Flying safe

I'd learned of the job interview only two days before. The trip to Lancaster, Pennsylvania - a six-and-one-half-hour drive from our home in Rochester, New York - would take only one-and-one-half hours in our Mooney M20E. Flying to the interview would be less tiring and more fun than driving, I thought. On the appointed day, the weather briefing was encouraging. At departure time, Rochester was forecast to be marginal VFR. The weather was set to improve later in the morning and remain at 2,500 feet overcast with a chance of two miles' visibility and snow showers. En route weather was forecast to be overcast at 2,000 to 3,000 feet with no ice below 7,000. The weather at Lancaster was VFR.
http://www.aopa.org/members/ftmag/article.cfm?article=3460

Chicken Wings

Tips for the VFR pilot on losing altitude from on high

You're VFR, not used to flying high or even flying very far, but the best winds are at 9,500 feet above the ground. So you're up there, marveling at being almost two miles into the sky, and wondering when you should descend.
http://www.aopa.org/members/files/pilot/2003/down0302.html

Chicken Wings

The Student Experience: Presolo

The sun was dipping slowly beyond the horizon as I turned downwind for the fifty-eighth landing of my short flying career. At the midfield point, I radioed the tower asking for a full stop, which was promptly granted. Abeam the numbers the mental checklist went into action: carb heat on, throttle back to 1,700 rpm, 10 degrees of flaps, 80 kt indicated airspeed, check the mixture and fuel selector. Everything looked good.
http://www.aopa.org/members/ftmag/article.cfm?article=5300

Chicken Wings