Now it was time to concentrate on learning the skills necessary to safely get an aircraft from where it was parked, into the air, back down again and safely parking it. In other words, go solo!
Like a lot of people I thought that the real problem was just going to be landing the aircraft. Nooooo! Looking back at what I was taught, what I had to really know how to do were :
1) Stay ahead of the aircraft
2) Doing all that was necessary to ensure a safe flight.
I'll try and explain. Up until this point everything I'd done was done in my own time with lots of prompting. To go solo I had to do everything that needed to be done when it needed to be done without any help. This became very apparent from the moment we started walking out to the aircraft for the first circuit session.
The instructor made it clear that checking the aircraft was now MY responsibility, and that if I was the first one to fly it that day, it'd be MY signature on the tech log. stating that the 'A' check had been done. I'd been shown how to check the aircraft over, and could describe what I was doing and why.
OK, checks done, engine started and off we go. But now if I missed a "memory item" check I was reminded of it quite firmly! E.g. as soon as the engine is started, check that the starter engagement light is off and that oil pressure
is rising. Check brakes immediately after moving off. If there is a pilot in the other front seat then get them to check their brakes as well.
And of course correct use of the checklists had to be demonstrated.
So, onto circuits. Every airfield has a unique challenge when doing circuits, e.g. at Popham it's the offset approach onto 26 and the dippy runway. At White Waltham it's the fact that as their are three runways, there are 6 seperate curcuits and they all have to be strictly followed for noise reasons. So for example the crosswind turn may well happen before reaching 500'. The downwind turn may take place as circuit height is reached, which for someone learning to fly really does add to the workload at that point.
I'll try and describe a circuit in a PA-28 at White Waltham. I've probably missed out something vital so don't take this as "how to fly a circuit"!
I'm at the side of the runway, facing down it. Power checks and vital checks done. Listening on the radio, is there anyone downwind or on final? Turn the aircraft so I can see the circuit, is their anyone on downwind or on final? If all is clear, make the radio call "Golf Delta Foxtrot lining up two-five", taxi onto the runway, check compass and DI agree with the runway, check carb heat off, apply full power over 2-3 seconds, check Ts, Ps, AI increasing, keep it straight with rudder, keep right hand on throttle. I always check carb heat just before or after applying full power as it's easy to forget to take carb heat off when doing a touch'n'go... so whenever I go to full power, visual check of carb heat.
Back pressure, she's getting very light, off she comes. Nice and clear of the ground, don't climb yet, wait a sec., airspeed will now be 65, climb at 65-70, 100' up, first stage of flaps in and adjust the yoke pressure so that their is no sudden sensation of rise or sink during flap retraction. 200', flaps up, again adjust yoke
pressure and we should now be doing 80 knots.
Time to turn, check height/airspeed, no more than 15 degrees bank. Almost time to turn onto downwind, check I'm not cutting anyone up, check height/airspeed, at 750' gently reduce power, adjust attitude, turn, now on downwind.
Trim, just over 800' at 95 knots that'll do. Keep checking no one is cutting me up from the dead side.
BUMFFICHH checks. Brakes (off, check pressure felt on the toe brakes, feet down and clear of brakes) Undercarriage (down and welded or else we're in serious trouble), Mixture (full rich), Flaps (up or as required, check handle agrees with what I can see), Fuel (pump on, pressure OK, tank selected has sufficient for circuit and go-around), Instruments (QFE & height, direction agrees with compass & indicates opposite to runway direction, airspeed, Ts & Ps) Carb heat (ON), Hatch (top & bottom latched), Harness (mine & all SLF). And all this in 20 seconds.
Abeam upwind end of the drag, make the call "Golf Delta Foxtrot downwind two-five touch and go"
Now I can relax for two seconds. (Unless I've got an instrutor next to me as they have a habit of chopping the power at this point if I look too relaxed)
Turn base. Immediately reduce to 1500 rpm (-ish), airspeed in the white arc? Yes, two notches of flap, hold attitude until we're doing 80 knots, trim and we'll be doing 75. Works every time. Think about final approach speed - it's calm, 65 over the fence. A breeze means 70 over the fence. Definitely windy, and it's 75 over the fence. Very windy and I wouldn't be flying.
Look at the runway. Control speed with attitude, landing point with power. At least that's what I've been told and it work, although of course adding power increases speed as does easing the nose down. It's a coordination thing but for me attitude for speed and power for aimpoint works.
Check airspeed. Look at the runway. Check airspeed. Look at the runway. Time for the turn, keep airspeed at or above 75 round the turn. Nicely lined up, a bit high.. so full flap and now we're going to land on the intersection of 21 and 25, perfect. Call "Golf Delta Foxtrot final two five for touch and go" and put carb heat off.
Slight back pressure, quick (approximate) retrim and we cross the fence at just over 65, lovely.
Power to idle, keep right hand on throttle.
I've been told their are a secrets to making a perfect landing in a light aircraft every time. At the last PPRuNe Gatbash I was told that nobody knows what they all are, but I did manage to obtain some of these secrets. They might not work for you but they work for me (so far!)
1) A light aircraft doesn't just flare and land. Big jets do that. What a light aircraft does is to flare, round out then hold off.
2) Don't try and land. Fly a foot or so above the runway for as long as you can with no power. The aircraft will land when it's ready to, sometimes a second or so after the stall warning goes off and it'll be nice and gentle.
If you get a hint you are running out of runway, go around, don't force it on.
3) Once in the hold-off, don't push the yoke forward. If you feel you need to, go around.
4) Once the mains are on the ground don't apply brakes until the nosewheel is down as well. Applying the brakes with the nose still in the air will bash the nose down and that isn't big and it isn't clever. Well, I suppose the repair bill for wrecking the front of the aircraft would be big...
Feel free to disagree with me - or if you know what the other secrets are I'd apprecate knowing! (They are probably in Alan Bramson's excellent book "Make Better Landings")
So - over the runway, feel the world come up around me, round-out, feel it sink, hold it there, fly, fly, fly, fly, beeeeeeeeeeeep and we're down a hundred foot or so after the intersection of 21 and 25. Full power, hold it
straight, two notches of flap, check carb heat off, Ts & Ps good, airspeed building, and off for for another go.
I like circuits. They are difficult enough to be very challenging, easy(!) enough to be possible, and extremely satisfying when they go well.
So how did I do...?
My first fully unassisted landing was about 50' to the right of the runway but at White Waltham that doesn't matter too much. (Instuctor told me to continue the approach and not worry THIS TIME about landing off the runway but don't do it again!) My first flapless landing wasn't a landing - I kept the speed up just a bit too much so turned it into yet another go-around. My first glide approach was pretty good - it was also flapless as I'd extended downwind a bit too far and the last thing I neededwas extra drag! And if your instructor uses the word "Fanstop" over the radio you are about to have an interesting few seconds.
But on a good day I found I could fly the aircraft within +- 50' of 800 in the circuit, land just to the left or the right of the centreline (not on it, it's very rutted), usually keep ahead of the aircraft, and very importantly decide early enough to go-around when I didn't like the look of an approach.
So after circuit bashing for some hours I was told "get your air law, you'll be going solo soon". Apprehensive, me? Well... yes...
[ 27 December 2001: Message edited by: PPRuNe Dispatcher ]</p>