Lesson 29 - Basic Instrument Flying

6 March 2012

VH-TXH Piper Warrior III

Takeoff - Moorabbin (YMMB)  17L

Weather - QNH 1023, ~18C, Overcast (~2000ft) clearing, 
                 12kt (20kt gusts) max 8kt crosswind, SW-SSW. 



Wasn't sure what I'd be doing today.  There was a lot of low cloud around especially towards the training area but it seemed to be breaking up.  I doubted we would be doing more stall practice, maybe forced landings or some solo circuits.  I was wrong, it was time for an introduction to instrument flying.

"under the hood" - Photo from Pilot Brad's Blog

Lesson 5 - Climbing and Desending Turns.

27 Jun 2011       Warrior III - VH-TYD

Besides learning how to do climbing and descending turns this was a lesson full of "first". 

 Up until now I've been flying first thing on a Sunday morning while is nice at quite at Moorabbin, but due to my daughter's concert I was going to be flying midday on a week day.   Flying Sunday morning has a number of advantages; 1) I can be back home again by 10:30 to spend the rest of the day with the family. 2) I rarely have to wait for other aircraft on the ground or in the circuit. 3) The weather has generally been better (winds lightly, less chance of rain). The only disadvantage has been the extended time in the run-up bay to bring the engine up to the correct operating temperature on cold winter mornings.

The second "first", was a different instructor.  Unfortunately my normal instructor was busy and I really wanted to fly, so I got him to suggest an alternative.  Collin is the head of training for the school so I knew I'd be in good hands.

Collin hands me the keys and maintenance release to TYD and I do to pre-flight walk around as normal.  This is where those "firsts" start to cause "differences" - the tanks aren't full. As I'm normally the first to fly the plane, the tanks are normally full.  This means I need to remember how to set the fuel volumes on the Avidyne EX5000 MFD.

I started her up and taxi to the run-up bay.   Time for the second difference - the engine is already warm. Instead of coming back to the engine checks (Mag, carb heat, & idle checks) after the oil temperature increases to 100C,  I get to do the run-up checks in the normal order.  

Time for the third difference - pre-flight safety brief and radio calls.  Up until this point this is something Jason has always done for me.  Collin seems a little surprised I haven't done them yet - something to follow-up Jason before my next lesson. So with Collin making the calls we taxi out and takeoff for the training area.

First up is Climbing turns.  I've actually been doing these ever flight already when I turn from upwind onto crosswind.  There are a couple of things to watch in addition to a level turn.  As I'm already climbing lift needs to be greater then weight and turning is going to make this worse.  So no more than a Rate 1 turn ie ~15 Deg  bank. The plane wants to increase the angle of bank due to the higher angle of attack and speed of the outer wing so I just need to make sure I'm maintain that bank angle with the ailerons.

After a couple of goes we try out descending turns.  As I'm now descending they is more lee way for generating the vertical components required to balance the weight of the aircraft and the therefore the bank angle can be high - up a medium (15-45 degree) turn.  The tendency for the plane to increase it's angle of bank is also reduced. While the outer wing is going fast it has a lower angle of attack and therefore the difference between the amount of lift is reduced.

After a bit of practice we head back to Moorabbin via Carrum.  Time for the last "difference" for the day - it's busy.  As we approach the reporting point there is another plane also making it's inbound call.  We are "Number 3" for 35L.

Another fun lesson.  Really enjoyed the "differences" and feel like the previous lessons are starting to come together.  I can now climb, descend, turn and fly straight and level.  If I put them all together I can effectively fly to the training area and back.  Once I've learnt how to land, make radio calls, and handle basic emergencies, I'll be able to go solo.  Next lesson - Stalls!

Piper Warrior III VH-TYD,  Flight Time 1.0hr (Total 5.5hrs)

Lesson 4 - Medium Turns.

19 Jun 2011       Warrior VH-TAJ

I've learnt to fly straight and level, climb and descend.  Now it is time to start turns. I arrive it MFS around 8:15, grab the maintenance log and keys to TAJ from Jason, and go out to pre-flight the plane.

Photo Mysid

After completing the run-up, we taxi to 35R for take-off and exit to the training area.  We would be focusing on Rate 1 and medium turns.

• Rate 1 Turn : ~15^o  bank, 2 minutes to complete a for 360. 
• Medium Turn : 15^o - 45^o bank, 1 minute to do a 360.

I read the theory brief before hand and understood then the more I banked the more lift I'd require to maintain level flight.  The extra lift would be coming for a increase in the angle of attack during the turn - in other words I'd need to pull back to maintain level flight.

I also understood that I'd need to counter the adverse yaw due to the change in the relative airflows on the wings.  This would try and flatten my turn. While the outer wing needs to travel further, thus it will travel faster then the inner wing, generate more lift and hence increase the bank of the turn.

So I need to pull back a bit and make sure I maintain the correct angle of bank.

Then lastly there is "Slip" and "Skid".  If I don't use the correct amount of rudder we will either feel like we are falling into the turn - slip or being pushed out of the turn - Skid.  The solution - "step on the ball" or in the glass cockpit keep the little triangle on top of the big triangle.

So now it was time for the practice.  Jason demos the maneuver as always.

• Lookout - Right, Right Centre, Left Centre, Left.  (For a left hand turn and vis-a-versa for a right hand turn)
• Bank - As required
• Balance - Rudder as required to stop slip or skid.
• Back Pressure - pull back to maintain nose attitude and hence level flight
• L.A.P. - Lookout, attitude, performance
• Lookout -  check exit point
• Bank - roll back to level
• Balance - Rudder as required to stop skid and slip as we exit
• Back Pressure - Reduce to maintain nose attitude for level flight.

Easy right - Ha.  As soon as I tried it all the theory became just that, theory.  To me a good smooth turn seems to be all about feel and involves a complex dance using your hands and feet.  Me first few where more connected straight lines then smooth curves.  The good news was the more I tried the smooth it became.  The bad news was as soon as than happened, we would change direction or angle of bank for the turn.

In no time it was time to return to Moorabbin via Carrum and land on 35L.  Another great lesson - Need to watch my back pressure in the turn and more practice on my balance isn't going to hurt.  While I noticed the 2 week break made me a little rusty my Straight & Level, climbs and descents all feel more coordinated by the end of the lesson.


 Piper Warrior III VH-TAJ,  Flight Time 1.1hr (Total 4.5hrs)



As always the above is my interruption of general theory and my own experience.  I'm NOT an instructor and this is NOT instruction. Find a good instructor and learn to fly from someone who knows what they are doing.