Specialized Helicopters, Robinson R22 Lesson #27, Flight Following to San Martin

Twenty-seventh Robinson R22 lesson with Specialized Helicopters
Summary: KHWD - E16 with Flight Following and back without
R22 Total Time: At Start 29.7hrs., At End 31.3 hrs.
Solo Time: At Start 2.6hrs., At End 2.6 hrs.
Instructor: Jacob Bursey, CFI
Date: December 31, 2020
Location: Hayward - San Martin - Hayward, CA
R22 Beta II: N622SA
Camera: GoPro Hero 7 Black at 1080p 30fps, Hypersmooth, headset cable audio.

Unable again to fly planned cross country flight to Tracy due to weather. Decided to fly to San Martin with Flight Following from Norcal Approach then back requesting transition through Reid-Hillview instead of using Flight Following.
00:00 Discuss Flight Following
10:00 Discuss Garmin GPS
14:01 Request Left downwind departure from Meridian
21:26 Discuss request for Flight Following and call Norcal Approach (NA)
26:30 NA says climb to 1500
26:57 NA says change to 121.3
27:24 Call next NA controller and report altitude 1500'
31:45 Program in RHV frequency in case NA says to contact. Discuss single pilot resource management.
32:29 Traffic in RHV pattern, NA says climb to at or above 2000' for us to go over RHV
33:40 Traffic now 2 o'clock at 2200'
35:29 Should have programmed San Martin AWOS instead of CTAF frequency
36:23 NA traffic 2 o'clock, 2 miles westbound2400', turn left heading 120
36:38 NA says remain over or East of 101 fwy
38:03 NA traffic says caution wake turbulence, contact 120.1
38:24 Call NA, 2100'
39:54 Program AWOS frequency San Martin
41:40 Radar services terminated, frequency change approved. Listen to E16 AWOS, program CTAF
43:23 Discuss call to San Martin traffic, should have been Enter Right Downwind for 32
46:06 Call to enter Right downwind for 32
47:37 Right downwind call
48:54 Right base call
49:13 Turning Final for 32 call
51:09 Call to sidestep to grass
52:58 Departure call
55:35 Discuss requesting transition from RHV instead of using Flight Following on the way back
57:16 Departure call 2 miles
1:00:15 Departure call 5 miles
1:02:32 Discuss setting GPS to RHV and Class C shelf extending a little East of 101 fwy
1:05:52 Call Reid-Hillview tower to request transition Northwest. Approved at or above 1500'
1:15:40 Traffic at 2300'
1:16:29 Frequency change approved
1:19:40 Discuss altitude in corridor
1:23:05 Listen to HWD ATIS. Airspeed decreases while setting GPS
1:25:44 Inbound call at 10 miles to Hayward tower for Meridian
1:27:16 Discuss GPS moving map
1:30:05 Discuss straight-in approach definition
1:33:03 Reporting 2 miles. Cleared to land taxiway Zulu abeam Meridian

[helipapi]

Great flight. Jacob really helped de-mystify flight following. Which did you prefer, flight following with NA or just doing the transition through RHV?