Tag: flight time

  • Chasing Tranquility: Embracing an Early Morning Flight to Apopka Airport

    The summer weather in Florida presents challenges, but early morning flights usually offer a serene escape from turbulent clouds and thunderstorms. Today I chose one of those mornings to fly. Although visibility was not perfect compared to later in the day, it remained acceptable. I cherish these morning flights for their tranquility, cooler temperatures, and…

  • Exploring Aerial Beauty on a Sightseeing Flight

    Today, I decided to unwind and embark on a sightseeing flight. Upon departure, I climbed to 5500 feet, following the coastline. The landscapes were truly breathtaking, undoubtedly worth experiencing from the skies. The air was serene, particularly at that altitude. While I spotted some cumulus clouds, they were distant, and I encountered no turbulence. As…

  • Practicing Crosswind Landings: Gainesville

    Flight time building is a fantastic period, especially the cross-country segment: you simply enjoy flying and have fun. Of course, it involves a significant amount of planning, preparation, and studying, but it provides a wonderful opportunity to explore new places while gaining more experience. Summer in Florida is challenging. It’s not just sun and clear…

  • A Day of IFR Adventures in the Cessna 172: Palatka Airport

    Today, I had initially planned to embark on the trip using our small Cessna 150. Unfortunately, it’s undergoing maintenance due to compass and landing lights issues. While I prefer the cost-effectiveness of the Cessna 150, being the only one in our school means if I want to fly today, I’ll have to book a Cessna…

  • FAA CPL Long Cross-Country Flight

    Every FAA CPL candidate should complete at least one long cross-country flight with one leg over 250 nautical miles, as outlined in 14 CFR § 61.129. Today marked the completion of my long cross-country flight: KCGC-KMTH-KIMM-KCGC, covering more than 6 flight hours with a single refueling stop. Initially, the ceiling was around 1500 feet for…

  • Navigating Florida Skies: Weather Challenges in VFR Flying

    Currently, I mainly fly without GPS, so I decided to enhance my situational awareness. Firstly, I ordered an iPad for use with ForeFlight (which works only on Apple devices). In the end, I chose FltPlan Go instead, but for visual flying they provide very similar functionality. Planning and flying with any Electronic Flight Bag (EFB)…

  • Enhancing Skills: VOR Practice and Flying in a Busy Airspace

    Today, I made the decision to fly to Lakeland for additional VOR practice. Although it will be a VFR flight, I wanted to sharpen my skills using our Cessna’s VOR equipment as well. The airspace was bustling with activity today. Numerous small light aircraft, turboprops, and even a jet were present. Radio communications were quite…

  • Flight to Maintenance: Overcoming a Technical Issue

    As you know, I am currently flying to meet the minimum flight time requirements and, of course, for fun. Today, I had a really useful task: flying the airplane to the mechanics for scheduled maintenance. While reading my preflight checklist, I noticed that the flaps do not deploy. I thought about it and realized that…

  • Chasing Flight Hours: A Pilot’s Excursion to the North-West of Prague

    Every pilot should have a minimum flight time before taking an exam. For the modular commercial pilot program in Europe, it should be 200 hours of total time. I am currently continuing to gain these flight hours. Today, I decided to fly to the North-West, where I found a nice aerodrome with a concrete runway.…

  • I’m A Little Black Rain Cloud, of Course

    I’m just a little white rain cloudHovering under the honey treeI’m only a little black rain cloudPay no attention to me… Sometimes the weather just doesn’t want to cooperate. Today, one of these rain clouds demanded my attention. Although the clouds look gorgeous, they are also scary. This one in particular may not seem dangerous,…