Circuit Time

[Stewy]

Well headed up for the first of many circuits last Thursday. Many more to come I would say after the first couple!!

 

Lovely day for flying no wind etc come in for final approach do most things instructor says look to other end of runway don't want it to touch yet etc land like butterfly on hot tin roof ah this not to bad I thinks( First mistake!!). Of we go again all over runway but finally in the air lucky the bloody thing is nice and wide! Climb nice turn to left turn left to downwind all good turn to base all ok final approach all over the place time to touch down forget the look ahead bit bounce like skippy oops finally put it on the tarmac mmm this is not so easy.

 

Go back up today not bad conditions light cross wind all over the ship first go instructor takes over for next and this really don't seem that hard when watching and feeling what he is doing!!. Take over for the next and takeoff still wobbly have trouble steering with this feet caper but up we go all good come into final approach bit wonky straighten here back to center line get over runway and put here down few thats better but still a long way to go thats for sure. This is all bloody good fun though

 

Regards

 

Stewy

 

 

[flying dog]

Practice

 

Practice

 

Practice

 

Practice.

 

This is the only way you will get better.

 

Just be careful to not kill yourself in the mean time.

 

 

[flightygirl]

Hey Stewy.

 

I am about 4 hours ahead of you in the circuit and i completely relate to your post! i am finding that each time i go out i get a little bit better... and get a whiff of success only for it to disappear again the next time i go up. I have decided the best thing to do is just let it happen... keep practicing and wait for the click. its coming.... just cant push it. Have fun out there!

 

Rach

 

 

[BigPete]

Hang in there, Stewy. :thumb_up: Circuits, circuits and more circuits. Being able to land and use the aeroplane again is a desirable skill. :big_grin:

 

You've got an excellent instructor :thumb_up: and a great little aircraft - it takes as long as it takes.

 

regards

 

:big_grin::big_grin:

 

 

[Guest eland2705]

Boy am I heartened to see that there are other out there who have the same problems as I do steering with your feet.

 

I'm usually fine on the taxiway, but as soon as I power on for the takeoff run, there it goes. Got a mind of it's own that little Tecnam!

 

Being an ex-glider, I ALWAYS forget right rudder on power up, and then its on for young and old after that.

 

 

[Guest eland2705]

Just be careful to not kill yourself in the mean time.

Yep - that's sage words there, Young "un!

 

 

[Stewy]

Went up again this morning still managed some of the same mistakes, managed to iron out a few others and then stuff those up next time around and fix the others! Landed a couple not bad though:big_grin:

 

You are right Big pete he is great and we have a great time in the process. I am slowly getting the hang of it some times frustrating but never not enjoyable, will get there with some more time.

 

Stewy

 

 

[horsefeathers]

Hey Stewy.

 

Have you been spying on me??? - your circuits sound EXACTLY like the ones I just completed this morning!!!!

 

Just finished the second hour of circuits and boy - talk about brain fade - remember flaps - throttle - trim - altitude - radio calls - Ts & Ps - switches - ALTITUDE!!! -- SPEED!!! --- centre line line up

 

And that's not to mention trying to get down in one piece....

 

And great to hear others have "fun" with steering on the ground

 

But as they say, the most fun you can have on your own!!

 

Gerry

 

 

[Stewy]

He he Gerry yeah a bit starts to happen on that turn to base hey. flaps carby heat(usually forget that bugger back to cold) turn to final line the bloody runway up try and think what I haven't done fly of course again straighten back need power to get there oh bit more flap oh to fast etc etc.

 

But still bloody good fun though

 

Stewy

 

 

[shags_j]

I have my pax and I think I am still trying to nail the landings. To be honest I don't think you will get them perfect till when into your career ;) or maybe it's just me.

 

I always say that what you want is a good solid landing each time.

 

Oh and don't forget the rudder when you apply power for touch and goes. Nearly went off the side of archerfield with that one once..l.

 

 

[Guest rocketdriver]

I have my pax and I think I am still trying to nail the landings. To be honest I don't think you will get them perfect till when into your career ;) or maybe it's just me..

Shags, It looks as if you either are, or are on the way to being, a "natural pilot" .... someone who is never quite satisfied with their current level of capability, who is always seeking perfection, but who doesn't let their (self percieved) lack of perfection stop him/her from trying!:big_grin: And one who gets a great feeling of satisfaction .. a warm inner glow ... when , for instance, an absolute greaser is achieved ........ you know, when the tops of the grass spin the wheels up and there's no bump, just a rumble as the weight comes onto the undercarriage

GO for it!!....... I've seen it done, and occasionally come close, but not yet since I got back into it 3 months ago ... still trying!!:thumb_up:

 

RD

 

 

[shags_j]

I once did an absolutely beautiful landing. Floated for just enough time and when the wheels touched you could barely feel it, right on the centre line 1/3rd of the way down the strip.

 

I'll be happy when they are all like that.

 

 

[Guest rocketdriver]

I once did an absolutely beautiful landing. Floated for just enough time and when the wheels touched you could barely feel it, right on the centre line 1/3rd of the way down the strip.I'll be happy when they are all like that.

. Know how you feel ... ...

 

 

[Tomo]

Stewy Love the story! :thumb_up:

 

And you definitely aren't on your own.... Took me most of my training to nail the stupid landings.... then all over the runway (did run off once I think)! It was in the drifter so they take a bit to tame when you're learning.

 

Believe it or not, those feet will work out what to do eventually, just remember on take off, you use "pressure" on the rudders rather than using a bit and then centralizing - was one of my set backs for quite a while till I figured that. When you get it you will wonder what all the fuss was about - really and truly.:thumb_up:

 

It is awesome to hear you having fun, one of the most important things to learning I reckon.

 

 

[Stewy]

Ah we will get there Tomo not hard when you enjoy something But have decided early that once you take off landing a is compulsory subject that you need to pass:laugh: Nice to know that others share the same problems though. Instructor reckons it took him ages to master as well so that gives us all hope I spose

 

Stewy

 

 

[Guest studentbiggles]

Hi Stewy.....Dito on all you are going through and experincing???....I'm glad I'm not the only one!...But like you the "Fun Factor" just gets better and better....The other day I mixed up a Gliding manuver in Qwerty's Light Wing!...I used LOTS of right rudder instead of STICK...The look on his face Mmmm..My response was "But you get her around quicker"..Doh....Fly Safe and keep up the fun in training,

 

Cheers Studentbiggles (Alley)

 

 

[Stewy]

Ahh went up this morning again at first light, what a morning for flying no wind clear sky's who would want to be in bed! There is light at the end of tunnel I think! Wont go as fare as saying I mastered the landings etc but started to get the feeling of how this should all fall into place and have now got the confidence that this will all come together in the near future. Bloody feet and hands don't talk to each other still every now and then but we are improving. Skippy still found his way onto the runway a couple of times with me getting a bit excited a bit to early during a couple of nice looking approaches and pulling back to hard to early but hey you pay money to ride roller coaster rides to so took it as having twice the fun!! although frustrating so close yet so far.

 

Still having a ball though

 

Stewy

 

 

[Guest Howard Hughes]

The secret is trying to make each approach the same, once you have mastered this you will find the touch downs are also fairly predictable. As far as touch downs go there are only three things to remember...Rudder, Rudder, Rudder!:thumb_up:

 

Of course once you have mastered these skills and have several thousand hours, mother nature will always throw in a doozy, just to keep you from getting too cocky!

 

Of course we are all only as good as our last landing.;)

 

 

[Stewy]

Well back up today after a couple of weeks out of the cockpit,(Too bloody long this flying is addictive !). Was thinking we were going for some circuits but instructor asked if I had time to go over to Echuca and pick up a plane that he had to service for their Areo club. Couple of quick phone calls re work and we were off! So got to have 1.5hrs in the cockpit a couple of take offs and a couple of landings and ask a heap of questions and best of all he didn't even charge me as he was going anyhow:clap: Only got to fly the same type of plane (Both J160) but cant complain about that and managed to get the hang of the steering with the feet etc a bit more as well and landed not to bad

 

Stewy

 

 

[shags_j]

In the words of the great(?) monty python: "You lucky bastard"

 

 

[Guest studentbiggles]

Good on you Stewy....Nice of you to get some "Freebee" flying in as I did the other day :thumb_up: and doesn't it build your confidence :big_grin:

 

Cheers Alley

 

 

[Yenn]

Thats the way to go. Nothing like doing cross country in initial training, sure beats circuits and in my opinion it is better for you.

 

 

[Stewy]

Yes Yenn it was much more fun than doing circuits I dont know about being better for me as I am to new to this game to comment just happy to be up there. But having to change course to dodge some weather, fly lower to stay under cloud and in general just getting to see a different perspective on flying was great and valuable experience.

 

 

[Stewy]

Up again this morning for some more circuits 10kt cross wind certainly made life a bit more interesting! Glad instructor was in with me managed to frighten XXXX out of myself on the first take off when we shot across the runway heading for the grass oops. Instructor just calmly fixed the problem and had a little chuckle but I certainly didn't think it was funny for a start, apparently got a dose of the wheelbarrow thing happening:blush: After settling the nerves down again managed to make it look like hard work but got lots out of it and still had a great morning flying

 

 

[Stewy]

Had another .8 in the air this arvo. Yep circuits again, come in for first landing and all of sudden it all falls into place, turn to final good, speed good, height good, approach good, and touch down with just a slight bump woo hoo now that has to be close to a good landing I think. Instructor quietly says nice job:clap:. Come on back up he says, do another 5 circuits some landings pretty good and one not so but I think I have now worked out a lot more out about the art of landing. Still have a lot to go but nice to finally get some right:)