My Student Pilot's Log
Key West

Flight 26

 

Flight 26: Sun, Feb 11. (2.4 / 33.3 / 4.4)

Several weeks ago my CFI told me that when his students get far enough in their training, he likes to take two of them on a dual (triple?) cross country. One student flies the plane while the other rides in the back, and the cost is split, so the hours spent as a passenger are free. It gives us a chance to relax, enjoy the flight without doing any of the work, and hopefully learn something from watching the other student.

Today the three of us went to Key West (EYW). (See the map below.) We took a Warrior since the other student owns it. (The 152 I normally use barely holds two people; the Warrior can take three and a half, or four without much fuel.) That also gave us the opportunity to go for the day since the plane didn't have to be back at any particular time.

The weather forecast for this morning was locally dense fog. It was clear at my house, but in the 15 minute drive to the airport I passed through some areas where I couldn't see more than half a mile in front of me. Morning fog usually burns off quickly, so I didn't expect it to be a problem. I got to the airport early and called for a weather briefing.

The conditions were supposed to be marginal for the next two hours for half the area we were planning to fly through. Our CFI arrived, looked at the weather data for the route, saw that the skies were generally clear above the fog, and filed an IFR (instrument) flight plan so he could get us out of town without a delay.

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