Primarily for general aviation discussion, but other aviation topics are also welcome.
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By -DV8R-
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1841620
For me it had been 6 months away from the front left seat. Did a PA28 club check out the other day and the upper airwork was great, the first landing dangerously flat. A fair few T&G's later this had improved a lot and at the end i did a lovely sideslip all the way down to 100ft. How i love to be be up there.... Happy Landings all ! D
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By Paul_Sengupta
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1841621
akg1486 wrote:What "my" examples above have in common is that they are related to phases of flying where I don't have the checklist in hand.


What about pre-take-off checks and checklist? Are the items not on there?
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By Rob P
#1841623
Flew today. My second landing was a horror show (never easy landing over the top of a gaggle of people and a glider on the active threshold.)

Rob P
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By MichaelP
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1841628
I set the code but leave it in STBY until take-off.

There’s both £5 and £10 arguments on this, but in my opinion this is correct procedure.

Transponders should go to Mode A,C,S before you enter the active runway when cleared, instructed, or about to takeoff at your discretion!
No end of times the traffic warning system has distracted people on final approach as an aeroplane is taxying in a conflicting direction with the transponder on other than STBY or GND.
T6Harvard, JAFO liked this
#1841629
MichaelP wrote:
I set the code but leave it in STBY until take-off.

There’s both £5 and £10 arguments on this, but in my opinion this is correct procedure.

Transponders should go to Mode A,C,S before you enter the active runway when cleared, instructed, or about to takeoff at your discretion!
No end of times the traffic warning system has distracted people on final approach as an aeroplane is taxying in a conflicting direction with the transponder on other than STBY or GND.


I've sat with several instructors over the past 12 months and interesting everyone seems to do things differently.

Following something I read on here a while back, I always do a 'lights, camera, action' check as my very last thing before entering the runway and so turn it on then. I don't see the point of spending 5 minutes on the ground telling everyone else you're at 0 feet.
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#1841631
I flew last Monday and was surprised to find my landings were good, my handling was ok and my RT was decent. It was the little stuff that had slipped; forgetting to turn the fuel pump off after vacating the runway etc.

I wonder if the fact that I was very aware of my deficiencies that I overcompensated and did everything deliberately slowly, correct and with more focus than usual.

The only comment I'd make - which I don't think others have done yet - is that actually, I would expect the greatest risk post-lockdown not to be in these first flights back, but immediately after.

How many people are going to have their slot with an instructor, potentially in benign conditions, and then make the assumption that all is well and that they haven't lost much during lockdown? It's difficult to assess as to when you're 'back to where you should be', but this first flight - slowly slowly, softly softly - is probably the 'safest' and statistically you would expect the risk to manifest itself with flights 2 - 5?
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By akg1486
#1841640
Paul_Sengupta wrote:
akg1486 wrote:What "my" examples above have in common is that they are related to phases of flying where I don't have the checklist in hand.


What about pre-take-off checks and checklist? Are the items not on there?

Landing lights on and transponder to ALT is on the checklist for lining up. Landing lights off is on the climb checklist, landing lights on (again) is on the downwind checklist and carb heat off (for applicable aircraft) is on the final approach checklist. I do the line up, climb, downwing and final approach checklist from memory (that's the way I was trained, not that that's an excuse) and still after more than 15 years forget these items when rusty. During the busy season, I don't miss much.

When flying the Pipstrel Virus, I was taught a different way of handling the climb checklist based on movement of the right hand: at 500 ft, retract flaps, blue lever to max continuous and landing lights off. During that operation, the right hand moves a bit forward for each step. That way, I never forget to turn off the landing lights.
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By MichaelP
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1841656
The answer to all these “memory checks” is to fly circuits of the carpet, coffee table, or even kitchen table.
Some of the kitchen isles also double well for aircraft carriers if your imagination runs to that.

So pre takeoff safety brief, and go/no go point, transponder to alt, fuel pump on, mixture confirm (rich, or best power), propeller fine/max RPM, (red, blue, green), landing/taxy light, strobes, line up, quick check the heading (DG/DI/HI), apply power, if time permits, confirm Power Pressure Temperature, take off, establish climb, set power, Power Pressure Temperature, fly the circuit, look out, look both ways before turning, downwind checks from memory, carb heat?, base, approach speed and attitude, flaps as required, turn final, point of zero movement, adjust for touch down, Red, Blue, Greens.
Mixture rich or best power, Prop fwd, Undercarriage down or up and locked” Confirm confirm confirm.

Fly the circuit as required for your aeroplane type with a model in your hand.
All ‘procedures’ can be practiced model in hand. You are rehearsing for the act of flying the real thing.
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By WelshRichy
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1842021
Seven months away from the airfield never mind the aeroplane and the first task was trying to get airside even though security reinstated my pass two days prior. That accomplished the real work began.

Everything not bad until I level off and stupid me did ATP instead of APT which is what I are taught and I religiously stick too, especially as I am now going for an FI... anyhow in my defence I was only taking the load off whilst waiting for airspeed to build and reduce power and I’ll stick to this excuse! After this first episode all further episodes were fine.

Turns okay, cover up instruments to make me fly proper attitudes, still fine. I was very happy with my PFL (which makes a change), some useful tips from last year really helped (slow everything down, it’s not a rush, wait for field to appear behind wing, turn, do same).

Normal stall good. Approach stall (fully developed) and I had an incline to use a little aileron during recovery. Twice. No no no that won’t do!

First approach, ballooned but recovered safely. Rounded out too high. I don’t think I was looking at the end of the runway. Second better but still ballooned a little, carrying too much speed on crossing the fence which was my fault (turbulent day in the circuit). Third not bad but could be better. Forgot to select Carb heat on during descents and off on approach at 300’.

Got sent out on my own though. Some more trips to become proficient once again are in order. Any excuse. :D
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By George
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1842553
Previous to lockdown had not flown for over 4 years, so was pleased to get sign off in August last year after only 3 hours in the air. I was still rusty then but felt confident enough that I could still do it and then had a club check ride in a C152 in December at a new airfield for me. Passed that in an hour as well, but took a while getting used to a smaller a/c having been mainly in PA28 and previously a Pup.

So then I need a currency check to fly the 152 last Thursday and although the instructor felt it was not too shabby, I asked for another hour on Tuesday next as I feel my confidence is still not 100%. Feel it must be better to get a bit more time with a professional to help knock those rust spots off.

Specifically, I got too tensed up when my first coulle of landings were a bit pants. Too low and couldn't get the feel right of the approach and got flummoxed by electric flaps. These also caught me out after my PFL as I raised them too early and started to sink when should have been on the climb out. Realised mistake but silly error.

Radio was fine, I remembered carb heat and FREDA checks and lookout, circuit was reasonable. Managed to keep my feet on the brakes once when doing a touch and go - not done that in years! Just need to relax a bit more, so looking forward to Tuesday to get better acquainted with it all again.
leiafee, eltonioni, WelshRichy and 2 others liked this
#1842591
Flew yesterday for the first time since September, and as I'd only logged 3 hrs P1 last year, decided it should be with my regular instructor. I needed an hour for reval anyway.

Back in a C42 which I've not flown for over 2 years, and stick and throttle in opposite hands to normal, and no toe brakes, just a handbrake. Rusty and different!

In the air and all was fine. Started chatting about forced landings, and wind direction indicators. Few minutes later he chops the power, "pick a field". Picked lovely field, flew a great approach.
As we climbed away he said "what was wrong with that?"
"Dunno?"
"You were downwind!"
"Oh FFS!"
The next two weren't great either, but they were in to wind!

Back to the airfield for some circuits. Called "final for touch and go". Did one of my better landings, let it roll, tucked the flaps away and said "where do you want it?"
His response, "Not doing a touch and go then? By the pumps please, good landing though."
"Doh!"
As I shut down, the Hobbs rolled over to 1:00hr.
I'm happy, apart from the weather looks a bit duff this morning.
T6Harvard, RipAndTear liked this
#1842669
An interesting day yesterday. First since December.
After previous stale fuel problems I fitted an easily accessible drain tap.
Drained off and just 20 litres fresh fuel in it.
It took a while to empty and refill the carburettor but eventually burst into life, ran for a few min and stopped. Possible air lock somewhere.
Battery flat, tried hand swinging, no joy, jump leads from the car, more priming and off it went, my pax on the ground, ex airline pilot, shouted, “we have a fire!”
Shut down went into “autopilot” Mix, Mags, Master, Fuel, Flee!
The fire was fuel dripping from the carb, a wet exhaust flash started it and each drip set fire to the next.
Cowling off checked everything, fitted the spare battery which we should have done before.
Left it for an hour while we had a coffee and got more fresh fuel.
Strapped in, it started on first blade. Taxi from hangar to grass and sit waiting for Ts and Ps.
Silence!!
After a short think and a search. “Turn the bloody fuel on!!”
I never normally turn the fuel off, so between fitting the drain tap by cutting the fuel line (fuel off) then the fire, complete brain fart.
The flight went perfectly after that. On landing, left hand cross wind, just as we touched, the left wing went up rapidly and nose pitched up, a lot!
Pax shouted “pitch” as both of us pushed and I put full power, round we went for a second attempt.
Perfect three point touchdown, a bit squirrelly on roll out but at least I’m happy that the reflexes are still working, is that “muscle memory”? Pity the brain doesn’t work the same. :D
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By RipAndTear
#1842812
Miscellaneous wrote:
Dodo wrote:...which passes both QFE and QNH :-)

Not in two separate transmissions, I hope. :D


The RAF did it when I was in - back in the day. You'd call up AIS (ground) and got both the pressure settings, runway and wind and repeat back. Not confusing in the least and I Don't recall the visual controller ever giving me QNH at all.
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