Today, we had excellent weather, but it was hot, almost 90 degrees. Since there was quite a bit of haze, we decided to move onto practicing go arounds in the pattern and come back to stalls and emergency descents at a later time.

We hopped in 976SP and taxied around some construction work. Runup was done near the ramp because the runup area for 34 was closed. They are repairing a lot of the ramp and taxi area. The wind was out of 300 at 8 kts.

I climbed out normally and stayed in right closed traffic today, turning crosswind at 1300 and leveling out at 1600 while making my turn to downwind. My instructor was working the radio so I could concentrate on flying the plane. He had me do a go around from downwind, which is a normal turn to base but holding altitude, then a turn on upwind. We crossed just over the departure end of 16 to join the downwind again. Next, was a go around from base, which meant I needed to terminate my glide, put in full power, climb at 80 until 1600, then make my turn to upwind and complete that circuit again. Then, we did a go around from final. Maintaining center line, He told me to go around, which I did, then completed the circuit again. On final, maintaining centerline, we did a go around from landing flare. The next time, we did a touch and go.

At this point my instructor mentioned something about my ability to maintain extended centerline on final. I think he said no one had done it that well unassisted the first times. So, he set me up for a touch and go. I landed the plane and did my touch and go and he let me know that it was all unassisted! Wow, those 180 hours on the flight simulator sure paid off! But, this time he wanted me to do all the work myself. I got down to the runway and got fixated on a point on the runway instead of looking far down the runway and he had to flare it before I did. Oh well, something I need to work on. But, it was great to finally land the plane!!!

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