First Chief Solo XC

I finally was able to solo my Chief today! The weather's been awful this past week. It started improving yesterday, and this day was shaping up to be perfect.

I planned to fly the Chief from FWQ to CKB for my commute to work (normally a 1.5 hour drive from home -- but FWQ is 35 minute drive north of home -- the opposite direction).

I had to tie the airplane outside last night, as we retrieved the C205 and put it in the hangar last night. My hangar is at VVS, but the airport is closed for repaving.

I arrived at the airport before dawn, set up the self-contained ammo can preheater, and started it up. Before long pleny of heat was warming the O-145. But the air grew thick as FRZFG (was on the METAR) covered the airport and reduced visibility to 1/4 mile. Soon the airplane was coated in a thick frost.

The sun came up and the fog got thicker for a while. My preheater tube was made from flexible dryer tube, but wasn't up for the heat coming out of the stove. So I borrowed an electric cowl heater and plugged into the FBO building.

I had to wait until 930 before it started to clear -- the fog was only to 200' AGL, but was tenacious. It took another hour for the frost to melt off the wings and tail (as underpowered as this airplane is, it needs every pound of lift!)

I pulled the heater and returned everything, tied down the tail and placed the chocks. After 4 shots of prime it started on the third throw. I let it idle a while and then taxiied down to 26. Winds were 200@5.

It was my first solo takeoff and it was fine -- fairly straight, little drift. I climbed much better I the cold air with only me aboard. I remained in the pattern as I climbed. Everything sounded and looked right.

I climbed to 3000 feet as I headed southwest. The morning was bright and clear with a few scattered patches of fog along the river. I had no GPS, a handheld radio (to enter the Class D destination), a sectional, a whiskey compass, and lots of time in the air over this piece of the world.

The familiar terrain passed by slowly beneath me at a leisurely 80 MPH (As I gain confidence in this engine I'll start flying lower, but until I have 20 hours or so I'll stay high enough to have options).

I crossed my expected checkpoints, then flew a heading for about 20 miles. Fairmont ended up on the nose as expected. I began a descent and leveled off about 1000' AGL. I could hear the KCKB ATIS and the tower, but they couldn't hear me. I circled over the radar tower per instructions (I called before departure to let them know I'd be flying with a handheld and may not make contact until less than 5 miles) and awaited a light gun signal. I finally made radio contact and flew a left pattern for 210. Winds were 180@5.

The landing wasn't my best. I had the slighest amount of drift and felt the tail getting away from me, but was able to recover and get straight again. I should have been right of centerline so I could watch it out the left window but habit took over and I put the "nosewheel" (duh) on the centerline. It's tough to see the edges on this 150' wide runway.

Overall it felt great to fly my own airplane and have it perform so well for me. I'm looking forward to the return flight!