All by myself

It seems like ages since I've been in an airplane by myself. In fact, the last time I was alone in an airplane was December 19^th. Although I've flown 70 hours since then, incredibly it's virtually all been dual.

So, it was a strange feeling to hop into the left seat of the 182RG all by my lonesome and go fly some takeoffs and landings up at St. Cloud.

My night currency was due to expire the next day (despite logging 15-hours of night in the past 89 days I hadn't made a single night landing as "sole manipulator of the controls") so I waited until it was nice and dark before setting out.

I also needed to stay current in the 182RG to keep the insurance company happy so it was the perfect excuse to reacquaint myself with the RG, get night current and remember what it's like to fly with nobody else in the airplane.

The winds aloft at 3,500 feet were impressive. The 182RG usually trues right on 155 knots, maybe 156 if you're living right that day. The groundspeed going up to St. Cloud was hovering around 99 knots, with an occasional foray up to a heady 105. Incredible.

I found myself wishing I had an instrument lesson: 55-knot winds out of the northwest are perfect for practicing holds or NDB approaches.

Anyhow, I eventually got to St. Cloud, made four trips around the pattern with each landing earning at least a passing grade then headed back to Crystal.

On the way back the groundspeed was a more acceptable 187 knots. I was a little disappointed that the winds had died down. I wanted to see 200 knots on the GPS.

Sadly, I'm getting a little rusty on some things. It's just a factor of spending lots of time teaching and not much time at all actually flying.

Back when I was working on my commercial and CFI the 182RG and I were close, close friends and I was as comfortable in that airplane as I was walking down the street. I can still fly it pretty well, but I'm not as sharp in it as I was at the end of the summer.

I'm also getting sloppy with my checklist usage. I actually forgot to turn on my transponder before takeoff. At least I noticed it before the tower called to remind me, but there's no excuse for that oversight.

So, I need to make sure I actually fly more frequently.

Maybe it's a good excuse to add another rating. A multi-engine commercial would be sort of cool, if not very useful.

A commercial seaplane rating would be very, very cool and less useful than the multi. At least with the seaplane rating I could actually teach floats if I could find somebody willing to let me use their airplane. Plus I might be able to write it off on my taxes.

Hmmmm.