GraemeK
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Everything posted by GraemeK
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For mine, I'd do the same checks as I'd normally do. Firstly, it reinforces the routine, so if I'm doing it every time I'm unlikely to forget it. Secondly, any chance to make sure all plugs/magnetos performing OK, flap motors still working, fuel pump operational, etc etc is good and should be taken. Finally, some really bad crashes (think Madrid recently) have occurred when the crew was under pressure and failed to carry out checks because they assumed nothing had changed (in Madrid, assuming the flaps were still at take-off after a previously aborted T/O). Why the FFESTT check is important, last chance to catch things before you enter the runway.
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Similar experience on the way home from flying the other day - as the traffic lights turned green and I applied power, I unconsciously applied "right rudder" on the steering wheel! Happened not once, but several times Maybe these things do get "hard wired" in the brain - if that's so, I may yet finally conquer landings! As always, your posts make great reading Gomer!
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...... or if it was a Remos not a Jabiru :big_grin:
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Yeah, makes it easier for us poor circuit bashers to know where to look! :big_grin:
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Well done, now the fun starts!!
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AFAIK, the YLIL J160's have all run to 1000hr before engine change as a matter of course. And they get some pretty rough treatment (speaking for myself, at least ).
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I wouldn't use "inbound" in the first call because you're not really inbound. So at 10nm, a call like "The Oaks traffic, Jabiru 1234 one zero miles north west at two thousand five hundred, tracking overhead for Picton, The Oaks". We get a lot of chopper traffic overflying, and that's basically the call they use. But Mazda makes a good point re Camden ...
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And it's not only "turns" instead of "turning". You hear all sorts of mangled calls, and what makes it worse is there's often an instructor in the plane! The format and content of calls is very clearly set out in the various documents, surely it's not too hard to follow. And we use standard terminology and formatting for a reason - so we can make sense of a message even if it's a bit distorted or whatever, or if we were distracted when it started. There is absolutely no reason why instructors at least shouldn't teach proper radio calls :hittinghead:. Some of my faves are not giving intentions (taxi, entering runway), saying "all stations" when you mean "traffic", ending with "traffic XXX" instead of "XXX" and the list goes on ....... Maybe I'm just getting pedantic in my old age, but there's such a thing as professionalism .....
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Our school recently ran one to Melbourne ATC (originally planned to fly as a group to YMEN, then bus to Tullamarine, but ended up driving ). A great evening, with good presenters and lots of useful info - plus the ATC operations room and the simulator were fascinating.
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But CASA is clearly backtracking, because AsA won't have the controllers. Expect implementation to be deferred .........
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Also, the AirServices website has a list of locations for which there are no current NOTAMS - it's one of the first places I look.
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Another one: FEELING SICK Inform pilot, place head and nose down front of shirt and take deep breath. Pax will immediately throw up, but at least it won't fly all over the cabin
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Agree 100% - but the problem I have is I can't help sneaking a glance at the ground in front of me! I know every time I do it, the landing is not ideal - but when I keep my eyes on the end of the runway I can land it nicely. Just practice I guess to overcome the instinct of looking where you're going to land ....
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I was taught to wait until the runway "flattened" and then look towards the end.
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I bought FSX and a Saitek joystick in desperation when my landings were really crap and I thought it may help me to improve my approaches. I also got some decent scenery and the YLIL airfield (somewhere off the web - I'll find it and post it) - so at least the surroundings were familiar. Did it help - yes, things did improve with my approaches (and also circuit accuracy). Was it realistic - nope, you're missing the whole motion thing. And (even using the "hat" on top of the joystick) it's hard to have a good quick look around like you do when you're flying (so, for instance, it's difficult on downwind to have a quick squizz at the runway without taking your eyes off the scene ahead for too long). I run mine on a dedicated drive on a P4 desktop with a mid range graphics card - with the extra scenery the system can't keep up and the graphics "fracture" at the most inopportune moments. With all that, I still use it occasionally when I want to practice something particular.
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Yep - I found the "strip run" in ground effect very useful for getting a feel for the hold off - although not all instructors use it unfortunately. I had a couple of lessons with Darky's instructor where he got me to do this and it made a big difference.
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As far as distinguishing the runway goes, at YLIL right now it's not too bad, with the brown cut grass between the strips providing a good guide. But sometimes it's a bit hard, and just occasionally I've lined up on the grass at the side instead of the strip itself before I realised my mistake . Like you, my problem ATM is round out and flare. I find, even though I know I should be looking at the far end, I can't help looking just in front at the last minute. Also, I'm in too much of a hurry to get the thing on the ground instead of holding off. I'm slowly getting better, however. As far as where to look, I concentrate on on the left hand gable marker at the far end - this also helps me get the aircraft pointing directly down the runway at touchdown. Like Dexter, there's been times when I've thought I'd never get the hang of it, and was going backwards and ready to throw the towel in. But eventually it gets better. At least now my instructor says my landings are getting very consistent (I think he meant consistently bad , but at least they're consistent) so now I can work on improving them. Oh, and another thing I find helps is as you're approaching the threshold, start thinking through in advance what you're going to do for the round out and flare - ie get ahead of the plane.
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That's what my wife was thinking, I was just enjoying the view .
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"Common Traffic Advisory Frequency" - ie the VHF frequency for communication in the vicinity of that aerodrome. Often used to describe an airfield where CTAF is in use (as distinct from GAAP, Class C, Class D).
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Heaps - Lilydale and Coldstream out to the east, Tyabb and Tooradin to the SE, Penfield out Sunbury way, Bacchus Marsh, Melton - plus I think Romsey and Riddell. Then Point Cook, Moorabbin and Essendon in controlled airspace, so not available to RAAus pilots.
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Even on the kero burners! Had an experience one very hot day in a 747 at LHR. While we were still at the gate, I noticed several fire trucks and men in fluoro vests milling about under the wing - and then noticed a steady stream of liquid dripping from the trailing edge. We sat there for ages while they built a sand bund around what was obviously fuel, and proceeded to mop it up (subsequently confirmed by the Captain that the tanks were full for the run to Singapore, and the heat had caused expansion and overflow). On taxi, as we made a sharp right turn, I reckon several gallons of Jet A1 poured out of the port wing. Same as we accelerated and lifted off, leaving a heavy spray of fuel behind us, pretty spectacular in the setting sun!
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I second that - in my early stages of learning in the 160 my instructor would point to the fuel gauges and say "you're not keeping the ball in the middle!". Even a slight deviation and one tank will be a lot lower than the other, especially in circuits. Now I'm improving with the rudder, the problem's gone away. PS The header tank on the Jabs works well, but check the POH for what can happen in unblanced flight:
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Next time you're up there, try it in one of the Warriors and see if you get the same thing. I'd be inclined to suspect something in the Jab intercom - but if it's still a problem in a different aircraft then that eliminates one variable.
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Gomer - I had the exact same thing a couple of weeks ago. I just couldn't do anything right for some reason, even things I'm normally good at. Well "right" is maybe not the word - I was just feeling very frustrated that I wasn't making any progress, that I should have been seeing some improvement and I wasn't. And like you, the instructor's tone was showing his frustration, he was much more terse and similar comments to yours. So I felt really down after the lesson, and wondered if I'd ever master the bastard. Before the next lesson, I discussed it with my instructor - he actually though the last lesson wasn't too bad, so maybe it was just a case of raising the bar a bit. The good news is the next lesson was one of my best, and I felt really satisfied as I walked back from the plane. Anyway, gotta go flying now ......
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While I remain critical of the new regime at CASA, I kinda agree with his statement. Firstly, "expensive" is relative. So I would say whatever you fly, be it rag and tube or the last whizz bang composite with autopilot and full glass - you ought to be able to afford it - the costs in each case will be vastly different, but if it's "expensive" to you, then maybe you need to think about it. Worst thing is to cut corners. However, if he means that he doesn't care what extra cost/regulatory burdens CASA might impose on the industry, then I disagree vehemently.