This is a continuation of my multi-part series on learning to fly. You can read the whole Fly With Francis series here.

It has been a while since I last shared my progress in my flight training series. Recently, I completed my biennial flight review—a necessary checkup every two years with an instructor to ensure pilots maintain their flying proficiency and knowledge of regulations.

I’ve been actively flying around the Puget Sound area and even ventured over the mountains toward central Washington using planes rented from Galvin Flying.

Due to the Pacific Northwest’s notoriously dreary winter weather, characterized by low clouds and rain, I hadn’t flown in a couple of months. This past week, I got a break in the weather and arranged a practice session with a reliable CFI (Certified Flight Instructor).

I truly miss the structured environment of flight school, where you expect to face recurring challenges and perform unexpected maneuvers. Although flying solo presents its challenges, the routine can become predictable.

Our training session consisted of several loops around the traffic pattern at Seattle’s Boeing Field, practicing touch-and-go landings, before moving to one of our designated practice zones. In the flying community, we refer to this area as ’northeast practice’—situated to the northeast of BFI.

During our flight, we monitored traffic closely, as a good weather day tends to attract many flyers eager to take to the skies. The Cessna 172 we utilized was equipped with a Garmin G1000 system, which clearly displayed information about other aircraft in the vicinity.

While there was nothing groundbreaking about this particular flight, the focus was on fulfilling the requirements to keep my skills sharp. I’m scheduled to fly again this spring to simulate emergencies and refine my abilities further.

As we approach summer, I look forward to sharing more of this journey with you soon. Enjoy the skies!