My lesson today was less than stellar. I think it was because I was just too tired and couldn’t concentrate.
We took off from runway 03 today via taxiway charlie. This is an old and rarely used taxiway and the first time I’ve ever used it. The grass growing through the cracks in the pavement is a side of Buttonville that is rarely seen ;)
We departed to the North and I was asked to get our asses to Bradford and to keep an eye out for the Holland Landing airport. Piece of cake. Once there we diverted to Baldwin airport to practice more uncontrolled stuff. The diversion part went well… and that’s about it. I remembered when I should be making my radio calls this time but I didn’t know how to enter the circuit or what to say.
My FI ended up making some radio calls for me because I was so preoccupied with how to enter the circuit and figure things out :( . There was another guy at the airport practicing circuit work.. so it was good to see how an uncontrolled airport works when you are not the only one in the circuit. We didn’t end up landing but instead headed to Sutton for a new diversion.
Another mistake was made and I made a radio call stating that we were clear of Baldwin at ~3nm instead of 5… damn.
It goes further down hill at this point. I was asked to divert from Sutton to Foxton Farms (I think thats how you spell it)…. A private unmarked grass airstrip on the west side of highway 404 between Bloomington and Leslie. The Siftons own Toronto Airways and that farm. So they allow students to land there. The original plan was for us to land there… however I spent so much time trying to set up the diversion that we just ran out of time…
Once again I was confused on how we would enter the circuit.
Foxton Farm – click for larger
I guess one good thing to look at was that the weather was perfect. The visibility was at least 30 miles and not a cloud in the sky. Its kinda cool seeing the Toronto skyline from Lake Simcoe.
My lesson tomorrow is going to be the required instrument training needed. The “just in case I fly in clouds” and need to get out lesson. We’re also going to go over stuff with uncontrolled as well. Then after that it’s cross country stuff!
I have a short x-country lesson booked on August 14th. I think a solo x-country on the 22nd, and a Long X-Country on the 24th. Let’s hope the weather holds out. Thats it really.. It’s just test preparation lessons once we’re done with x-country and instruments… PPL here I come!
