End of year wrap up

Several lessons since my last post. Here's how the year wrapped up:

- I was supposed to have my pre-solo stage check with the chief instructor on 12/22. The only problem was that the plane wouldn't start. By the time it fired up, it was time to go, so no test today.

- 12/24 lesson had some mild wind for a change, so we did pattern work with landings. Since I was recovering from a cold, we only did a handful of landings. All of them were solid, and it was good experience in the slightly gusty winds.

- 12/28, had the rescheduled stage check. I got to the airport at 8 AM. It was still pretty dark, cold and quiet. Thankfully the plane started right up. Unfortunately, my flying sucked. The chief was very forward about what I was not doing well. Most of it centered around not using enough right rudder on climbout, and not enough rudder entering and exiting turns. We did a few stalls, a steep turn, and four landings. I figured that was it. Nope - he signed me off for my first solo, and off I went. Three trips around the traffic pattern, and all with good if not great results. In all honesty, it was sort of a blur. Still, nice to get that milestone done.

- 12/31, still recovering from the cold, we started in on short and soft field takeoffs and landings. Only four trips around the pattern. Not a good day of flying. I was fine except for the last part of landing. Everything just felt like it was happening too fast, and I couldn't get ahead of the plane. My CFI offered to let me go do a pattern or two on my own, but I begged out. I didn't feel safe on my own.

So, that's it for 2006. 20.8 hours, 59 landings, .7 hours of Pilot in Command. Next up, getting ready for the cross country flights.