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.