[x5pilot]

Firstly, a big thank you to all who answered my post last week about engine management on the PA28R and its potential complexities.

Saturday I took off from Stapleford in a club PA28 Arrow with my girlfriend and her Mother (for her 1st flight).
As it was such a great day we decided to head down to the Dover cliffs and back, a nice 60-70 min trip.
Naturally, I got all the checks in, got on my back checked the undercarriage springs, the oil, flaps etc. Filled the plane to tabs and eventually took off about 13.15.
The takeoff went great, got the plane nicely trimed for cruise at 22/24 @ 2300 ft and set off on my by now familiar route.
My plan was to call London Info when crossing the Thames and Manston Rader once approaching Dover. London Info were quite busy so I waited a while longer. As we started to approach Canterbury I started to notice very faint radio reception, LI was fading in and out, I tried to call them but couldn

[Maverick]

Well done James. Sounds like you handled it very well. I hope the experience hasn't put anyone off.

I have a few observations:

It would probably be a good idea in these situations to start shedding electrical load as soon as you suspect a problem, rather than watch the lights going out, so as to preserve the battery life for essentials.

What was happening to the ammeter? If it looks like a charging problem then I think the right thing to do is switch off the alternator then switch it on again in an attempt to re-set the field coils (or something like that - I'm not sure of the technicalities)

If you have an actual or possible gear probelm then you should head for the tarmac not the grass. It sounds weird, but you'll slide nicely along tarmac, whereas you'll dive into the grass and stop very abruptly.

My little emergency kit, that I always carry, consists of a portable transceiver and nav radio (VOR), a handheld GPS and at least 2 torches with spare batteries - imagine if this had happened at night in IMC Its over the top for VFR touring, of course, but nice to have it there if you can find the readies.

Well done anyway - you didn't panic

[David Williams]

Sounds like a great bit of experience - and it seems like you handled it well by not panicking. Continuing your flight as normally as possible was probably a good way of keeping your passengers calm.

Just one question: Why did you go for the grass? I'm not questioning your decision, just curious. I'm not trained in dangly undercarriage so I'm probably wrong here, but my instinct would have been to use the tarmac because it won't stress the undercarriage as much, especially if you're concerned that it might not be firmly locked down. Also, if the worst happened and the undercarriage collapsed, parts of the aircraft might have dug into the grass and decelerated quite violently, causing more damage than a wheels-up landing on tarmac. But this is just speculation on my part.

It was quite an eventful first flight for your passengers. How did they react afterwards? Will they fly again?

[Edit.... Oops! Maverick can obviously type faster than me and got the grass question in first! ]

[flyingsniffer]

Well done: sounds like you did lots of good things. Sure you'll get lots of 'if it had been me' comments, but when it happens for real, all that counts is that you got back safe.

2 questions: will the mother in law come with you again, and is your girlfreind still talking to you?

Seriously, I had radio and comms failure a while back: turned out to be an electrical short in one headset. Since then I carry an ICOM portable for just such occurances: even twin radios didn't help me.

[Flyingfemme]

Congrats James - a job well done!

I wouldn't rent from that lot again if I were you Failure can happen to anybody, anytime but for the owners not to bother to debrief you is very slack.

Just to reiterate what the others have said - always carry a portable transceiver and GPS with spare batteries. I have a small flashlight and leatherman in my handbag (always within reach), maybe you guys should consider adopting euro-bag habits?

Think that an Arrow has nice reinforced "runners" along the bottom of the fuselage which slide nicely on smooth tarmac. This shoul;d have been pointed out on your Arrow type checkout - I know it was on mine (maybe it's not all models).

[Norman]

Well done. I am sure I would not have beeen as calm, even without the added prressure of Ma's first flight.

Raises a question that I should know the answer to.

How do you communicate with ATSU when you have no power at all, and hence no radio or lights, and assuming you have no flares? Left hand triangles at edge of zone will tell them something is wrong, but are there any wing-waggling signals?

[Steve Morley]

Good job James, sounds like you did a fine job under pressure.

I am surprised at the non-reaction of your club though. I would have thought a thorough debrief at least would have been in order.

That way the club find out if a maintenance problem is to blame and you get to talk about it while its fresh in your mind.

I would be reluctant to hire from them again.

Again, fantastic job.

[x5pilot]

Thanks everyone for you vote of confidence in my handling!
To answer your questions

[Steve Morley]

I think you're right James. Will you tell them why?

[yawningdog]

Very well handled.

That's the trouble flying club aircraft. They all feel like they

[x5pilot]

Yawningdog, - I actually work for Reuters!
Steve, I guess I should tell them, its the only way they'll understand why there losing business.
I suppose the only guy to talk to is the CFI.

[sunny]

well done James,
this kind of people don't deserve to stay in business..
I think you need to find another club. By the way ,you mentioned pumping
U/Carriage. Do you mean you put the auto extend to Emergengy from its
override-up position. I've done my check-out recently , nobody mentioned-
pumping. Did i miss something?..

[x5pilot]

Sunny,
Your technical description is correct, however I did find the actual motion of extending the gear was more of a pumping up and down of the lever!
2x3, actaully it wasnt GFULL it was GMEAH.
I did my checkout and flew to L2k in GFULL and have found it a much nicer plane than the other arrow. Not aware of the nose wheel dropping but probably covered up like this one will!