The Envelope ✈

Aviation, 80's pop culture, vintage.

Posts tagged C172

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My airplane has an interesting history

ON OCTOBER 7, 2003, A CE-172-M, N8980V, LOST ENGINE AND MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON ROUTE 17, IN THE TOWN OF VESTAL, NY. NO INJURIES AND NO APPARENT DAMAGE TO AIRCRAFT. PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD ENGINE VIBRATION, AND THEN SMOKE. ON OCTOBER 14, 2003, PENN YENN AERO DISASSEMBLED ENGINE, MANUFACTURER: LYCOMING, M/N O-360-A4M, S/N L-35329-27A. THE FOLLOWING WAS DISCOVERED DURING THE TEARDOWN: #4 ROD BEARING FAILED RESTRICTING OIL FLOW TO BEARING, THIS CREATED THE CONNECTING ROD AND ROD JOURNAL TO HEAT AND MELT BEARING, THE CONNECTING ROD FAILED FROM HEAT DAMAGE. THE METAL, CONTAMINATION IN THE REMAINING ROD AND MAIN JOURNALS, AND OIL PUMP SHOW THE ENGINE OPERATED WITH THE ROD BEARING FAILING AND ALLOWING METAL TO CIRCULATE THROUGH THE ENGINE. THIS INCIDENT IS CONSIDERED CLOSED.

Filed under Airplane Aviation Cessna c172 Skyhawk Superhawk

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Flew to Ocean City and back this afternoon

Well, I didn’t do any flying, my dad did. He wasn’t comfortable flying from the right seat in a 172 after stepping out of the left seat of a 737, haha. So I didn’t even bother with the flight controls, it was all straight-and-level anyway. Instead, I got some really good experience in dead reckoning in SHIT visibility, and VOR triangulation. Hint: VOR’s are NOT perfectly accurate like they are in flight sim. At some points, they were as much as 15deg off from maybe 20 miles and 3000’!!! VERY good experience indeed.

Being outside however was not all fun and games. 98+ degrees on the ramp at MTN, around 90 on the ramp and OXB, and the boardwalk.. Hot as hell. Add 15 degrees to all of the in-vehicle temps. I am still wet. I do not smell good.

Filed under Airplane Aviation Cessna c172 Skyhawk Superhawk Ocean City KMTN KOXB Flying

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Went flying again today, very good visibility and clear skies.

Took off runway 33, left downwind departure to the southeast to the training area under GOLDA. Climbed to 2000, then 3500 with the foggles and made some turns. Warmed up with slow flight clean and then dirtied up for a power-off stall, then transitioned right into a power-on stall. Power-on stalls are WEIRD, but I eventually got the hang of them after about four tries. Power-off stalls are easy. Either way, power or no power, it is physically difficult to make this airplane stall, haha. Then did some steep turns, nailed them pretty well because my dad drilled them with me in the past. My maneuvers were within standards today! I’m happy about that because this is the first time practicing them because conditions have been MVFR up until today. Cruised back home very leisurely. God, it is so nice to just sit back and fly the airplane in a straight line after nothing but pattern work and maneuvers. Made four landings I think, first was hard, second needed a little more rudder, third was a nice no flaps, and fourth was normal but I think I arrested a float. I don’t know, maybe there were more. It was a nice lesson!

EDIT: So hard to look sexy while flying a 172

Filed under Airplane Aviation Flying Cessna Skyhawk Superhawk c172 c172m flying pilot

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Miraculously figured out landings overnight.

I really don’t know if I changed one single thing, or slightly modified everything that I was doing, but after 8 flat and bouncy yet safe landings yesterday, today I did 9 right on the mains. It all just sort of.. Clicked. Not even during a lesson, but overnight. I don’t know how that works, but it feels good man. Did a no flapper, then a few full flaps within 300’ of my touchdown point. Did I mention that it feels good? It feels really f’ing good.

Hopefully tomorrow the weather is good for maneuvers over the eastern shore, otherwise I’ll be shaving off that extra 100’ to get within PTS. I’d really love to get the maneuvers out of the way though so that I can solo soon. Also made all of the radio calls today and then later went up into the tower for a tour and to make conversation with the controllers.

Confidence level for landings, comms, and overall safe command of the airplane … Skyrocketing.

Filed under Airplane Aviation Cessna Skyhawk Superhawk 172 c172