YEEEHAW!

[Guest Crash Lander]

Well, I passed my check ride!

 

Suffice is to say, I have flown MUCH better before today, and I really

 

was not at all happy with my performance, but I passed none the less.

 

Now, time to start learning.

 

 

[Guest Glenn]

[smilie=party0019.gif] [smilie=wosschilder43.gif] [smilie=party0019.gif]

 

[smilie=happy0180.gif]

 

Congrats mate 8)

 

 

[Guest Crash Lander]

Thanks Glenn. Here's the full report.

 

Well, today, another pilot has added his name to the RAAus register.

 

Yep, I was supposed to have my flight test tomorrow morning, but the airport rang me and said there was supposed to be fog in the morning, and asked if I could knock off work early at all, and do it tonight.

 

Thing was, I was in East Brunswick at the time, and this was 2:45pm! I declined, as time did not look promising.

 

I finished my appointment by 3:10pm, and began the long trip back to Geelong. Just after I left, I did a quick calculation, and decided that if I went straight to the airport, I should be able to arrive at about 4:45pm, and if last light was listed as at least an hour after that, I should be good to go. A quick call to the airfield made the arangements for the a/c to be fuelled and ready to go by 4:45pm.

 

Well, I got from East Brunswick to Barwon heads Airport in 1 hour and 20 minutes! I pulled on the hand brake at 4:30pm precisely! (please note I was not speeding, I just had a great run and missed all the traffic! lol!)

 

I will preface this by saying I have flown much better than what I did today. In fact, I was down-right dissappointed with my performance.

 

Wind on the ground was non-existant, and the air was silky smooth up to about 1800ft.

 

Firstly, I failed to take a few minutes to calm down upon arrival, and could not figure out why the a/c would not start. Re-check everything, and slapped my forehead. Master was on, bu I hadn't switched on the ignition switches! I have never done that before! SLOW DOWN Chris! I was still rushed from the drive back from Melbourne.

 

We taxied, and took off. No dramas there. Did a steep turn to the left, and then to the right. Left turn was sweet, right turn lost a little altitude, and use a bit too much power, so I was asked to do it again. This time I left the power alone, and the turn was MUCH better.

 

Next was a forced landing. She pulled the power on me, just over the airfield, and told me to get it on the ground. I was doing fine until we were lined up for landing and she asked me to go around. I had forgotten my BUSH cheklist! We went around and this time it was completed with no dramas.

 

Next she wanted a short field landing. I was ready for this. I had done about 4 of these just last week, and was confident at my ability to do them. oday, you'd think I had never done one. The first attempt was too high, and she suggested I do a slip, considering I had to demonstrate I could do those anyway, so I may as well do it now. Slip was fine, but I was still too high. I should have lost more altitude earlier. We went around. Second attempt was not much better, and around we went again.

 

3rd attempt, I got it to within about 10 feet of the ground, and she said "No! That's a normal landing! You won't stop short with this! Go around again!"

 

Insert several expletives here. I was ballsing this whole thing up!

 

Whilst the wind on the ground was not even registering, once in the air, we noticed some smoke from a fire near the airfield. The smoke rose, and then at a certain point moved, as if blown by a Southerly. Further out from the field, but still on the runway heading, indications were showing a Northerly. Barb reakons this was effecting the way I was expecting the a/c to behave, and why I was having trouble with my short field landing approaches. Plus, the fact that what wind there was at pattern height was barely there, so did not assist in losing altitude when I needed to.

 

We then did a precautionary search over the airfield. The 500ft pass went well, although I did let it get down to about 450ft.

 

The next pass at 200ft was steady and stable all the way, and at the right altitude. I was asked to not do the 100ft pass, and to try a short field landing again. This time, it was done from a 500ft circuit height. I made my downwind much longer and got a bit low on the approach, but nothing a little extra power didn't fix. Got it down at a speed that would have allowed for a short field landing, although I was told not to jump on the brakes. Probably wise, as they were only replaced yesterday! lol.

 

Next was a normal touch and go, followed by a normal full stop. Last landing was a little ordinary, with a nose bouncing up a little. I blame this partly on me, but also the fact that the nose now sits higher than it did before because it now has a new nose wheel strut. The old one was sagging, and had little spring in it. The new one was fitted this morning, making the nose sit higher when on the ground, and making the nose bouncier when touching down.

 

We taxied to the hangar, and I knew I had failed. I was so pissed off with myself. I knew I could fly so much better than I did today.

 

On the walk back to the office, she begins the talk.

 

She reminded me that I am still very green which of course I realise, and that my total hours is now only 24.9 hours, of which 10.1 is solo, and 1.0 is the check ride, so I have very little hours. Then she said that she knows I was anxious, and rushed from the drive down, and she made allowances for that. She said knows I can short field land, because she's seen me do it, and I've done it with her in the a/c too! She said she knows I can fly well. She said I fly safe, and that is a very important thing. So she passed me! She told me I still needed to build my hours up, which of course I know, and I plan to fly as often as I can to build those hours and I will certainly be practicing those short field landings as much as I can, particularly in nil wind conditions.

 

What I should have done, was not tried to make the airport at all today, and left it for the morning, when I would have had plenty of time to relax on the way to the field, and I can garantee I would have flown much better. It's a lesson learned, but thankfully one that did not cost me my pass today.

 

 

[Uncle Chop Chop]

First of all my sincere Congratulations. It won't be long before I start asking for a ride. Second of all you mention a few things in yur report that I don't know much about. What is a Slip Approch and a BUSH Checkist?

 

Any chance of taking me up? :lol: :lol:

 

 

[Guest Glenn]

See if I'm correct here

 

A slip approach is if you are too high on approach and want to get down quick then you apply left or right full rudder, this puts the plane kind of sideways on approach allowing you to reduce altitude quicker.

 

BUSH - Brakes, Undercarriage ....... something Harnesses. Just bascially checking that everything is how it's supposed to be. Sorry can't think what S is for. Maybe Ssshhhhh or shut up :roll:

 

How'd I go Chris?

 

 

[Uncle Chop Chop]

Thanks for that Glenn. I spose I will learn all of these if I start flying lesons.

 

 

[Guest Crash Lander]

OK, a slip is as Glenn describes, only there'a a bit he missed out. You apply full left rudder and (not full) right aileron to drop the right wing into the wind. Or you apply full right rudder and (not full) left aileron to drop the left wing into the wind. It depends which direction the prevailing wind is coming from. If wind is predominantly from your left, then it's right rudder and left aileron. Right side wind means left rudder and right aileron.

 

This presents maximum surface area of wing facing the wind, and therefore creating more drag, and allowing you to drop excess altitude quickly.

 

The BUSH checklist is the second part of the forced landing checklist. The first part is FMOST.

 

The FMOST checks are only to be done if time and altitude permits. They are designed to help determine why the fan at the front just stopped spinning. I remember which set of checks is mandatory, and which are only if time permits by telling myself this: FMOST is only done MOST of the time. (as in not all the time).

 

F = check FUEL.

 

M = check MIXTURES.

 

O = check OIL pressure and temp.

 

S = check SWITCHES are all still on.

 

T = check THROTTLE is operational.

 

If after these checks, you cannot determone the cause of the failure, or forced landing is unavoidable, you do the BUSH checks.

 

B = check BRAKE pressure is good for the landing.

 

U = check UNDERCARRIAGE is down. (or at least attached in the case of the Gazelle!)

 

S = SWITCHES OFF (leave master on!)

 

H = HATCHES and HARNESSES secure for landing.

 

Uncle Chop Chop! Happy to take you up mate!

 

 

[Guest Glenn]

Ahh good stuff. Was pretty close. Thanks for the great answer

 

 

[Guest Crash Lander]

:lol: I almost sound like I know what I'm talking about! :lol:

 

It's funny, you know. You don't think half the stuff you get taught sinks in. That is until someone asks a question, and you are able to answer it! Hey! I must have been listening harder than I thought! LOL!

 

 

[Guest Darren Masters]

Excellent stuff buddy!!!!! See it can all be done! Welcome to the club :D Have not had a chance to reply to your last email but will tonight.