Cold weather flying can be a lot of fun. The air is smooth, dense, and generally clear. The only problems besides the potential for bad weather and dreaded ice is preflighting in the cold. The temperature was around freezing when I got to the airport. It was expected to warm up later in the day. The aircraft was hangered so I could do a lot of the preflight inside. The pattern was very busy and the wind was all but calm. Runway 11 was in use. Approaches were made over the water and crossed over the Bay Bridge perpendicularly.
My aircraft for today was the low wing Sierra. I normally fly the red one, but today I flew its "twin", a sharp looking blue one. This one has a few more amenities such as an autopilot, dual glass panels, and some map pockets. The second glass panel displays the engine instruments and systems status. It took some getting used to but I found it was pretty cool.
I made my first takeoff from runway 11 and headed south along Kent Island. I really didn't have a particular destination as I climbed to 3000ft. I headed south as far a Poplar Island before turning around and heading back to the airport. The approach to runway 11 is not especially tricky. I'm just not used to coming in over water. Flight instructors talk about students being "ground shy." I guess I was water shy because on my first approach I was high on final and had to go around. It was just as well because it was good practice. You have to juggle several things at once during a good around, it's very high workload. My second approach was much better although it is weird to be coming in so "low" over the water. Just to make sure the last landing wasn't just luck, I taxied back and flew another time around the pattern. Another decent landing. With only a hour in the blue Sierra it's hard to pick my favorite. I think that the hanger and the extra glass panel give the blue one a bit of an edge. I've already scheduled my next flight in it.
My aircraft for today was the low wing Sierra. I normally fly the red one, but today I flew its "twin", a sharp looking blue one. This one has a few more amenities such as an autopilot, dual glass panels, and some map pockets. The second glass panel displays the engine instruments and systems status. It took some getting used to but I found it was pretty cool. 
I made my first takeoff from runway 11 and headed south along Kent Island. I really didn't have a particular destination as I climbed to 3000ft. I headed south as far a Poplar Island before turning around and heading back to the airport. The approach to runway 11 is not especially tricky. I'm just not used to coming in over water. Flight instructors talk about students being "ground shy." I guess I was water shy because on my first approach I was high on final and had to go around. It was just as well because it was good practice. You have to juggle several things at once during a good around, it's very high workload. My second approach was much better although it is weird to be coming in so "low" over the water. Just to make sure the last landing wasn't just luck, I taxied back and flew another time around the pattern. Another decent landing. With only a hour in the blue Sierra it's hard to pick my favorite. I think that the hanger and the extra glass panel give the blue one a bit of an edge. I've already scheduled my next flight in it.
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