3 Axis Microlight Powered Approach

[heights good]

Hi,

I am currently struggling with Powered Approaches; I cant seem to notice when I am high/low in time to correct and then end up too slow/fast. Do you have any tips that can help me to nail this as I am struggling and it's beginning to frustrate in a huge way.

Thanks in advance

HG

[Crash one]

Get your Instructor to demonstrate the correct "picture" out the window on approach.
Touchdown point about 1/3 up the screen, approximately, & adjust decent rate to keep the picture constant. Practice/time/patience etc. It will all fall into place one day & you will wonder what all the fuss was about.
The more learned will be along soon I'm sure.

[archbishop]

I had a similar issue when I started doing circuits - I'd suggest you ask your instructor to show you what the "picture" should look like on final and fly the POH airspeed. Once you've got those, it's just a case of "picture, airspeed, picture, airspeed," all the way down final. Power controls your height and elevator controls your speed, but in reality you'll be making constant changes to both in order to maintain your picture. Out of interest, which 3 axis are you flying?

[RTN11]

Try to get your aiming point in the correct part of the screen - your instructor should show you where that is as it will obviously differ depending on if it's high/low wing, and even then an approach in a thruster looks very different to a C42.

The best way to judge the aiming point is to think to yourself "if I did nothing, where would the aircraft crash" and that is where you are going to land. If that point is before the runway, you're too low, if it's halfway down the runway you're too high.

It's easy to overthink these things, best to just get the feel for it and let it come naturally, but one way of breaking it down in your mind is "point and power". Using this method you control your descent profile using your pitch attitude, so you literally just point at where you aim to land, and then use the power to control the airspeed.

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

Yes of course it's difficult to get this right in the early stages of learning. It's your instructor's job to teach you the correct technique and guide you though it. Is he / she failing in this respect?

[GOLF_BRAVO_ZULU]

I think we might be assuming that you are training towards a NPPL(M) in a 3 axis. Are you a NPPL(M) recently "difference" cleared to a 3 axis without coveing powered approach?

[RTN11]

I think we might be assuming that you are training towards a NPPL(M) in a 3 axis. Are you a NPPL(M) recently "difference" cleared to a 3 axis without coveing powered approach?

Ah yes, that's the assumption I made.

Also what are you learning in? A C42 is just like a conventional aircraft, where an early series thruster is more of a proper microlight, and both will have completely different approach styles.

One good tip would be to find a power setting that will roughly work in still winds, then you can just adjust it for the wind. It won't work 100% of the time, but it will be a good start point.

[heights good]

To clear up any confusion, I am a first time flyer and learning in a C42.

HG

[funfly]

Good advice it to use the 'try not to land' method. Just attempt to keep the thing a foot above the ground until you feel it kiss the turf.

Having said that I always had trouble landing more often than not due to landing too fast. Once I made three attempts without success and honestly thought that I would never do it (I was solo at the time) - scary moments.

So you're not the only one who has had problems

edited - spelling

[SEP Flyer]

Visual attitude

I fly a C42, and when learning, I felt just like you regarding slow/fast and high/low. My instructor suggested I use the vertical bar that goes between the bottom of the windshield and the top as a simple attitude reference. Ask your instructor to set up your approach, and look to see where the horizon lines up on the bar – then see where the horizon is on the bar with one stage of flap, and also with two stages of flap. Mark the bar with a bit of tape/different coloured sticker for each part of the approach. If you use these reference points, and you are aiming at your touchdown point on the runway, then your speeds will be spot on - my instructor covered up the air speed indicator and just told me to use the visual attitude and increase/reduce engine power as needed (ie horizon to my marker on the vertical bar) and the speeds were always spot on.

Today, I know these attitudes without needing to look at the markings on the bar, but it did help when learning!

As you’ve probably noticed, the C42 can lose airspeed very quickly if you have full flap and low revs, so keeping the correct attitude in approach is so important, as is keeping the speed down within the white arc with the first stage of flap!

It will come!

[heights good]

The landing bit is fine, its the shambles leading up to it that is the problem

[GOLF_BRAVO_ZULU]

Thanks for clearing up that very important point. I think we are back to the asking your instructor to do what you are paying for option. Instructors are very approachable (no pun intended) and usually enjoy answering questions and solving problems. Second guessing what you might be told and what might be demonstrated may not do you any favours.

For what it's worth, I find a powered approach and landing in a 2 ton light aeroplane a lot easier than in a less than 1/4 ton microlight. Sometimes momentum can be your friend and a lack of it means quickly nailing your attitude to the speed you want, at any power setting, is very, very important.