Today brought something new: ground reference maneuvers.

Weather was good: at 1730 CDT partly cloudy and warm (35 C) winds at 7 out of 130...as it turns out, winds aloft were more southerly and stronger (as per ATIS on 126.85 , 'Yankee'). We took off from 16. I did the radio (128.70): "Easterwood Ground Cessna 49785 at the Flying Club with Yankee" (then something I don't remember right now like "requesting south departure"). Ground responded with "Use one-six and Bravo" which is where we went for pre-takeoff checks. (I forgot the beacon. damn...how did I miss it on the checklist?)

After pre-takeoff, I switch freq to 118.50 and say"Easterwood Tower Cessna 49785 at one six and bravo ready for takeoff." Tower says something like "Roger 785 clear for takeoff on one six" and I say something like "Takeoff on one six. 785" And here we go!

We took off to the south and headed for some fields to the southwest that were fairly large and rectangular. Andy showed me a couple of ways to see which way the wind was blowing: dust from a vehicle on a dirt road, ripples in a pond. That's important because all maneuvers are to be started downwind. Altitude must be between 600 and 1000 feet AGL. I started at about 800' AGL and held it there pretty steady throughout the excercises.

The first was a large rectangle.Downwind to base requires a 45 degree bank, base to upwind about a 30 degree, upwind to across about 20, then back to downwind starts steep than flares out. I had to crab the crosswind legs because the wind kept blowing me to the north.

Next was a series of S's perpendicular to a road. Again, it tested the ability to hold altitude and precisely turn with, against and across the wind. Finally was a circle, which was not too hard when I centered the circle with the wingtip.

After these were done, I felt great! None were as hard as I thought...they were actually pretty fun. Using VOR navigation, we went down to Navasota and landed on what seemed like a 50' wide airstrip. I did an approach, then did a go-around, then did a second approach but Andy did the landing. Just as well...the cross wind might have blown me off the runway.

We then did a flaps-down short field cross-wind take off from Navasota runway 17, turned, set the NAV to 113.30 and kicked ass back to Easterwood (something like "Easterwood tower Cessna 49785 8 miles south approaching for a landing"), entered a left pattern downwind at midfield ("Easterwood tower Cessna 785 at midfield") and did a landing. Again, Andy set it down but I felt pretty good entering the pattern, turning to base and to final. Landed, as we had started, on 16.

I'm still pushing myself to complete a solo this month. Hope the weather cooperates...1.3 more hours brings the total to 8.6. Next flight: Wednesday.