The penultimate lesson with Ryan, and an absolute gem of a day for it too. Again, determined to do everything right, well, improve on last weeks performance that’s for sure. I am starting to feel good about how thoroughly I do the pre-start (although I forgot to do the mag check before turning the radios on, but at least I remembered without Ryan saying anything) and run up checks. Today we did circuits on Grass 08. I have decided that I like doing circuits on 08 because of a couple of reasons. Firstly, there are no gullies, rivers or runways to throw some float or sink into your carefully prepared descent. Secondly, the landmarks are quite helpful (although unbeknownst to Ryan I have worked out how to use the DG to measure my turns which isn’t really cheating but it helps when you can’t see the runway). I got to fly JAF again, and we have really sorted out our relationship – it really is different to WAM, but you really get a gentle descent from the 40 degree flaps.
Well, we did it all today, EFATO (engine failures after take off), Flapless, Glide Approach (which was a first because instead of being told to do it I had to request it). Glide is interesting because you really have to pick your airspeed and hold it. Also you cut in on the base leg by 45 degrees to see if you can make the runway, then you pick a point about 1/3 of the way down to make absolutely certain you can make it to the runway. When you are 100% sure you are going to make the runway you lower all the flaps. What happened when we did it was we ended up way high (and I mean waaay high) so Ryan took over and forward slipped us down, which was cool. He got us back onto flight path and I took over and landed us.
The flapless landing wasn’t as good as the last time I did it but I think I am getting quite a good handle on setting the plane up for landing flapless – as for the go around from flapless it was a bit touch and go as the plane lands quite quickly and you need to get its nose up again fairly smartly. As far as my flying goes, I think I have the knack for trim so it has become my friend. I still need more right rudder (even though JAF has rudder trim and I set it) after I take off to keep us straight. I am not scared of landing the plane any more as I have had enough bumps to know that I can land a plane without an instructor if I had to but its now up to Roger and Paul now that Mr Nicholls is heading off to Canada to learn to fly the Beech 1900 for Air Nelson. Tomorrow, lesson 17 and my last with Ryan.
Well, we did it all today, EFATO (engine failures after take off), Flapless, Glide Approach (which was a first because instead of being told to do it I had to request it). Glide is interesting because you really have to pick your airspeed and hold it. Also you cut in on the base leg by 45 degrees to see if you can make the runway, then you pick a point about 1/3 of the way down to make absolutely certain you can make it to the runway. When you are 100% sure you are going to make the runway you lower all the flaps. What happened when we did it was we ended up way high (and I mean waaay high) so Ryan took over and forward slipped us down, which was cool. He got us back onto flight path and I took over and landed us.
The flapless landing wasn’t as good as the last time I did it but I think I am getting quite a good handle on setting the plane up for landing flapless – as for the go around from flapless it was a bit touch and go as the plane lands quite quickly and you need to get its nose up again fairly smartly. As far as my flying goes, I think I have the knack for trim so it has become my friend. I still need more right rudder (even though JAF has rudder trim and I set it) after I take off to keep us straight. I am not scared of landing the plane any more as I have had enough bumps to know that I can land a plane without an instructor if I had to but its now up to Roger and Paul now that Mr Nicholls is heading off to Canada to learn to fly the Beech 1900 for Air Nelson. Tomorrow, lesson 17 and my last with Ryan.
Comments