Most years the thought of flying through clouds in the winter is reserved for aircraft that are equipped to shed ice formation. Today was unusual because the temperature at 7000ft was almost 20 degrees higher than 4000ft! I was lucky to have reserved my lesson in this weather because it afforded me the experience of actual instrument conditions. There was a band of altitude that was very close to freezing but the temperature was higher above and below it. With multiple layers of clouds and the little bit of turbulence in them made it a challenging and fun lesson. I did much better with situational and spatial orientation this time which is a confidence booster.
With the progress I have made it won’t be too much longer until I schedule my Check Ride!
In other news, the Ruff-Air Mooney is being looked over meticulously for its annual inspection. So far, only a couple of normal wear parts are needing changed out. I assisted my mechanic by loosening the many inspection panels. Growing up a gear head, this fascinates me and provides a deeper understanding of the systems on the aircraft plus being shown what is normal vs abnormal. This annual will give me further piece of mind on those longer trips with friends, family, or rescue missions. The next step will be making it into a solid Instrument flight performer with some radio work. Getting better every day!
