Warm Up

Tampa has been breaking records. Temperatures have been in the mid to high 80's. An early spring. I went out to the airport to give Sally some exercise. The fog lifted about 9:00am and it was still early for the scattered layer to form. I planned to spend an hour in the pattern at home base.

The Rotax was already warm by the time we taxied to the runup area. A good looking Cessna 152 was just starting his taxi to the hold short line. Obviously a student he was learning how to control the nosewheel. My engine runup complete, I waited. Traffic called at 5 miles on final on a practice IFR approach to the opposite runway. They waited. CHT rose to 237. I added a little throttle to help cool her down. It stabilized the temperature. I waited.

Finally, the approaching plane executed his missed and departed to the east. The Trainer took the runway and said his intentions were to depart to the east. I completed my checks and went to the hold short line. The trainer announced "Departure Leg" and I made my announcement to stay in the pattern. As I began my takeoff roll the trainer announce turning crosswind. What? OK, I took interval (gave him some extra space) and followed him on downwind. I gave him some additional space before turning base leg and was glad that I did when he announced full stop. He landed long. After landing I cleared the runway at the first exit and waited for him to taxi in front of me on the parallel taxiway. He went back to FBO. That was a lot of time spent on one circuit.

As we taxied to the approach end there was a Cessna in the runup area, another at the hold short line and a twin waiting on the nearby ramp. A Beechcraft had just turned base. We waited. My CHT was 208, no problem. The Beechcraft landed long, the Cessna announced his departure to the north. I asked if the twin was ready and he went next (I always try to defer to the big gas burners, Sally only burns about 1 gph  at idle.) The Cessna in the runup area didn't move so I went next. I practiced a maximum climb take off (Vx) and reached 700' agl by the end of the runway. 700' is my decision point for the "Impossible Turn". I announced crosswind and a Piper announced he was 5 miles out on a straight in. I left the throttle in as I turned downwind. I didn't see the Piper. I called base and the Piper had me in sight at 2 miles. Now I saw him. I announced I would go around. (3P's) Power, Pitch, Positive rate of climb. The rest of the pattern was normal, but still, it took me a lot of time for that next landing.

For the last one, I had the airport to myself. So I got 3 in, all felt good, and I had a chance to "play nice" with the other kids. It was a good warm-up for my situational awareness.