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First Circuits


derekliston

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Finally this morning, after goodness knows how long, I flew my CH701 for two circuits. Up until now it's been flown by John Walmsley from Coominya who also flew it up to Warwick for me. As a low hours pilot I admit I was a bit Apprehensive (Scared stiff!) and had been trying to find someone to do the first flights with me, but because it is VH registered and everyone around seems to be RA-Aus I didn't have any success so I arrived at the airfield just on first light to get the calmest conditions I could and actually didn't have much problem apart from two of the untidiest landings I have ever done aeroplane is beautiful to fly and infinitely more responsive than the Cessnas, Pipers etc that I have flown until now, which I am guessing, accounts for the shonky landings. Hopefully things will just improve now!

 

 

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Good luck with your practice. All aeroplanes have a different feel. Make it do what it has to do. Get some feel of it out in the training area, (figure 8's etc) and varied speed flight. That will help with your landings. Nev

 

 

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Derek its just a savannah...main thing is dont get too fast on landing other than that its a no brainer. Over the fence at 45 kts to 50 kts max and it will slow up real quick if you still have those slats on it. Make sure you are not rounding out too high either you can really drop it on its wheels pretty hard if you round out too high when that speed falls off. Definately more responsive than a cessna especially in pitch usually. Wait till you start doing full on side slips they are a blast..so easy to control direction and decent. I found if you go up high then pull first stage of flap and fly around at 45 or 50 kts and keeping it in level flight with the throttle really after a while you can start experimenting with the rudder and slow speed characteristics. The other is when you go to full flap and do the same..just fly around at 40 kts or even a little less it really makes you work that rudder and get used to it. The rudder is far more powerful than anything else you would have flown and is your best friend.

 

Congrats on your first solo sortee

 

Mark

 

 

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. I found if you go up high then pull first stage of flap and fly around at 45 or 50 kts and keeping it in level flight with the throttle really after a while you can start experimenting with the rudder and slow speed characteristics. The other is when you go to full flap and do the same..just fly around at 40 kts or even a little less it really makes you work that rudder and get used to it. The rudder is far more powerful than anything else you would have flown and is your best friend.Congrats on your first solo sortee

Mark

I'd suggest if you decide to do this, you should do it on a calm day with at least 4000' under you, and preferably with an instructor beside you.

 

Power on, low speed, nose high, boots of rudder can easily get out of hand. Great practice but need the right environment.

 

Kaz

 

 

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I agree Kaz but in a 701 or a sav 45 to 50kts with first stage of flap is not a issue they stall about 30 kts or even less . I only say this obviuosly after a few hours in the aircraft solo. And maybe of course with a instructor. I was shown this early when training in my Sav and I do it regularly. Fly around for 10 mins or so with first stage of flap and keeping the flight constant doing turns etc...NOT sharp turn or boots full of rudder at that speed...dont want to spin now do we :)...but careful practice bit by bit is what I was suggesting. He can obviuoisly fly he needs to get used to a STOL aircraft and its better to do that up high not low. By the way it is pretty hard to get into trouble in a 701 or a Sav and they do not easily enter a spin they just like to mush

 

 

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Good work Derek, when I converted to RAA from GA it was uncomfortable for me. John helped me through that at Coominya too, and now it's feels normal. Where is your plane based? Coominya? I don't think I have seen you around.

 

 

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My 701 took a while to get fully used to - mainly the change in nose pitch with any sudden application / reduction in power

 

A pilot here whos had one a lot longer wrote this

 

http://www.acomodata.com/zenair701/index.htm

 

not covered in this article is later (1100 lbs) 701 has less flap extension - which might be a good thing

 

 

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Wait till you start doing full on side slips they are a blast..so easy to control direction and decent.

It is a real blast descending at 1700 or 1800 fpm but it is nice to have a few hundred feet under you while you straighten up and arrest the descent too. I think the side slip demonstration early in my training was one of the most memorable lessons in the whole job.

 

 

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Good work Derek, when I converted to RAA from GA it was uncomfortable for me. John helped me through that at Coominya too, and now it's feels normal. Where is your plane based? Coominya? I don't think I have seen you around.

Was Coominya, now at Warwick.

 

 

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It is a real blast descending at 1700 or 1800 fpm but it is nice to have a few hundred feet under you while you straighten up and arrest the descent too. I think the side slip demonstration early in my training was one of the most memorable lessons in the whole job.

Slan sided fuselage aircraft sideslip well. It's a great manouver that seems to be not used by a lot of pilots.

 

 

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I love sideslipping. It is great fun in a Drifter. And lets face it if the fan stops, you are only going to get one chance at that paddock, so and extra string to your bow to get it on the ground where you want to certainly can't hurt. It would be a pity to hit the trees at the far end of the paddock because you hadn't practiced all the tools given to you in training.

 

 

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Finally this morning, after goodness knows how long, I flew my CH701 for two circuits. Up until now it's been flown by John Walmsley from Coominya who also flew it up to Warwick for me. As a low hours pilot I admit I was a bit Apprehensive (Scared stiff!) and had been trying to find someone to do the first flights with me, but because it is VH registered and everyone around seems to be RA-Aus I didn't have any success so I arrived at the airfield just on first light to get the calmest conditions I could and actually .didn't have much problem apart from two of the untidiest landings I have ever done aeroplane is beautiful to fly and infinitely more responsive than the Cessnas, Pipers etc that I have flown until now, which I am guessing, accounts for the shonky landings. Hopefully things will just improve now!

Good on you Derek! Must be nice to command your own ship. Hope you continue to do well.

 

 

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