Flying Time: Today: 1:12 Total: 9:12
So, at the very last minute decided to book a lesson of circuits for this weekend, and sure enough, it’s “Can you be here in half an hour?”. Sure I can!
After a quick run-through with an instructor I’d had one lesson with before (my original instructor appears to have vanished without a trace - presumably for the airlines), it was out and up for what ended up as 6 circuits.
Take off was pretty normal - thankfully the wind was straight down the runway today - 70 knots climbing to 500ft before turning crosswind. 800ft, level off and back to 2200rpm. Check I’m 90 degrees with the runway - looks good to me!
About a 1/3 of a way over the local landfill site and it’s time to turn downwind. No other traffic for the first circuit, which was great. Call downwind abeam the threshold for 03 and keep on going at 800ft. No need for me to do downwind checks at this stage of the game I’m told - just concentrate on keeping a nice track over the ground.
With the runway 45 degrees behind the wings, its time to turn base. Carb heat on, down to 1800rpm - although we’d soon raise that with the gusts we had today! One stage of flap and onto final and the cat and mouse game of trying to nail airspeed and descent rate at the same time…airspeed is fine, but…
Instructor: “Do you think we’re too high?”
Me: “Ummm, yes?”
Him: “Well do something about it then!”
Cross the threshold and time to decrease power.
It’s at this point I find it all becomes a bit of a blur - so much hapenning in so little time. It didn’t help that I didn’t have much time to read the appropriate bit of my Thom book before I set off. My problem I think at the moment is that I either flare too early or I pull back too much - hopefully the next few lessons should sort that out.
So in a nutshell - 6 circuits, 5 landings that were very good (with the instructor helping lots!) and 1 landing that was hard but that was done completely on my own (the last one)!
Great fun - but soooooo tired now. And my head hurts - really need to get myself a headset!
Congrats! You’re 9 hours in; I’m almost at 40 and nearly ready for the written and practical test we have in the states.
I love flying; there is nothing like it. I’m glad you’re progressing and doing well with it.
There is a trick to landings. Actually 2-3 tricks.
1) As you’re on final adjust the elevator trim to give you extra lift. You may even need to hold the nose down with the yoke as you continue to fly towards the runway. This trim helps later on in the flare.
2) As you reach the threshold make sure you’re looking not directly in front of the airplane, but down the entire length of the runway. This gives you a better perspective of how far you are off the ground. It makes it much easier to perform the flare and glide in ground effect until the wheels touch down.
3) The flare itself…. with that extra elevator trim it’s a lot easier and takes less work to accomplish. Just lightly hold the nose up and let the plane glide and come to rest. You’ll flare too early a lot; you’ll get used to judging how far you are off the ground and holding the nose off the ground. You almost feel like you’re about to crunch the nosegear but actually you’ll be holding it off just right…
So that’s my unsolicited two pence… take it for what it’s worth, but those basic thoughts have helped me get to the point where I’m soloing on a regular basis now :)
Ta Jon :) It really is good fun - looking forward to my next session of circuits already :)