Squawk 3000

Finally!! I went up last Sunday with the CFI at Tas Aero for my first LH seat trip since May, 1987. A long time between drinks!! It was great. We just stooged around to the south-east of Evandale, about 6-8nm from the airport (YMLT) and I did some revision on the basics - turns, straight and level, climb/descent, and a power off stall.

Although it was my first time in the pilot’s seat of a Cessna 172P (VH-WIQ), it all came back fairly easily. Main difference between the C172 and the PA-28/PA-32 is that some of the controls and switches are in different places (and, obviously, the wings are in a different place). The panel was perhaps not as ‘modern’ as the aeroplanes I have flown previously, but all is good.



Pre-flight, taxi, take-off, stooge around, join circuit, landing - all good. I will go up again next week and do some more revision (dual) win the training area. Over the next three weeks, I’ll do some circuits and one or two Navex’s, and then I am back in business and good to go solo again.

I’m budgeting to do around 25 to 30 hours in the next year, more if I can justify it, and am looking forward to feeling like a real pilot again.

Stay tuned.