From Zero to Forty Five - my PPL Diary
Kookabat:
I think I've used just about every instructor at the school at some stage! I agree that is is useful in learning different things but again, you lose continuity which is a pain.
Hampshire Hog:
Thanks! I'm glad it's over.
It sounds like you need to relax a little on takeoff. Still, practice, practice, practice as they say.
I think we must have had the same MET paper. It had the symbols of a Quasi stationary front but the weather patterns of an occuled or something like that. Most unfair I thought.
I now have the comparative joy of building 3.5 hours solo time "Any way I wish. Plan a route and fly it".... so I've got to try and come up with something interesting to do.
Any ideas anyone? Southampton to where? Preferably not land away as I'm trying to make it as cheap as possible.
Good luck all
Mark
I think I've used just about every instructor at the school at some stage! I agree that is is useful in learning different things but again, you lose continuity which is a pain.
Hampshire Hog:
Thanks! I'm glad it's over.
It sounds like you need to relax a little on takeoff. Still, practice, practice, practice as they say.
I think we must have had the same MET paper. It had the symbols of a Quasi stationary front but the weather patterns of an occuled or something like that. Most unfair I thought.
I now have the comparative joy of building 3.5 hours solo time "Any way I wish. Plan a route and fly it".... so I've got to try and come up with something interesting to do.
Any ideas anyone? Southampton to where? Preferably not land away as I'm trying to make it as cheap as possible.
Good luck all
Mark
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Mark,
I can't really suggest where you might want to go to build that solo time, but there have been a regular series of free landing vouchers in mags such as Pilot and Todays Pilot. Why not use one of them?
My occluded front question was a bit different. It concerned the types of weather you could expect to experience when flying towards and through it. The answer my instructor (and I) went for was pretty much anything and everything, but the CAA had a far more subtle correct reply!
Paul
I can't really suggest where you might want to go to build that solo time, but there have been a regular series of free landing vouchers in mags such as Pilot and Todays Pilot. Why not use one of them?
My occluded front question was a bit different. It concerned the types of weather you could expect to experience when flying towards and through it. The answer my instructor (and I) went for was pretty much anything and everything, but the CAA had a far more subtle correct reply!
Paul
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I now have the comparative joy of building 3.5 hours solo time "Any way I wish. Plan a route and fly it".... so I've got to try and come up with something interesting to do.
Any ideas anyone? Southampton to where? Preferably not land away as I'm trying to make it as cheap as possible.
Any ideas anyone? Southampton to where? Preferably not land away as I'm trying to make it as cheap as possible.
Been there already? How about exploring Wales, if you can get the weather.
I don't know about "comparative joy", 3.5 hours flying sounds pretty wonderful to me.
Been out today for a lovely navex. Flew to Mansfield and landed on the Oakbank grass strip. Beth and I had lunch and talked with Mick and Phyllis and the timid sheepdog.
Then off towards Shepparton , Bendigo and Kyneton at 6500 feet.
Charged off through controlled airspace and back to Moorabbin.
Good time had by all.
Next one is the four hour solo nav.
Then off towards Shepparton , Bendigo and Kyneton at 6500 feet.
Charged off through controlled airspace and back to Moorabbin.
Good time had by all.
Next one is the four hour solo nav.
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Hey guys,
Just back from flying now. Did 1hr 25mins solo today, 13 circuits
Was great fun hehe. To top it off I sat my met paper when I got back and got 90%
Steep turns and PFLs here I come
Just back from flying now. Did 1hr 25mins solo today, 13 circuits
Was great fun hehe. To top it off I sat my met paper when I got back and got 90% Steep turns and PFLs here I come
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I must get some serious studying done too now. I'd hate to get slowed down cos I haven't had the exams sorted out.
All these solo's and navigation trips make me want to hurry up and experience it myself.
All these solo's and navigation trips make me want to hurry up and experience it myself.
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Excellent lesson today. Still not gone solo
But, much better t/o and landings + a couple of self-selected go-arounds. Nice weather too!
Instructor much happier. Hopefully solo next time!
HH
But, much better t/o and landings + a couple of self-selected go-arounds. Nice weather too!Instructor much happier. Hopefully solo next time!
HH
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Mazzy 1026 and others about to solo ponder the conditions only 90 years ago.
Earlier posts have described Del's first flight which was also his solo and then his flight test for his Brevet/Licence. Page 20.
Now here is Del's first flight in the first successful aircraft to be constructed in Australia.
Wednesday 18th July 1914, another momentous day in Delfosse Badgery's life. It should also have been recorded as one of the most significant days in Australian aviation achievements in that new science. The event was not widely publicised.
Most of the blame for this event passing almost unnoticed must be born by Del. He did not seek acclaim or publicity of his achievements, his entire concern then was the worry of his dwindling finances and how he could eke out enough money to keep his aims on course now that he had committed himself 100% to a career in this infantile phenomenon - aviation.
The morning frosts and mists over the Sutton Forest fields gradually disappeared as the sun rose higher in a bright cerulean sky. The Yabsley brothers, blacksmiths who had assisted with the construction, arrived with a local photographer from Moss Vale, to find Del and Sam completing their final checks of the Caudron. Once again they looked over each of the rigging wires and turnbuckles. Again they surveyed the appearance of the wings, longerons and tailplane setting. They had none of the modern devices to check rigging angles with complete accuracy - a quarter of a degree of dissimilarity in the attachment of wings, one to the other or the most imperceptible twist in a wing could cause large forces of an out-of-trim condition once in the air. Again, they could not check the weight and balance, they did not know with accuracy where the centre of gravity was located. They had balanced the aeroplane on a beam under the lower longeron and that gave a rough indication that all was well - but they could not be absolutely sure! The wings would flex and change their angles to the airflow as each piece of wood accepted its first flight load, so the forces could vary along each wing, particularly at the 'trailing edge' where the thin ribs maintained the contour of the wing. Only the first test flight could tell them how successful their efforts had been to produce another successful Caudron.
The main problem was the initial setting of the tailplane angle, for on this depended the amount of down force that the tail would produce to balance the other forces of the aeroplane - the lift of the wings opposing the total weight, the thrust of the propeller acting against the immense drag of all those struts, wires and wings, not to mention the nacelle with Del, the pilot, sitting with half his body stuck out in the oil spattered slipstream.
The paddock they were going to use was relatively flat and about half a mile long, roughly the same length as Hendon. They had walked over it many times, mattock in hand, knocking down the largest grass hillocks, and filling in the holes and dips, so that now it was acceptably smooth and firm. Windsocks had not yet been 'invented'.
During their talk together on the previous evening Del had agreed not to try to make a full circuit flight at the first attempt; just a gentle lift-off the ground to cheek the balance and then to come to a stop for a talk about how it felt no matter how perfect the controls seemed when in the air for this first brief occasion. It was to be a 'straight' as his old friend Frank Goodden at Hendon would have called it.
Del, Sam, the Yabsleys and a couple of other eager helpers pushed the Caudron out from the 'hangar' as Rebecca, Ethel, the two children and several locals who had somehow 'got the word' by bush telegraph stood around watching. The air was quite tense with excitement, here was the culmination of three and a half months of hectic work, a quite incredible achievement when looked at, even to-day. Almost unaided and without any form of power tools, the two of them had made a complete aeroplane. The quality of their handwork was evidenced later by the time it existed as Australia's first truly successful aeroplane. For, in retrospect, that is what the Caudron was. It wasn't the first aeroplane to be made in Australia, there had been Duigan and Marshall, who had built and left the ground for a few brief seconds or minutes in their creations and then they had crashed to finally give up their efforts. There had been Houdini, Hart, Hawker and now Guillaux who had flown successfully - but they were all in aeroplanes made in either England or France and imported for the occasion, and some had also crashed.
But this aeroplane was different. It was "Made in Australia". True, it was of French design and built mainly with foreign materials and parts, but never-the-less it was to prove to be the first really successful aeroplane to set the scene for the 'Australian made' aircraft, and Delfosse was the sole pilot to control and guide it through many, many successful hours of flight.
Del and Sam posed beside their creation for the photographer. Sam remarked "Best photograph it now, it might not be in one piece for much longer". Meant as the joke it was, for they both had complete faith in their creation and in Del's ability to safely return it unscathed, the tensions were such that Ethel burst into tears of apprehension and, together with the children, retreated to the sanctuary of the house, which event Mary, one of the children, vividly remembered in the 1990s.
An apprehensive Del stubbed out his last cigarette, then donning his leather flying jacket, gloves, helmet and goggles he climbed into the cockpit. Soon the Anzani engine was rumbling away as Del let it warm up at a fast idle. Then with the enthusiastic help of the bystanders hanging on to the longerons to restrain it, he ran the engine up to full throttle for a final check. She ran quite smoothly, emitting its usual haze of blue smoke. A quick smile and wave to his friends and a 'she's right' thumbs up to Sam, Del started to taxi out over the grass and cattle tracks near the paddock's corner dam. Lining up down the field, he once more tested the joy stick and rudder bar over their full range of movement, then slowly opened the throttle. The Caudron gathered speed and finally, with Del using considerable forward force on the joy stick, the tail came up as the aeroplane sped over the bumpy ground. A check of the wing warping, Del felt the wings respond correctly, and then it was time to close the throttle as he neared the far boundary fence. Del now knew that the tail plane setting was not correct, he had had to push the stick forward harder than normal to raise the tail. He decided to still fly his 'straight' back to the anxiously waiting group in the far distance, to check just how much the setting needed readjustment. Opening the throttle firmly and quickly, he soon had flying speed and relaxing the stick pressure, the Caudron left the ground for the first time into its natural element. Del eased the throttle down as he flew along 3 or 4 feet above the ground. A quick waggle of the wings confirmed the feel of the stick - she flew a bit left wing low, and Del closed the throttle to land safely.
As he switched off back in front of Newbury hangar, joyous shouts and whoops proclaimed the end of Del's first flight if it could be so called. The onlookers were disappointed. They had expected to see the Caudron soar away into the clear blue sky but to Del and Sam it was a moment of triumphant success. They now knew they had backed a winner, only a couple of minor adjustments were needed.
Del described the amount of force he had to apply to the controls. Sam now knew almost precisely the amount of adjustments to be effected, he had made dozens of such trim changes to Ewan's aeroplanes. The front spar of the tailplane was moved up about one inch on its curved adjustment plate and re-locked in position as Sam marked it with a scriber for future reference. He would make a final setting later to enable the aeroplane to fly 'hands off' in stable flight at normal cruising engine revs and speed. As there were no trimming controls available to Del in the cockpit, in all other regimes of flight he would have to hold a slight pressure on the stick at all times to make the Caudron climb or descend.
The adjustment to wings was a different problem: the wing warping cables had to be re-tensioned in order to correct the tendency to roll to the left. This procedure took about an hour of discussion and fiddling. Meantime one of the locals had been watching from an overlooking hillside on the nearby property of Judge Owen. From his viewpoint looking down on the paddock, it seemed to him that the aeroplane had not left the ground. Had he been more observant, he would have noticed the aeroplane and its shadow on the ground part company, but as this was the first flying machine he had ever seen or heard he really was not entitled to rush in to Moss Vale and spread the word that "the Badgery aeroplane did not leave the ground. I told you so, it's just one big furphy; that thing will never fly". But Del and Sam knew better; in fact it was most successful.
The trim adjustments complete, Del got back into the cockpit, started up and the flew another 'straight' to the far end of the paddock. Satisfied this time that the controls now felt satisfactory, he opened up to full throttle for his first real take-off. The Caudron quickly leapt into the air and passed over Sam, Bill and the others at about one hundred feet up, but as he waved over the cockpit side, Del could not hear the shouts of joy and encouragement from the excited little group. As he made his first turn for his circuit of the paddock, he felt the engine lose a little power as one spark plug cut out. The engine started to vibrate, and that worsened as a second plug gave up the ghost about two minutes later as he flew downwind in the opposite direction to that of his take-off. Del knew he had real problems now, the engine power was failing and he started to slowly lose height. He thought of making a forced landing in one of Marshall's paddocks close by, but the sight of dozens of ring-barked dead trees and stumps assured disaster if he pursued that idea, so he pressed on, hoping frantically that the engine would continue to give him enough life and power to regain Newbury.
Del's only instinctive thought now was that somehow he had to get himself and the Caudron back on the ground undamaged. He knew only too well how much his and Sam's future depended on this machine. He had to succeed, somehow. The Caudron just hung in the air as it passed over Sir Norman Kater's house roof at bare chimney height but as Del cleared the final ridge he then knew he could volplane in successfully for his landing. He did that safely and with an immense feeling of relief he taxied in towards the waiting group, the engine barely running with an irregular beat.
Thus ended the first real flight of his aeroplane and what was the longest six or seven minutes Del could ever remember. As soon as the initial congratulations and back slapping were over, he and Sam got down to looking for the cause of their near disaster. The faulty plugs were instantly located by Sam by consequence of long experience - he put his hand on the two lower cylinder heads - they were stone cold. Unscrewing the plugs his suspicions were confirmed, both were covered in unburnt oil and 'gunk' from the cylinder walls. It was exactly this trouble that within a few years caused aero-engine designers to duplicate the entire ignition system and have two spark plugs in each cylinder so that, apart from extraordinary circumstances of both plugs becoming defective together, power would always be produced by each cylinder, barring a mechanical failure of a major component.
Subsequent flights to many parts of Australia considerably enhanced Del's experience and permitted many Ausies to see their first aircraft.
Earlier posts have described Del's first flight which was also his solo and then his flight test for his Brevet/Licence. Page 20.
Now here is Del's first flight in the first successful aircraft to be constructed in Australia.
Wednesday 18th July 1914, another momentous day in Delfosse Badgery's life. It should also have been recorded as one of the most significant days in Australian aviation achievements in that new science. The event was not widely publicised.
Most of the blame for this event passing almost unnoticed must be born by Del. He did not seek acclaim or publicity of his achievements, his entire concern then was the worry of his dwindling finances and how he could eke out enough money to keep his aims on course now that he had committed himself 100% to a career in this infantile phenomenon - aviation.
The morning frosts and mists over the Sutton Forest fields gradually disappeared as the sun rose higher in a bright cerulean sky. The Yabsley brothers, blacksmiths who had assisted with the construction, arrived with a local photographer from Moss Vale, to find Del and Sam completing their final checks of the Caudron. Once again they looked over each of the rigging wires and turnbuckles. Again they surveyed the appearance of the wings, longerons and tailplane setting. They had none of the modern devices to check rigging angles with complete accuracy - a quarter of a degree of dissimilarity in the attachment of wings, one to the other or the most imperceptible twist in a wing could cause large forces of an out-of-trim condition once in the air. Again, they could not check the weight and balance, they did not know with accuracy where the centre of gravity was located. They had balanced the aeroplane on a beam under the lower longeron and that gave a rough indication that all was well - but they could not be absolutely sure! The wings would flex and change their angles to the airflow as each piece of wood accepted its first flight load, so the forces could vary along each wing, particularly at the 'trailing edge' where the thin ribs maintained the contour of the wing. Only the first test flight could tell them how successful their efforts had been to produce another successful Caudron.
The main problem was the initial setting of the tailplane angle, for on this depended the amount of down force that the tail would produce to balance the other forces of the aeroplane - the lift of the wings opposing the total weight, the thrust of the propeller acting against the immense drag of all those struts, wires and wings, not to mention the nacelle with Del, the pilot, sitting with half his body stuck out in the oil spattered slipstream.
The paddock they were going to use was relatively flat and about half a mile long, roughly the same length as Hendon. They had walked over it many times, mattock in hand, knocking down the largest grass hillocks, and filling in the holes and dips, so that now it was acceptably smooth and firm. Windsocks had not yet been 'invented'.
During their talk together on the previous evening Del had agreed not to try to make a full circuit flight at the first attempt; just a gentle lift-off the ground to cheek the balance and then to come to a stop for a talk about how it felt no matter how perfect the controls seemed when in the air for this first brief occasion. It was to be a 'straight' as his old friend Frank Goodden at Hendon would have called it.
Del, Sam, the Yabsleys and a couple of other eager helpers pushed the Caudron out from the 'hangar' as Rebecca, Ethel, the two children and several locals who had somehow 'got the word' by bush telegraph stood around watching. The air was quite tense with excitement, here was the culmination of three and a half months of hectic work, a quite incredible achievement when looked at, even to-day. Almost unaided and without any form of power tools, the two of them had made a complete aeroplane. The quality of their handwork was evidenced later by the time it existed as Australia's first truly successful aeroplane. For, in retrospect, that is what the Caudron was. It wasn't the first aeroplane to be made in Australia, there had been Duigan and Marshall, who had built and left the ground for a few brief seconds or minutes in their creations and then they had crashed to finally give up their efforts. There had been Houdini, Hart, Hawker and now Guillaux who had flown successfully - but they were all in aeroplanes made in either England or France and imported for the occasion, and some had also crashed.
But this aeroplane was different. It was "Made in Australia". True, it was of French design and built mainly with foreign materials and parts, but never-the-less it was to prove to be the first really successful aeroplane to set the scene for the 'Australian made' aircraft, and Delfosse was the sole pilot to control and guide it through many, many successful hours of flight.
Del and Sam posed beside their creation for the photographer. Sam remarked "Best photograph it now, it might not be in one piece for much longer". Meant as the joke it was, for they both had complete faith in their creation and in Del's ability to safely return it unscathed, the tensions were such that Ethel burst into tears of apprehension and, together with the children, retreated to the sanctuary of the house, which event Mary, one of the children, vividly remembered in the 1990s.
An apprehensive Del stubbed out his last cigarette, then donning his leather flying jacket, gloves, helmet and goggles he climbed into the cockpit. Soon the Anzani engine was rumbling away as Del let it warm up at a fast idle. Then with the enthusiastic help of the bystanders hanging on to the longerons to restrain it, he ran the engine up to full throttle for a final check. She ran quite smoothly, emitting its usual haze of blue smoke. A quick smile and wave to his friends and a 'she's right' thumbs up to Sam, Del started to taxi out over the grass and cattle tracks near the paddock's corner dam. Lining up down the field, he once more tested the joy stick and rudder bar over their full range of movement, then slowly opened the throttle. The Caudron gathered speed and finally, with Del using considerable forward force on the joy stick, the tail came up as the aeroplane sped over the bumpy ground. A check of the wing warping, Del felt the wings respond correctly, and then it was time to close the throttle as he neared the far boundary fence. Del now knew that the tail plane setting was not correct, he had had to push the stick forward harder than normal to raise the tail. He decided to still fly his 'straight' back to the anxiously waiting group in the far distance, to check just how much the setting needed readjustment. Opening the throttle firmly and quickly, he soon had flying speed and relaxing the stick pressure, the Caudron left the ground for the first time into its natural element. Del eased the throttle down as he flew along 3 or 4 feet above the ground. A quick waggle of the wings confirmed the feel of the stick - she flew a bit left wing low, and Del closed the throttle to land safely.
As he switched off back in front of Newbury hangar, joyous shouts and whoops proclaimed the end of Del's first flight if it could be so called. The onlookers were disappointed. They had expected to see the Caudron soar away into the clear blue sky but to Del and Sam it was a moment of triumphant success. They now knew they had backed a winner, only a couple of minor adjustments were needed.
Del described the amount of force he had to apply to the controls. Sam now knew almost precisely the amount of adjustments to be effected, he had made dozens of such trim changes to Ewan's aeroplanes. The front spar of the tailplane was moved up about one inch on its curved adjustment plate and re-locked in position as Sam marked it with a scriber for future reference. He would make a final setting later to enable the aeroplane to fly 'hands off' in stable flight at normal cruising engine revs and speed. As there were no trimming controls available to Del in the cockpit, in all other regimes of flight he would have to hold a slight pressure on the stick at all times to make the Caudron climb or descend.
The adjustment to wings was a different problem: the wing warping cables had to be re-tensioned in order to correct the tendency to roll to the left. This procedure took about an hour of discussion and fiddling. Meantime one of the locals had been watching from an overlooking hillside on the nearby property of Judge Owen. From his viewpoint looking down on the paddock, it seemed to him that the aeroplane had not left the ground. Had he been more observant, he would have noticed the aeroplane and its shadow on the ground part company, but as this was the first flying machine he had ever seen or heard he really was not entitled to rush in to Moss Vale and spread the word that "the Badgery aeroplane did not leave the ground. I told you so, it's just one big furphy; that thing will never fly". But Del and Sam knew better; in fact it was most successful.
The trim adjustments complete, Del got back into the cockpit, started up and the flew another 'straight' to the far end of the paddock. Satisfied this time that the controls now felt satisfactory, he opened up to full throttle for his first real take-off. The Caudron quickly leapt into the air and passed over Sam, Bill and the others at about one hundred feet up, but as he waved over the cockpit side, Del could not hear the shouts of joy and encouragement from the excited little group. As he made his first turn for his circuit of the paddock, he felt the engine lose a little power as one spark plug cut out. The engine started to vibrate, and that worsened as a second plug gave up the ghost about two minutes later as he flew downwind in the opposite direction to that of his take-off. Del knew he had real problems now, the engine power was failing and he started to slowly lose height. He thought of making a forced landing in one of Marshall's paddocks close by, but the sight of dozens of ring-barked dead trees and stumps assured disaster if he pursued that idea, so he pressed on, hoping frantically that the engine would continue to give him enough life and power to regain Newbury.
Del's only instinctive thought now was that somehow he had to get himself and the Caudron back on the ground undamaged. He knew only too well how much his and Sam's future depended on this machine. He had to succeed, somehow. The Caudron just hung in the air as it passed over Sir Norman Kater's house roof at bare chimney height but as Del cleared the final ridge he then knew he could volplane in successfully for his landing. He did that safely and with an immense feeling of relief he taxied in towards the waiting group, the engine barely running with an irregular beat.
Thus ended the first real flight of his aeroplane and what was the longest six or seven minutes Del could ever remember. As soon as the initial congratulations and back slapping were over, he and Sam got down to looking for the cause of their near disaster. The faulty plugs were instantly located by Sam by consequence of long experience - he put his hand on the two lower cylinder heads - they were stone cold. Unscrewing the plugs his suspicions were confirmed, both were covered in unburnt oil and 'gunk' from the cylinder walls. It was exactly this trouble that within a few years caused aero-engine designers to duplicate the entire ignition system and have two spark plugs in each cylinder so that, apart from extraordinary circumstances of both plugs becoming defective together, power would always be produced by each cylinder, barring a mechanical failure of a major component.
Subsequent flights to many parts of Australia considerably enhanced Del's experience and permitted many Ausies to see their first aircraft.
Spicy Meatball
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Great story Milt, I was feeling the tension when you started to describe the failing spark plug.
I dont blame him! A good idea IMHO.
Hampshire Hog - I know the feeling mate, a little gutted at times waiting for your first solo but hang on in there, it WILL come!
A few days ago, a couple of the poster's here gave me their MSN Messenger addresses, and we have had a good old natter. So if anyone else would like to do the same, and is currently using Messenger, then feel free to PM me with their details!
Cheers,
Lee
Del had agreed not to try to make a full circuit flight at the first attempt;
Hampshire Hog - I know the feeling mate, a little gutted at times waiting for your first solo but hang on in there, it WILL come!
A few days ago, a couple of the poster's here gave me their MSN Messenger addresses, and we have had a good old natter. So if anyone else would like to do the same, and is currently using Messenger, then feel free to PM me with their details!
Cheers,
Lee
Wish me luck. Today I'm off on the final solo Navex before the ppl exam and flight test. I get to fly myself to Hamilton, land, refuel and back. Thats about four hours worth.
Woke up at 3 am thinking about it. Pure nerves even though I know what I'm supposed to be doing and have put it all together before with an instructor.
Flying an Archer this time, 180hp instead of 160 and about 15 knots faster.
Woke up at 3 am thinking about it. Pure nerves even though I know what I'm supposed to be doing and have put it all together before with an instructor.
Flying an Archer this time, 180hp instead of 160 and about 15 knots faster.
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I'm reeeeeeeealy jealous now Sunfish! Still haven't done that second Canberra nav, haven't flown for more than a month... really suffering withdrawals here
But yes, have a good flight... good luck... and all that. Enjoy it!!
Adam
But yes, have a good flight... good luck... and all that. Enjoy it!!
Adam
Spicy Meatball
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Brain Fried
Cant believe how lucky I was today with the weather. It has been so grotty and wet all day, even driving to the airport it was horrible, but we were expecting a gap in the weather any time, so onwards. Got there and it was a bit quieter (people wise) due to it being a weekday. We went up into the circuit and done 2, just to get checked out. Then we went back and he got out (grin time again). Great. This is my second solo and was very much looking forward to it.
The two landings I made however, before he left me to it, were floaters. I kept either coming slightly too fast, or flaring too early. I was told I made a good recovery though, by pitching the nose down quickly to regain, then let it touchdown. On the second base, I realised that I wasn’t holding the nose up long enough to let the aircraft slow down. I was putting the flaps in and letting the nose lower, and taking too much power off, so this is the first stage of a bad approach. I realised this and made the necessary adjustments the next time round, by establishing 70 knots before lowering the nose. When I come across a mistake, I like to describe it to my instructor so he knows when I am making corrections.
So he got out and away I went. It’s amazing how well this aircraft climbs due to the reduced weight. The circuit went fine and I made a good landing. It’s funny but all my solo landings so far have been great, I put it down to the higher level of concentration required, and perhaps to not being ‘watched’ (at least from the cockpit anyway!)
Ok so now here is where the fun starts and the old adrenalin starts flowing. Just as I was rolling out of base onto final, a Cessna Citation came on:
“Established on 6 mile final, runway 27 ILS”
“we have a Tomahawk on final, we will make it go around”
Buggar. Wasn’t expecting that. Ok so I waited a few seconds, then came the call for me to go around. This is where I made mistake number one. Because I was quite a while off touchdown, I waited. Don’t ask me why, I just had this mental image of ‘only going around just before touchdown’ – a misconceived unconscious thought perhaps. Anyhow, tower came back:
“perform go around immediately”
Ok, I let the flaps go – with an almighty whoosh as the flap lever shot my arm forward. Mental not number one noted “release flaps gently, in 2 smooth stages, as not to adjust attitude too quickly”.
Full power, and back into the climb with a left hand turn to get back to a thousand feet, adjacent to the runway. Mental note number two “TURN CARB HEAT OFF”. I left it on didn’t I. I realised just before the end of the climb, and quickly turned it off. It wasn’t too bad though, the aircraft sill climbed well (again, reduced weight). The Citation decided to change his/her/it’s mind and perform a go around itself, so the ATCO told it to go right instead of left. Mental note number three (which was realised on the ground, “when your told to go around, DO IT THEN” (if practically possible and safe of course (standard disclaimer – P1 is in control)).
Sent it round no problem and it was actually quite a good view of the airfield (saved me £7.90 too)! Ok so in the next one, I was told to report ready for base. No problem. When I got there, I was told:
“remain south of the lighthouse” (the lighthouse is a standard point to turn onto base).
So two things were in my head, one, extend downind, which wasn’t practical as it would take me over a load of chemical factories and steam/smoke etc, or two, an orbit. After about 15 seconds of pondering I put her in a right hand orbit, then told tower what I was doing. They had no problem with that, as an orbit is what they probably meant in the first place.
The next circuit and landing were fine, and I happily rolled back to kilo with the knowledge I had performed reasonably well and gained some truly valuable experience. Next time I have to do any of the above again, I will know what to expect and hopefully will not make the same mistakes as I did today. Again, grin from ear to ear, I really do love this flying lark. Total solo time now is 60 mins. Only another 120, then I am let off the leash! Fantastic day today.
DiscoChocolate – did you manage to get flying today?
Sunfish – good luck mate – I wish you all the best.
It’s worth another thank you to everyone posting in here. I am amazed at how well it’s going and appreciate your input and advice. Keep it up.
Best regards
Lee
The two landings I made however, before he left me to it, were floaters. I kept either coming slightly too fast, or flaring too early. I was told I made a good recovery though, by pitching the nose down quickly to regain, then let it touchdown. On the second base, I realised that I wasn’t holding the nose up long enough to let the aircraft slow down. I was putting the flaps in and letting the nose lower, and taking too much power off, so this is the first stage of a bad approach. I realised this and made the necessary adjustments the next time round, by establishing 70 knots before lowering the nose. When I come across a mistake, I like to describe it to my instructor so he knows when I am making corrections.
So he got out and away I went. It’s amazing how well this aircraft climbs due to the reduced weight. The circuit went fine and I made a good landing. It’s funny but all my solo landings so far have been great, I put it down to the higher level of concentration required, and perhaps to not being ‘watched’ (at least from the cockpit anyway!)
Ok so now here is where the fun starts and the old adrenalin starts flowing. Just as I was rolling out of base onto final, a Cessna Citation came on:
“Established on 6 mile final, runway 27 ILS”
“we have a Tomahawk on final, we will make it go around”
Buggar. Wasn’t expecting that. Ok so I waited a few seconds, then came the call for me to go around. This is where I made mistake number one. Because I was quite a while off touchdown, I waited. Don’t ask me why, I just had this mental image of ‘only going around just before touchdown’ – a misconceived unconscious thought perhaps. Anyhow, tower came back:
“perform go around immediately”
Ok, I let the flaps go – with an almighty whoosh as the flap lever shot my arm forward. Mental not number one noted “release flaps gently, in 2 smooth stages, as not to adjust attitude too quickly”.
Full power, and back into the climb with a left hand turn to get back to a thousand feet, adjacent to the runway. Mental note number two “TURN CARB HEAT OFF”. I left it on didn’t I. I realised just before the end of the climb, and quickly turned it off. It wasn’t too bad though, the aircraft sill climbed well (again, reduced weight). The Citation decided to change his/her/it’s mind and perform a go around itself, so the ATCO told it to go right instead of left. Mental note number three (which was realised on the ground, “when your told to go around, DO IT THEN” (if practically possible and safe of course (standard disclaimer – P1 is in control)).
Sent it round no problem and it was actually quite a good view of the airfield (saved me £7.90 too
)! Ok so in the next one, I was told to report ready for base. No problem. When I got there, I was told:“remain south of the lighthouse” (the lighthouse is a standard point to turn onto base).
So two things were in my head, one, extend downind, which wasn’t practical as it would take me over a load of chemical factories and steam/smoke etc, or two, an orbit. After about 15 seconds of pondering I put her in a right hand orbit, then told tower what I was doing. They had no problem with that, as an orbit is what they probably meant in the first place.
The next circuit and landing were fine, and I happily rolled back to kilo with the knowledge I had performed reasonably well and gained some truly valuable experience. Next time I have to do any of the above again, I will know what to expect and hopefully will not make the same mistakes as I did today. Again, grin from ear to ear, I really do love this flying lark. Total solo time now is 60 mins. Only another 120, then I am let off the leash! Fantastic day today.
DiscoChocolate – did you manage to get flying today?
Sunfish – good luck mate – I wish you all the best.
It’s worth another thank you to everyone posting in here. I am amazed at how well it’s going and appreciate your input and advice. Keep it up.
Best regards
Lee
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Surrey
Age: 43
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Congrats on a good flight, and don't worry about little mistakes. Like you say, they all add to the experience! (as long as you learn from then )
I know what you mean about the tommy climbing like a rocket. With my instructor in I'm lucky if I get to circuit height by the end of the crosswind leg, solo I'm at it by the end of the climbout
I occasionally forget to turn off the carb heat, since I sometimes forget the CRAP checks, usually when the approach has been alittle more complex then usual (one of the runways that I use has a valley just before the threshold, which means that you've gotta have a curved final leg, but also it can kick up some nasty eddies/sink.
Glad you had a good flight, hopefully I'll get up tomorrow! supposed to be my first navex
)I know what you mean about the tommy climbing like a rocket. With my instructor in I'm lucky if I get to circuit height by the end of the crosswind leg, solo I'm at it by the end of the climbout
I occasionally forget to turn off the carb heat, since I sometimes forget the CRAP checks, usually when the approach has been alittle more complex then usual (one of the runways that I use has a valley just before the threshold, which means that you've gotta have a curved final leg, but also it can kick up some nasty eddies/sink.
Glad you had a good flight, hopefully I'll get up tomorrow! supposed to be my first navex
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Ireland
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Guys,
Good morning/afternoon/evening/night (select according to timezone and hangover status.)
I've decided to go for ze PPL - went for Class 2 on Friday and... well, I was bundled out of the surgery with the doctor shouting: 'And don't come back for 5 years!'
Me: "I won't!"
Doc: "Promise?"
Well after the shock of the probing wore off I wondered what I could do with the medical.
a. I could ignore it and save up for my granny's complicated eye operation.
b. I could FLY!!!!!
Naturally I chose wisely.
Option b of course. I'll buy the granny a glass eye... ok, a marble.
Anyway, some of you might have seen my thread on Stick & Rudder (now deleted - the tidal wave of opinion clinched it (cheers tKf & Sunfish et al) 'tis a good book).
So I'm going to start as soon as my granny's inheritance comes through. Or maybe I'll pay my own way.
(Just checked the will - she left me the marble. Touching.)
But before I start in summer (April to you and me), I'd just like to thank you guys for continuing this thread - I've never gotten so much useful information from any other forum. And long may it last. This is truely PPRuNe at it's best.
Cheers,
Conf
Good morning/afternoon/evening/night (select according to timezone and hangover status.)
I've decided to go for ze PPL - went for Class 2 on Friday and... well, I was bundled out of the surgery with the doctor shouting: 'And don't come back for 5 years!'
Me: "I won't!"
Doc: "Promise?"
Well after the shock of the probing wore off I wondered what I could do with the medical.
a. I could ignore it and save up for my granny's complicated eye operation.
b. I could FLY!!!!!
Naturally I chose wisely.
Option b of course. I'll buy the granny a glass eye... ok, a marble.
Anyway, some of you might have seen my thread on Stick & Rudder (now deleted - the tidal wave of opinion clinched it (cheers tKf & Sunfish et al) 'tis a good book).
So I'm going to start as soon as my granny's inheritance comes through. Or maybe I'll pay my own way.
(Just checked the will - she left me the marble. Touching.)
But before I start in summer (April to you and me), I'd just like to thank you guys for continuing this thread - I've never gotten so much useful information from any other forum. And long may it last. This is truely PPRuNe at it's best.
Cheers,
Conf