Had another flight today.

[Guest Crash Lander]

I've posted this with all my errors and mistakes included, as I believe

 

in posting true and accurate accounts of the flight. I state here

 

and now, that I know what they all were, and have learned from them. I

 

do not wish to evoke the sort of criticism I copped last time.

 

Well, I was due to fly at 9am yesterday (Saturday), but a call to the

 

airfield yielded a cancellation due to dodgy weather. We tentatively

 

re-scheduled for the next day, (today), at around lunchtime. The

 

forecast for the next day was meant to be almost worse than Saturday.

 

At 1pm on Saturday, the weather had improved quite considerably, so I

 

decided to call the airfield again and see if the a/c was free for the

 

afternoon, and whether the weather over there was suitable for a flight.

 

The answer to both questions was, to my joy, yes!

 

I drove right over there, and had to wait about 15 minutes for my

 

instructor to finish another flight. When she came into the office, she

 

just gave me the keys, and said "Off you go! Go out into the training

 

area anddo a few steep turns, then come back and do a few circuits, but

 

just watch those clouds, (large mean looking clouds to the West.

 

Training area extends to the East of the airfield.) If it looks like

 

it's starting to rain, come back." The Gazelle is not to be flown in

 

the rain, as it has a wooden prop. I've heard conflicting stories as to

 

whether it can actually be flown in the rain or not, but it's not my

 

plane so I do as instructed.

 

This is the first time I've been handed the keys and sent off on my

 

own. All previous solo flights have always had the instructor come on

 

at least 1 circuit with me before dropping them off and then me going

 

out alone. Also, this was my first solo flight into the training area.

 

All previous solo flight has only been circuits.

 

The grin hit my face before I even got to the a/c. I rang the wife, and

 

told her to be in the back yard in about 15 minutes. As my house is in

 

the training area, I thought I'd fly out and find my hose, and do my

 

steep turns there! How cool!

 

Did the preflight, and then proceeded to start and taxi the a/c to the

 

active. Rwy 35 on this day. I'd done solo circuits on this runway on

 

only 1 other occasion. The wind was almost non existant, but what there

 

was of it was predominantly Northerly.

 

Did my run-up, made my radio call, and off I went. As I took off, I

 

knew I had to wait until I was at either 3nm or 1500ft before I could

 

turn against the normal left turns of the pattern. This was where I

 

made what turned out to be my first blunder. As Avalon's active

 

airspace starts just to the North or the runway I took off from, and

 

that airspace starts at 1500ft, I did not want to make a breach, and

 

turned right a little too early. I was probably only 2 - 2.5nm and not

 

the 3nm required. I put that down to fear of breaching the airspace,

 

something I'm sure will not be an issue next time. I'll just do a

 

normal circuit next time and overfly at 1500, and not in controlled

 

space.

 

I made my way, using the VTC in the a/c (not that I needed it, as I'd

 

been out that way before with the instructor, but I thought I'd best

 

get in the habit of always using a chart so I always know where I am.)

 

I thought I'd better do at least 1 steep turn before I got to my house,

 

so I don't botch it up with the wife watching! ;-)

 

To my surprise, I did it perfectly. Lost no altitude, gained no

 

altitude, and exited the turn exactly back on course.

 

I headed towards the house. I had my altitude at around 2200ft (as

 

advised by my instructor before I left) and made the turn over the

 

house. The wife was in the back yard, and once again, a perfect steep

 

turn through 360 degrees. (I actually lost about 80-100ft this time,

 

but I still felt good about the manouver.)

 

Both the turns I'd done so far had been left hand turns, so I decided

 

to do a right hand turn whilst still in the area, so I headed back

 

towards the house and did a right hand steep turn. Again, it was text

 

book. I then headed back towards the airfield, making sure I was

 

watching out very carefully for traffic, and also for suitable landing

 

areas as I went. I managed to find an unlisted airfield that my

 

instructor had pointed out once before. Was much easier to spot this

 

time I think because I was concentrating more on flying the a/c rather

 

than worrying about what my instructor was thinking about my flying.

 

(Know what I mean?) Anyway, I did one more right hand steep turn

 

through 360 degrees on the way back and then proceeded back towards the

 

airfield. The clouds to the West had grown much meaner looking, and I

 

could see what looked like torrential rain underneath them. I did my 5

 

mile inbound call, and then the windscreen started getting rain on it.

 

There was nothing I could do about it, so I didn't let it worry me, and

 

just kept flying the a/c. I overflew the airfield at 1500, checking the

 

windsock as I went. The wind hadn't changed at all, so it was going to

 

be a Rwy 35 landing. I decided I'd do 1 touch and go, and then do a

 

full stop, as the rain appeared to have dissappeared from the

 

windscreen. This is where I made my second blunder, and I turned onto

 

the downwind leg far too soon, leaving me with a VERY tight circuit to

 

contend with, and I was still just under 1500ft. I extended the

 

downwind leg a little, but not enough as it turned out. The wind was

 

still almost non-existent, so I did not lose as much altitude on the

 

final leg as I had hoped. I tried a slip, which I am much more

 

comfortable with now, even if they do feel a little sloppy, but I was

 

still unable to lose as much altitude as I wanted, so as I crossed the

 

threshold, I was still at about 200ft. I thought about landing long, as

 

I was solo, and had about 3/4 fuel in the tanks, but with little wind,

 

I thought it would possibly be safer to just go around, so I did. I was

 

glad I did, as it hilighted my 3rd blunder for the flight, which was

 

that I forgot to do my pre-landing checks whilst on the downwind leg.

 

I gave it full throttle, and stepped to the right of the runway, so I

 

could see it all clearly. Back up I went, realising after a few seconds

 

I still had the carb heat out, (we'll call that blunder 4) and once I

 

pushed it back in, the revs lifted a little more, and all sounded fine

 

again. Back up I went, left onto crosswind, level out at 1000ft, left

 

onto downwind, pre-landing checks, did my call to turn onto base, but

 

did not state whether I was touch and going, or full stopping, as I was

 

unsure what I wanted to do yet. As this was all happening, a helicopter

 

had landed at the fuel bowser, and was again preparing to take off

 

again.

 

As I made my turn onto finals, I decided I'd just do a full stop, as

 

the windscreen was once again showing signs of precipitation. I decided

 

I'd make a radio call now for 2 reasons. (The base call is mandatory.

 

All other circuit calls are optional.) The first reason was to announce

 

my full stop intention, and the second reason was to remind the

 

helicopter that I was about to land, and not to go anywhere yet.

 

This time, I had set up the landing much better from the base leg, and

 

touched her down for an absolute greaser! I reakon the best landing I'd

 

done solo ever.

 

I taxiied clear, made my cler call, and the helicopter then departed.

 

Total flight was 0.8hrs, and very enjoyable.

 

The fact that I was just given the keys and sent on my way was an

 

awesome feeling. It certainly refreshed my love of flying, as just

 

doing circuits lesson in, and lesson out does get a bit monotonous.

 

Total time now is 14.9hrs out of a minimum required of 20hrs.

 

 

 

[Guest Fred Bear]

Chris,

 

Well done in putting your chin up and posting again :) Excellent to see you are realising the things you are doing 'wrong' as you say and rectifying them.Re the carby heat, I am probably going to get bashed over the head for this comment but with the moisture in the air, having it in that extra while (although not supposed to) should not have caused any great harm.Well done realising you should have it pulled on final in those conditions.What I used to do (and still do), realise things that I should/should not have done, go home and see why and then analyse and make sure they do/do not happen again.That keeps me out of trouble (I think).Excellent you have the keys and the freedom now mate.You will not look back.

 

I thought I'd fly out and find my hose, and do my

steep turns there! How cool!

You know what?I still do this all the years of flying later.Still get a buzz out of seeing Emma and the kids below when flying over (and the neighbours shaking their fists into the air) Now the trick is getting the wife in the a/c to see the house below! Well done.

 

 

[Guest J430]

Carb Heat

 

Better to have a slightly reduced performance and slight it is in a Go-Around than an iced up Carby and a prang. Many theories here, but as you come over the fence, say 200', carb heat off. If you forget the plane will still go around and when you realise you forgot it, its a performance extra!;)

 

Keep up the good work

 

J:)

 

 

[bushpilot]

I suspect that there are not many of us out there who would be as honest as this account ; and it includes a few lessons for all of us..

 

Thanks Crash Lander.. (But dont live up to that handle.. ;-)

 

 

[nomis]

Chris,

 

Good to hear it is all coming together. Each mistake you have made would have also been made by everyone thats learnt to fly. Once watched a 767 in Taipie fly 3 missed approaches during someones base training, so its done at every level. Just the cost that changes.

 

Do you know if the Bantam is up and running as yet. I also intend having a go of the Tecnam out at Lethbridge during May.Should get you formation endorsed after you have finished your training, we used to do quite a bit of it down that way. Great fun. I work a trip down to Melbourne on the 2nd, only have an incheon and Manila then hols for three weeks. Intend to fly lighties as much as I can whilst down there.

 

Say hello to Kirsty and the Boys.

 

Cheers, Simon

 

 

[Guest Crash Lander]

Hey Simon.

 

Have no idea about the Bantam mate. I'll try to remember to find out on Saturday. Hope to be flying again then. (Birthday on Friday, so am expecting flying funds from the family!;) ;) )

 

Is there such a thing as a formation endorsement for RAA pilots?

 

I don't think I'd like even the solo rate for the 767 mate! LOL!

 

If you need a co-pilot in the lighties, you know where to come!

 

Say Hi to Erika and the kids. She's keeping us up to date with photos, which is great! Looks like you had fun at Disney Land!

 

Chris

 

 

[Guest Crash Lander]

I suspect that there are not many of us out there who would be as honest as this account ; and it includes a few lessons for all of us..Thanks Crash Lander.. (But dont live up to that handle.. ;-)

Thanks bushy. I don't plan on living up to the name mate.

 

 

[Guest Crash Lander]

Better to have a slightly reduced performance and slight it is in a Go-Around than an iced up Carby and a prang. Many theories here, but as you come over the fence, say 200', carb heat off. If you forget the plane will still go around and when you realise you forgot it, its a performance extra!;) Keep up the good work

 

J:)

Yes, always better to be safe than sorry. The Gazelle will still climb out with carb heat out, just does it a bit better without carb heat. I did notice the better performance once I pushed it back in.

 

I've been told to keep the carb heat out until clear of the runway. I guess until touchdown is good enough though. (It's in the checklist to push in after cler of runway)

 

 

[Admin]

One of my own rules is to always pull the carby heat on when the revs drop below 3,000 which is usually on base or final - then when the throttle goes increases such as in either a go around or touch and go the hand go from the throttle to the carby heat

 

Hope this helps!

 

 

[Guest Crash Lander]

One of my own rules is to always pull the carby heat on when the revs drop below 3,000 which is usually on base or final - then when the throttle goes increases such as in either a go around or touch and go the hand go from the throttle to the carby heatHope this helps!

I pull the carb heat anytime I'm expecting to use revs less than 4000. My instructor actually said that the carb heat knob is placed where it is, in the Gazelle, so that it can be easily pushed in 'at the same time as the throttle' with your thumb. He says ideally it should be pushed in 'with' the throttle, and not after, but it's not something he corrects me on when I do them seperately.

 

Trick is to hold the throttle in such a manner as to allow your thumb the 12 o'clock position! :;)4:

 

 

[Guest brentc]

The general consensus for carby heat is to reduce it at around 200 - 300ft on final approach so that you have all possible power available for the event of a go-around. Same goes for the fuel pump, you need this on for when you need full power to go around.

 

Generally the carby heat should not be left on when on the ground as you may be injecting unfiltered air straight into the engine, so if you have a dusty gravel field or cut grass etc, you can run the risk of injecting the engine with this. This is of course dependent on the aircraft type and carby heat configuration. The Jabiru and Gazelle both feed filtered air into the engine whereas not all other aircraft do. Even turbines have similar systems with a particle seperator used for rocky and dusty fields to avoid stones being fed into the compressor blades. The difference being that the particle seperator is applied prior to landing or taxi / takeoff and after it is released there is quite a surge of power.

 

I'd say you might be being a little too hard on yourself. The difference between 2.5 and 3 miles isn't worth losing sleep over and the occasional tight circuit or overshoot is not something to stress about as over time you will learn to judge the distances better, it's all part of the learning process.

 

As for flying in the rain, yes, of course you 'can' fly in the rain, however heavy rain with high power settings will damage the leading edge of the propeller. If the school says don't fly in the rain, probably a good idea, otherwise you might be up for $1,500 to replace it (that's the going rate).

 

If you absolutely HAD to fly through the rain to get somewhere, generally a reduced power setting of perhaps 3,800 - 4,000 rpm would be more appropriate.

 

Good luck with your next flight.

 

 

[Guest Crash Lander]

Thanks Brent.

 

Is there any issue with leaving the boost pump on all the time? I've never switched it off, and I don't recall seeing instruction to do so in the checklists.

 

 

[Guest Fred Bear]

Fuel pump should generally come of at 500' although I still forget it many times. I left it on once today and then for the other flight I turned it off when supposed to.The general idea is you can 'burn out' the pump leaving it on the whole flight. Carb heat today in the Jab I applied on downwind when throttling right back and then pushed it back in while cleaning up flap after landing.

 

 

[Guest brentc]

Use of the fuel pump should be as per the Pilot operating handbook. For a Jabiru, the fuel pump should be turned off at the 'top of climb.' As I was saying earlier, it's on for if the mechanical pump fails at high power settings when you need your fuel the most.

 

Carby heat is normally removed on final so that if things go pear shaped on late final approach you have full power at your fingertips and it's one less thing to worry about. If you have to release flaps, apply power and turn off carby heat, things might get a little busy for the inexperienced.

 

 

[Guest Fred Bear]

If you have to release flaps, apply power and turn off carby heat, things might get a little busy for the inexperienced.

With some more experience it becomes easier.With some more experience.

 

 

[Guest Emma Masters]

I left it on once today and then for the other flight I turned it off when supposed to

:confused: Thank God i was in the 2nd flight then...;) see i do read everything...