Graeme J W Smith

Out of Providence on a perfect day and off to the Newport Training Area. After the last lesson – I’d asked to practice steep turns. The plane was climbing out hands off once trimmed out. “Whatever you want” said Greg when we got in the training area. I flew my clearing turns and then two steep turns, clearing turns and two steep turns. 8 steep turns later the instructor called a halt. “They were all to PTS and on two sequences you rolled from one to the other and stayed in PTS – that is a Commercial Maneuver not Private Pilot – you’ve got it – let’s go do some short fields at Newport”.

We dropped into Newport as I worked it to drop in over the mythical tall trees at the end of the runway. Two were OK but not terrific and one was a bit late so I went around. On our last taxi around at Newport we came across a rudder lock lying in the taxiway. I stopped and called UNICOM and they said they would come out and pick it up. More to the point – it had not been there before when we taxied round before. I could see a small twin engine aircraft warming up in the corner. After we took off we called to clarify that the lock was a recent item on the taxiway. UNICOM replied that they had reunited it with the owner. Hopefully before he took off with his other control locks still on!

Then a long slow vector for sequence back to Providence. It was nice but we were beginning to wonder if the controller had forgotten about us as we flew slowly north watching a stream of jets flying south for the runway. We were about to call when the controller announced – “503SP – follow the Boeing 737 passing overhead about now – cleared to land number two with caution for wake turbulence”. We looked up and 500ft above us a 737 drifted over. COOL! We followed him in.

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