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Posted

(Not just an Ursula le Guin novel).

 

Does anyone else fly multiply different types of aircraft regularly, and what landing technique (as in how to think about landing) do you use?

 

(I mentioned to the CFI yesterday that I had done circuits (or at least landings, since one was a glider) in six different types of aircraft out of three different airports in the past month, and my poor brain was getting somewhat confused.)

 

 

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Posted

(Not just an Ursula le Guin novel).

 

Does anyone else fly multiply different types of aircraft regularly, and what landing technique (as in how to think about landing) do you use?

 

(I mentioned to the CFI yesterday that I had done circuits (or at least landings, since one was a glider) in six different types of aircraft out of three different airports in the past month, and my poor brain was getting somewhat confused.)

 

 

Posted

Ada, just learn to fly, get at least 50 hours experience (preferably 100 hours) and then worry about the above question.

 

Alan.

 

 

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Posted

Ada, just learn to fly, get at least 50 hours experience (preferably 100 hours) and then worry about the above question.

 

Alan.

 

 

Posted
Ada, just learn to fly, get at least 50 hours experience (preferably 100 hours) and then worry about the above question.

How many hours do you think I have, and how long do you think I've had an RPC?

 

 

Posted
Ada, just learn to fly, get at least 50 hours experience (preferably 100 hours) and then worry about the above question.

How many hours do you think I have, and how long do you think I've had an RPC?

 

 

Posted
How many hours do you think I have, and how long do you think I've had an RPC?

Not sure Ada, please advise. I thought you were in your early stages of learning to fly, my apologies if I am wrong.

 

Alan.

 

 

Posted
How many hours do you think I have, and how long do you think I've had an RPC?

Not sure Ada, please advise. I thought you were in your early stages of learning to fly, my apologies if I am wrong.

 

Alan.

 

 

Posted

I got my pilot certificate in 2011 (at hour 25) and clocked up 35 hours then. Life then got in the way. I've recently returned to flying and am somewhere between 50 and 80.

 

but doing it the second time at three different schools (RA, GA, and GFA) having had the experience of more schools along the path... re-learning to fly has been quite a different experience, and I don't always agree with instructors on everything (having experienced a fair few, teaching flying from different perspectives). Back in 2011 I only knew two instructions (an SI, and the flight test with the CFI) and one aircraft. It was all "this is amazing! woohoo!". now it's: how do I push myself, how do I get better, how do I find _my_ way of thinking about it and doing it.

 

 

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Posted

I got my pilot certificate in 2011 (at hour 25) and clocked up 35 hours then. Life then got in the way. I've recently returned to flying and am somewhere between 50 and 80.

 

but doing it the second time at three different schools (RA, GA, and GFA) having had the experience of more schools along the path... re-learning to fly has been quite a different experience, and I don't always agree with instructors on everything (having experienced a fair few, teaching flying from different perspectives). Back in 2011 I only knew two instructions (an SI, and the flight test with the CFI) and one aircraft. It was all "this is amazing! woohoo!". now it's: how do I push myself, how do I get better, how do I find _my_ way of thinking about it and doing it.

 

 

Posted

The most important thing I find is to make sure you understand the approach speeds and limitations. Read the POH and use a checklist. If you get the speeds right the rest seems to work OK (at least in my experience)

 

 

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Posted

The most important thing I find is to make sure you understand the approach speeds and limitations. Read the POH and use a checklist. If you get the speeds right the rest seems to work OK (at least in my experience)

 

 

Posted

To answer your question, how do I think about landing since not always in the same type - first thing I always make sure to do is slow the action down - meaning on late downwind or base, set myself up for slow flight. I do this because I've gotten myself surprised occasionally when going to a type that cruises faster than the last type i was on. Then of course fly the numbers for the plane in question, and then I use the runway expansion effect to assist me with the roundout and flare timing. That helps me think about it until I've had enough time to get a feel for it.

 

i've found the hardest transition is between high wing and low wing, but have yet to try tail wheel or anything like that.

 

how about you?

 

 

Posted

To answer your question, how do I think about landing since not always in the same type - first thing I always make sure to do is slow the action down - meaning on late downwind or base, set myself up for slow flight. I do this because I've gotten myself surprised occasionally when going to a type that cruises faster than the last type i was on. Then of course fly the numbers for the plane in question, and then I use the runway expansion effect to assist me with the roundout and flare timing. That helps me think about it until I've had enough time to get a feel for it.

 

i've found the hardest transition is between high wing and low wing, but have yet to try tail wheel or anything like that.

 

how about you?

 

 

Posted

What I meant was, do you fly:

 

- elevator for airspeed and power for rate of descent

 

- attitude for aimpoint and power for airspeed

 

- something different

 

I've settled on "elevator trim for AoA, power for glide stretch, and always go high and slip it down" but it needs more time on final to stabilise than what I've been giving myself at The Oaks. It seemed to work at Camden in the Citabria and the Warrior, though - but had to change flare heights.

 

(I find the runway at The Oaks really hard to see - the only thing I can convincingly see is the yellow windsock when passing downwind. I did my ab initio training there in the LSA55s, and was taught ground markings, but flying the J160 for the first time yesterday I really struggled to do everything properly on final.)

 

Dave said to me 'your circuits used to be really sharp, now they're a bit sloppy' - but he only saw them after I'd done about 100 glide approaches in a month, when he took me for my flight test. Also, having CHTs means that I can now see how cold the engine is getting on the glide approach, and the J160 is really really busy on a go-around.

 

 

Posted

What I meant was, do you fly:

 

- elevator for airspeed and power for rate of descent

 

- attitude for aimpoint and power for airspeed

 

- something different

 

I've settled on "elevator trim for AoA, power for glide stretch, and always go high and slip it down" but it needs more time on final to stabilise than what I've been giving myself at The Oaks. It seemed to work at Camden in the Citabria and the Warrior, though - but had to change flare heights.

 

(I find the runway at The Oaks really hard to see - the only thing I can convincingly see is the yellow windsock when passing downwind. I did my ab initio training there in the LSA55s, and was taught ground markings, but flying the J160 for the first time yesterday I really struggled to do everything properly on final.)

 

Dave said to me 'your circuits used to be really sharp, now they're a bit sloppy' - but he only saw them after I'd done about 100 glide approaches in a month, when he took me for my flight test. Also, having CHTs means that I can now see how cold the engine is getting on the glide approach, and the J160 is really really busy on a go-around.

 

 

Posted

Oh i see.. well, i was taught initially elevator for airspeed and power for rate of descent, so I tend to stick with that regardless of type unless something happens to make me need to alter it. I guess my answer was more to say that i do the things I do in order to avoid having to think about it.

 

 

Posted

Oh i see.. well, i was taught initially elevator for airspeed and power for rate of descent, so I tend to stick with that regardless of type unless something happens to make me need to alter it. I guess my answer was more to say that i do the things I do in order to avoid having to think about it.

 

 

Posted

What I was wondering, for the people who use attitude based final approaches, is how you deal with the difference in attitude on final between planes. I know Noel Kruse's book has the dot, and I quite like the planes I've been in with the dot (which is, unfortunately, in the wrong spot for me) but again, changing planes a lot, I can't really get the dot to work.

 

 

Posted

What I was wondering, for the people who use attitude based final approaches, is how you deal with the difference in attitude on final between planes. I know Noel Kruse's book has the dot, and I quite like the planes I've been in with the dot (which is, unfortunately, in the wrong spot for me) but again, changing planes a lot, I can't really get the dot to work.

 

 

Posted
Better overthinking than not thinking!

Just please be careful Ada, as you may not have time to refer to notes and training material when it all goes pear shape and it will.

 

Safe flying

 

 

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