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By -DV8R-
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1857888
Had an educational moment this morning... another club aircraft, new to me and everything was just a bit different: there was very little fuel coming out of the forward strainer point of this PA28, no banners greeting me with a 'remove me before flight', not a panel mounted GPS to glance at to confirm i wouldn't be straying into airspace i shouldn't be in, no ADS-B-out to switch on, the NAV section in the panel totally U/S. On top of all, the destination airfield did not pick up the phone for me to PPR and, on paper, the weather was going to be iffy.
Today, as it happened, the holes in the Swiss cheese tried to line up a bit more accurate than usual, but it was manageable and i am here to tell:
In the A-check i had not properly checked the pitot stub and the cover was still on. This only became apparent in the take-off roll. Unfortunately for me at the time it all clicked in place, the wheels had left the runway already. Clear enough i informed the FISO and circled for a bit, while a local heli on frequency offered to guide me in, in a loose formation to show what 80 and 70 kts looks like without an ASI. None of my instructors ever showed me a partial panel, so I guess the time was ripe... Two things crossed my mind: 1. Aviate, Navigate and Communicate and 2. Pitch + Power = Performance.
It all worked out... a lovely landing later and once with the pitot cover removed (one of those red banners now adorns it) my day could start in earnest. The second flight was uneventful, and very enjoyable. Kudos to my CFI to send me back up straight away and thanks to everyone making way for me.

Do learn from your mistakes, but be open to learn from mine and others too. There is just not enough time in life to make all errors yourself.

Many happy landings to all!!
-DV8R-
Rob P, T6Harvard, johnm and 10 others liked this
By johnm
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1857915
I did that once and power settings and attitude familiarity were invaluable and I learned about doing real checks not ritual checks
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By Rob P
#1857916
Me too. I was concerned about a braking issue - I had none and was in the middle of France needing to get back. I did power checks with chocks, not easy on the RV, and was so preoccupied I forgot the most basic check.

Flew the circuit by feel, mostly sound and feedback through the stick. No puppies were harmed.

Rob P
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By Irv Lee
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1857927
Well done, it is a good exercise for 2 yearly training flights. A post-it-note can be stuck sticky edge vertical on left side of ASI, the main part angled back so instructor can see the needle from right hand seat. One approach with "too fast, too slow" hints, then one with only really necessary interventions, if any.
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By TopCat
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1857953
Irv Lee wrote:Well done, it is a good exercise for 2 yearly training flights. A post-it-note can be stuck sticky edge vertical on left side of ASI, the main part angled back so instructor can see the needle from right hand seat. One approach with "too fast, too slow" hints, then one with only really necessary interventions, if any.

I made myself some cardboard squares, and stuck one of them with sellotape (making an upper edge hinge) to the ASI, so that it was heavy enough to cover it up without flapping about, but I could flip it up quickly so that I could check if necessary.

I practised stalling and recovery without ASI at a decent height first, so that I was sure I could feel what was going on.

Then I flew round the circuit a few times. Once that was easy with no need to flip up, I stuck another one to the tacho so that I didn't get the cue from the power settings and had to actually feel the aeroplane and listen to the engine.

Finally I practised glide approaches with no ASI, which also removed the power cues.

I ought to do it again, really, it was quite a few years ago.
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By Rob L
#1858176
Well done; your rules are quite right and it all worked out (perhaps "Don't Panic!" should be the first action :) ).

I have enough hours now that I've had most instruments fail in one way or another. Something that could be practised during a "one-hour flight with an Instructor is to get the Instructor" is to get them to cover one or more instruments with a Post-It note (or similar). Don't forget the Tacho/RPM gauge; tacho cables are known to break. Also don't forget the throttle & mixture cables (they are known to break too). Well worth an hour investigating all scenarios in controlled conditions before they arise for real.

Rob

ps I find many (not most) Instructors typically like to simulate partial panel (so the vacuum gauge or artificial horizon tumbles, for example), and few understand how to control a safe landing with a throttle stuck on full. Not that this happens very often; it's a learning exercise :)
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By Rob P
#1858181
I had an E-Type that if you accelerated hard trapped the throttle slide against the spaceframe, fully open.

That was exciting until you flicked the ignition off. :shock:

Rob P
By TopCat
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1858182
Rob L wrote:and few understand how to control a safe landing with a throttle stuck on full. Not that this happens very often; it's a learning exercise :)

Fly to the overhead and pull the mixture. Perfectly straightforward.

Was this not what you had in mind? :wink:

Joking apart, I'd be interested to know the technique. Is it mags or mixture?
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By Rob L
#1858185
TopCat wrote:
Rob L wrote:and few understand how to control a safe landing with a throttle stuck on full. Not that this happens very often; it's a learning exercise :)

Fly to the overhead and pull the mixture. Perfectly straightforward.

Was this not what you had in mind? :wink:

Joking apart, I'd be interested to knowing the technique.


Sort of. I'm not an instructor, TC. What you suggest would be a glide approach with no go-around...ever practiced one? With a stationary or windmilling prop? It's something as an aviation population we're not generally used to, but could be alarming.
What if you don't have a mixture control (by design or by failure?)
Rob
By TopCat
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1858193
Rob L wrote:What you suggest would be a glide approach with no go-around...ever practiced one? With a stationary or windmilling prop?

I'm pretty confident I could glide to the runway from the overhead without drama on any but the very shortest fields.

My glide ratio is 9:1 engine on but throttle closed, 10:1 prop stopped, and 8:1 windmilling with the engine off. So an approx 10% difference from normal in either of those cases - not overly different from glide practice in different wind strengths.

But no, I've never practiced all the way to the ground from the overhead with the engine off.

What if you don't have a mixture control (by design or by failure?)

Well mags then. At least you could go around.

I mean, if enough engine controls had failed, you'd have to fly round in the overhead till it ran out of fuel :shock:
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By Rob L
#1858201
I'm glad that you record a better glide ratio with a stationary prop (that's my experience too :thumleft: ); that accords with my experience.

Turning the fuel off is essentially the same as pulling the mixture to ICO (Idle Cut Off).

Last resort in the case of throttle cable and mixture cable failure is to switch the mags off. The exhaust will probably depart the aircraft, but then PFL practice comes to play!

Rob
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By Flyin'Dutch'
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1858223
TopCat wrote:
I mean, if enough engine controls had failed, you'd have to fly round in the overhead till it ran out of fuel :shock:


No mixture control, no ignition to turn off and no fuel selector to switch off?

That would be a remarkable day.