Into the Circuit

With a determined rush our hero leapt back into the cockpit. This time he was serious.

I'm having a determined effort to get flying. It's a new year and I have a new will to fly and a new instructor - hi Tony!

I had one lesson last weekend with barely flyable conditions. The cloud was between 1400 and 1800 feet which meant some practice of circuit technique around a disused airfield. Things felt really good and Tony had me flying almost all of the time. Very little in the way of horizon and failing visibility had us navigating back to Blackbushe landmark by landmark.

Following on from this I took a day off work on Thursday and took two lessons in a row. The weather was clear if somewhat breezy and we went through circuits at Blackbushe. I found this exercise very taxing and was all but shaking after the first lesson. We were using runway 25 and all turns were to the left.

• Take off - full power, wait for 60-65 knots and rotate.
• Climb (with one hand on the throttle) to 500ft maintaining a speed to 80 knots on full power.
• Turn left onto the Base leg, (15°) climbing to 800ft and leveling off. Adjust attitude, power (2100) and trim for straight and level.
• Turn left onto downwind leg, (full 30°) before M3 otherwise we're in Farnborough's airspace.
• Ensure 800ft, straight and level and perform pre-landing checks.
• Turn onto the crosswind leg (full 30°) at Hawley Lake, turn on carb heat. Choose stables aiming point.
• Reduce power, wait for the aircraft to slow (to Vfe) and lower two stages of flap, maintain 800ft.
• Continue slowing to 70kts and begin descent.
• At stables, turn left onto final approach. 15° turn. Allow plenty of time to turn.
• Choose the runway aiming point (25). Descend maintaining 70kts.
• At 300ft add third stage of flap, turn off carb heat.
• Check "Are we fast, are we slow, are we high, are we low"
• If we're too low add power, too high, reduce power.
• If we're too fast or slow adjust the attitude of the aircraft.
• Never go below 70kts or take your hand off the throttle, Ian.

Things to do when landing next, this is a novel in itself.

Autumn Flying

Such a beautiful day to fly! Autumn colours and long shadows made this a fantastic day. The flight was out primarily over Reading.

Despite another lesson of forgotten items, FREDA, PAT and aircraft checks I really enjoyed this lesson. I really felt I was flying and controlling the aircraft.

FREDA - Fuel, Radio, Engine, Direction Indicator, Altimeter
PAT - Power, Attitude, Trim

My aircraft was G-JJAN a PA28-181. Despite a bit of amusement with the mic jack plug I found this a very stable aircraft and even managed a very guided landing. Too heavy handed on the controls still though. A little bit of radio work to Blackbushe information too.

A New Hope

Yesterday I had my first flying lesson in two years. On one hand it felt like I'd never been away, on the other I really have a long, long way to go. I'd forgotten lots of basic things like checks, controls and where things were. I was more nervous that I've been for ages.

The flight was on a trial basis and we flew to Theale and did a bit of sightseeing and home spotting - if only I'd brought my camera. My instructor Johan took things fairly easy and concentrated on things like Straight and Level and Turns.

Today's aircraft was G-BPTE a Piper PA-28-181. Found this when I was looking it up! Report

Begin Again

It's been bothering me for a while now that I've just stopped flying. Every time a plane flies over I look up. We're not far from Brimpton and seem to be almost on their flight path so there's lots of that. Somebody practices aerobatics just out of sight. Hell, I wanna do that! Excuses - yes, the money, the house move - so many petty excuses. What am I afraid of?

So after some further prompting from T I've booked another lesson - a trial at Blackbushe to see what things are like over there. A bad weather cancel on Sunday, but at least I've started again! Time to dig out the books and do some work.

Philipp Steinbach talks about the Sbach 342 on Airsports TV

This is the plane I flew in at WAC 2009

Awesome!

The World Aerobatic Championship 2009

This week I found myself in an enviable position. The company I work for was one of the sponsors of The World Aerobatic Championship being held at Silverstone and I got the chance to work behind the scenes and enjoy corporate hospitality.

On Thursday I was on-site helping support the IT infrastructure for Flying Aces, the organisers of WAC 2009. The IT equipment for timing, TV and general office work had been set up by Ben and James earlier in the week and it was just a matter of jumping in when something went wrong. This left plenty of time for watching the flying and even to have a flight in the Q liveried SBACH 342.

Our pilot Andy took me through some 'gentle' aerobatics - absolutely awesome! I even got the chance to fly for a while - really very different to my usual PA28. I climbed at my usual rate and Andy kept telling me to pull the nose up until I felt like we would fall out of the sky! Silly of course since I later saw this plane climb vertically (as did all of the others). The ten minute flight over the Northamptonshire countryside seemed so short.

From WAC 2009

More photos under the WAC 2009 link including lots of competitor aircraft on the ground and in the huge tent hangers.

Friday saw the corporate day. I was feeling quite at home as the Ultimate High chaps from Kemble were taking our important visitors for flights.

Flying the Circuit

When I arrived at the airfield on Sunday everyone was in a very friendly Christmas mood, mince pies and chocolates galore! Not so good on the flying front though, what had been clear in the morning had turned into a solid layer of grey cloud down at 1000 feet. It wasn't looking good until Stu suggested we try my hand at flying the circuit, meaning we would fly just below the cloud. An extensive brief followed, with detailed intructions for flying from runway 26 and into a left hand circuit. This was a familiar approach for me since we've always used 26. A shame then when we came to take-off we were instructed to use runway 08 and fly the circuit on the opposite side! Stu let me handle the take-off - I really shouldn't stamp on those peddles so hard though. I also did one of the touches - again too hard!

So the briefing went a bit like this. Stu said he'd handle most of the RT and the checks, so all I had to do was fly. I have to say it was probably my favourite lesson so far!

From flyian

• RT - “Kemble Information. Golf-Bravo-November-November-Tango”
• RT - “G-BNNT. Pass your message.”
• RT - “G-NT, PA28, tower apron, two POB, flying the circuit, request airfield information and taxi”
• RT - “X” (hold at Bravo 1)
• RT - “G-NT Alpha-1 ready for departure”
• Runway checks, transponder to ALT / DI and compass / T’s & P’s / check heading matches runway.
• RT - “G-NT Hold” / “Line up and wait” / “take off at your discretion”
• RT - “G-NT taking off”
• Full power
• Instrument check / power 2000/2500 airspeed increasing
• Centre line, choosing aiming point off runway
• 60 knots & rotate
• Nose to horizon giving 75 knots in PA28
• At 300ft AGL after take-off checks – T’s & P’s, flaps clean, (gear up), trim 75kts
• Bank 15˚, climbing turn, look right in LH circuit first
• Select aiming point.
• Wind from right
• Turn (30˚?) and new aiming point – Ashton Keynes lakes
• At 950ft start to level (10% of rate of climb)
• RT - “G-NT downwind for touch and go” or “to land”
• RT - or “G-NT downwind for late touch and go” if radio busy
• Downwind checks BUM FFI LCHH which should memorise [B.U.M.F.F.I.C.H.L. - Brakes, Undcrge, Mxtr, Fuel, Flaps, Instmnts, Carb heat, Hrness, Lights]
• Wingtip on the runway for correct 1-1.5 mile gap
• 45˚ from threshold, thinking about turning
• Descent called Base Descent
• Power 1700 RPM / Carb heat on / nose up / trim 75kts /
• Reduce speed to Vfe / 2 stages of flap
• 500ft/min descent rate ideal – manage height to be on glide path
• Turn final
• Centre line with rudder, aileron & wings level
• 3 stage flaps / 65kts
• RT - “G-NT final for touch and go” or “final to land”
• Runway number as aiming point
• Judge the flare

Foggy November Morning

To get back into the swing of things I thought I'd book a lesson this weekend. I'd been watching the weather forecast all week and it really didn't look good. This morning was as promised - as foggy as you like. I drove over to Kemble anyway - just to say hello, check the journey from the new house and persuade myself to get on with flying. I met up with Stu who filled my in on all of the gossip. We chatted for while with Tom who had come to replace brake disks and pads on one of the club's leased PA28s - interesting chap. A splendid bacon sandwich in AV8 (thanks mate!) and a view of the club's Granville trip DVD and I was on my way home. Another lesson booked for two weekends time.