Patch's Flight Schools Guide

Flight Hrs: 1.7 / Total Hrs: 11.7
Aircraft: C-172 / Airport: KCOE

We flew to a new airport today to do some touch and goes in an unfamiliar setting. This was VERY cool cause we got to fly over my house to get to Coeur d’Alene Airport (KCOE). It felt good cause we were actually going somewhere instead of just heading out the practice area.

Once we got to Coeur d’Alene, I was a little nervous. This was all different for me. I know a runway should be a runway, but I was used to turn cross-wind and downwind and recognizing some ground references or landmarks. Those were all gone now. I had to learn how to do this without using them.

This was a left pattern that we entered at a 45 degree angle coming across midfield. This was great because it gave me a chance to check the windsock and verify the reported wind direction. It was looking good and I felt pretty good about it all.

I entered the downwind midfield and made my calls on the CTAF. It’s strange because nobody was there and I had to verify I was on the right CTAF frequency. If you’re not careful, you could be off by one digit and think you’re making good safe calls, but nobody can hear you.

When I was abeam (lined up at a 90 degree angle to) the numbers on the runway, I reduced my RPM’s to about 1700 to bleed off my speed. Once I entered the safe flap zone, I begane my descent at about 400-500 fps (feet per second). Again, I was used to flying the pattern in Deer Park, so I probably extended my downwind a little too far. I have to remember to look over my left shoulder and turn to BASE when I’m at a 45 degree angle to the numbers instead of basing it on my location in reference to ground landmarks.

I turned to base and made my calls. Still no response so I checked my CTAF frequency again. Still correct, so I assume there’s nobody else in the area.

Turn to final and make my CTAF call. Really have to learn to watch that airspeed. It’s so hard to get it exactly right. I hear people talk about setting it correctly and then never having to worry about it until the flare. I can’t imagine that. I’m constantly adjusting my RPMs in an attempt to keep my airspeed correct and not descend too quickly.

I have the runway made and I begin to pull my power. It’s still something I have to do mechanically. I don’t really have the “feel” for it yet. I dropped a little too hard and bounced a bit. Sometimes I think my CFI is freaking out as he watches me enter short final, the round out, and the flare. I’ve only seen him reach out for the yoke a couple times.

Still haven’t perfected this landing thing, but it was great to practice at another airport. Really got me to focus on the numbers at the end of the runway and base my turns on my location to them. No more “turn to base when I’m lined up with that fence” or “turn to downwind before I cross over those barns”.

I ended up doing 5 touch and goes and heading back to Spokane (KGEG). It was a good day and I learned a lot.