FIRST FLIGHT

Today I took my first flight toward a Sports Plane license and was surprised that I got to do the whole thing. In a 1946 Aeronca Champ I got to push it out on the grass strip, operate the throttle while the instructor pulled the prop to start the engine then taxi down the strip to learn how to control the plane on the ground, turn around come back park the prop over a concrete pad, and run the engine up with the brakes on. I then released the brakes and with some difficulty keeping it in the middle of the runway took off. I was asked to make an immediate right turn so that if the engine died we would be near an open field. We leveled off at 3,000' and I made several turns both directions, then we flew back to the field with the instructor asking me if I could find it from the air. I finally saw it, dropped down learned how to glide circled around and landed. Got a total flight time of .7 hours. We then went to Abilene Aero where I bought a log book for $10 and spent an hour getting registered as a student pilot on a government web page.

The big problem was entry and exiting the cockpit. I almost didn't get in but next time I will be able to do better. Bill Masters is my instructor. His wife is Nancy Robinson Masters a writer and a long time friend of Lou's and me. They are principals in the Big Country Squadron of the CAF (Commemorative Air Force) and do the fly over at Belle Plaines Cemetery every Memorial Day.