Commercial Training Flight To St. Augustine Florida

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As a pilot based in Gainesville, Georgia I had to make the all-important decision of where to fly the long solo commercial cross country…250 NM straight line and 300 NM total. I immediately looked south. St. Augustine Florida was calling my name. So, I planned the flight and went! It was a 3 leg cross country, including stops at St. Augustine (KSGJ), Valdosta (KVLD), and back to home base Gainesville (KGVL). I filed IFR for the flight even though it was beautiful VFR just because I can… if help is there, might as well use it! I really appreciate being able to use the IFR system.

Here I am, the able pilot in command…

Pilot In Command

No, there were not passengers, that’s me stretching to take the picture. It was a beautiful day for flying. The winds aloft were in my favor on the way down. The Cessna 172SP I was flying cruises at 110 knots, and I was consistently doing 135 to 145 knots nearly the whole way down there. Not so good for the trip home.

I’m a sucker for a beautiful beach coast, and I could feel the excitement building as I approached it. I love Florida.

Approaching St. Augustine Coast

It took about 2 and a half hours to get down there, thanks to the fantastic tail wind. I paid for it later, don’t worry. Based on the forecast winds aloft and surface winds for the St. Augustine area, I knew it was going to be a fun approach and landing. Since I have a shiny new instrument rating, I had to ask for an ILS approach to runway 31 that took me out over the ocean to join the localizer.

As I flew over the bay, I realized that the winds may be even stronger than forecast…

Evidence Of Strong Winds At St. Augustine

You don’t even have to look closely to see the folds in the water from the wind! Yikes! I almost felt like I was back in Texas. I’m so glad I learned to fly in Texas where it’s rare to have winds less than 10 knots. Upon checking weather at St. Augustine before descent, I discovered that the winds were 010 degrees at 13 knots gusting 17. Runway 31 was the active runway. Here comes the cross wind landing practice. As I was turned out over the ocean to join the ILS for runway 31, the view was was distractingly beautiful. This is why I fly. Can’t express how much I appreciate it.

Vectored Out Over The Ocean To Join ILS

Vectors Over Ocean To Join ILS St. Augustine

Here’s some further evidence of my location at the time…look at that su-weeeeet moving map!

Moving Map Showing KSGJ

So, I joined the approach and crabbed all the way down to the runway. After applying nearly full rudder, I put the right wheel down softly, held her there for what seemed like forever while the wind gusted, then the left wheel settled down, followed by the nose wheel. Was a great cross wind landing right on the centerline…credit goes straight to Calvin, my instructor from Texas for doing such an awesome job teaching me cross wind landings.

After an awesome Mahi sandwich right there at St. Augustine Airport (yes, that’s how I pick my airports…must have food!), I was off to Valdosta. The bay was beautiful on climbout…

Bay Near St. Augustine

On the way over to Valdosta, I experienced my token “impossible to understand” controller. He told me to “cross 25 southeast at 4000.” I’m used to hearing something like “descend to 4000 at your discretion” or “descend and maintain 4000.” I just wasn’t sure what he wanted…so I had to ask. I hate that becuase I inevitably get attitude. Turns out, as I suspected, he meant that I was supposed to be at 4000 feet when I was 25 NM southeast of valdosta. I just wanted to know if I was authorized to descend immediately or not. The way it was said threw me off. Then, I knew it wasn’t just me when while getting vectors for the GPS 35 at Valdosta, I was barked at with the question “32W, say your cross wind component.” The cross wind was about 25 knots right on my right wing, he he. Then he figured it out and yapped “turn 20 degrees right”…that’s a pretty sizeable correction. So I was getting blown all over God’s creation. You can tell exactly where I transitioned to this controller by where the zig-zags begin in the picture below…

Valdosta Approcah Control

My stay in Valdosta wasn’t very long. I topped off the fuel, filed a flight plan for the final leg, and off I went. While waiting to receive my takeoff clearance at the runway, I spotted a passenger jet taxiing towards me. I knew it would be trouble. Since I was blocking the entrance to the runway, he parked himself at the first taxiway…

Jet Waiting On Taxiway Valdosta I knew I was about to get “reprioritized”. Of course, he got clearance for take-off first, proceeded to taxi onto the runway, backtaxi the 30 feet back to the very end of the 8002 foot runway just to rub it in, and take off. Caution wake turbulance!

Jet Priority Valdosta

Maybe that’ll be me one day taking priority over the peons. I can’t complain. Check out this beautiful sunset on the way back north just before Macon, Georgia. So stinking pretty.

Sunset In Georgia

Just after taking this picture, I was asked by the controller, “see those cars down there on the highway, does it bother you that they’re passing you?” He he. I don’t know why he would ask since I was screaming along at 85 knots! That head wind did indeed end up to be pretty stinking aweful. Yeah, slow ride home, but I enjoyed every second.

What a great learning experience. Overall, it was a great flight. I landed at Gainesville at 7:30 for a full, full day of flying (7 hours!). The final landing of the day was good to finish the day off.

Look forward to the next flight!

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