C172SP G1000
I have flown the C172SP on and off for five years. This was the aircraft that gave me a good grounding in using the Garmin G1000 system, thus easing my transition to the Diamond Twinstar, which has the same "glass cockpit". Whilst I am looking for another Twinstar to fly, the Cessna keeps me current on these avionics, as well as being a nice aeroplane to travel in.
When you have been flying as long as I have, you run out of new places to visit, especially when you want to stay in the local area. This is not too much of a problem, as the pleasure is in the flying and not usually the destination airfield. Apart from the trip to Duxford, I have been flying solo so far this year. That means quite a few more hours logged than if I were sharing with another pilot, but no company to share the flight with.
I had the Cessna booked in early March and planned a three legged trip from Barton to Halfpenny Green, returning via Sleap, in Shropshire. Three take offs and landings and practise at entering flight plans into the G1000 and using its other features, would keep me current ready for a return to the Twinstar.
It was nice to find the aircraft with plenty of fuel on board and I soon had the navigation flight plan entered into the gps. This route took me to the northern end of the low level route (LLRN), on to the NANTI intersection and then to LONLO before heading directly to Halfpenny Green. The Cessna is very smooth and quiet compared to my Arrow, like a luxury motor car. Level at 1200 feet and heading towards Warrington, I set 2350 rpm and leaned the fuel flow to 8 usg per hour. I turned the autopilot on and it started to follow the flight plan. All was running smoothly. I joined on a three mile final for runway 16 landed and was soon parked up and heading for the Cafe.
About an hour later I was back in the air on a direct route to Sleap. As this was a Friday afternoon I sought, and was granted, a clearance through the Shawbury MATZ, being released when I was in the Sleap ATZ. Back to the old, familiar Sleap and back to the old familiar Cafe again!
Forty five minutes later I was entering my final plan of the day into the aircraft's gps. Out to the KARNO intersection, near Ellesmere, then to NANTI and up the low level route to Barton. I was enjoying the afternoon, at one with the aircraft and feeling comfortable. An overhead join to land on Barton's 09Right runway concluded the flying for the day.
The week of my multi renewal was one of high pressure but poor visibility. From the Monday through to the Thursday of the test, the low cloud persisted and I was unable to fly on that day. This has now been re-scheduled for later in the month.
On the Twinstar front, I have a meeting at the end of March with the owner of a very nice DA42, so more on that when the situation becomes clearer. Good flying weather is required for that meeting as I need to fly there and hopefully also fly the aircraft in question.
When you have been flying as long as I have, you run out of new places to visit, especially when you want to stay in the local area. This is not too much of a problem, as the pleasure is in the flying and not usually the destination airfield. Apart from the trip to Duxford, I have been flying solo so far this year. That means quite a few more hours logged than if I were sharing with another pilot, but no company to share the flight with.
I had the Cessna booked in early March and planned a three legged trip from Barton to Halfpenny Green, returning via Sleap, in Shropshire. Three take offs and landings and practise at entering flight plans into the G1000 and using its other features, would keep me current ready for a return to the Twinstar.
It was nice to find the aircraft with plenty of fuel on board and I soon had the navigation flight plan entered into the gps. This route took me to the northern end of the low level route (LLRN), on to the NANTI intersection and then to LONLO before heading directly to Halfpenny Green. The Cessna is very smooth and quiet compared to my Arrow, like a luxury motor car. Level at 1200 feet and heading towards Warrington, I set 2350 rpm and leaned the fuel flow to 8 usg per hour. I turned the autopilot on and it started to follow the flight plan. All was running smoothly. I joined on a three mile final for runway 16 landed and was soon parked up and heading for the Cafe.
About an hour later I was back in the air on a direct route to Sleap. As this was a Friday afternoon I sought, and was granted, a clearance through the Shawbury MATZ, being released when I was in the Sleap ATZ. Back to the old, familiar Sleap and back to the old familiar Cafe again!
Forty five minutes later I was entering my final plan of the day into the aircraft's gps. Out to the KARNO intersection, near Ellesmere, then to NANTI and up the low level route to Barton. I was enjoying the afternoon, at one with the aircraft and feeling comfortable. An overhead join to land on Barton's 09Right runway concluded the flying for the day.
The week of my multi renewal was one of high pressure but poor visibility. From the Monday through to the Thursday of the test, the low cloud persisted and I was unable to fly on that day. This has now been re-scheduled for later in the month.
On the Twinstar front, I have a meeting at the end of March with the owner of a very nice DA42, so more on that when the situation becomes clearer. Good flying weather is required for that meeting as I need to fly there and hopefully also fly the aircraft in question.
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| Cessna C172SP G1000 at Sleap (again) |
posted by David M at 10:09 PM
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