Another lesson in the books

After a couple of weekends of bad winds, finally got up in the air again.
Cross country practice with my back up instructor, KVNY to KIZA, 82 miles as the crow flies, furthest i have flown yet.
Did my hand written nav log and flight plan as the school instructed, i was to use no GPS or VOR's, all maps, dead reckoning, compass and looking out the window.
I was very disappointed yesterday to find the AOPA web site has changed its flight planner
section. Before it was very easy to use and you could see or remove as much information as you wanted. Now it appears to be very cluttered and slow, and unnecessarily "busy". A step back IMHO.
Normal preflight on the aircraft, got my clearance from delivery wrong on the read back, i asked for and was given a right cross wind departure, but read back "right down wind" which the controller then amended and changed it all up.. no big deal in the end.

On climb out control gave us a couple of vectors to avoid inbound traffic, which put us way off our starting point for my nav log, my instructor said OK find your way to the first point using anything you have and we will just start from there. so GPS to the Fillmore VOR, then once there he turned down the G1000 so i had blank screens, so all i had was a map, my log, my watch and the windows. Worked out OK and i found my way to Santa Ynez just fine.
First time at a none controlled airport..little disconcerting,with out any of my usual reference points, my landing was not good, but i got it down. Winds are crazy in that valley.
Had to do a go around on one as while i was on short final, a guy in a piper felt the need to enter the run way and take off without making a call or looking out the window..now i know why its called "cowboy country" LOL.
The way home was simple enough, just reversed the course and follow the coast .
Landing at Van Nuys was easy, wake turbulence, change of runway assignment and a tail wind seemed easy compared to the other field.
Lessons learned today, don't rush anything, stay ahead of the aircraft, learn as much as you can about a new airport before you go there, and i have to get better on the rudders in that last 5 feet of ground effect when the wind is blowing..
Next week same trip on my own...if i feel up to it.
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Sounds like a nice flight. Looking forward to how the solo flight goes. Take lots of pics...

 

Thanks Lou, will do. Got to get in practice for our trip to Catalina
I love the input of you professional types, I was complaining to one of my customers who is a pilot for continental, about having to do the "old school" navigation when i have all this technology in front of me, his simple reply, " what do you do if it all fails ?" oh yeah didn't think of that..simple but true..and whats the first thing my instructor does..just what you suggested Lou, turn them down/cover them up..learn to fly the plane with the basics.
I've Been doing self analysis of my flight. My problems in and around the non controlled airport i think came from worrying too much about what everyone else was doing, instead of concentrating on my work, 90kts on down wind, power flaps, turn base, descend 300ft, 80kts, 2nd notch of flaps, power, turn final and maintain 70kts, 65 on short final and Bobs your uncle..hence the plane got ahead of me so i was playing catch up with speeds and heights etc.
One thing keeps happening to me, is every time my instructors take away the G1000 from me either by covering it up or turning it off, how much better my "flying" is.
On the way out with the screens "off" my altitude did not vary by more than a 100 feet over 80 miles..on the way back i was playing "catch the tape" and going up and down constantly..im learning maybe the G1000 has to much going on for a student, but i love it.
I post these threads so i can learn from all you who have been there and done that so i may gleam a little of your wisdom, and progress from that. Hope they don't come off that I'm trying to impress anyone.