29. Komatsu to Osaka Intl - 2 July 2004

	Between cloud layers
	Kyoto below
	Lake Biwa

The flights are getting shorter now: 115 or so nm at 8,500 ft.

After clinging to the coast for several miles, I passed Lakee Biaw, with Kyoto at its tip. Unfortunately, I only knew to look down because of station passage on the VOR: I was flying between two layers of cloud, and could see little of the terrain and city below me.

From Kyoto, I turned west to Osaka International Airport, which appears (from my map) to actually be closer to Kobe than Osaka.

*

Am still struggling to find the right formula for descending at the right rate: as I neared the airport, I was cleared to land, but found myself still 1,000 ft too high. I went around, slowing and descending as I went. By the time I got back on final, I was a little too low, and increased throttle to slow descent. Airspeed got too high, and I resorted to the airbrake in order slow down. Landing was ok, but I'm not nailing it like I was in the opening legs of this tour.