Tomo Posted February 24, 2012 Posted February 24, 2012 Rocked up at the school a few minutes early, looking suspiciously at the weather, as annoying bits of low cloud were blowing in over the airfield. I quickly went inside where you can't see what it's doing! We have a chat on what we need to do... different instructor this time. Annnnd... different aeroplane! Was tempting just to use the G1000 C172, but I reckon it's just not enough of a challenge for me to use a screen! So we dragged out the Warrior, and since I'd never flown a Warrior before he showed me around it briefly, and I set about doing a daily inspection. Being happy with the airframe, turned on all the lights and ensured they were working, nothing worse than finding something not working when it's dark, and all the engineers are gone!! All good there... instrument lights etc... Put some juice in the tanks, fuel drain etc... and in we jumped! Or climbed and fell in as it were with a Warrior! Start up was all good, taxi to the run up bay, run ups... checks etc etc... onto the runway and away we go... lift off and climb out at about 80kts. I should add too, this flight was in day light! The aim was to do some more basic IF and bits and pieces. Putting the fan dangle hood on pretty soon after lift off we buzzed around the training area with me staring at the instruments again. Doing all sort of things. Playing with the ADF a fair bit, intersecting radials, and flying inbound, outbound etc... which was good fun. One thing I really enjoyed and thought was quite a cool exercise was, he got me to close my eyes and tilt my head down, then do a climbing left turn, then right and all sorts of things with my eyes closed and me flying! Then he asked me to open and recover, on instruments. Well it was quite surprising the attitude we were in! Pretty much on stall, in a high bank situation! What an eye opening experience! After a while we joined circuit and did a few more instrument circuits with me wearing the hood. First time I'd flown this plane, and doing an instrument circuit, so I couldn't see outside was a funny feeling! Got visual at around 300ft and landed it, which was pretty simple I discovered. I thought a Cessna landed quite well, but this just settles and is very predictable. Pulled up after a few of them for a break and something to eat... After a while it was dark, so out we go, watching the weather closely... I meant to add too, the clouds lifted quite nicely earlier to allow us to get out and do what we had to do! Night circuits in this was similar to the Cessna, accept the landing light was pretty much useless... well so I reckon compared to the nice 172 I had last time! After a while the landing light had a failure I was told.. i.e. it stayed off! I found out with it off, it obviously does work, and make a difference when it is on, 'cause it was might black in front with it off!! The landings were actually no different really, maybe even better! (probably because you're concentrating more!). He said once you flair, and the throttle is closed, if you haven't touched down by 4 seconds it's time to go around! Then we had instrument light failures and all sorts of things... torch in the mouth or wherever does the trick there! After a bit he said he may as well get out and let me do a bit on my own... so dropped him off and then for the next hour and a bit I went around and around and around and around .... you get the idea! I practiced a few without landing light and different flap settings, playing with the approach path a bit, and battling the 14kt wind again... "where I go, there the wind go also..." seems to be my experience of late! Anyway better stop babbling on 'cause it's getting late... and I need to be full of energy to go pulling gliders around the sky tomorrow in the mighty Pawnee! On a few of my circuits I sat my phone on the dash leaning against the front window and took some video, turned out reasonable I thought, so I put it together for you to have a little look at. And a photo... Keep safe, and till next time, happy flying to y'all! 6
Guest SAJabiruflyer Posted February 24, 2012 Posted February 24, 2012 Outstanding Tomo! Thanks for sharing!
naremman Posted February 24, 2012 Posted February 24, 2012 Good work Tomo. Your phone has excelled itself, firstly creating a record for yourself, and then for others to share. When I got my Night Rating I was in my early twenties with sparkling eyesight and actually preferred to land with the landing light off. Your eyes tend to follow the landing light, and depth perception is probably not so acute. Now that I am getting small change out of sixty, the eyesight is nowhere near as sharp as in my twenties, and I have come to terms with landing light on, reluctantly. Landing light or not is personal preference, and you get to call the shots. The old 1960's Cessnas actually had two lights in the leading edge of the wing, and it was said that they were far better than the single cowl mounted light. One advantage of the Warrior is that when you get to practice total electrical failure, as you will, at least you can still use flaps. Nothing like total darkness, only broken by the light from a torch which you attempt to position so there is not direct glare up onto the instruments, and the 172 means a flapless, nose high flare and runway eating excercise. The flare will be considerably longer than 4 seconds!! Keep up the good work Tomo. You are obviously enjoying the experience, and we are all following your exploits with keen interest. 1
alf jessup Posted February 24, 2012 Posted February 24, 2012 Tomo, Great work young fella, you never cease to amaze or entertain me, mind you I might just get the stop watch out and time the round out and flare, recon you could a had a few 4 second breaks and you know what that means lol. Just kidding Alf 2
old man emu Posted February 24, 2012 Posted February 24, 2012 Being happy with the airframe, turned on all the lights and ensured they were working, nothing worse than finding something not working when it's dark, and all the engineers are gone!! Now there's a bloke who respects the really important people in aviation! OME
Neville75 Posted February 25, 2012 Posted February 25, 2012 Awesome Tomo! Really enjoyable reading about your progress. Nev
Tomo Posted February 25, 2012 Author Posted February 25, 2012 Thanks guys! Makes it all the more fun sharing it with others. You're just getting fussy now Alf... Indeed OME, if it weren't for engineers the aircraft won't be getting anywhere! 1
facthunter Posted February 25, 2012 Posted February 25, 2012 I would've asked for the strobes to be turned off. Once you are lined up on final, they are only a nuisance in good visibility. Nev
Tomo Posted February 25, 2012 Author Posted February 25, 2012 You're not wrong Nev, but he said not to look or focus on them, and actually I forgot about them after a while, if you look down the runway you don't notice them out to the side. I'm not even sure if you can turn them off can you? I've always seen them going in Toowoomba when the lights are on, I'll ask next time.
facthunter Posted February 25, 2012 Posted February 25, 2012 They should be able to turn them off separately, if you have tower ops. If it's PAL. probably not. They are really only useful when you are breaking out of an overcast near minima on a precision approach, otherwise they are a nuisance.. Nev
facthunter Posted February 25, 2012 Posted February 25, 2012 And you have a red-white Vasis too. This is for RPT standards and is a safety matter, with them (and very desireable as well). For training you would be better to be without it, developing your assessment of approach slope , without that aid. Nev
Bandit12 Posted February 25, 2012 Posted February 25, 2012 That video brought back memories Tomo, thanks for sharing. I remember a couple of memorable nights in Toowoomba, once watching a twin on finals to the highway beside the runway! Another time being number 5 on an extended final, absolute magic watching four aircraft in front of you heading in for the runway at night.
Tomo Posted February 26, 2012 Author Posted February 26, 2012 No worries Shane, glad you enjoyed it. I don't think I've ever flown into Toowoomba with it that busy!!! Maybe because the weather is a bit hairy when I tend to be there, and I'm the only mad man silly enough to be out there!!
alf jessup Posted February 26, 2012 Posted February 26, 2012 I would've asked for the strobes to be turned off. Once you are lined up on final, they are only a nuisance in good visibility. Nev Ahhh Nev, Strobes was it, I thought it was Tomo's leigon of fans with their cameras flashing away taking pictures of him for his albums lol. Cheers Alf 1
facthunter Posted February 26, 2012 Posted February 26, 2012 You could be right Alf. But I thought they would be far more frequent if that was the case. Nev 1
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