Lesson 13

We flew to Easton (KESN) today. This was my first trip out of the ADIZ in quite a while, and the first one where I filed the flight plans - one for exit, one for entry.

We took off uneventfully, departed Tipton to the southeast, exited the ADIZ through the PALEO gate, and had a nice trip over the Chesapeake Bay to Easton. Visibility was good, but a bit hazy, and we had to keep to about 2500 feet to avoid scattered clouds. It was hot, close to 90 degrees, so we had a fair amount of thermal activity. It was a smooth ride above 2000 feet, but a bit bumpy lower. I had to really put the nose down when we went through a thermal that was pushing us up to the bottom of the shelf of the BWI airspace. The plane didn't want to sink.

This was also my first time talking to ATC. I talked to Potomac Approach and then to Easton tower, then to Approach again on the way back. We did a few touch-and-goes at Easton. The runway is pleasantly wide and 1000 feet longer so I found that to be easier to deal with.

I had a tendency to turn too early base-to-final and wound up rounding off the pattern badly on a couple of approaches. Otherwise it was pretty uneventful at Easton.

Our return trip was eventful. As we approached the ADIZ boundary just beyond Kent Island, I contacted Potomac Approach. They couldn't see our transponder. I wound up doing the most enjoyable flying of the day as I aimlessly wandered along the western shore of the island waiting for the instructor to troubleshoot the transponder. We were on the verge of picking an airport to land at outside the ADIZ when ATC called and told us that our transponder was observed. I turned inbound, we approached Tipton, and landed. And that airplane is now grounded.

Landings are still rough; I'm flaring too high and floating along.