As much I could, I’m trying to make good on any promise I’m making. Today, I had an opportunity to do it. I had talked about my experience of learning to fly with one of my co-worker who shown also some interest in flying. He had flown several years ago but did not have a chance to fly ever since on a general aviation flight. I promised him that we will take the time to go fly but today is the last day of his assignment. So to make good on my promise, we did go fly.

On our way to the dam!

After heading down the airport, we went through the regular process of preparing the plane for the flight, going through the process of preflying the plane, down the pre-engine startup checklist until it is time to depart. So far everything went smooth. After we took off, conversation was going at a good pace. While we were joking, I tried to get my passenger, Aaron, to get involve into the flight by asking him to spot some elements on the ground.

As we were getting closer from the dam, I’ve started to talk about a peculiar airport: Lost Bridge Village also identified as 40AR. It is a private airport but open to the public. The particularity is that the runway is not almost shaped as a bowl towards the end. Compared to Bentonville, it is very narrow and a little shorter: 3,150’ vs. 4,082’ long and 40’ wide compared to the 65’ of Bentonville. The other characteristic is that it is located on top of a hill in the middle of a forest. So it is fairly hard to find if you are not in line with the runway.

As we were talking about the runway, Michael, my instructor, asked me if we have already landed there. I told him yes but I was not piloting, he was. His answer was fairly prompt to come. He grabbed the throttle and pulled it all the way back with only one comment:  “We lost the engine…”

Emergency Landing

I know immediately what it meant: Emergency Landing! With no engine, an airport close by, the situation is not that critical but we are very close and high so we will have to maneuvers to lose the altitude and being able to reach the airport safely.

So we made the airport and landed with runway to spare but I have to admit that I was not  very comfortable on the last phase of the landing. We were fairly high and I knew that I would not be able to touch down at the beginning of the runway. I’m usually approaching the runway at 75 knots but by the time I reached it, I was going over 90 knots! The extra 15 knots are not that great but still significant as I usually tend to be slow than fast on landing. Finishing the landing with the trees around was not too intimidating as I was looking down the runway but it is clear that the bump was hiding a good part of it and I wasn’t sure how much was left. When we finally touched down the runway, I felt a slight relief that we would not have to go around.

We then turned around and took off again to continue our trip as if nothing happened but I have to admit that I was not expecting such a maneuver as I usually try to limit the movement of the plane to the minimum to provide the most comfortable ride to my passenger. No need to scare them after the first flight!! But having flown previously, Aaron seemed to not mind the shaking but also enjoy it! I guess I will have to revise my flight profiles for passengers…

After flying over the dam, we turned around and started our return trip but I wanted to include a twist. Instead of doing a direct flight back to Bentonville, I wanted my passenger to experience the regional airport through a different angle. Most of my co-workers do not live in Bentonville and are actually flying airliners to come in and out every week. It was an opportunity to show them the airport from a different angle: the one were you are looking forward and can see the runway instead of looking through the side windows!

Touch & Go at XNA

I got in touch with the Air Traffic Controller and made a request for a touch and go. My request was granted and I was instructed to do it on runway 16.  Since I was coming from the east, it means that I was on the “right” side of the runway to enter left downwind. As we were coming closer to the airport, I got transferred from Approach to the XNA Tower (Regional Tower as they like to be called. After contacting the tower, I received a “Clear to land”. The runway is now mine and no one can land until I’m done! In other words, I better get moving if I don’t want to have a jet waiting … As I’m approaching to enter downwind, Michael reminded me that I can enter directly base and that would be ok. I do not have to obey the traffic pattern used on non towered airport. I’m changing my plan and aim for base. The runway is now close enough that I  need to start preparing the plane for landing. I’m reducing my speed, drop a first notch of flap and began my approach. The wind was ridiculously low so I know I can go full flap without any problem.

So what is the statistic I’m talking about? The number of landings when I took my solo flight: 125! Yes 125 landings before I got release to do my solo!

I have to say that I was pretty happy of this landing overall except that I did my round off a little too early and ended up coming down a little harder than I would have like. This detail apart, the landing was pretty good. When Michael said that I hurt his butt, I remembered that not so long ago, that would have been excellent landing! I took it as more progress required. Of course, he was joking but I understand the joke and the fact that I have to continue working on my landings!

Another thing about this approach is that you get such a nice view of the runway all lighted! See the picture below. They have been extracted from the video. Landing at XNA is like having a boulevard for yourself! Bentonville is 65’ wide. XNA is 150’ wide! It’s hard to miss it! And more importantly, the previous airport, Lost Bridge, was 40’ wide! It is almost 4 times smaller than XNA!
I always enjoy coming and landing at XNA! It’s always fun and I usually have a jet somewhere around to deal with.

Our touch and go finish, it is time to head back to the Bentonville.

Landing back home

Once airborne, we waited until we could reach a safe altitude, turn around and started our way back to our home airport: Bentonville. It was more than a quiet flight. It’s like coming back from a road trip, once you reach a certain area, you are not yet home but you know you are in well known area that you consider your trip done. We were coming from the west for a landing on 18 so it called for a flight over mid field, turning downwind and then base.

That was a much nicer landing! More inline with what I’m used to these days.

Conclusion

It was an interesting flight. We started pretty slowly but the flight got a little more entertaining. Between the good conversations and the maneuvers, I had a good time. But having to perform an emergency landing with a passenger was ‘kinda’ strange. I went straight into training mode and did not pay any attention to my passenger. When Michael asked him if he was doing ok, I’ve realized that the movement of the plane were far from the usual. It was an interesting experience and I think I will have to be careful with whom I’m doing a standard flight versus one with maneuvers. Not everybody might enjoyed being on a tight turn with no engine over the water trying to  land on a “sidewalk” sized runway in the middle of a forest!

Too bad Aaron last day in Bentonville was today, I think we can have done a few more interesting flights!