Encounter with Knee board on Flight to W75

A couple of weeks ago back I flew solo to Hummel Field airport id (W75) Virginia. As you know by now my home base airport is Fort Meade. The flight either way was aproximately 50 minutes so add run up time, taxi etc, the whole flight was about 150 minutes. Now to the interesting part. The Flight from KFME was uneventfull. At 8 miles to W75 at 200ft above pattern altittude and descending to enter W75 traffic pattern while prepareing the piper arrow for landing. I entered down wind for runway 1 (10 degrees), then base and then eventually final. At this point The plane is configured for landing so flaps and landing gear are down. I been through my GUMPS check list(Gas, Under carriage, Mixture, Prop Speed and Switches. I also notice that the control yorks movement is restricted especially elevator control. I exert a little more pressure than usual but that only leads to my right foot having less control on the right rudder padel. I ask my self what is happening. The plane is also still flying responding to the minimal imput from me. This immediately tells me this landing has to be aborted and go missed over the water and trouble shoot the problem. I put max power, reduce the flaps by one notch and retract the landing gear all leads to the arrow pitching up. Thais is fine for me since I do not have to pull on the york but rather push forward so the nose does not come up too high. Over the water I chose a spot and start going in circles, then I start checking the control wheel. At that instant I start laughing because the problem was my knee board was what was obstructing the control wheel. I removed it from my right thigh went back and made an uneventfull landing. Lessons learned every thing in and out of the plane can affect your flying experience. Loook out for all.

Trip to Accomack County Virginia

It was a hot day with temps in the upper 90s. I did my preflight check, called potomac approach and opened my flight plan at 2:05pm. was airborne at 2:20pm. I flew south east from tipton Fort Meade at 1300 ft below the class B airspace inner shelf surrounding BWI toward annapolis airport, still on flight plan. Beyond Annapolis I climbed to 3000 still in the washington ADIZ now the temps are in the low 80s so much more comfortable. I forgot to mention at this point I am over water the Chesapeake Bay. now turning more south towards patuxnet. In about 5 minutes I am out of the ADIZ and potamac approach lets me loose so I climb to my planned altitude of 6500ft now temps are in the upper 60s. I contact patuxent approach to find out if the restricted area where it will take me 15 minutes from where I am now to get to my destination or I can go around the restricted area that will take me 55 minutes.I have good news the restricted area is cold so I am given a squawk code and allowed in the resticted area. 9 minutes in a spot a bleeb on my panel mounted GPS in the middle of the water that indicates an airport so I am like what is that? I turn the control whell left and give it full right rudder so I can look down and still stay on course. This manuver costs me some speed. So I see this small Island with an air strip called Tangier Island (TGI) the image is what is displayed. At this point you can tell my excitement is showing with a big grin on my face. That is where I plan to go on my next trip. I plan to have my camcorder on this trip and will upload the landing and takeoff. Sorry got off track. I am now 7 minutes and 14 natical miles from my destination. I go through my descend check list and commence descent. At at 7 nautical miles I make my first call to accomack county airport and make my intension know. On the radio I here there is one plan on final and another 15 nautical miles from the airport also inbound to land. From here I make an uneventfull landing. I turn around and go back to fort meade. That was also uneventfull. In my next update I will talk about my encounter with the kneeboard on a previous flight.

Fort Meade (Odenton) --> Accomack County Airport

On July 2nd 2006, I made a pleasant flght from Fort Meade Odenton to Accomack County Airport. This was my 20th flight after getting my private pilot certificate in January 2005. It was a hot and humid day. I do not own a plane so I am a renter. I will be narrating my trip in my next update. I will also talk about my next trip and where I plan to go.

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