CHO (hopefully) this thu afternoon

I'm scheduled to go to CHO this Thu afternoon (but long term weather doesn't look good for it). This will involve filing a flight following flight plan as well as ADIZ flight plan for out and back. I'm also taking JYO -> 2GV2 -> CHO out and CHO -> CSN VOR -> Purcellville -> JYO back so the flight following plans are different. I'm also going to make myself use the E-6B for computations on the way (the GPS will be a last resort).

lions and tigers and flight computers, oh my!

I've been using an E-6B (and I suck at it). I have a flight planning session coming up for a trip from JYO to CHO. So far, each time I've had to use the E-6B I've fumbled with it, gotten the scale wrong, gotten the answer wrong, yadda yadda yadda. I'm thinking that I need a "real" flight computer (ie "easy to use") so I'm looking at the ASA CX-2 since it's available at my FBO store (and I need it for tomorrow). Any readers have any thoughts on flight computers that they'd like to pass along?

prepping for cross country

i flew again today, this time from jyo to okv and then mrb and then back to jyo, full stops at each. there was some crosswind which wasn't bad but the gusts were pretty good. i've still got a ways to go to handle gusts without having to stop and think about it. one thing to note if you fly in this area, mrb's runway is being worked on and has been shortened to 2,300 ft i think. that is a heads up for you for when your instructor asks if you have checked the notams for mrb and you say yes and then you answer his question about runway length incorrectly... i expected all of the airports to be busy being a fri afternoon but they weren't at all.

(another duh moment)

I meant to pass along a lesson learned on my first night flight. When you're clicking on the pilot controlled lighting, don't count the clicks aloud because anyone on the CTAF can hear you.
My instructor pointed this out to me (as i was doing it), duh.

FAA Safety presentation at HEF

I went to an interesting faasafety.gov presentation at HEF (Manassas) a couple of days ago. While there I heard about this site:
http://www.seeandavoid.org/

Using that, you can find military and related airspaces and also see various other things. I think it was put up by the National Guard but I'm not sure. During the presentations there was also some discussion on military activities around Patuxent which was interesting to listen to.

second night flight and a friend overflies

Had my second night flight last night. This time I stayed in the pattern and worked on landings. There was a little crosswind and it was hot so it was a tiring experience (but neat). Also, while working touch and goes we got a radio call on the CTAF from an instructor that left a little while back and went to the airlines. He was in a Dash 8 in the area. That was also pretty neat. I wish there had been more time to find out what it's like making that kind of change.
On crosswind, particularly at night, I'm having trouble keeping a crab angle in once I start it. It seems that as soon as I do something else (like turn in the pattern) I tend to forget about it and have to work out the wind direction again. I also had a little aggravation last night in that I didn't adjust my seat correctly. Being somewhat tallish, it's easy to have the yoke touch my knee which I find very distracting.

night flying (and the adiz)

just got back from my first night flight, it was neat (more later). i did hear that a student flying a cross country out of JYO got lost on the way back and busted the ADIZ. they were intercepted by two F-16s and sent to MRB. i suspect all instructors in the area will be reviewing lost procedures with their students soon.