snake River and I am all set up for runway 11 or 8.  Of course, the controller gives me a right downwind to runway 29.  This is a new one.  I'm a little fast on final and suck up a lot of runway, but I'm able to turn off on the taxaway about 2/3 down the runway.  We park and head for the terminal.  Mikey talks the Horizon counter girl out of a copy of the Wall Street Journal and buys me a cup of coffee.  We head back to the plane and I stop in at Stout Aviation and ask where I would find the Airborne Express pilot, Dave.  She directs me to the next doo in the building.  We find Dave sound asleep in a recliner and wake him up.  I show Dave 3082U and take a look at the Piper Chieftain that he flies the cargo in.  Mikey and I load up and hit the skies for an uneventful flight back to SFF and tuck her away about noon.  (2.2 PIC/138.6 total)

Flight 138/November 1, 2002-It's a cold morning with an overnight low of around 6 degrees.  I have some chores to do so I don't get to the field until about 9:15am.  It's warmed up to about 20.  I experiment with the insulated airplane nose cover to see how it fits.  I pull the plane out to warm up the cabin in the sun.  Mikey shows up about 9:35am.  We add about 14 gallons of gas and up we go...quickly, I might add.  Almost 1,000 feet per minute climb rate.  It's a hazy one.  There must be an inversion layer up here.  We head east and circle Spirit Lake, then return.  Oops....Mikey's door pops open.  No problem, I tell him.  It just makes it colder and noisier.  Besides, you'll never be able to open it any farther and many planes crash while the pilot is trying to close a door.  We leave it.  Mikey is getting good at spotting traffic.  He finds two helicopters below us.  We are given runway 21 Left but the helicopter is headed there too.  I volunteer for the right and we make a nice touchdown.  My only problem:  I need to put together a before landing checklist so I do everything right.  I tuck the plane in and later come back to put in the heating pad and cover.  Keeping this thing warm could be a challenge.  (0.9 PIC/139.5 total)

Flight 139/November 17, 2002-The weather is really windy overnight, but when the sun comes up, it is partly cloudy and just a little breezy.  Around 11 a.m. Felts Field is reporting an 8 knot wind so it sounds like time to go.  Today's passenger is Dave Robinson,  Dave is a pilot for AirPac and flies a Piper Cheiftan Monday through Friday and his wife teaches with Nancy.  By the time I get to the field they are now reporting 15 knot winds.  By the time I get pre-flighted and Dave arrives, they are reporting 20 knot winds.  What the heck.  It's a nice day.  We take off to the north toward Deer Park and stay low to duck under a few clouds and a Medstar helicopter.  Near Deer Park I turn west toward Long Lake and we follow the Spokane River to it's confluence with the Columbia.  When we turn around, we note on the GPS that we're making some real ground speed...up to 130 knots...wow!  North of Reardan, I call in to Spokane Approach and do my usual return to Felts Field over the stadium and a right downwind to runway 21.  There's a lot of headwind as I am on final and I add a lttle power.  Nice touchdown and with the headwind we stop pretty quick.  (1.3 PIC/140.8 hours total)

Flight 140/November 24, 2002-The sun was out and so was my plane!  Ted had it booked from Noon to 3 and Larry was on the schedule from 4pm to whatever.  My kids were busy plus Shawn wanted me to stay home to help with his homework project.  All that got wrapped up around 2pm so I left to drop the clean window cleaning diapers and empty milk jugs off at the hanger on the way into town to see mom.  Hmmm.  I get there at 2:15 and the plane is in the hanger.  Then Ted shows up.  He had just closed the door.  It only takes a minute to decide to make a few touch and go's with Ted in the right seat.  I do 3 dive bomber specials.  On the last one, I have to lean on the brakes a little heavier than usual to make the first turn off the runway.  It's a busy day so I wanted to get out of the way of the guys behind me.  I prove once again that I can always use the extra landing practice.  All 3 landings were gentle, but not perfect.  The rocket is back in the hanger by 2:45pm.  Still working on it.  (0.4 PIC/141.2 total)

Flight 141/November 29, 2002-The Friday after Turkey day.  I did my duty by putting up the outside Xmas lights.  It's time to fly.  The weather has been high pressure, inversion, morning fog and a haze layer.  However, that also makes for a smooth ride.  Mikey meets me at the hanger.  We get flight following and take to the runway.  I firewall the throttle, but it just doesn't seem right so I abort.  I am worried about carb ice and it didn't seem that I was getting all of my RPM's.  I pull over from the taxiway and run up to full throttle.  It seems OK.  I take the runway again and all is well.  It's better to be a wimpy pilot than find out we have carb ice just after takeoff.  We turn south to the south practice area and just wander back and forth for an hour.  I do a few 30 degree turns which is steeper than I normally take with passengers.  Mikey likes it!  I let him try one.  He's impressed.  Back to the airport.  A left base to runway 21 left.  Smooth touchdown.  I taxi back and meet Ted and his son.  They are ready to do a quick flight.  (1.0 PIC/142.2 total)

Hmmm.  No flights for me in December 2002.  So it's on to the 2003 Logbook!

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