Final Solo Flight

Today I had to finish up the remainder of my outstanding solo time needed for my license. I flew with CFI, Mark Clark. In addition, I wanted to get more experience navigating using a VHF omnidirectional radio (VOR). I have only worked with it once, and it was months ago. VOR is the traditional form of navigating with complete accuracy. Well, at least prior to GPS. Yet, even with GPS equipped aircrafts, the VOR can be very helpful.

Location of the VOR at Nashville Int. Airport

This is a sample of what the VOR may look like up close

I have no idea who this instructor is, but he does a good job explaining the VOR.

I pre-flight checked the Cessna 172 (N5146R) and took off of runway 20C. At 2,000 MSL, I headed for the 045 radial headed towards Sumner County Regional Airport. North of Nashville, we worked with the VOR and then landed at Sumner County Regional Airport. I did a couple of landings with Mark and then I let him out and I flew the traffic pattern for about 1.5 hours. I preformed about 20 landings and take offs.

This aircraft (N5146R) is much older (built in 1974) than other airplanes I have flown in the past. It still has all of the same features, but one item it does not have is fuel injection, which means that carburetor icing is very likely. Carburetor heat is the answer. Since landing is the most critical, it is standard to apply carburetor heat once power is pulled back for landing. This added one extra step in the landing procedure to remember, but after a few landings, it became part of the habit.

Oh, and no blog post of a solo flight would be complete without some pictures.

Getting ready to line up on runway 35

Overlooking the airport

On "Final" to land on Runway 35

I get asked all of the time, “Can you really read all of those dials in the cockpit and know what they mean?” The answer is of course, yes, but I thought it may be helpful if I decoded it some on the blog. I took this picture on this flight and here is what I can say about the aircraft at the moment I snapped it. This aircraft is currently in straight flight at 1,450 feet above mean sea level (MSL), yet descending slowly. The aircraft is traveling south / southwest at about 100knots per hour. This aircraft is preparing to land.

I can tell the speed by the dial in the upper left corner. The altitude by the dial in the upper right corner. The direction by the heading indicator in the middle left. I can tell it is descending by the vertical speed indicator (VSI) in the middle right. Finally the Carburetor heat is out (green arrow) to start the landing procedure.



Another great day in the air!



This flight means that I now have 10.5 hours of solo flight time, which meets the requirement for my license.

Total Flight time: 2.80 hours
Pilot in Command time: 1.5 hours
Cost: Plane rental - $322.00, Instructor Fee - $112.00