Problems on solo x country

[billiboing]

Am only early solo pilot, but was doing my solo x-c today. On climb out from the second airfield I lost the ASI and then proceeded to make a number of mistakes.

1) Whilst I did inform ATC they then asked if I wanted to declare an emergency. I thought about it and thought no, as everything else seemed to be ok.
I simply climbed above the airfield, tried alternative static, no change in ASI -reading 0.

2) I started thinking I had left the pitot tube cover on, but when I found that in the pocket I knew it wasnt that, and I couldnt remember putting it back on anyhow.

3) I then got me stop watch out, and flew back to my home airfield filling in my log carefully all the way and the achieved airspeeds seemed to work out right for the RPM set to achieved 90knots. ATC were happy to let me go on route. When I asked them what I should do they said " we will assist you with whatever you wish to do!".

4) When I got back home I did a careful circuit. My home airfield asked me if I had my ASI back- they had been told by my departing airfield. Concentrated hard and did a really good landing. Despite the presence of several big red fire engines. Think I disappointed them.

5) Asked my instructor if I did the right thing in coming home. He didnt answer but did sign off my QXC.

6) Only dawned on me that I had a GPS in my flightcase AFTER i landed.

Wondered what you guys think would have been best thing to do.

PS Am told the ASI stopped working cos of a load of bugs up the pitot head.

[Jan Olieslagers]

Both the stopwatch and GPS would indicate ground speed, what you were lacking is air speed. On a windy day like today was here that can make quite a difference.

Can't be sure but I think I would have made it back but without declaring anything. There would be more parameters, though, like "how well do I know the terrain between here and my home field" and "what facilities are available for setting the ASI right". No use turning back to a grass strip with no facilities whatsoever.

Only this morning I heard someone just after departure calling "coming back to the field for minor technical issue" or words to that effect.

The main point, though, is this: you got into a certain degree of problems, and got home successfully. Well done!

[Gertrude the Wombat]

Well, that's why "look up the pitot to see if there are any bugs in there" is in the check list. Not that there's much chance of actually seeing them of course, so it's only going to catch some cases. Also of course part of the reason you check the ASI during the take-off run ... but in your case that was OK, you lost it on the climb.

People have killed themselves following ASI failure by getting the wrong speeds on the climb or on the base turn or wherever, followed by a stall/spin crash - that's the real danger. Which is why I do a circuit with the ASI covered up every now and then. Well done for avoiding that, which is the main thing to say about your experience!

So ... how to stay alive with no ASI? The climb is easy - full power, and you know what the picture looks like. The cruise is easy - you know what power setting you usually use in the cruise, that'll give you the same speed it usually does. The landing is more tricky - you have to go by the picture and the feel of the controls, and err on the side of being a bit fast rather than on the side of stalling out of the final turn and spinning and crashing. Personally I end up a bit fast, but safe; I wouldn't try a no-ASI landing somewhere with a minimum length runway, I'd divert somewhere where the runway length wasn't going to be an issue.

Oh, and the fire trucks? Y'know it only takes them fifteen minutes to read the paper each morning, and they're exceedingly bored for the rest of the day. I've had them called out at least twice!

I don't think you made any mistakes. The only real choice you had was whether to land back where you'd just taken off or whether to return to your home base. Returning to the home base seems to me to be the safer choice, as you're more familiar with how it should look and feel in the circuit at the right speeds - the cruise itself with no ASI is a complete non-event as you discovered, simply set the right RPM and there you are.

[Final 3 Greens]

One thing I would say is that you are paying the instructor for advice.

After such as experience, it is entirely reasonable for you to wish to talk over your decisions with your instructor and is an integral part of the learning process.

For him to ignore your question is, in my opinion, unprofessional.

I would consider if you wish to continue flying with someone who behaved like that, at the very least I would call him/her and say that you would like a proper debrief and when would it be convenient to meet.

As to your decision making, you tried to diagnose the problem and fix it, you thought about your options and you made a clear decision and stuck by it, recovering the aircraft safely.

Would I have done the same thing? Absolutely irrelevant, as you were PIC.

Well done and good luck. :D

[BackPacker]

The only real choice you had was whether to land back where you'd just taken off or whether to return to your home base. Returning to the home base seems to me to be the safer choice, as you're more familiar with how it should look and feel in the circuit at the right speeds - the cruise itself with no ASI is a complete non-event as you discovered, simply set the right RPM and there you are.

I agree that this is really the only decision you made that you could argue about. Personally I'd return to the airfield I just took off from, IF that airfield had a long enough runway (as said, you will want to come in a bit fast and bleed off the speed above the runway - and you need space for that) and IF my home base was a serious x-country away.

After all, "it's better to be on the ground wishing you were up there, than being up there wishing you were on the ground".

But if you know that the runway at home base is long enough, you are more familiar with the circuit over there (and maybe with the ingrained power settings vs. your circuit location), you know that that's where maintenance is located and the route to get there is not too taxing (no seriously timed legs or something, but easy nav all the way) it's a no-brainer really.

And yes, after an event like this, talk it over. With your instructor, with a few anonymous blokes on PPRuNe, with your mates at the bar, whatever. It's a good learning experience.

[Pilot DAR]

Use your best judgement as PIC, and be able to explain your rationale late if asked. That said, if you've decided to continue a flight with unserviceable equipment, adjust your technique to make up for it, and do your best. You certainly should have adequate skill to fly a circuit, and land with no airspeed information.

One anti bug trick which has a slight chance of working is the use of pitot heat, which might heat out the bug bits, but don't depend upon it

The GPS could be quite useful for speed information in cruise flight, but I would put it away on final approach. It would be too distracting to be glancing at it, out of position, and it might have an update rate which is too slow to be of use.

If you need speed information, and you're in communication with a radar controller, they can tell you your speed, workload permitting.

You will encounter many odd "little" problems with planes, always be ready.....

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo252/PilotDAR/Aircraft/IMG_0826.jpg

[AdamFrisch]

Also remember that the stall warning is separate from the pitot and gives you an indication if you're about to stall. So as long as that's not blaring, you're still flying!

[RatherBeFlying]

With an airspeed of 0, I would suspect a porous blockage -- likely various bug bits. Mud dauber wasps block off the pitot completely. I once was on a takeoff run on a short runway that ended with a downslope to a ravine when I noticed that the ASI had not come alive; so, took the problem into the air.

I talked to ATC and got some groundspeeds, then decided to try some stalls at higher altitude. As I climbed the ASI went up -- and came down when I descended. Basically the ASI had become an altimeter;) There was not much daylight left and ATC offered to take me in at the big airport, but I figured I had enough time to try a landing, flew the power settings I usually do and landed just fine.

Once you are used to flying a particular airplane, You can generally do fine without the ASI.

[moreflaps]

During the takeoff roll you should run the check
ASI alive and climbing appropriately
RPM max, engine smooth
Oil Temp and pressure green.

(maybe try remembering ARO -like an arrow)
If any of these is not OK abort. If the ASI fails during X-country I would look for the nearest suitable/long runway and approach keeping speed up. (You don't want to try a short field approach). Navigation should not become a major issue -I'd consider maybe using ATC for vectors and PAN you need priority over other traffic as you need maximum attention on your flying, getting down without a low altitude stall is critical. During instruction I spent some time flying base/final with my ASI covered, its surprising how this focusses you on correct feel/sounds of the plane. A slow turn to final has killed many pilots so a straight in approach could be best.

I'm not an instructor, but that is how I was taught.

Hope this helps.

Cheers

[24Carrot]

The GPS GS is quite a comfort once you are on final approach (assuming you are into wind) as it should understate your airspeed. Which is good for not stalling, though less helpful for flap extension.

The only time it happened to me, my mate in P2 called out the groundspeeds, while I flew visually. If he hadn't been there, I think I would have ignored the GPS. The horizon and the aiming point are the most useful references.

The other thing I found useful was (on downwind) to really positively choose the spot on the ground where I wanted to be 500' agl, lined up with the runway, with a standard throttle setting for descent.

Anyhow, well done for staying calm and landing safely.