CrayonBox Posted September 4, 2012 Author Posted September 4, 2012 Well we have been back from Victoria now for a couple of days. I now temporarily have less space in my shed which is occupied by a shiny used XT912. I test flew her in the North Eastern Victorian country area over the snow covered mountains. Then my mate and I dragged her home for two days to Queensland. A very successful and safe trip with no incidents (eg. roos, accidents, breakdowns, flat tyres, police, load shifts! etc etc) - good planning I suppose. Now all I have to do is get it re registered and airborne again.
planedriver Posted September 5, 2012 Posted September 5, 2012 Congratulations! Stew, Thats great news mate, you'll have to post a few pics when you get a chance. Sorry we didn't have a chance to catch up last week, the holiday just flew by with so many prior commitments. Kind regards Alan
CrayonBox Posted September 6, 2012 Author Posted September 6, 2012 Short video by me of a pilot and a mate going for a short scenic in my trike (before I payed for it).
planedriver Posted September 6, 2012 Posted September 6, 2012 Good one! Thanks for posting that. Looks great, along with your flash new avitar. Bet your hanging to take it up around the bay.
CrayonBox Posted September 23, 2012 Author Posted September 23, 2012 It's been a while since I posted an update, so here it is. You may have seen somewhere around here that i now have a trike... An xt912. After a few part changes eg battery, and small repairs, and hopefully soon a completed inspection by my cfi and then registration, training will again resume. It's been over 3 weeks since i last flew when i did a demo flight in my new toy, and as skygazer (hi there) said the other day, i am getting antsee (how do you spell that?). And now the northerlies have started and the destabilised weather of summer is beginning. And the sun rises earlier, so up early to beat the wind to learn landings... But later afternoon flights too! Hopefully more training within a week or so.
planedriver Posted September 23, 2012 Posted September 23, 2012 Keep us posted, i'll be thinking of you cruising along that lovely bay and around Fraser Island in no time at all. Good luck with the inspection Stew, after all your hard work poishing it.
CrayonBox Posted October 17, 2012 Author Posted October 17, 2012 OK we're in the air again... I finally got to fly my new used trike. Added 1.9hrs to my logged book today. We flew over to Fraser Island, did some landing practice (straight and level), stalls, and a dive recovery test. We then returned to the airport, completed two circuits with low level runway passes. During this time my instructor demonstrated (in the minor turbulence we had), how well designed a trike wing is these days, and how it can fly itself. With a bit of convincing I let go of the control bar, and the trike automatically smoothed out the bumps. All I had to do now and then was correct for direction heading and level. We only did this for 30 seconds or so, but it sure demonstrated the brilliant wing stability and built in auto correction. After the 2 circuits, we returned to our private field hanger and put her away. Tomorrow, all going well, I'll be in the air again doing circuits and maybe landing for the first time!
planedriver Posted October 17, 2012 Posted October 17, 2012 You lucky bugger, I can visualise you flying there, and am so happy for you Stew. That's wonderful news! Kind regards Planey
Mark11 Posted October 17, 2012 Posted October 17, 2012 Good to read your posts. I'm on a very similar journey, but I got a 582. I'm hanging to get up again... But have to wait to first week of Nov to get a spot with CFI
CrayonBox Posted October 17, 2012 Author Posted October 17, 2012 I forgot to mention we saw whales with calves, tiger sharks!.... Big ones.... A sword/bill fish/marlin, jelly fish, turtles, ooohhh did i mention BIG tiger sharks. I had no intention of going in there! Looking good for the morning too.
CrayonBox Posted October 17, 2012 Author Posted October 17, 2012 Mark11 - I feel your pain of the gaps between being airborne. It's worth it - keep it up. I am having too much fun! YES - another hour to the flight Log. Up at 5am, preflight, warm up trike by 545am, wait for instructor and depart 6am. Taxi, Hold, TWMPFISCHR, roll, takeoff, climb to 1000ft, and head to the local airport. Join circuit downwind, turn base, turn final, bar in and descend 55kts no power - round out and touch down.... assisted of course. After another 7 of those with vary amounts of instructor assistance - we returned to the hanger to put her away for another day. Before I did though, I completed a compression test - all 100-105 psi - all good! (Probably sounds low but I didn't quite do it right haha - should have opened the throttle and cranked longer - at least I know they are in spec and even). Circuits go quick when you climb out at 1000ft/minute to 500ft. (yep - 30secs and we are in the circuit turning crosswind. So, until I head skyward again.... I'll be stuck on the ground
Guest Fred Posted October 18, 2012 Posted October 18, 2012 Mark11 - I feel your pain of the gaps between being airborne. It's worth it - keep it up. I am having too much fun!YES - another hour to the flight Log. Up at 5am, preflight, warm up trike by 545am, wait for instructor and depart 6am. Taxi, Hold, TWMPFISCHR, roll, takeoff, climb to 1000ft, and head to the local airport. Join circuit downwind, turn base, turn final, bar in and descend 55kts no power - round out and touch down.... assisted of course. After another 7 of those with vary amounts of instructor assistance - we returned to the hanger to put her away for another day. Before I did though, I completed a compression test - all 100-105 psi - all good! Circuits go quick when you climb out at 1000ft/minute to 500ft. (yep - 30secs and we are in the circuit turning crosswind. So, until I head skyward again.... I'll be stuck on the ground Hey Crayonbox.Your in very good hands with Mark, I have flown with him out Hervey Bay Airport and the farm a few times with him.Goodluck with it all. Freddy
CrayonBox Posted October 18, 2012 Author Posted October 18, 2012 Hey Crayonbox.Your in very good hands with Mark, I have flown with him out Hervey Bay Airport and the farm a few times with him.Goodluck with itall. Freddy Freddy, Yes he knows his stuff! The main thing is I can trust his instruction. There have been times when I have felt a little apprehensive about a demo maneuver, but it always goes according to plan - so no worries hey. Stew.
Mark11 Posted October 18, 2012 Posted October 18, 2012 Mark11 - I feel your pain of the gaps between being airborne. It's worth it - keep it up. I am having too much fun!YES - another hour to the flight Log. Up at 5am, preflight, warm up trike by 545am, wait for instructor and depart 6am. Taxi, Hold, TWMPFISCHR, roll, takeoff, climb to 1000ft, and head to the local airport. Join circuit downwind, turn base, turn final, bar in and descend 55kts no power - round out and touch down.... assisted of course. After another 7 of those with vary amounts of instructor assistance - we returned to the hanger to put her away for another day. Before I did though, I completed a compression test - all 100-105 psi - all good! (Probably sounds low but I didn't quite do it right haha - should have opened the throttle and cranked longer - at least I know they are in spec and even). Circuits go quick when you climb out at 1000ft/minute to 500ft. (yep - 30secs and we are in the circuit turning crosswind. So, until I head skyward again.... I'll be stuck on the ground It's interesting to note your checklist TWMPFISCHR ... Completely different to mine Before start we use STAIP and then before taxi we use CHIFWAP and when in the circuit at start of downwind we use FAAWNT Our circuits are at 1000ft also Regards Mark
CrayonBox Posted October 18, 2012 Author Posted October 18, 2012 It's interesting to note your checklist TWMPFISCHR ... Completely different to mineBefore start we use STAIP and then before taxi we use CHIFWAP and when in the circuit at start of downwind we use FAAWNT Our circuits are at 1000ft also Regards Mark As I am HGFA registered TWMPFISCHR is their acronym. It means, Throttle.Tyres, Wind.Wires, Mixture.choke, Pins, Fuel, Instruments.temps.pressures, Switches, Controls, Helmet.Harness, Radio.Runway and we add a T for Traffic. We operate at an uncontrolled regional airport, and the aerodrome traffic circuit as of 3/6/2010 says that slower aircraft (microlights, ultralights), fly at 500ft, GA (cessnas, pipers etc) at 1000ft, Jets and RPT at 1500ft. See this - pg.13: http://www.casa.gov.au/wcmswr/_assets/main/pilots/download/nta_booklet.pdf I'd love to know how your instructor would respond to this?
Mark11 Posted October 18, 2012 Posted October 18, 2012 Y As I am HGFA registered TWMPFISCHR is their acronym. It means, Throttle.Tyres, Wind.Wires, Mixture.choke, Pins, Fuel, Instruments.temps.pressures, Switches, Controls, Helmet.Harness, Radio.Runway and we add a T for Traffic.We operate at an uncontrolled regional airport, and the aerodrome traffic circuit as of 3/6/2010 says that slower aircraft (microlights, ultralights), fly at 500ft, GA (cessnas, pipers etc) at 1000ft, Jets and RPT at 1500ft. See this - pg.13: http://www.casa.gov.au/wcmswr/_assets/main/pilots/download/nta_booklet.pdf I'd love to know how your instructor would respond to this? YWOL Microlights fly a tight circuit at 1000ft Other planes a larger circuit at 1000ft
Mark11 Posted October 18, 2012 Posted October 18, 2012 My copy of ERSA is 17 Nov 2011 - which is out of date but later than the CASA document YWOL has 1000ft circuits due to noise abatement procedures Regards Mark
Mark11 Posted October 18, 2012 Posted October 18, 2012 I also am HGFA. Before we board the plane, we check everything. Then we use these checklists STAIP - Pre-Engine Start S SECURITY all loose objects stowed / secured T THROTTLE closed for engine start (check hand throttle) A ALL CLEAR look either side and to rear I IGNITIONS switch both systems ON P PROP CLEAR PROP! CHIFWAP - Pre-Taxying C CONTROLS check full & free in both axes, & hang-bolt H HELMETS check both secure on all crew & HARNESSES I INSTRUMENTS altimeter set, temps coming up, rev drop etc & IGNITIONS F FUEL cap on, tap on, enough fuel for flight W WIND strength, direction, which runway to use? A ALL CLEAR for taxying P POWER begin to taxi using foot throttle FAAWNT - Pre-Landing Checks F FUEL enough for go around? A ALL CLEAR in circuit, taxiways, runways, ahead, on base, long final etc A ALTITUDE am I at the correct altitude for the circuit? W WIND windsock for strength & direction, gusting? crosswind? N NOSE WHEEL IT MUST BE STRAIGHT! T THROTTLE check the hand-throttle hasn't stuck on ("Teflon Throttle" syndrome)
CrayonBox Posted October 18, 2012 Author Posted October 18, 2012 Hey Thanks Mark. I have also seen the RAAus use an acronym for personal self health check which I like. IMSAFE. Illness, Medication, Stress, Alcohol, Fatigue, Eat/hydration(food for the brain). I spoke to my CFI this morning and he said that depending on the airport/field the ERSA may specify different procedures. So yep, all good. Logged another hour today - I will give it a break for a week or 2 now (save up some more cash, and process what I have learned). Same as last lesson and I guess there will be a few more of the same to come. We flew to our local airport and completed 10 touch and go with a demonstrated engine out forced landing (I wasn't warned the engine was going to stop - we were on downwind at 500ft, I immediately thought hey - aren't these 912's supposed to be reliable ). I completed 10 touch and go's, with less assistance than yesterday. The thing I need to work on now is when to start the round out. Nearly got it - but the runway tends to come up at you pretty quick, so at first I tended to start round out a little too early. It's all in the timing of the round out untillllll............. NOW~! But gently! Then we returned to our hanger. Solo is getting CLOSER! Still have to learn turbulence flying, crosswind landing, emergency procedures, radio. Plus exams.
Neville75 Posted October 24, 2012 Posted October 24, 2012 Hi Crayon Good to have another local forumite training in the Bay. Also thanks for hosting the ctaf on liveatc. I did some circuits the other day and it was great to download the ctaf chatter to listen to my radio work. Quite a useful training tool. Will keep a good lookout for you! Cheers Nev
CrayonBox Posted October 31, 2012 Author Posted October 31, 2012 Another 1 hour logged today. We did more landing practice touch'n'go's of course - 10 circuits. Also some simulated engine outs, with examples of what to do and which way to turn (re wind) if able to get back onto the runway. All very logical. The little bit of crosswind we had changed the round out procedure slightly, meaning that we had to allow the downwind wheel to contact runway and rotate trike straight prior to landing (no rudder on these things). This is the one thing I have an small issue with. All in all it went well, another pleasant hour in the air (and on the runway). My rounding out timing is improving. I'll get the landing technique sorted out eventually I guess.
planedriver Posted October 31, 2012 Posted October 31, 2012 Great news Stew, If I come up to The Bay again, i'll be twisting your arm to demonstrate to me, some of what you have learned:plane: So you did'nt tell us whether you are getting a Tui painted on the nose pod fairing? You must feel so chuffed flying your own A/C Kind Regards Alan
CrayonBox Posted October 31, 2012 Author Posted October 31, 2012 Great news Stew, If I come up to The Bay again, i'll be twisting your arm to demonstrate to me, some of what you have learned:plane:So you did'nt tell us whether you are getting a Tui painted on the nose pod fairing? You must feel so chuffed flying your own A/C Kind Regards Alan Maybe I should paint the mischievous Kea! I find that flying my own a/c makes me want to learn faster - more accurately. I want to do things correctly. After all - it is mine to care for. I may sometimes err to much on the careful/cautious side though. Still can't believe I am doing this! Awesome.
CrayonBox Posted November 5, 2012 Author Posted November 5, 2012 Another 0.6hrs today. 5-7kts crosswind. Landing on grass x5 times, with assistance. Grass is a little easier than bitumen due to the forgiving nature and slippage. I am getting closer to achieving the illusive totally unassisted landing - but it sure takes practice. Does anyone remember how long it took them to achieve landing. Probably not a fair question as we are all different. It know some day it shall cometh!
Mark11 Posted November 5, 2012 Posted November 5, 2012 I got an hour in on Sat and another hour on Sun. All circuits and touch and go landings on grass - the air was very smooth, so was easy to get right. A few landings unassisted Next radio calls Sounds like we are at a similar point. 8.1 hours for me to date flying and I've finished most of the theory during winter Mark
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