Flying Training
Lesson 3: Straight and Level Flight
Sunday 6 November 2005 at 11.00am with Kerry Scott in Citabria VH-RRW
Kerry introduced the work cycle for level flight - ALAP - Attitude, Lookout, Attitude, Performance. Keep your eyes outside the cockpit 80% of the time. We flew at various power settings, which introduced another memory aid: CCHAT - Change, Check, Hold, Adjust, Trim. For example, say you've been bombing along at full power, and want to throttle back to a cruise setting. In a car, you just release some pressure on the accelerator pedal. In a plane, you pull the throttle level back to where you think it should be, wait to let the speed change take effect, then check the RPM. You're looking for 2200. If you're slightly out, adjust the throttle and check again. When you're happy with the throttle setting, trim. In this example you'll be trimming back slightly, because in level flight at full power you would have had forward trim set to counteract the torque effect of the engine.
One highlight of this lesson for me was doing run-up checks next to a Chipmunk. I also took the camera up to photograph some landmarks and instrument settings, and take a video of the landing.
Click thumbnails to enlarge. We also have video clips of the approach and landing. You'll need the RealPlayer plugin to view these, or (yes, I've joined the 21st century) check out the YouTube video
 Chipmunk |
 Looking outside |
.&date=6%20November%202005&sizes=lmst) Over the nose |
 Kerry |
.&date=6%20November%202005&sizes=lmst) Oran Park |
 Camden |
 Inbound performance |
 Camden again |
 Joining the circuit |
 Downwind |
 Runway 06 |
 Within gliding distance |
 Turning onto base |
 Base leg |
 Runway from base |
 Otter |
 Glider tow |
 Pitts Special |
%20during%20taxiing.&date=6%20November%202005&sizes=lmst) Pitts and Citabria |
 Another Pitts |