Flying Experience

Cania’s Long Cross Country (RHV->SAC->MOD->RHV)

This flight contains 3 legs. The first leg is from Reid Hillview Airport (RHV) to Sacramento Executive Airport (SAC). Its distance is 84 nautical miles. The second leg is from Sacramento Executive Airport (SAC) to Modesto Airport (MOD). Its distance is 58 nautical miles. The third leg is from Modesto Airport (MOD) back to Reid Hillview Airport. Its distance is 66 nautical miles. The total distance for the whole trip is 208 nautical miles.

I preflight the Cessna 152 N6427Q. At 8:30am, after reviewing my flight plan with my flight instructor Alicia, I am ready to go. My instructor said, “Wind calm and sky clear. What a perfect day to finish your long cross country!” I start my adventure….

I take off from Reid Hillview at 31R heading northeast to Calaveras Reservoir. I climb to 5500 ft. At 8:41 am, I am over the Calaveras Reservoir. I activate my flight plan to Sacramento Executive Airport with Oakland Flight Service Station on frequency 122.5. Then I contact the Norcal Approach and listen on frequency 135.4. I talk back and forth with Norcal Approach three times. I finally get the squawk code right. After requesting flight following and activate my flight plan, I start looking for my third check point. Oh no, everything looks the same to me. Where is my check point? However, there is no turning point now…I keep thinking that I should be fine. Just be brave!

Since I miss my third reference point, I start screaming to Norcal Approach to locate where I am. They are so helpful and tell me that I am 5 miles south of the Byron Airport which is my third reference point. I am still on track. I lean out the mixture when I am at 5500ft. Even I cannot spot where my fifth (Funny Farm Airport) and sixth (Spezia Airport) reference point are, I am still very calm. They are very hard to find anyway. I talk to myself. The biggest three obstruction is my seventh reference point. I cannot miss that one. It is the most important reference point which I need to start descending. Luckily, Norcal Approach jumps in. And tell me that I need to start descending now and changing frequency to other Norcal Approach. I start descending from 5500 ft to 2000 ft. All right, it is 500 rpm stabilize descend. With some free time, I check all the instruments. “Oil pressure is good; heading indicator matches the compass; engine speed is in green arc etc. “ Wow, so quick I am approaching Sacramento Executive Airport. I am cruising at 2000 ft and am actively looking for the airport. As I am more close to Sacramento Executive Airport, I tune the frequency to 119.5. Although I am not quite sure how far I am from the Sacramento Executive Airport, I know I am close. I tune the frequency to 125.5 to get the weather information. “Oscar … wind calm ... visibility 20 … Altimeter 30.04… Runway 20….” I got the weather information and I start report to Sacramento Executive Tower. They come back and said, “27Q. You are still 5 miles south of the airport.” Oops! “ Report when you are entering downwind”. I roger back. In my head, where is the airport? I am still not sure. Scary?

The airport looks like this picture. In front of me, it looks like something similar. Let me see. It has number “2” on one side. That is right. Then I start report downwind.

Where is my landing checklist? Oh, I cannot find it. Then I deep breathe three times. Let me do it. “Stabilize descend, turn Carb Heat on, slow down to 80 knot, add 10 degree flap, …. blah blah blah.”

I hope I have taken pictures when I do my approach… Never did. Why? I am too busy with all the procedures.

Finally, I land safely in Sacramento Executive Airport. The next tough question is how to taxi to the Fuel Island. Maybe I am too nervous. I request progressive taxi instruction with Sacramento Executive Tower. Yes, with Tower. If you know how to fly, you know what I do wrong. Fortunately, the tower responses back nicely. “Contact ground for progressive taxi instruction”. I did. I get out from Charles taxiway. Turn left and right. Finally, I am in the Fuel Island. Someone is filling his tank. I stop and wait. “la la la”. Ground control comes back. “You know, you can go to the other side of the Island.” Ooops, someone is watching me. So good! I taxi to the other side of the Island.

Then I try to fill up my tank. Swipe my credit card, select the fuel grade, and input the call sign. I think that everything is ready to go. In fact, it is not like what I think at all. The fuel pump is so heavy. I climb up the ladder and try to fill it up. Oh no, nothing is coming out from the pump. I start calling my honey’s cell and ask what I can do.

Of course, how can he help?

At the time I think I may need to go without filling up the tank. Suddenly, I see the fuel truck is coming.

What a relief!

Everything is set and ready. I need to start my second leg. I request progressive taxi back to runway 20. I do all the normal “blah blah blah” check. Sacramento Executive Tower is so kind to the student pilot like me. He gives me the squawk code “4235” and Norcal Approach frequency 125.25 before I take off. With the information handy, I take off again. At 10:28am, I am airborne again. Climbing to 5500 ft and turning my heading to 140, everything is set. This time, I am not that busy. Thus, I start taking pictures. The below pictures are taking near the Franklin Airport.

If you ask me where the Franklin Airport is, I honestly tell you that I have no idea. When I am over the Lodi Airport (my second reference point), I am informed by Norcal Approach that where I am. Norcal Approach said , “You are directly over the Lodi Airport. Frequency change to …. ”

Look all the same. Right? The water like thing (left side of the picture) is Camanche Reservoir. Look Cool?

It is close to the private Wallom Airport.

Near the Stockton Airport, I start descending from 5500 ft. It takes a while to be leveled off at 2000ft. Norcal Approach approves my frequency change to freq 125.3 Modesto Airport. I get the ATIS on frequency 127.7. “Bravo,… visibility 10 … wind 2008 … Altimeter 30.02 ... Runway 28”. I report to Modesto Airport when I am about 10 miles north from there. Modesto Tower comes back and tells me “Traffic at 2 o’clock 2000 ft”. I spot the plane and reply back “Traffic in sight, 27Q.” He praises and says, “Good eyes”. However, I cannot even locate where the airport is.” The tower replies, “27Q, Clear to land, 28R”. At this moment, oh, I pass over the airport. I see “28R” on the runway. I do the 180 degree turn and try to enter the base leg. Oh, I miss it. I am still too high. I am at 2000 ft. I make another circle, lost some attitude and try to land at 28R again. This is my second try! Everyone holds short on the hold short line and waits for me to land. It makes me so nervous. “Pull the power, add 20 degree flap … blah, blah, blah.” I am finally on the ground again. I taxi to the flight operations store. I take a little break there. People there are very nice to me.

Now, someone directs me to park with the hand signals. Oh, where is my cheat sheet? I just smile.

I park the plane with the guy help. I take a little break to review what I have to do next. I am ready to head back to Reid Hillview airport. “Almost done!” It keeps popping from my head. The final leg for me is a little challenge. I have to locate where the Livermore airport is and then make a 90 degree left turn. Otherwise, I will be heading to bravo airspace. Since I fail to locate most of the reference points in the previous two legs, I am a bit nervous. There is no turning point… I have to go with my guts! This time, I climb to 3500 ft. I contact Norcal Approach and request flight following back to Reid Hillview airport. Norcal Approach is so busy at this time. I almost wait for 15 minutes for my chance to jump in. The sky is so beautiful although I don’t know exactly where I am. I try to use the VOR. I turn frequency to Manteca VOR. Oh, what next? I give up using VOR and contacting Norcal Approach for my location. Norcal Approach tells me to head to 173. I am wondering. Does it mean I need to climb over the mountain? I am hesitating. I keep my heading to 260 as to look for Livermore Airport to make the turn. The lake is easy for me to spot rather than the airport. With some common logic, I locate the Byron Airport. It is amazing! I make a turn and head to 170. Oh, everywhere starts look familiar. I am almost home. Although I have difficult to communicate with Norcal Approach in my final leg, I definitely know where I am. I start descending to 2000 ft from 3500 ft when I am over Calaveras Reservoir. I request frequency change to Reid Hillview Tower. Norcal Approach replies back, “Airport in sight.” Of course, I am happy and response back. Getting ATIS and checking the approach procedure, I land at 31R with a “not-so-soft” landing. My long cross country flight takes almost 3 1/2 hours. I am glad I make it!