Solo Cross Country

I hit a major milestone yesterday.  It was my last milestone before the checkride.  I completed my Long Solo Cross Country fight. 

Here are the requirements:

- Total distance of greater than 150nm

- One leg with distance of greather than 50nm

- 3 stops at airports other than my home airport

 

Other things I added in there:

- 2 stops at tower controlled fields (3 solo stops required)

 

Here are the details of my trip:

I took off from Eagle Creek at about 1640 local time.  My first check point was the Brickyard VOR.  It is a navigational beacon about 3 nm west of Eagle Creek.  I flew over that and then fixed myself on the 244 degree radial.  This lined me with Terre Haute International (Hulman Field).  This field is tower controlled and I had to put in a specific transponder code (0311 was the code I was assigned) because unlike other controlled fields in class D airspace, HUF had radar service.  I made a landing on runway 32 and pulled off on to the taxiway.  I contacted ground control (towered airports have different people who control the planes on the field and the planes in the air) and asked to taxi back to the beginning on runway 32 for departure to the west.  I was given clearance and I taxied around.  I contacted tower and was cleared to take-off.  I'm not sure that the nice people in Terre Haute were really enamored with me, but whatever, it was my first solo stop at a tower controlled field.  I headed due west from Terre Haute to land at Coles County Airport (MTO).  I'd been here once before last November, and this landing was MUCH better. haha.  I exited the runway and taxied around for departure to Decatur.

 

Here is where it got interesting for me.  The Decatur VOR, which I was planning on using for naviation to the field, was inoperative.  I did not know this was the case before I was due to depart, but I found out when I left MTO.  Luckily I was able to use the MTO VOR and some old fashioned pilotage to find my way.  The only thing I was worried about was that the visibility was about 9 miles, and I am supposed to contact the Decatur Tower when I am 10 miles out.  Anyway, I made my best guestimate and I landed without issue on runway 36 right below the control tower.  I felt some pressure when I was landing because I know that controller was bored and was watching me come in and probably judging me quite a bit.  I taxied off and parked right below the control tower next to The Decatur FBO.

I met with Lenny for dinner at a Chinese Buffet and it was GLORIOUS!  At about 2030 local time, 2130 at home, i departed for Eagle Creek.  I flew almost due east and when I was south of Champaign, I requested flight following.  I've talked about flight following before, but basically I get a transponder code and I am tracked on radar.  I will get information about other traffic in the area and convective weather alerts (at times).  In general, it gives me something to listen to while I am flying.  You can see my route home here on the right because when you get flight following, it shows up on FlightAware.com.  Cool Right?

 

I made it back at about 8:30 and it was just getting dark.  Technically, I didn't fly at night, but it was close.

Total Time: 3.0 hours

Total Distance: 248 nm

Longest Leg: 115 nm

Landings: 4

 

Here is what I have left to complete before I can get my license:

2.0 hours of solo cross country

1 landing at a tower controlled airport

Practical Test

 

The first two things I'll get knocked out when I fly to Evansville tonight and return tomorrow