Lesson 19 - Introduction to Steep Turns

November 22

Warrior III VH-TAE

Weather QNH: 1012, Wind: WNW 8kts, Temp: 15C outcast

Runway 35R

Finally I'm ready to go solo.  Unfortunately I still don't have my student license from CASA. So today for the first time in 3.5 months, we would be leaving the circuit.  We are going to move onto the post solo lessons, the first of which is steep turns.

Steep Turn (Photo by Jzawodn)

 So we take off and head for the training area.  Seems a little strange continuing the climb through 1000ft and extending the downwind leg beyond the point I'd normally turn base.

We climb to around 2500 feet and find a spot just west of Cranbourne with a nice straight road to use as a reference heading. Jason starts by demonstrating a 45deg left and then a 45deg right hand turn.  

My turn!  I start with a left hand turn.  Yikes!!  I wasn't prepared for how much back pressure I needed and spent most of the turn with my eyes inside the cockpit chasing the dials.  Next a right hand turn - keep my eyes outside but still not enough back pressure or bank into the turn enough.  So around and around we go, slow getting better but this could take a while to get right.  


After 7 or 8 turns Jason shows me the 60deg banked turn.  We are now pulling 2G and need to add power as we go through 30deg bank in order to be able to maintain a level turn.

Then my turn again.  Double yikes, I'm even worst at these.  I keep letting the nose drop and don't apply enough extra power.  At least I'm getting plenty of practice of recovering from the start of a spiral drive - power off, level wings, slowly pull back and once the speed starts coming back re-introduce the power.  By the forth one I finally manage a full 360deg turn.

Unfortunately its time to start heading back to Moorabbin via GMH and Parkmore before joining base for 35R.  It had been so long since we did this I really needed to think about all the inbound steps but once established on base is all flowed - even managed an OK landing.

All in all another fun day of flying, but I'm going to need plenty of steep turn practice. 
 



View Lesson 19 Steep Turns in a larger map

VH-TAE Piper Warrior III  - Circuits 1.1hrs Dual (Total time 20.5hrs)

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Things to watch in the future.

1. Lots of back pressure in the turn,
2. Add power as I bank through 30deg for the 60deg turn,
3. Review my inbound tasks and calls.

Lesson 18 - Intro to Cross wind landings

November 14th

Warrior III VH-TYD

Weather QNH: 1007, Wind: 206-260deg Crosswind upto 10kts, Temp: 18C Clear skies.

Runway  31R

Just as my landings are improving it was time to introduce crosswind landings.  I don't know what was with me, but is was also going to be a day of "little" errors.

My first error for the day was during the start up checks.  As I finished the checks, Jason asked that question you knows means you stuffed up - "Did you miss anything?".   A quick visual scan quickly told me what it was Mixture Rich. How did I miss that?

Next was my first radio call.  Today we were using 31R which is not a runway I've used much.  So when I make my taxi request I ask to go to 35R.  After being corrected by Moorabbin ground, I confirmed I want 31R, and get my taxi clearance.

Then I did it again!! The read back was "Taxi bravo, cleared to cross 35L,35R and 22, hold at Bravo 31R Tango Yankee Delta".   By time I got to the end, I stuffed up and said ... "Hold at Bravo 35R"  Like I said, not my day.

So finially we get to the holding point, complete the last checks and were cleared for take off.  Being 31R my usually landmarks are all wrong, so my first downwind track looks more like I'm using 35R.  After get new reference points sorted out they look a lot better.

First we did a couple of flapless landings to get into the grove - they were probably the best landings I've done so far.

Next Jason demos the finer points of cross wind landings.  The wind is coming from the left so;

1. We crab into the wind so our track is straight down the center line.   (crabbing is something you do a lot when paragliding, so I'm comfortable travelling sideways across the ground.)
2. Just before touch down, we apply left aileron and right rudder so the plane is now in a side-slip. (Banked left but nose now aimed straight down the center line.) Remembering to be free and easy on the controls to adjust for wind changes.
3. When we land the left (into wind) wheel will touch first, then the right and finally the nose wheel.
4. Before the nose wheel touches down - neutralise the rudder so the nose wheel is straight down the runway.  
5. Keep the alieron turned left during the roll/taxi

Simple - ha!  I can see this is going to need a lot of practice. I manage to do another 4 landings before it was time to call it quits.   While I got the plane down ok it wasn't always pretty.

Once again another long read back - "cleared to turn right onto echo and onto alpha 1, cleared to cross 35R, and 35L, Tango Yankee Delta",  This time I managed to get it right but from now on I must remember to have the airport map in my hand before I make the taxi request.



View Circuits, Flapless, Intro to crosswind in a larger map

VH-TYD Piper Warrior III  - Circuits 1.1hrs Dual (Total time 19.4hrs)

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Things to watch in the future.

1. Take the time to make sure every item on the check list has been completed.
2. Watch the radio calls - worth noting down runway, QNH, winds, and ATIS code.
3. Take extra care to get my bearing right for the first circuit of the day (Especially when using a different runway)
4. Have the taxiway map ready for taxi calls.

Lesson 17 - Pre-solo Test & Glide landings

November 7th

Warrior III VH-TAU

Weather QNH 1013, Wind NE 5kt, Temp 17C overcast

Runway 35R

Another lesson of circuits but with a few differences. 

1. We would doing a few variations of the landing approaches (Normal with flaps, flapless and glider).
2. I sat and passed my Solo Theory test and 
3. My CASA paper got returned during the week.

Cessna on approach for 17R YMMB

View Lesson 17 Circuits again - Flapless, go around, and glide approach. in a larger map

During the week I arranged home to find a nice big envelope from CASA.  Thinking that my Student license and ASIC card had finally arrived I got all excited, only to be disappointed the moment I opened it.  Turns out the CFI hadn't filled in the English proficiency section. So rather than ring the school and fix the missing section, they sent back the whole application by mail.  I'm glad my income doesn't depend on it.  So after getting the missing section completed, it was back in the mail and back to the end of the queue.

As I'm getting close to going solo (besides the lack of SPL) and arranged to do my theory test this week. I brushed up on what I'd learnt so far and came in 1/2 an hour before my lesson to do the test.  Passed with 26 out of 29.

So on to today's lesson. Jason hands me the keys to TYD, however after completing my pre-flight checks  I noticed it was due for a 50 hourly check (There is a +5hr window on the 50 hourly check and we wouldn't have finished the flight within the window).  Back to the office and grab the keys for TAU and start again.

We would be using 35R today, as would everyone else.  35L was temporarily closed as some celebrities where playing a round of golf!! All the news choppers wanted a shot for the evening news - what a waste of money. (3 helicopters buzzing around to get the same shot) 

As there wasn't too much traffic in the pattern Jason decided to introduce the "Glider Approach"

• Cut the power when abreast the number or after.
• No Flaps
• Slow down to best glide speed (73kts)
• Aim further down the runway (so don't undershoot)
• Better to have a little extra height than be low.
• Only once you are positive you are going to make it use flaps, side-slips and/or "S-turns" to lose any extra height.

After Jason did a demo, it was my turn.  Wasn't to bad, however we need to put in a lot of slip to lose height.  Because there is almost no head wind I'm covering the ground quite quickly and was over the boundary without losing to much height.

This tripped me up on the 2nd approach and I arrived way to high.  So we power up and go-around.  As we are climbing I notice I'm not get the expected climb performance.  Watching my airspeed I make a quickly scan of the cockpit and realise I've forgotten to fully retract the flaps.  Once I retract them anything is back to normal and we continue the climb.  While it felt good to quickly pick up the problem and correct it - it shouldn't have happen.

We do 1 more glide approach which was better and then try some flapless approaches. These are much easier.  Just remember to keep the nose up a bit more so we are at the right airspeed.

After a few more normal landings it is time to call it a day.  After cleaning up the airplane (Clear runway, Flap retracted, Unnecessary lighting off, Trim reset, Transponder on standby) I make my taxi call - on the tower frequency!!  I'd even thought "Mustn't  forget to change frequencies" while we were exiting the runway.  They were very nice about it and after making the request of the correct frequency we were on our way.

My landings are getting much better and Jason says I almost ready to go solo - once my paper work is back.  In fact we will start doing a couple of other things next time, while we wait for the paper work to be processed.

VH-TAU Piper Warrior III  - Circuits 1.0hrs Dual (Total time 18.3hrs)

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Things to watch in the future.

1. Check maintenance log before doing the pre-flight (it will save time)
2. Practice side slips (we haven't covered that as a formal lesson yet) (Little bit chicken and egg)
3. Remember to retract all the flaps when doing a "go-around" (once we have a positive rate of climb.)
4. Remember to change to the ground Freq once I've land / before I make the taxi call.

Lesson 16 - Circuits (8)

October 23

Warrior III VH-TXU

Weather QNH 1019, Wind NE 7kt, Temp 16C

Runway 35R

Circuits once again but today I'm flying with Warren as Jason wasn't available.  It was looking like a nice day so was hoping I'd manage to stick a few good landings today.

I also decided to try out MyTrack, which is an Android app that allowed you to capture my GPS track, then store it and share it on Google maps. (see below)

View Lesson 16 in a larger map (Let me know if you can't see the map and track.)

As you'll see I managed 9 circuits including a go around and a couple of flapless landings. My landings are getting better but Warren wants me to use my feet a lot more - especially when I get onto final.  Once I did I released how much more control I have.  While the landings weren't perfect they are starting to get better.

After the flight while looking at the track log I noticed a couple of things 1) I'm not flying completely parallel to the runway on downwind, just tightening up a little,  2) My crosswind and base legs aren't square (Either because I following the roads or the slight NE)  but all in all I'm happy with my pattern.

I'm getting closer to being able to go solo, so I need to sort out my solo theory test and hopefully CASA will sort out my Student licence soon.

Circuits, Go-Arounds, Flapless

Lesson 15 - Circuits (7)

17 October 2011
Warrior III VH-TAE

Back again for yet more circuits.  It is a nice calm morning with an almost clear sky, when I arrive it MFS around 8:30am.  Jason hands me the keys to TAE which I haven't flown since my very first lesson.  It has an analogue cockpit (which I also haven't flown since my first lesson) and has a little bit better performance as it a bit lightly than the other Warriors.

Melbourne CBD - VH-ZMS

I'm still trying to get my landings right, so around and around we go.  In total we managed 8 circuits today.  

On the first couple of approaches I was a bit fast.  I need to get the speeds down to 80kts on base, 75kt on final, and 70kt on short final. I was going above 5-10kt to fast which is making my round-out and flare harder.

I also got a bit low on downwind a couple of times, just need to watch my altitude a bit more while I doing my pre-landing checks.

On my 3rd circuit for the day VH-ZMS made a "inbound" call and was instructed to join base ahead of us.  This plane is a Socata TB-10 Tobago in which my friend owns a share.  While I've taxied past in a number of times, it's the first time I've heard or seen it in the air. (The picture above is taken from ZMS when Peter took me up for a flight around the city before I started my training)

By the end of the lesson I'd manage a coupled of OK landings, was feeling more relaxed and starting to get ahead of the plane rather than being behind it. So things are slowly improving.

VH-TAE Piper Warrior III  - Circuits 1.2hrs Dual (Total time 16.2hrs)

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Things to watch in the future.

1. Watch my height on downwind (watch the trim)
2. Watch my speeds on Final and Base.
3. Don't try and push it back onto the runway if it balloons (one day this is going to get through my thick head)
4. Relax

Lesson 14 – Circuits (6) +Go Arounds.

10th October

VH-TXH

Today I wouldn't be flying at my normal 8:30 time slot.  I'd be flying at lunchtime so I expected a lot more traffic.  Even though we were later in the day it was still cool (around 10C) and  overcast. We would use 31R with a light crosswind.

We were taking out "Tango X-ray Hotel" for some more circuit practice, so I grab the keys and pre flighted the plane before we taxied out for run-ups. After getting the required taxi clearance it was off to 31R and a hold at "alpha", pre-take off check, more clearance and we were off.

Considering it was mid day there was only a couple of other planes in the circuit.  We started with a couple of normal circuits and then Jason showed me what I needed to know about doing a safe "go-around".  

There may be may reasons for going around, for example

1. If you're not comfortable with the approach - to fast, to high, gusts, not on the center-line etc.
2. You have a big bounce on landing (better to go around and try again than continue to force a bad landing)
3. If you don't get a landing clearance (If I don't have a landing clearance by the time I'm on short final I'd make a quick call to the tower "Tango X-ray Hotel, Short Final" and if I still don't get a clearance, I'd need to go around.)
4. The tower may request you go around. There may be something on the runway or the previous plane may not be able to clear the runway in time etc.

Go-arounds are a relatively simple procedure;

1. Aviate, navigate then communicate. Don't worry about telling the tower what you are doing until you have a positive rate of climb and are safely clear of other traffic.
2. Fully power - We need to transition to a climb which of course requires full power.  
3. Carb heat off (if it was still on)
4. Move to the active side of the runway (31R is right hand circuits so that means we move to the right.  When doing a left hand circuit we would move left) The aim is to be able to see the runway & other aircraft (the importance of this I experience in a few minutes)
5. Remove the third stage of flaps.  This is all drag and it not going to help as climb.
6. We are looking for 75-80kts and a positive rate of climb
7. Once we have a positive rate of climb, remove any remaining flaps, 1 stage at a time. Continue to watch the speed and maintain a positive rate of climb.
8. Communicate with the tower "Tango Xray Hotel is going around"
9. Maintain a lookout for other traffic.

So then it was my turn.  Just to make life harder I managed to caught up with the plane in front of me in the circuit.  As they are touching down we executed a go around.  I applied full power , move to the active side of the runway etc.  It was a good go around but now I was left climbing next to and inside another plane in the circuit.  While an early turn onto based fixed the problem it was just another thing to manage.

After that we did a couple more "go-arounds" (all uneventful) and a couple more "touch and goes".  My circuits are improving and I'm close to going solo, provided I sort out my Student license paper work.  (Just came back from CASA (after 6 weeks) because we hadn't filled out the "English Proficiency section".)

VH-TXH Piper Warrior III  - Circuits and Go-Arounds 1.0hrs Dual (Total time 15.0hrs)

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Things to watch in the future.

1. Get a positive rate of climb before removing those last 2 stages of flap
2.  Aviate, Navigate, Communicate.

 

Lesson 13 – Circuits (5)

1 October 2011

VH-TYD

Off for more circuits today, and while I’m not progressing as fast as I'd like, at least it is progress.  Jason would be back in the right seat today after he managed to shift some other lessons around.  We would be using 13L and the weather was looking ok.

Moorabbin's runways

As we taxied out of the northern run-up bay, the RVAC formation team taxied in.  They were heading out to the training area to practice and I must admit, they look pretty cool just taxing around together.

Today's lesson was a lot better.  I managed a couple of ok landings and that felt really nice – very exciting!!  I’m starting to realise just how high I’ve been flaring, and how important it is to get the speed right on final. But not everything is perfect. 

Firstly, I forgot to do my pre landing checks a few times when I became distracted by other traffic and trying to maintain 1000ft on downwind.

 I’m still jerking the yoke back during the flare.  It is not a smooth round out more a series of sharp pull backs followed by pauses as the plane balloons.

I’m also getting too low on my turn from base to final.  I should still be at least 500ft AGL when I stabilized on final.   The fact the plane in front is doing a very late turn on to base and hence we have a long final only makes matter worst.  I need to use a lot of power to maintain height on final,

And lastly on one occasion I forgot to fully close the throttle before the flare.  This of course resulted in the plane ballooning.

I general things are starting to look up. I’ve managed a couple of ok landings and getting closer on the rest. 

VH-TYD – Piper Warrior III 1.2hr (total 14.0 hr)

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Things to watch in the future.

1. Remember to do my pre-landing checks early,
2. Smooth round-out, don’t jerk the controls,
3. Remember to fully close the throttle before I start the round-out,
4. Watch my height on base .  I’m starting the turn to base to low.
5. Get out the runway map before I request the taxi to the apron.  (Today’s read back was – “Turn right onto echo, cleared to cross 35R, turn on to alpha 1, cleared to cross 35L to the main apron”)