Earning Cross-Country Time

This morning, I went to Westfield/Barnes (KBAF) in order to build a few more cross-country hours towards an instrument rating.

It was a good trip to make, and I learned a good bit in the process. Since I went VFR, and was under radar the whole way, I wasn't expecting each of the controllers to have such a continuing interest in destination and route. But they did. My first hint was shortly after initial contact to Boston Approach. The controller asked me to turn left to 260 for Westfield, but I was intentionally heading to the Gardner VOR to make sure I could navigate accurately. I let him know my route of flight and wasn't bothered after that.

That surprised me, though. It was surprising that the controller in busy airspace was offering to help out a small GA VFR flight that appeared to be just a few degrees off course. It was good to hear. Next time I go somewhere, I won't play "20 questions" with them, and I'll give them more detailed information on the first contact, even if it means a couple extra seconds of air time.

On the trip out, I was right on altitude (within around 50 feet) and well within a half a dot of VOR needle swing. I was ahead of the airplane the whole way, and was setting up radios before I actually needed them. I felt like I was doing well.

I'd briefed the ILS RWY 20 approach into KBAF, though I wasn't asking for a practice instrument approach. I flew out to LEADS, crossing at around 3600 feet, then turned inbound on the 204 radial from BAF and proceeded down to the WESIE intersection. Right before WESIE, I called the tower. At about the point where I was ready to try getting the glide slope and localizer, they asked me for a right downwind to runway 33. Darn. Not only was this not what I was expecting, but I had to refigure where the winds would be.

I landed a bit left of center but made it off without incident. I took a couple of minutes to call home with an update, and then taxied out to depart by 33. Right after lift-off, the controller asked me to do something strange, and I didn't get what he was asking. I asked him to repeat. He wanted me to head east over the ridgeline so he could get a jet on runway 2 off the ground. I headed out 090 and was out of the way quickly. After the jet departed to the northwest, he eventually let me turn left so I wouldn't be headed to the nearby Air Force base at Chickopee.

I climbed up to 5500 on the way back to take advantage of some faster-moving air. There were scattered puffy clouds, and they made for an interesting combination of trying to keep track of position relative to Gardner while maneuvering to follow the 1-5-2 rule. So much for following the defined airways back. I eventually intercepted the 091 radial from GDM just east of the VOR.

Boston Center handed me off to Boston Approach, but with the wrong frequency (124.9). I knew it was the wrong frequency, and I should have questioned it, but I didn't, and just switched as told. I checked in on the new frequency, and they had no idea where or who I was. Eventually, after what seemed like ages, they gave me the right frequency (124.4) and things were right again.

At about 10 miles out, I started my descent, and Boston soon told me to squawk VFR and handed me off to the tower. I checked the ATIS again -- the wind was 11 gusting 19. Not great, but doable, and the report was winds from 240, so pretty much down the runway. I got the right downwind for 23 as expected, and was to follow someone on short final.

I got down to maybe 200 AGL, and things weren't looking right. I was too high, too far to the right of center, and much too slow. I'd put on 30 degrees flaps on short final just out of habit, and it sure was the wrong thing to do. I applied full power and slowly climbed back up for another attempt. Coming in the second time, the winds were variable between 260 and 200 and 11 gusting 19. It was a real challenge just to touch down aligned properly. I talked out loud to myself as I remembered the things I had to do -- "kill off the wind with the ailerons; the wind is still there ... feet off the brakes ... keep pulling back."

Besides the wind complicating things, I think I was probably also tired and dehydrated. I'd taken water with me, but I neglected to actually use it. So, that's something to remember for next time. It does matter.

I tied off and headed home. That's another 2.3 for the log book, and I got a few pictures out of it. If any are good, I'll post them later when I get a chance.