Slow Flight Revision

Another Friday morning off work and off for a flying lesson. I'd been practicing my circuit walk though quite a lot, however since the weather finally favoured it Tony suggested a revision in slow flight at 2-3000ft. He did a longish brief running though the theory and exercises, I was left to alpha check G-JJAN, we hopped aboard and we were off, heading north west towards Newbury.


He gave me a go at calling Farnborough radar which I messed up entirely. Still that matched the very poor captain's take-off brief.

He ran through changing altitude, heading and speed several times which was confusion to my poor brain. I seem to cope with things in a very serial fashion - height or speed or heading!

Anyway the basic theory he was trying to drum into me is:

• If we're too slow, put the nose down.
• If we're too fast, raise the nose.
• If we need to gain height add power.
• If we need to descend reduce power.
• Don't forget we lose height when turning.

The work cycle is height, heading, speed.

Regular FREDA checks - Fuel, Radio, Engines, Direction, Altitude.

And of course we haven't learned our pre-landing checks either:

• Brakes
• Undercarriage
• Mixture
• Fuel - check there's enough to perform a go around if necessary, fuel pump ON
• Flaps - select landing or descending flap
• Carb heat - apply and check for icing
• Hatches and Harness

Sunday Shabbiness

Another lesson on Sunday - it's nice to be getting down to it. Weather was fine for circuits, quite hazy but not too bumby for a change. Not such a succesful flight though. Terrible approaches and way behind the aircraft. Tony says I need to practice the walk though in the garden more or on the flight sim. So to cheer myself up I've bough a Saitek yoke and throttle quadrant controls on e-Bay.

I've found somewhere quiet near work to practice the circuit walk though on a lunch time. So while it's sunny you'll find me there, walking in squares and talking to myself.

I've also joined AOPA - free for student pilots, so that's nice. Very efficient sign up too - I filled out the form on the web and my membership stuff was with me in a couple of days.

RT Lesson

Tony's basic rules are WHO, WHO and WHAT.

WHO are you speaking to (Blackbushe Information)

WHO you are and where (G-BPTE, downwind)

WHAT you want (Request radio check, airfield information and taxi)

In reply 'repeat like a parrot'.

So the initial conversation at Blackbushe would go:

Blackbushe information, Golf-Juliet-Juliet-Alpha-November, request radio check, airfield information and taxi.
Golf-Alpha-November, taxi to holding point Alpha, runway 2-5 in use, Qfe 1005, (wind?)


There are three airfield comms standards:-

Radio: Advise of ground movement and air information. They have no control and are simply a central point for information.

Info: Control ground movement only, up to the runway. Provide air information.

ATC: Control ground, runway, circuit and approach. May have different frequencies for different services - ground, approach, tower and ATIS (Automatic Terminal Information Service).

Further Friday Flying

I had half a day off work on Friday and managed to squeeze in another couple of lessons. Once again the weather was pretty clear but very bumpy which made the finals approach pretty interesting. Tony thinks I'm getting better at the first three quarters of the circuit, but neither of us are happy with approach and landing. Tony had a go at videoing the sessions - it will be interesting to see those!

So I need to work on getting ahead of the aircraft while turning from downwind to base and turning from base to final. 

We also had a long briefing about RT, classifications of airfield radio and responsibilty.

Blue Sky Circuits

Another lesson on Sunday in what seemed to be absolutely perfect weather after the 'orrible stuff we've had recently. Tony did mention it was a bit bumpy - he really wasn't kidding.

Today we're flying G-BPTE. I enjoy flying Tango Echo more than Alpha November for some reason - better pedals perhaps. Tango Echo has one down side though, the airspeed indicator is in mph most prominently which means we're remembering 80 mph rather than 70 kts. That and the left tank fuel gauge doesn't work.

So a few more circuits cut somewhat short because of the gusty conditions. Several times we were all nicely lined up on finals and a gust throws everything around. We were using runway 07 today. It seems Blackbushe only uses the M3 side of the airfield for circuits, so today was all right hand turns.

I seem to be picking up the beginning of the circuit, the initial climb, turn crosswind, level at 800ft and then turn downwind. It's the base and final legs that I was struggling with.

• From downwind, initiate turn, turn on carb heat.
• As soon as the turn is complete immediately reduce power to [1600 rpm] and maintain 800ft.
• Once we're within Vfe lower two stages of flap - maintain altitude and slow to 70 kts (or 80 mph if you insist).
• Trim for 70 kts. I'll say it again because I keep forgetting. Trim the aircraft for 70 kts.
• Initiate descent and use a 15° turn onto final.
• Choose the aiming point on the runway.
• At 300 ft add the third stage of flap and turn off carb heat.
• Are we high, are we low, are we fast, are we slow.
• Maintain 70 kts, keeping the runway picture.
• If we're too high reduce power, too low increase power. Don't use the control column to adjust that. Adjustments of 100 RPM or so.
• If we're too fast or slow adjust attitude.
• Once we're over the runway reduce power.
• and then flare.

Which of course the real trick.

Add caption

PA-28 Pre-Landing Checklist

On the grounds that I need to learn this, here is the list from the Piper checklist.

1. Mixture – Rich
2. Carb Heat – Check for ice
3. Fuel – sufficient
4. Flaps – up
5. Engine instrument – within limits
6. Seat backs / Seat belts – erect / secure
7. Altimeter – Set / Cross Check
    o Airport QFE No 1
    o Airport QNH No 2
8. Brakes – Off
9. Recognition / Landing Lights – on
10. Air conditioner – off

And finally here's Tony's version

Brakes
Undercarriage
Mixture (rich) (carb heat on)
T's & P's
Fuel (sufficient) (perhaps swap tanks)
Fuel Pump on
Landing lights on
Carb Heat off
Hatches and harnesses

I prefer Tony's because he includes a round the cockpit check - brakes to mixture in the middle, jump left to engine instruments, work right to fuel, switches, carb heat and finally hatches and harnesses.

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.