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.