I ended up renting a Gutless Cutlass from the local flight school to get back and forth to Morris. This was probably the first time I've flown SE alone in about 6 years, maybe even longer.
In any case - to my mind, this engine didn't run very smooth. I don't know if it's just that I'm unaccustomed to it, or that it's a 4 banger, or that the prop is unbalanced, or what. It just runs rough and it feels like it rather wouldn't. Fuel pressure at the very bottom of the green arc etc. In any case, as you depart LA for the north you have all all these mountains you need to cross, and with pretty slim chances of putting her down anywhere.
And it just got to me.
My palms were sweating, heart rate up, on the alert at all times, listening for any little difference in sound from the engine. Was that a burning smell I felt? At 9000ft an engine fire has a long time to crisp you right over before you get to the ground. Did engine stumble a bit? Doesn't it sound different? Sure does, right? On and on as your mind plays its tricks on you. And when the vent tube at top of windscreen popped out by itself and rushed air in, I literally jumped in my seat!
Haha, what a wuss I am, I couldn't help thinking. But the whole trip was more or less uncomfortable. Even over the Central Valley where there's only flat fields and tons of emergency landing spots, I kept worrying about my return to LA when it was gonna quit over high density populated area!
In any case, since there's no way of fixing how a mind plays tricks on you, I think I'll just have to continue to go broke on twins for peace of mind…
