Hour 5
Today was the first time I thought that the lesson would be cancelled. The cloud was quite low and there was a presence of mist. I got up and drove to the airfield anyway, a little gutted that we might not be flying, knowing that we could do the detailed walk-around anyway if we couldn’t fly. However, when I got there it was decided that we could do some instrument work, making the most of the weather conditions in the most positive way. My instructor is very passionate about flying; he doesn’t like having to cancel a flight and loves to be able to get airborne too, which is great.
So we took off and this time flew south instead of north, due to the weather conditions they were slightly better around Chester. Once we were set up he went through the instruments in more detail and shown me how to do the radial scan (how sad is this; I remember this from reading the MS Flight Sim 2004 ground school and know what he means by radial scan)! I know a PPL cant fly through cloud, but the use of the instruments is in the syllabus and is still a very important part of flying, so getting used to them at this stage was very satisfying for me, I don’t find them a rocket science at all and with a little practice I was flying straight and level, climbing and descending (cruise), turns whilst climbing etc. We then went through the different bank angles and those which best to use during different attitudes of flight, for example no more the 20 degrees of bank in a descending turn etc. Each of the top white lines on the attitude indicator being 10 degrees of bank. I didn’t find this too difficult, and before long I was performing these manoeuvres using the instruments and instruments alone.
I find that as my lessons progress I get more used to the use of the throttle. People may be thinking “How hard can it be?” but the movement of around 3mm of the throttle can be the difference in 5 kts airspeed and can effect straight and level flight etc. I have been using around 2250 rpm to maintain 90kts straight and level cruise. On different days it has to be more, sometimes less. This is an experience thing, and something that can only be mastered with years of use, and I will take a guess in saying that it is the same on most aircraft. This is all IMHO of course, I only have 5 hours!
Today was good in terms of wind, being that there was none at all. It is amazing at how the landing is effected by a small breeze. Once I had the aircraft in trim and on the correct approach, it basically flew itself to the runway, which is physics for you. I find that upon flare, reducing the power to idle, it is a natural reaction to let the nose hit the ground, but I have to maintain back pressure for quite some time (were talking 3-5 seconds) to let the plane sink onto the runway nicely, and not let it go down too quick, which would damage the nose wheel, amongst other possible things.
Another good thing now that I have done it a few times is the walk around. My instructor lets me go onto the apron and do the walk around by myself, with the fuel drainer and all (I must sound like a kid) and perform the entire checklist. Starting at the left side, checking the avionics are off, master on, landing/strobe lights on, check, pitot heat, fuel vent, stall warning, control surfaces, undercarriage, tires, master off and it goes on! This is a great feeling as it is the first insight into some kind of responsibility towards the flight, and the fact that my instructor has faith in me, which is a good confidence builder. Don’t worry, the instructor still checks over things and once we are in the cockpit he can let me do all the checks and start-up etc, because he is there!
In summary today was a strain on the brain from a normal VFR lesson. Scanning each of the 6 main instruments can take it out of you, especially holding a turn or an approach. Speaking of approach, I got the first insight into the ADF, which seems basic enough, however, I did notice that it was important to obtain a specific heading from the ADF, then follow that, rather that the ADF needle, otherwise, as you pass the beacon the needle turns and I can imagine you would eventually start flying spirals! It was great also because after the flight, me and another chap (new PPL student) went out together and done the detailed walk through with the instructor, so learned a fair bit today.
Very much looking forward to tomorrow, which is exercise 9 (which should have been today) so will update again tomorrow afternoon. I would also like to thank you lot for keeping up with my diary and for continuing to read it, and hope you are still liking it. Without you following it, it would be pointless in doing it, CHEERS!
Lee.