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Flying Lesson 24
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Today was a solo cross country into class D airspace and three full stop landings at this tower controlled facility. I was apprehensive a few weeks ago about flying solo and communicating with ATC but as time has passed, I have not only lost my anxiety over communicating, I actually couldn't wait to do it. Over the last two weeks I had numerous lessons cancelled due to bad flying weather. When today arrived, the weather forecast for the day was for calm winds and unlimited visibilty. I preflighted the 172 and took to the skies. I hadn't flown in 9 days so I quickly realized how much I missed it. I made immediate contact with the approach after takeoff and they responded quickly. I gave them my tail number, my location, my altitude, my intentions and of course the ATIS code proving that I had listened beforehand. They responded as they normally would with a squack code and then they acknowledged radar contact.
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View near Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (Avoca) Airport |
They proceeded to direct me on a heading well away from the course to the airport due to traffic at the airport. When the approach control operator gave me the heading, he came back on the radio and explained it was for sequencing with the other traffic. Obviously the radio frequency was very busy and I could already tell there was plenty of traffic ahead. After I acknowledged I had the runway in sight and a frequency change over to tower control, they told me I was number three cleared to land. Two aircraft in front of me were visible and I actually was able to see both perform their landing. On my final approach for landing it appeared as though the plane ahead of me was taking his (or her) time getting off the runway. The radio operator actually came on and prompted the aircraft to exit the runway. I was not even close but I could see it very clearly. Landing went off without a hitch, smooth and clean. I was glad because there was a rather large Northwest jet as well as a smaller plane holding short and watching my landing.
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My plan was three full stop landings... so I requested that I would like to stay in the pattern for two more full stops before returning to home. What else could I say, it felt good to be here. I was told to taxi to the runway and hold short. I had two more aircraft already holding short in front of me as the Northwest jet accelerated down the runway. I waited my turn and performed two more very good landings. The pattern was crowded and I was instructed to extend my downwind on one of the landings. On another landing they instructed me to use right traffic. So I got a little of everything today. My departure for home came well after the sun went down. It became dark rather quickly and I was looking forward to getting back. I actually had a hard time finding the field and I didn't see it until I was almost on top of it. It seemed like the visibility eroded after the sun set. Anyways, I left the airport and headed for home a happy student pilot.
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