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