This morning started out rainy and cloudy. Then it cleared up and became sunny and warm by about 10. So of course we can't have good conditions for flying so by the time of my lesson at 2pm the winds had picked up, a lot.
Starting at 20 knots at 240 it wasn't terrible for flying from 27R in N6288J. So I took off with a fair bit of crosswind correction and had to crab down the runway.
I then did the first pattern ok but with a fair bit of gusting and bumbpy winds and more crabbing. I only used 25 degree flaps leaving the third notch out due to the winds and did a pretty decent side slip to land.
Did I mention he had all the instruments except the Altimeter and Tachometer covered again? Well, he did. I can now takeoff, fly, and land perfectly well without them.
Then on the next one the winds kicked up more and when I hit short final I really didn't like the setup and the sudden massive push of wind so i told the instructor I was going around and did so. He said that was a good decision.
On the third pattern I again handled it well with winds up to 20-30 around 260. Did a good landing and a sudden gust pushed us up during the flare but I handled it ok.
Tower asked me to exit at Whiskey and I got to say "Unable Whiskey, I'll get the next exit off" considering the wind and speed it wouldn't have been safe to slam the breaks and do a sharp turn that would have been needed to make an exit onto Whiskey taxiway. Besides, it's Passover so no Whiskey for me right now. Ray was apparently pretty impressed that I said that to the tower all on my own, apparently showing even more good airman-ship and judgment. This and $1.50 might get me a cup of coffee.
Ray said that while I was surviving fine, the conditions weren't conducive to learning so we called it.So terminated with Tower, went to Ground and headed back to DCT.
Then we went in and did some ground, reviewed aircraft maintenance logs, talked about precision power off landings and emergency landings and I got quizzed on vartious aircraft systems, what I would do in case of an electrical, or a vacuum pump, or a pitot-static system failure etc and yes I knew the answers.
Apparently I have to do another pre-solo written test and a stage check before I can be signed off to solo so likely a couple more lessons before that happens as I need to meet their procedures, etc. He now wants every landing to be within 200 feet of the numbers (obviously on the runway side rather than in front of them).
.5 and two landings.
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