Airborne Once Again!!!

Hi All...

Long time no post!!

I commited aviation today, albeit somewhat unexpectedly.

The death of my father combined with my weird work schedule have kept me on
the ground since late January.

With the next couple of weeks off, I was really looking forward to getting
back in the air, however our club 172 sustained some minor wingtip damage
and is temporarily grounded for repairs.

Suffering from a serious jones to go fly, I decided to buzz over to my old
stomping grounds and get reaquainted with the FBO where I trained for my PPL
and from whom I used to rent.

I knew that I'd been scarce long enough that (in their system) every thing
would have expired so I went hoping to only have to show my renewed medical
and my logbook showing that I had continuted to fly a 172SP (and that I
still have a valid renters policy...)

Apparently, I'd been gone longer than I realized as I was required to take a
quickie written test on the SP and then (Gulp!) a flight test. Good thing I
had my DCs and a current TAC in the car.

Back in my student days, the mere mention of "flight test" would cause
butterflies in my stomach the size of condors and my palms would sweat such
that had I ever had to make a forced landing in the desert, I would not have
had to worry about finding a source of water.

But today, the damndest thing happened. The butterflies and sweaty palms
were replaced by the confidence that I know how to be PIC and I can perform
on demand because I continue to practice my PTS maneuvers.

At one point, as we're hanging nose high in dirty slow flight with the stall
horn blarring away, the CFI turns and says "I've NEVER seen anyone fly a 172
this slowly!" I couldn't help but let out a "WhooHoo!!" after glancing down
at the airspeed indicator to see that the needle was firmly planted on the
peg bseg.

After some steep turns, stalls and a simulated engine out to an assured
landing at an Ag Strip, it was back to the airport. A go around followed by
a couple of short field landings and I'm back in their system with a handy
alternate source of aircraft should the need arise in the future (but I do
intend to get checked out in our club 182s as well...)

I even learned a new little saying to add to my repetoir: "3-2-1-Go"

Meaning:

3 - Chains
2 - Fuel Caps
1 - Oil Diptstick
Go - Good to go fly

Man did it ever feel *GREAT* to get back in the air!!!

Regards to all...

Jay Beckman
PP-ASEL
Chandler, AZ