Top Tips
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Top Tips
...you've probably all got one in you.
Although most things known to man can be found somewhere in the bowels of pprune, I often come across a good tip buried in the most unlikely of threads. So why not have a thread specifically for private flying related tips & suggestions?
So to start, if you're going to an unfamiliar airfield/farmstrip and want to see a better image than Pooley's line drawings, try www.getmapping.co.uk - they're basically trying to sell you an aerial photo of your house, but if you type in the postcode of the airfield, you'll get a nice colour picture of it taken from 5,000ft. Another good free site for those who like pictures rather than words is www.xcweather.co.uk
The tips don't have to be specifically about web-sites, but ones along the lines of 'use elevator for pitch control' are probably not required.
Get tip tapping!
Although most things known to man can be found somewhere in the bowels of pprune, I often come across a good tip buried in the most unlikely of threads. So why not have a thread specifically for private flying related tips & suggestions?
So to start, if you're going to an unfamiliar airfield/farmstrip and want to see a better image than Pooley's line drawings, try www.getmapping.co.uk - they're basically trying to sell you an aerial photo of your house, but if you type in the postcode of the airfield, you'll get a nice colour picture of it taken from 5,000ft. Another good free site for those who like pictures rather than words is www.xcweather.co.uk
The tips don't have to be specifically about web-sites, but ones along the lines of 'use elevator for pitch control' are probably not required.
Get tip tapping!
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I use Mulimap - www.multimap.co.uk Type in postcode or place, get the map, then click on the "aerial photo" link. The photo is usually good enough to get a good idea what the area is like.
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Seeing as Multi-map has had two good plugs (!) I would like to suggest some more top tips.......
1. When approaching an unfamiliar airfield I always listen out a good 5 minutes before calling them on the radio. By positioning your Pooleys on your lap with North facing where north is, you can get a great visual idea of where the runway in use is and plan your circuit. Also it make sit easier to make your first call something like.............................
XXX radio, this is G-ABCD inbound from XXXX, 5 miles N/S/E/W of you at 2500 on 1014, I understand it is runway 25 left hand, QFE 1002 and will call downwind/deadside etc.
2. When turning crosswind on departure with a 10 kt headwind if you only turn 80 degrees you will find that the wind will make you drift nicely at right angles to the runway. Similarly, for 15 kts, 15 degrees less etc. (Not applicable for 60 kts!)
3. If your a/c has rubber fuel bladders as tanks give the wings a gentle wiggle before taking a fuel sample during the pre-flight. Any water stuck on a wrinkle in the bladder will go to the drain hole and not catch you out on departure.
4. If you say "please" at the end of a request for a zone transit etc. there is a much higher chance of being granted one! I've trialed this and it waorks!!
5. If you have asked your non-flying passenger to keep an eye out for traffic tell them to use the clock method followed by the words "high, low or same level". There is nothing worse than a passenger saying "THERES ANOTHER PLANE" when you just can't see it and don't know whether it is dangerous or not.
6. After each flight, if you wipe over the leading edges with a damp cloth before putting the plane away you will save many hours cleaning and many years on your paintwork (applies to prop also).
7. When taxying, if you see some loose gravel ahead, accelerate briefly to give yourself some momentum and then idle the engine over the loose bits. Potential cost saving is about £2500!!
8. If you get the chance, watch the windsock for at least 5 minutes before take off. It is only when you have done this that you realise how the wind can massively vary in certain weather conditions.
9. If the headsets have been left in a plane overnight and it is a really cold morning, "wear them" on your thigh for 5 minutes whilst doing the internal pre-start checks so they don't freeze your head when you put them on!
10. If you have nobody sitting behind you and you use a large flight case, store it on the floor between the back of your seat and the back seat. IF (god forbid) the seat rail pin does give way on departure you will slide back a few inches and not 24 inches enabling you to maintain control of the a/c.
That's all for now! Hope at least one may have been useful
1. When approaching an unfamiliar airfield I always listen out a good 5 minutes before calling them on the radio. By positioning your Pooleys on your lap with North facing where north is, you can get a great visual idea of where the runway in use is and plan your circuit. Also it make sit easier to make your first call something like.............................
XXX radio, this is G-ABCD inbound from XXXX, 5 miles N/S/E/W of you at 2500 on 1014, I understand it is runway 25 left hand, QFE 1002 and will call downwind/deadside etc.
2. When turning crosswind on departure with a 10 kt headwind if you only turn 80 degrees you will find that the wind will make you drift nicely at right angles to the runway. Similarly, for 15 kts, 15 degrees less etc. (Not applicable for 60 kts!)
3. If your a/c has rubber fuel bladders as tanks give the wings a gentle wiggle before taking a fuel sample during the pre-flight. Any water stuck on a wrinkle in the bladder will go to the drain hole and not catch you out on departure.
4. If you say "please" at the end of a request for a zone transit etc. there is a much higher chance of being granted one! I've trialed this and it waorks!!
5. If you have asked your non-flying passenger to keep an eye out for traffic tell them to use the clock method followed by the words "high, low or same level". There is nothing worse than a passenger saying "THERES ANOTHER PLANE" when you just can't see it and don't know whether it is dangerous or not.
6. After each flight, if you wipe over the leading edges with a damp cloth before putting the plane away you will save many hours cleaning and many years on your paintwork (applies to prop also).
7. When taxying, if you see some loose gravel ahead, accelerate briefly to give yourself some momentum and then idle the engine over the loose bits. Potential cost saving is about £2500!!
8. If you get the chance, watch the windsock for at least 5 minutes before take off. It is only when you have done this that you realise how the wind can massively vary in certain weather conditions.
9. If the headsets have been left in a plane overnight and it is a really cold morning, "wear them" on your thigh for 5 minutes whilst doing the internal pre-start checks so they don't freeze your head when you put them on!
10. If you have nobody sitting behind you and you use a large flight case, store it on the floor between the back of your seat and the back seat. IF (god forbid) the seat rail pin does give way on departure you will slide back a few inches and not 24 inches enabling you to maintain control of the a/c.
That's all for now! Hope at least one may have been useful
Why do it if it's not fun?
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Following on from ToryBoy's item number 10:
Make sure you flight case is somewhere you (or at least your passenger) can reach it in flight. There is nothing worse than, for example, having the flight case in the baggage compartment, with an empty rear seat between you and it - then having to divert and not being able to get to your copy of Pooleys.
FFF
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Make sure you flight case is somewhere you (or at least your passenger) can reach it in flight. There is nothing worse than, for example, having the flight case in the baggage compartment, with an empty rear seat between you and it - then having to divert and not being able to get to your copy of Pooleys.
FFF
------------
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Penguina has been playing with her lovely new GPS that she got bought for her birthday and has started programming in waypoints with the level that the Class A starts as their 'elevation (AMSL)' - she hasn't tried it out yet, but suspects that if she's bang on or above the 'right' elevation it will be time for her to turn off the Penguina Mode C and push the Penguin beak downwards.
I'll ask her to report if it works when she's actually flown with this wonderful gadget.
I'll ask her to report if it works when she's actually flown with this wonderful gadget.
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Penguina has been playing with her lovely new GPS that she got bought for her birthday and has started programming in waypoints with the level that the Class A starts as their 'elevation (AMSL)
My top tip: print the first page of the AIP entry for new aerodromes you visit (or the chart page if it's separate). Then buldog clip it to the back of your folded chart. When you've found the airfield, you just turn the chart over and you've got a map to plan your circuit. You'll also know where to go when told 'vacate at Charlie then taxi via Delta to park on row Whiskey' or whatever.
Mark
Spoon PPRuNerist & Mad Inistrator
Always carry some sick bags when carrying PAX.
Always travel with mobile phone (switched off, of course) and credit card(s)
sd
Always travel with mobile phone (switched off, of course) and credit card(s)
sd
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If you're flying without using a 'PLOG' carry a pack of 'post-its' for scribbling down airborne/landing times plus clearances etc. (One 'post-it normally does each flight I find). Then tear 'em off at the end of each sector (very handy for multi sector trips) and stick them on the inside cover of your Pooleys (or whatever else you use) until you do your logbbok.
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If you are flying with young children (or indeed the very elderly) make sure everybody has been to the toilet before getting in the aircraft.
My first post ppl flight with Mrs g45 and g45 Major (aged 8) and g45 (aged 6) . ATC at EGPH doing their usual fine job of slotting us in between an arrival and a departure I was lined up and waiting for the arriving aircraft on 24 to vacate with an easyjet 737 on a four mile final. Arriving aircraft vacates. ATC says "g45. With a left hand turn out cleared take off 24" immediately followed by grow 45 minor saying " Daddy. I need a wee"
Also make sure sick bags recomended by Saab Dastard are handy and not tucked into the bottom of your flight bag - but thats another story although it involved g45 minor again.
g45
My first post ppl flight with Mrs g45 and g45 Major (aged 8) and g45 (aged 6) . ATC at EGPH doing their usual fine job of slotting us in between an arrival and a departure I was lined up and waiting for the arriving aircraft on 24 to vacate with an easyjet 737 on a four mile final. Arriving aircraft vacates. ATC says "g45. With a left hand turn out cleared take off 24" immediately followed by grow 45 minor saying " Daddy. I need a wee"
Also make sure sick bags recomended by Saab Dastard are handy and not tucked into the bottom of your flight bag - but thats another story although it involved g45 minor again.
g45
Penguinetta please advise Penguina that buying ProPlan flight planning software will be the best 45 (or so) squids she's spent. Do flight plan and plog on the PC and download to your trusty GPS. No more flying to Helsinki cos there was finger trouble entering the lat and long
Following on from ToryBoy's advice:
1. Check the oil level after the flight. Its the only way to find out what the oil consumption REALLY was
2. Ditto 1. above for the fuel tanks
3. Clean the windscreen post flight using Sparkle. Great off the shelf cleaner and virtually smear free.
4. Wipe out the engine cowlings post flight. It'll give you a clue where the oil in 1. above went.
5. During the pre-flight checks try holding the right hand elevator and moving the left hand one. If there's any differential movement retire to the pub and call the engineer
6. As part of your pre-flight check, hold a wing tip and give it a good waggling whilst feeling for looseness and listening for clunking sounds. Remedy as per 5. above. I personally know of a Cessna which after flying 2 morning lessons went in for it's Annual after lunch and the tailplane tips could be moved through a six inch (150mm) arc............
Following on from ToryBoy's advice:
1. Check the oil level after the flight. Its the only way to find out what the oil consumption REALLY was
2. Ditto 1. above for the fuel tanks
3. Clean the windscreen post flight using Sparkle. Great off the shelf cleaner and virtually smear free.
4. Wipe out the engine cowlings post flight. It'll give you a clue where the oil in 1. above went.
5. During the pre-flight checks try holding the right hand elevator and moving the left hand one. If there's any differential movement retire to the pub and call the engineer
6. As part of your pre-flight check, hold a wing tip and give it a good waggling whilst feeling for looseness and listening for clunking sounds. Remedy as per 5. above. I personally know of a Cessna which after flying 2 morning lessons went in for it's Annual after lunch and the tailplane tips could be moved through a six inch (150mm) arc............
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During the pre-flight checks try holding the right hand elevator and moving the left hand one. If there's any differential movement retire to the pub and call the engineer
Presumably you mean ailerons
But don't you need very long arms to do this??
Presumably you mean ailerons
But don't you need very long arms to do this??
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When aproaching an airfield to join the visual circuit, if the circuit is left hand, put the airield on the left of the nose, if the circuit is right hand, put the airfield to the right - it'll help you orientate your position relative to the intended circuit, and, hopefully, you'll never join in the wrong direction.
A
A
IO540 , nope I meant elevators. The Auster ones are joined by a flange on the end of a circular shaft. Trying to move the elevators against each other highlights if the bolts holding the flanges together have any slack in them. Same principle applies to Cessnas as well.
Make sure you flight case is somewhere you (or at least your passenger) can reach it in flight.
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Hmmm - need to clarify what Penguinetta (bless her) told you; I would only use such methods as the above as yet another reminder of potential scrapes, in case I'm having a particularly blonde day... maybe, just maybe, I might fail to pay attention to chart and altimeter if I were very distracted but would glance at the GPS for a second and know I was close to trouble.
However, LowNSlow, I have seen the results of the software you mention and believe you completely about its wonders.
Maybe for Christmas, eh?
However, LowNSlow, I have seen the results of the software you mention and believe you completely about its wonders.
Maybe for Christmas, eh?
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My tips:
PS bcfc - please let me know the registrations of all the aircraft you've lost Biros in, as I do not wish to fly them until a comprehensive loose articles check has been done by an LAE. They should all currently be grounded.
- Don't put the aircraft keys in your jeans pocket as you walk to the aircraft to fly it.
- Don't plan to fly the day after a PPRuNe bash!!
- Know the length of the tip of your thumb in nm on a half mill chart for easier in-flight distance estimates
- A B737 is faster than a PA28 / C150 / C172 - if one is up your chuff, then go around!
PS bcfc - please let me know the registrations of all the aircraft you've lost Biros in, as I do not wish to fly them until a comprehensive loose articles check has been done by an LAE. They should all currently be grounded.