PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - How many hours student pilot generally have when going first solo?
Old 23rd May 2012, 07:15
  #105 (permalink)  
Aimpoint
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Straya
Posts: 157
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Let's not start a "3 degree profile/sausage factory/glides approaches should be the way to land" debate in this thread. It's been done in the past and won't help Roger. It's up to the school to teach the technique they think is right, no matter the 'experts' opinions on PPrune.

- the aileron to control drift off and rudder to straighten nose, if this is
the answer to my question in last post, my understanding is, if I am a couple of meters left to the center line just before flare, I should strenghten the nose and use a bit right aileron to get aircraft drifting to the center line, do I
understand it right?
Affirm. Remember though, the slower airspeed means you will need greater control inputs to get the desired result. I found a lot of students were scared of using too much aileron to counteract drift because they thought they were going to strike a wing against the runway - this is highly unlikely.


- The approach profile inconsistency is also correct. I think it is because I
fly base leg differently every time, so the height at the point I turn final is
different, sometimes I turn a bit early, sometimes late. I think I should
descend slower if the circuit is wide?
Why do you turn base at a different point each time? Is it because you have traffic in front of you, or because you're not keeping the runway in sight (or don't know when to turn base using visual cues)? Yes, if the circuit is wide you should descend on base at a lower rate of descent to avoid being too low on final.

I am aware that I was too fast on final. It is around 75-80kts and reduced to 60-65 at the threshold.
Some approaches appeared to be around 75kts over the threshold. If you are fast, the hold-off is going to take much longer and you will land too far down the runway. This is a major item that must be fixed before anyone will send you solo.

but I am not sure if I got your point? is it the approach too flat because the speed is too high?
No. The approach is 'flat' when you are too low on final i.e. the approach angle is very small, therefore 'flatter' than a steeper approach. This can be completely independent of speed.
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