Lesson 23 : FIRST SOLO!!!

15 Janurary  

Warrior III VH-TAE

Weather QNH: 1021, Wind: SSE light, Temp: 17c 

Runway 17L

Headed to MFS hoping today was the day I'd finally go Solo - I had my Student Licence, ASIC card, Medical, Jason was back from holidays and the weather was looking good.  However, when Jason started suggesting a lesson in the training area - my heart drop.  I quickly pointed out my nice new Student Pilot Licence.  After a quick change of plan we were in TAE and taxing for circuits.

I haven't flown with Jason for about 6 weeks, so we do a few circuits to make sure I'm in the grove.  My landings are OK, and I even remembered how to do the "go around" correctly. So on the 6th circuit Jason gets a clearance to land on 17R so he can jump out.

As I fly that last circuit and taxi back to the northern run-up bay, Jason gives me a quick brief on what he wants me to do once he is out of the plane.

• First I need to go though my run-up checks - as normal
• Get my clearance and taxi out to 17L and do my "line-up" checks - as normal
• When I make my "take-off request" it will be slightly different " Moorabbin tower, Tango Alpha Echo, for circuit, First solo, ready One-Seven Left."
• Once I get my clearance I'll take-off and do 1 circuit and a full stop landings
• Then "after landing" checks, Taxi back to the northern run-up and pickup Jason.

"Easy, see you soon" (I say nervously) .

It was strange shutting the door and being the only one in the plane, knowing there no one was checking what I'm doing. I take a deep breath and get started on my checks. 

I check anything twice and take another couple of deep breaths before taxiing to holding point "Golf for 17L".  More checks, and in no time I'm sitting at the end of the runway pushing the throttles forward.

I've now done this so many time it's almost a none event.  However without no one else in the plane it climbs a lot fast, and I find I'm talking to myself - coaching myself around the circuit.  

While taking off and the circuit may have seem a non-event the approach and landing weren't.  Now the nerves start kicking in - there is no one to "save" my if I don't get this right. I know I've done six good landings already today but Jason had been next to me - just in case.  

So we I turn onto base; power back, speed to 80kts, 2 stages of flap, looking to turn onto final around 700ft.  Onto final, slowing to 75knots, last stage of flaps, power to maintain correct landing point, I acknowledge my landing clearance, 200ft carb heat off.

All good so far, but I'm still prepared to "go-around" if anything doesn't look/feeel right. Airspeed  back to 65kts, We I  cross the theshold and cut the power, eyes down the runway, and start the round out, hold, hold, hold.... 

Then the wheels touch down and I'm braking.  I miss the first turn off, so roll down to A6 and clear the runway.   I've finally flown a plane all by myself, only taken me 44 years!!!!  

When I make my Taxi request I get a big congratulations from the tower and head back to pick-up Jason.  It still feels a bit surreal as we park the plane and do the paper work but I like it and can't wait to do it again.



 
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VH-TAE Piper Warrior III  - First SOLO 0.8hrs Dual 0.3 SOLO (Total time 24.8hrs)

Lesson 22 : Side Slips

5 Janurary  

Warrior III VH-TAE

Weather QNH: 1018, Wind: S light wind, Temp: 17c 

Runway 17L

It is finally here!! When we returned from our Christmas break, I was delighted to find a late Christmas present from CASA.  My Student Pilot Licence and ASIC card had finally arrived.  This means I can finally go solo!

But lets not jump to far ahead.  I haven't flown for 5 weeks, and Jason is still away on holidays, so today I going out for a lesson with Chris to "get back in the groove".  We will be doing a lesson on "Side Slips" as well as a few circuits to blow out the cobwebs.

Big side-slip -Photo by cdeclama

Side-slips are used to increase both the angle and rate of descent without increasing the airspeed.  They are used during;

• Forced landings to loose excessive height,
• Crosswind landings to maintain alignment with the centre line or
• If there is a problem with the flaps.

While the plane is in equilibrium while in the slip it is out of balance.  The lateral and direction stability of the plane are trying to bring the plane back into a balance flight configuration ie roll level and straight.

A few things to remember;

• Ailerons pressure must be maintained to maintain the bank angle
• Rudder pressure must be maintained to maintain direction of flight 
• You shouldn't use flaps in a side slip as it may cause damage due to sideways loads. 
• Be extra careful not to stall the plane.  There is a good chance it will enter a spin with the controls crossed.
• Slip is limited by the size and amount of rudder movement.  
• The stall alarm may not work due to the sideways airflow.
• Power should not be used to slow the descent (expect during a crosswind landing)

Out to the training area we go in trusty TAE to give it a go.  

First we line up on a nice long straight road.  Next, carb heat on, power to idle and attitude for a 90kt glide.  Now for the side slip - 20deg bank, then opposite rudder to get the nose pointing back along the road. We now use the elevators to control the speed, rudder to control the direction and ailerons to maintain the bank.

This turns out to be one of the easier lessons and after a few tries each way (left and right bank) we are soon heading back to Moorabbin via GMH.  After 5 weeks I've become pretty rusty with my radio calls and need to refer to my cheat sheet for every call.

Once at Moorabbin we  mix up the landing approaches with a glide approach, a flapless approach and a couple of normal landings.  The first 1 or 2 are a bit rough but it quickly comes back to me and the last couple are some of my best landings.

Looking forward to my next lesson with Jason and hopefully the weather (and Jason) will let me go Solo.

Till then have fun and fly safe.




View Lesson 22 Side-slipping, Circuits in a larger map

VH-TAE Piper Warrior III  - Side slips + CCTS (Glide & Flapless) 1.1hrs Dual (Total time 23.7hrs)

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Things to watch in the future.

1. Review radio calls

Lesson 21 - YMMB Arrivals and departures

1 December 

Warrior III VH-TAE

Weather QNH: 1024, Wind: SW 15kts crosswind, Temp: 15c 

Runway 17L

This was to be my last flight for 2011 and we'd be making a quick trip out to the training area and back to formally cover off inbound and outbound calls, including  an overfly to join the western circuit.  

Photo by Joanpix.

This was to be a relative easy lesson as I've been looking after the radio calls for quite a while now.  After getting our take-off clearance and taking off, we review all the things I need to do when departing Moorabbin's Class D airspace.

• Leave on an extend upwind, crosswind or downwind leg.
• Continue to climb to 2500ft AMSL (above this and you are in Melbourne Class C airspace)
• At 3nm change transponder from 3000 to 1200 and change radio freq to 135.7 (Melbourne Radar)
• Remember to stay clear of the inbound reporting points (Carrum, GMH, Brighton, Academy etc)

We also reviewed the normal inbound (arrival) procedure

• Arrive via one of the reporting points (From the training area that means Carrum or GMH)
• Before we arrive at the reporting point we need to do the following 
• Check the ATIS (120.9) 
• descend to 1500ft AMSL 
• Starting monitoring the tower frequency (GMH 118.1, Carrum 123.0) for other aircraft at the reporting point. 
• Look out for other inbound aircraft

• At the reporting point we need to establish two way communications with the tower.
  "Moorabbin Tower, Warrior, Tango, Alpha, Echo, GMH, One Thousand five hundred, received <ATIS code>, Inbound.
• The tower then needs to clear as to enter the Class D airspace and join the circuit.  This will often involve a second reporting point like Parkmore (A shopping centre approximately 3nm from Moorabbin ) or Sandown (A race course about 5nm from Moorabbin) Eg "Tango Alpha Echo, Join based for 17L, report Sandown"
• After reading back the clearance it is time to descend to 1000ft AMSL and make sure the transponder is squawking 3000.
• When we report at the next reporting point we are normally given sequencing information eg "Number two following Cessna turning final"
• In order to reduce my workload in the circuit, I try to get the pre-landing checks out of the way as soon as possible.

While this was familiar to me, today we are going to do an overfly and join the western circuit from GMH.  The first difference is the radio call at GMH. 

• "Moorabbin Tower, Warrior, Tango, Alpha, Echo, GMH, One Thousand five hundred, received <ATIS code>, Inbound. Request overfly for western circuit"
• The tower will provide a clearance something like
  "Tango, Alpha, Echo, maintain One Thousand Five Hundred, Change frequency to 123.0 and report once overhead the field"
• So instead of descending we make fly straight and level towards the middle of the field. Squawking 3000.
• When we are over the middle of the runway we change frequency to 123.0 and report.
  "Tango, Alpha, Echo, overhead the field, touch and go" 
• The tower will provide instruction for joining the circuits
  "Tango, Alpha, Echo,Join Downwind for 17R, number two, following Cessna turning base"
• We then start descending to 1000ft AMSL and join the downwind leg (making sure to lookout for other aircraft) and land as normal.

So after doing a few more crosswind landings we called it "an great day for flying" and taxied back to the school

Hopefully the new year while bring my SPL and ASIC card so I can finally go solo.  

VH-TAE Piper Warrior III  - InBound and Outbound calls 1.0hrs Dual (Total time 22.6hrs)

Lesson 20 - More cross wind landings

November 27

Warrior III VH-TAE

Weather QNH: 1011, Wind: WSW 12-15kts crosswind, Temp: 15  Drizzle, cloud base @ 1700ASL (sometimes less)

Runway17L

Was looking forward to another lesson after another set back this week.  CASA returned my Student licence and ASIC forms again.  This time because the credit card details I put on the form 3 months ago had expired.  Rather than give me a call for updated details they mailed it back!!

While the day was not looking great for heading to the training area, it was looking good for practicing crosswind landings. Due to the WSW winds we used 17L which is a left hand circuit and the crosswind would be coming from the left.  There are only 2 of us in the circuit (crosswinds, drizzle and a low cloud base kept most pilots in bed).

My landings aren't too bad and I managed to get the left main down first followed by right main and nose.  I do need to make sure I maintain the left aileron will rolling along the runway and as you'll see from my tracklog I keep getting pushed right on take off and my crosswinds aren't to square either. 

After about 3-4 circuits we get an interesting request from the tower.  There is someone practicing an IFR GPS approach for 17L and would we please make the next one a right hand circuit!!  Not even my instructor had been asked to do this in the past. 

I don't know why others weren't out practicing - I had fun despite the weather.


View Cross Wind Landings And A Right Circuit Of 17L. in a larger map

 

VH-TAE Piper Warrior III  - Circuits 1.1hrs Dual (Total time 21.6hrs)

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Things to watch in the future.

1. Maintain ground track after take off
2. Maintain ailerons turned into the crosswind during the ground roll.

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 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 1 - Effects of controls.

22 May 2011 

One word - Fantastic!!
Woke up and jumped out of bed and had a quick look out the window to check the weather.  All was looking good for my first flying lesson.  I'd decided early Sunday mornings were the best time for me, so showered, dressed, grabbed breakfast and was out the door before anyone else was up. 

Photo MFS

It's only a 15 minute drive to the airport, so I was soon parked at Moorabbin Flying Services and meeting my new instructor, Jason.  After a bit of paper work we sat down for a quick briefing about the plane I'd be flying and an outline of the "effects of controls" lesson.

My first flight was to be in VH-TAE a 2004 Piper Warrior III with an analog cockpit. Jason takes me out to the aircraft and walks me through the Pre-flight checks - can see I'm going to need to study up on this over the next week.

Then it was time to hop into the aircraft.  At this point I'm still half thinking "Ok, sat back while he runs through all the checks, taxis, takes off and flies as out to the training area for my lesson" - WRONG! He hands me the checklist and gets me to start running through them,  pointing out the various instruments, switches, etc I need to be looking at. 

Time to start the plane and to taxi out to the run-up bay.  OK, who's idea was it to use your feet to steer a plane on the ground?  I'm sure the controllers sitting in the tower can easily spot the brand new pilots by the amount the planes snakes along the taxiways.  Lets just say there was plenty of room for improvement.

Run-up checks then off to holding point Alpha 35R for the Pre-takeoff checks.  All I can say is thank god for checklists.  In Paragliding there was only a few basic checks (Check your lines, glider, and harness and undamaged, your helmet, chest strap, leg straps, glider correctly attached to harness, speedbar, reserve, altimeter, and as you start to launch check the glider has come up clean and looks right), there seems to be 10 times as may for a plane.

Jason gets clearance from the tower for takeoff and we are ready to go.  I "snake" the plane out on to runway and turn for takeoff.  Full power and we start charging down the runway.  60kts Jason tells me to pull back and we are airborne.  By now my brain is going at a million miles an hour, heading, nose on the horizon, airspeed, keep the wings level...How am I suppose to do all this and all the things I can see Jason doing for me!

We turn crosswind, then on to downwind and off to the training area.  Once we are there Jason runs me through the primary and secondary effects of all the control inputs; turn the yoke left - bank left & yaw left; Left rudder - yaw left & roll left: Pull pack on the yoke - pitch up: Power on - pitch up and yaw to the left.

 After what seemed like a very few minutes we started heading back to Moorabbin to land.  Once on the ground I did some more snaking back to the school and ran through the shut down checklist.

What a day!!!  I'm buzzing with excitement and already can't wait until next week.  However there plenty for to think about before then - Pre-flight inspections, Relaxing while I'm taxiing and smoother inputs, The effects of all the controls and pre-reading for my next lesson - "Straight and Level".





Piper Warrior III VH-TAE,  Flight Time 1.0hr (Total 1.0hrs)