N291DR 0.8 Airball data gathering

Took off and landed KRHV. Airball flight to qualify a new non-porous 3D printed probe nose.

N291DR 2.2 Solo to Frasier Lake

5 landings total - 4 at Frasier Lake and one at KRHV.

N291DR 2.0 Airball data gathering flight

Another Airball flight. This time, I was doing GPS assisted IAS calibrations.

I took off from KRHV and took a right turnout departure. Then I realized one of the pressure sensors in the probe was plumbed backwards. Yikes. I puttered for a while then decided to come back.

I realized that the easiest thing to do was to simply change the firmware to negate the reading, and call it a day. I did that and went up again. Another right turnout departure.

I spent a long time around 5,500' MSL over the private airfield in a valley East of KRHV, doing 3-legged passes at different airspeeds, including ones where I put in about 10 degrees of yaw in one direction or the other, tried to hold a constant heading, airspeed, and altitude, and recorded the GPS readings.

Back to KRHV for my second landing of the day. It was a rather grueling 2 hours, but fun! Hope the data looks good!

N291DR 1.1 Airball data gathering flight

Quick flight over the hills East of San Jose to try out a new probe placement, on a boom on the wingtip. 1 landing at KRHV. I tried a short landing with power and full flaps, and I made my exit on taxiway B easily, but I still floated a lot,. I was doing around 50 kias over the fence, but should have slowed to around 40 kias on short final. Next time.

N291DR 1.7 Frasier Lake and Airball data gathering with Lisa

Flew KRHV to 1C9, hung out with pilots at 1C9 for a while, then flew back to KRHV. 2 landings total.

N291DR 2.9 Flight to Las Trancas

I just joined the Recreational Aviation Foundation which means I'm allowed to land at Las Trancas (17CL). I set out today to see if I could do it.

First I flew to Frasier Lake and did 3 landings (maybe they were 4? let's say 3) as a refresher and to practice short and soft field technique. I then blasted off West to see 'sup.

I had been warned of the rotors coming off the cliff beside the Las Trancas runway. Today was calm, but I wasn't going to risk it. I did low passes to gauge the wind before making a good short field landing. The runway is on top of a plateau with beach cliffs on either end, so the temptation is to come in with too much height, and then the fear is that one will fall off the other end. ;)

On the way back I flew over KSJC midfield.

N291DR 1.8 Flight to Byron with Sam

This was Sam's first flight in a small airplane. He ended up with me, in an LSA, in the afternoon, going towards the Central Valley (there was fog towards the coast). Lucky him?

Takeoff was uneventful, and we flew to Byron and landed in a rather gusty wind on Rwy 23. We walked around and talked about planes, then took off straight out Rwy 23, flew around Mount Diablo, then landed at KRHV.

My first attempt at landing at KRHV was rather embarrassing. I came in fast, tried to "rescue" things by making it a wheel landing, bounced, and ended up going around. My next attempt was successful, though nowhere near as short as I would like.

In general, I think I need more practice doing basic landings in gusty, cross-windy conditions. I think I was actually better at these when we first got 1DR, when I was practicing all the time.

N291DR 1.6 Flight to Hollister with Lauren

I took my friend and neighbor Lauren for her first ever small plane flight!

We took off uneventfully to a clearing but somewhat bumpy late morning sky. On the way South, I demonstrated what the controls did, and of course the Dutch roll exercise turned her stomach! Yikes! We then motored down and took in the scenery. I decided not to try to land at Frasier Lake, because of the bumpiness, but we landed at Hollister instead.

After talking with some glider folk and gawking at some Cal Fire planes, we took off again and came home -- I had to return the plane in time for my co-owner to go on a trip. Lauren took the controls for quite a while and did really well. Landing at KRHV again was un-eventful.

N291DR 2.1 Practice flight to E16

Routine practice flight to E16, doing landings. 6 landings at E16 and one at KRHV.

N291DR 2.2 Flight with Angelo

I took my co-worker Angelo for a flight -- his first ever in a small airplane. Logged 3 landings total.

Our original plan was to go land at the Monterey Bay Academy (CA66). On the way, I did one landing at Frasier Lake (1C9) for the heck of it, coming up a tiny bit short on my power-off 180 due to inadequate wind correction but otherwise doing okay. We set off towards the coast, and found that the coastline was getting fogged over. I suggested we land at Watsonville (KWVI) instead, but while inbound on the 45 realized that the fog was likely to roll over us while we were in the airport and might trap us. I continued my pattern but announced I was not landing and leaving on a downwind departure instead, and off we went. Instead, we went to Hollister (KCVH) and landed, with an amazingly short landing due to the prevailing wind down Rwy 24. We strolled around and got a really amazing introduction to Cal Fire aircraft and fire-fighting tactics from a friendly local Cal Fire pilot, and chatted with someone who had a polished Luscombe based in Frasier Lake. We took off and came back for a relatively uneventful landing at KRHV. I touched down a bit fast and landed a tiny bit long but was able to get off at Taxiway B.

N291DR 1.1 Currency flight

We had a clear day today, but I didn't have too much time after work, so I snuck out for a quick flight. Did 2 landings and flew over the hills South of Livermore for fun. The smoke needs to get better soon!

N291DR 0.5 Flight with Taygan in the smoke

Tried to go to CA66 (Monterey Bay Academy) with my friend Taygan. We had what was reported as 10 statute miles visibility with lots of smoke. I took off and climbed on a Southbound downwind, and then realized I was drifting off to the right towards KSJC airspace. I turned away and flew some more, and found myself again drifting off to the right. Basically I was used to flying by a "sight picture" and the lack of visibility on the horizon was throwing me off. We made it to 5,500' MSL and the sky started getting more blue; if we had pushed to 7,500' MSL we would probably have been clear of the smoke, but with very poor ground visibility. I didn't want to fly low over the urban areas, which is why I punched it and climbed on my way outbound. All things considered, lesson learned in flying through hazy visibility, but I figured we'd had enough excitement for one day and we turned around and came home.

N291DR 1.4 Flight with Melissa to Frasier Lake

Intended to fly to the coast and maybe land at the Monterey Bay Academy, but the coast was clouded over when we got there. Instead toured the Hollister Hills, did 2 landings at Frasier Lake, flew up the reservoirs, and landed at KRHV. Nice, calm evening flight.

My spot landings were mostly okay. At Frasier Lake, I did two power-off 180s, and came maybe 50 feet short of my landing spot. There was a stiff wind, so I was under-compensating for that. My first one was super smooth; the second one I hit a gust and came down a bit bumpily. For my landing at KRHV, I "called it" at some point then cut power and glided in. I crossed the threshold and touched down and made it off at Twy B, but I was skimming the ground a bit fast and then micro-jerked the stick back and floated up and had to settle back down with a bit of a bump. I need to get the jerkies out of my stick during my flare!

N291DR 1.7 Solo flight to Frasier Lake

Flew to Frasier Lake (1C9) for practice. Did 3 landings. 4 landings total today, counting the one at KRHV.

The air was mildly bumpy, but not too bad. At 1C9, I had 3 short approach attempts. On one, I chickened out and added power, when I could have just slowed to glide speed and glid in. On another, I was a bit too fast but I managed to stop before the first taxiway. The best one was a perfect landing from abeam the windsock, turning back and landing between the windsock and the first taxiway.

I flew around the hills and checked stuff out and took some pictures.

On my way inbound KRHV I was asked for "best forward speed" -- so I flew about 100 knots indicated and dived down, slowing down just in time and making it off Taxiway Bravo. I touched down a bit too fast and had some tailwheel shimmy, but otherwise I'd call that good.

N291DR 1.9 Coastal flight with Everett

Took a friend's dad for a flight. Departed KRHV, did 1 landing at 1C9, flew to CA66 (Monterey Bay Academy) and landed, got out and checked out the beach and Calfee bikes, then flew up the coast past Santa Cruz, then over the mountains and to the Calero Reservoir, then over IBM and back home to land at KRHV. Everett was so appreciative!!! :)

N291DR 0.6 Quiet evening flight

Quick flight to try out new headset (my new LightSpeed Zulu 3 -- omg so nice!!). 1 landing, in a light and steady wind, un-eventful.

N291DR 1.2 BFR with Sergey

Did 1 hour of ground instruction, then took off from KRHV, did 1 landing at E16, then 4 more landings at KRHV. Passed.

N291DR 1.3 Flight around Livermore Valley with Melissa

To celebrate Father's Day ;) Melissa and I went for a short flight around the Livermore Valley -- from KRHV, passing West of KLVK, South of Mount Diablo, then back over the Altamont Pass and round the Southern part of the valley. Very scenic. One landing, which was really amazingly long -- I came in too fast. Flying solo for so long due to COVID-19 has thrown off my judgement regarding how the plane "feels" with a pax, so I end up landing too fast. Also, today was no-wind, compared to my usual arrivals into KRHV, so my sight picture was thrown off. Need more practice with a willing pax!

N291DR 1.8 Flight to Watsonville with Taygan

Flew to KWVI and back with my friend Taygan. It was his second time in any kind of airplane! :)

2 landings at KWVI, 1 landing at KRHV with 1 go-around. It's clear that I need to practice wheel landings and crosswind technique. I am okay with coming in slow with full flaps and floating down to the ground at zero knots, but fast wheel landings are something I don't have down yet!

N291DR 2.7 Flight with Melissa to vicinity of Columbia then Columbia

Flew back to the ranch I went to a couple days ago, to show it to Melissa. Then took off and landed in Columbia, then back to KRHV. 3 landings total. Qualifies as sport pilot cross-country.

N291DR 2.6 Solo trip to vicinity of Columbia

Flew out to a fly-in at a private ranch in the vicinity of Columbia (O22). Two landings total. 71 nautical miles one way. Qualifies for Sport Pilot cross-country.

N291DR 1.2 Practice flight

Quick practice flight, out and back from KRHV. 1 landing.

N291DR 1.6 Flight with Brian

Flew with my friend Brian, with whom I worked until he moved to a different company recently. He is an avid reader of Stick and Rudder and an eager future pilot. We went from KRHV to KWVI, did a couple of landings there, then came back to KRHV. In the process we also did some air work and various bits of demonstration.

It was extremely gratifying to see how gratifying it was for Brian. He's like, "Oh, so this is a forward slip! I read about that!" and "That was a 3 point landing, I read about that!" etc.

N291DR 0.8 Evening jaunt for the heck of it

We were checking the engine today and so I decided to take the plane out afterwards. I went out to the Calaveras reservoir, over to the Sunol pass, and back 'round the other side of Mission Peak. 1 landing. I'm a bit out of practice and so the little bumps around the hills sort of rattled me, but it was okay, as always.

N291DR 0.6 Airball data gathering flight

Quick flight over the Joseph D Grant Park area to get some data for Airball. Returned to land in a dive ;) so as to get out of the way of a Centurion that was coming in, but still managed to get off on taxiway Bravo. One landing.

N291DR 1.4 Practice flight

Currency flight -- I've been working super hard on Airball these days. Took off from KRHV, intending to do landings at Frasier Lake. When I got there, the turbulence at low altitude was pretty rough, and I've landed in worse, but it didn't feel good to do that when relatively out of practice. I just flew around and back again, and did 4 landings at KRHV. 3 were glides, and one was a short landing with power. I was able to stop near taxiway Bravo in all of them.

N291DR 2.7 Trip to Red Hills airstrip

Trip to Red Hills airstrip for pre-Easter airplane shindig. 3 landings. Qualifies as Sport Pilot XC.

Flew over the hills East of San Jose outbound, then cut across the Central Valley. First leg 70.9 nautical miles straight line distance.

Returned "low and slow" and did one landing and takeoff at New Jerusalem.

Then flew through the Altamont Pass, over the Livermore Valley and Del Valle reservoir, through the Sunol Pass, down South to the West of Mission Peak, and came in for a very short landing. :) ATC was like, "You need a taxiway between Alpha and Bravo for that one!"

N291DR 1.3 Local practice

 Flew to KE16 for takeoffs and landings. 3 landings at KE16 and one at KRHV for a total of 4 this day.

N291DR 1.8 Local practice

Don't recall how many landings -- I think this may have been to KCVH for a bunch of practice in some pretty heavy wind conditions. But just log 1 landing since I don't remember and didn't write it down. :)

N291DR 0.7 Local practice

 1 landing.

N291DR 0.7 Local practice

 1 landing.

N291DR 0.7 Local practice

 1 landing.

N291DR 0.5 Local practice

 1 landing.

N291DR 0.9 Local practice

2 landings.

N291DR 0.7 Landing practice

 Local landing practice, 3 landings.

N291DR 0.6 Takeoffs and landings at KRHV

Closed traffic, did 5 full stop landings, short field technique. Takeoffs with flaps, then raising them gradually on early climbout. All but one landing got off before Twy Bravo.