One final look at a stunning sunset painting the cockpit & Long Island Sound golden to my right, my home & the Great South Bay pink to the left; before turning full focus on landing.
I set up final approach, destination KISP.
Pink skies filling my eyes, Pink Floyd's words in my mind's ears....
"Can't keep my eyes from the circling sky, Tongue-tied & twisted, Just an earthbound misfit, I"
... my spirit silently calls God in control from heavens above, my senses call Air Traffic Control in towers below.
"New York Approach, Skyhawk November-Two-Four-Three-Eight-Siera inbound for landing, full stop Islip, is at 2000 feet, 8 miles Northeast of you, with information Zulu."
Radio 118.0. Altimeter two-niner-niner-two. Transponder squawk 4377 & ident. ATC controllers Eye Inbound I as I light up their radar scopes.
"Three-Eight Sierra, Radar Contact. Maintain altitude at or below 2000. Number 2 for landing Runway 24 following Southwest 885."
"Three-Eight Sierra is number 2 following Southwest. Traffic in sight."
Before landing checklist. All items check. Reduce airspeed 120 knots to flap deployment range. 110 knots as ground passes below at 120 mph. Mixture Rich. Fuel Tanks Both. Landing lights On. Strobe on. Adjust course to port, correct for wind. Heading south-west, following Southwest.
Start descent. Speed down to 90 knots. Descent rate steady, ground rushing up 500 feet per minute. Apply rudder. Nose pointed to landing spot. Line up Runway 24.... Runway numbers on spot.
Wind updrafts assert themselves. Adjust power. Adjust attitude. Wings level. Stay in control. My plane, I tell the wind. Wind calms. Adjust trim. Looking good. VASI Red Over White; We're Alright.
"Three-Eight Sierra, you are cleared to land. Caution, Wake Turbulence."
Maintain glide slope. All instruments green. Throw in full flaps. Reduce power. Field is made. Pass last obstacle. Power idle. Hand on throttle, ready to go-around.
Right on the numbers. Maintain centerline. Ground effect. Ground effect. Ground effect. Back pressure. Rudder. Centerline. Back pressure.Back pressure. Stall Warning horn whistles. Back pressure. Stall Warning horn louder. Three feet, two feet, one foot… Back pressure. Main gear touch down. Wheels kiss the runway. Bleed speed. Nose wheel is down. Hello, solid ground.
A squeaker! Thank you, God, for the gift of flight and the bounty of a safe return to earth, as stationary runway lights fly past.
Not done yet. Flaps up. Motors whirring. Switch Comms. Strobe Off. Transponder Standby. Pass runway 33L. Expect exit Taxiway Bravo.
"Ground, Three-Eight Sierra is on Two Four, taxi to Mid-Island."
"Three-Eight Sierra, welcome back. No delay. Exit Bravo-Charlie-cross runway 10/28-Sierra-Whiskey to Mid-Island. Southwest 1673 is pulling out and holding for you."
"Three-Eight Sierra, no delay. Bravo-Charlie-cross runway 10/28-Sierra-Whiskey to Mid-Island. Thank you."
New York Home, I'm coming home!
© 2011 IMRAN™
DSCN1182
PS I post very few pictures of myself here. For that I use FaceBook (feel free to connect facebook.com/IMRAN.TV ) but posting this at the insistence of my good friends there that are also friends here on Flickr. I hope you enjoyed this summarized memory of a recent flight.
I set up final approach, destination KISP.
Pink skies filling my eyes, Pink Floyd's words in my mind's ears....
"Can't keep my eyes from the circling sky, Tongue-tied & twisted, Just an earthbound misfit, I"
... my spirit silently calls God in control from heavens above, my senses call Air Traffic Control in towers below.
"New York Approach, Skyhawk November-Two-Four-Three-Eight-Siera inbound for landing, full stop Islip, is at 2000 feet, 8 miles Northeast of you, with information Zulu."
Radio 118.0. Altimeter two-niner-niner-two. Transponder squawk 4377 & ident. ATC controllers Eye Inbound I as I light up their radar scopes.
"Three-Eight Sierra, Radar Contact. Maintain altitude at or below 2000. Number 2 for landing Runway 24 following Southwest 885."
"Three-Eight Sierra is number 2 following Southwest. Traffic in sight."
Before landing checklist. All items check. Reduce airspeed 120 knots to flap deployment range. 110 knots as ground passes below at 120 mph. Mixture Rich. Fuel Tanks Both. Landing lights On. Strobe on. Adjust course to port, correct for wind. Heading south-west, following Southwest.
Start descent. Speed down to 90 knots. Descent rate steady, ground rushing up 500 feet per minute. Apply rudder. Nose pointed to landing spot. Line up Runway 24.... Runway numbers on spot.
Wind updrafts assert themselves. Adjust power. Adjust attitude. Wings level. Stay in control. My plane, I tell the wind. Wind calms. Adjust trim. Looking good. VASI Red Over White; We're Alright.
"Three-Eight Sierra, you are cleared to land. Caution, Wake Turbulence."
Maintain glide slope. All instruments green. Throw in full flaps. Reduce power. Field is made. Pass last obstacle. Power idle. Hand on throttle, ready to go-around.
Right on the numbers. Maintain centerline. Ground effect. Ground effect. Ground effect. Back pressure. Rudder. Centerline. Back pressure.Back pressure. Stall Warning horn whistles. Back pressure. Stall Warning horn louder. Three feet, two feet, one foot… Back pressure. Main gear touch down. Wheels kiss the runway. Bleed speed. Nose wheel is down. Hello, solid ground.
A squeaker! Thank you, God, for the gift of flight and the bounty of a safe return to earth, as stationary runway lights fly past.
Not done yet. Flaps up. Motors whirring. Switch Comms. Strobe Off. Transponder Standby. Pass runway 33L. Expect exit Taxiway Bravo.
"Ground, Three-Eight Sierra is on Two Four, taxi to Mid-Island."
"Three-Eight Sierra, welcome back. No delay. Exit Bravo-Charlie-cross runway 10/28-Sierra-Whiskey to Mid-Island. Southwest 1673 is pulling out and holding for you."
"Three-Eight Sierra, no delay. Bravo-Charlie-cross runway 10/28-Sierra-Whiskey to Mid-Island. Thank you."
New York Home, I'm coming home!
© 2011 IMRAN™
DSCN1182
PS I post very few pictures of myself here. For that I use FaceBook (feel free to connect facebook.com/IMRAN.TV ) but posting this at the insistence of my good friends there that are also friends here on Flickr. I hope you enjoyed this summarized memory of a recent flight.
