J230 Experience

As promised - here is a little bit of what I did this morning...

The J230 felt much the same inside as most Jabs do, a bit wider, and certainly a good size boot in the back. After talking about the little bits and pieces about it, it was basically left to me to start up and get us airborne...

Start up taxi, and take off were not much different, except that I held it on the ground for a bit long, (didn't have the nose very high up)... bit more weight out the front then the J120.

Went and did some turns, pretty much handles the same as the J120 except I find you have to hold a lot more top rudder doing right hand turns to keep things balanced, possibly due to the airflow from the prop, more than I've noticed before anyway...

Then climbed up a bit more to fiddle around and see how it stalls, pretty uneventful, although I did get a wing drop, but that was easy fix. Only to discover on my last stall that the instructor's hand was firmly holding the throttle out!! To which he said "your engine has failed" Oh man! fortunately I had been taking notice at the ground for places to land, so proceeded to one of them, and carried out a pretty successful circuit and lined up for landing... I was pretty happy with my self there that, that bit worked out well.

Headed back to see what I could do with a landing or two, but totally stuffed up my inbound call (I mean really bad! I don't know why? but I wasn't impressed, and neither was the instructor I think!:ah_oh: Why does that happen when your trying to do your best... grrrr!)

Anyway we made it back Ok and joined circuit... and did a pretty good job for my first ever landing I thought, it wasn't the best, but realistically, in the conditions!.... although it was halfway down the runway where I touched down...

Seeing that we had to backtrack (didn't have enough runway to take off again I felt) we stopped for a bit of a breather and a run through on a few things.

Jumped in again... and just did some circuits, but with 10 kt gusty 90 deg cross wind It was really interesting, but I think I did about average with my landings, I reckon it coulda been better, but it was getting terrible conditions.

And a change of my usual routine and also electric flaps was driving the stress level up a tad so I started forgetting things.... such as carby heat (leaving it on... Darky I see what you mean now!), and second stage of flap on finals, twice! :ah_oh: Only discovered that when I went to retract them for take off...!

Thoughts about it -

Electric flaps.... Mmm what I found was they were so slow, by the time you retract it to first stage on a touch and go for the take off bit, your running out of runway! the Manual ones in the 120 you just 'click' and away you go, so I'm slowly getting used to that too.

Power was nice, a fair bit more grunt.

=====

Next time we'll do a few more circuits and then have to do a Nav or something with the CFI to see if he reckons I'm good enough to let me take the aircraft away for hire. So we'll see how that go's when that happens sometime.

All in all it was a pretty good time. Next time I will just have to not wreck my day by a weird radio call

:thumb_up:

Thanks for the update Tomo - glad to hear I'm not the only one who suffers from brain fade on the radio when there are lots of other things on the go.i_dunno Cross wind was quite interesting today and as for the viz..........

One thing I noticed about your report, are you expected to reduce flaps on the ground in a touch n go? Reason I ask is because the Tecnam I'm flying also has electric flaps and at Boonah which is reasonably short and even on a go around, full flaps are left dangling until you have a positive rate of climb and then reduced to 15 deg. I know you have to partially clean up a C150 before trying to climb, but I thought a Jab would handle the extra drag without any drama.

Good on you Tomo. getting outside your comfort zone will usually cause a few stress related bugger ups.... you did well...next time it will be 1/10th as difficult and you are becoming a better pilot all the time that you are trying. Well done.

Thanks for the encouragement guys... it's funny how you do silly things when you are put under a bit of stress.

One thing I noticed about your report, are you expected to reduce flaps on the ground in a touch n go?

Thoughts people?

That's what I was taught Tomo, flaps back to 2nd stage after landing and stabilising, then power on and take off. Sounds like you still had fun. Good work.

Hey Thomo, the 230 is a bit like a dead duck :yuk: when you forget to get those flaps up, trust me...

Surprised you didn't comment on the extra amount of rudder required on take off compared to the smaller powered Jabs :big_grin:

Love the sound of that 6 cylinder engine though:ecstatic:

Cheers

H

Thanks :thumb_up:

Surprised you didn't comment on the extra amount of rudder required on take off compared to the smaller powered Jabs :big_grin:

When doing touch and go circuits in the J160 I only use 1st stage of flaps and then you don't have to touch them again till established in the climb (200ft agl).

I struggle to see a huge difference when landing with 1st stage compared to full, main difference I see is if coming in a bit high its hard to lose height quickly without an increase in airspeed

And a change of my usual routine and also electric flaps was driving the stress level up a tad so I started forgetting things.... such as carby heat (leaving it on... Darky I see what you mean now!)

Sounds like you had fun, keep us posted on how things progress :)

I swear they need to make the handle on the carby heat yellow or something...when you're busy trying to keep track of everything, the visual reminder would be very helpful!Sounds like you had fun, keep us posted on how things progress :)

It works for me to link the removal of carb heat to the 2nd stage of flap.

When you go to the 2nd stage on final, then remove the carb heat.

I have located them both together just above the left throttle so that it can be done with the left hand almost without looking down (and also allows throttle adjustment too, if needed).

You can then go thru a mental drill well in advance of flying, to help you link the 2 actions.

Hope this helps.

Regards Geoff

It's clever to locate it next to the throttle. I hate having to worry about taking a hand off the stick/throttle while I'm trying to keep things under control on approach to worry about carby heat, I always feel like I'm going to lose control or something for a moment while I'm moving my hands... (that is, when I remember the carby heat at all!)

Methinks I need a bigger brain with more HDD capacity

Hey good on you!

I'm in WA but am a Dalby boy from out near Bell. I was at Chinchilla until earlier this year and did my training in a 160 and a 230. Hang in there you'll get there! I find making three conscious deep breaths just as your turn onto final always relaxes and focuses me.

I have done a bit of flying out west and the thermals get pretty bad out St George and Dirranbandi way in Summer. I hear the temps are really getting up there again. In Katanning WA Summer is the choice time to fly as most of our rain falls in Winter.

Building a skyranger and just have the wings to go. I am missing the flying on the Downs familarity is a great thing. Bunya's and grain silos make it hard to get lost over there!

Yeah, flying out west in Summer is when I think those guys that dreamed up the 5000ft limit are insane, the thermals down that low in a J230 are kidney damaging, whereas at 9500ft there arent anywhere near the same issues. Lets face it the 5000ft limitation if you fly the right hemispherical levels is really only 3500 or 4500ft... So, low, hot and thermally, clearly much safer for all... And of course out west there are just so many light aircraft to avoid while enroute

Andy

Hey thanks for the tips guys! I'm usually pretty good, but new instructor, and new ways of getting me to do things kinda changed my routine a little so caused more tension for my already poor brain! But I'll do a little practicing in the 120 the way he wants me to do it, and I should be more relaxed next time, that way.

Friarpuk:

Yes the Downs are pretty nice to fly around, and like you said pretty hard to get lost. We have been hitting the 40 deg C temps the last few days, with massive thermals around, certainly frying all the crops that have been attempted.

Methinks I need a bigger brain with more HDD capacity

With me it is my Ram and processor that need upgrading! :big_grin:

Yeah, flying out west in Summer is when I think those guys that dreamed up the 5000ft limit are insane, the thermals down that low in a J230 are kidney damaging, whereas at 9500ft there arent anywhere near the same issues. Lets face it the 5000ft limitation if you fly the right hemispherical levels is really only 3500 or 4500ft... So, low, hot and thermally, clearly much safer for all... And of course out west there are just so many light aircraft to avoid while enrouteAndy

Hi All, i like to fly early in the morning (or late afternoon) this time of year. Thermal activity does get active alot here in the middle of the day. If im by myself, i dont mind, but if i take someone up who hasnt done much flying. I like the flight to be more enjoyable for them instead of them getting thrown around.Cheers

Don't kid yourself! 9500" is barely out of a decent thermal in Qld. I was flying with a mate in his Aerocommander Shrike at 9500 after lunch between Roma and Dirranbandi just before Christmas one year and we got flogged. And my wife lost her lunch down the back. But the height is better for tiger country that's for sure!

Have a good trip Andy

Yep! I would have to agree with that! I hope you have a great time on your cross country, I wish it were me! Ah well back to the shed to keep building! Just the wings to finish! Oneday I would like to do the cross country from Katanning to Dalby and Nanango where the parents and the outlaws live.

Yay!

Well I got signed off on the J230 this morning... so am a pretty happy chappy! :big_grin:

What an experience though!! the instructor was having a ball at making me think and do all the work... from engine failures in every area of the circuit and training area, to jiggering the flaps - down/up, halfway etc... you name it he did it! Was pretty intense, but quite rewarding, since I always managed to put it on the runway, or lined up in a paddock or whatever, find the fault... etc, and It seemed he was happy with me...! Low level circuits, right hand circuits, throttle stuck on a little, on finals... (he held it there!) I'm telling you he did everything you could imagine!

I also seemed to pull off one good landing after another too! I'm thinking I musta woke up on the right side of bed for once!!

Anyway I was getting pretty dry in the mouth (wonder why?) so finally convinced him to a full stop landing so I could get a drink (I had a drink bottle, but I wasn't game to take my hand off anything! )

After a bit of a rest he said I could show him what I can do solo, so off I went, getting off the ground nice and quick! :thumb_up: climbed out and did a circuit and nice landing... taxied back and was then told I could go for half hour or so... so that is what I did, headed over toward Warwick, but didn't venture to far due to not having any map, and I didn't fancy the idea of getting lost just then... ;)

So yeah, that was how it pretty much happened, pretty impressed myself actually, didn't even wreck one radio call! :thumb_up:

Just some pictures for you -

The J230

The office

And... Climb out...

Well done Tomo, nice looking machine the 230.

Seems this learning gig never ends with flying, only just got my certificate and I'm putting myself through it all over again on Saturday, converting to the Eaglet.

Thanks Spin, Yes it is a pretty nice machine, I don't mind it at all....

Yes the learning never seems to stop, makes it interesting that way! :big_grin:

Congrats on the Pilot Cert :thumb_up: It is pretty good fun trying a new aircraft, each have their own little characteristics that make it cool! Look forward to my next one now...! will be trying the J160 out for sure sometime soon.

Fly safe!

Well done tomo, a slick machine.