Flying Training
Lesson 62: Training Area
Sunday 22 Jun 2008, 11am in Warrior VH-PBS with Darren Friend
Weather: wind south, 15-20 knots.
Apparently the previous pilot forgot my booking. I was there at 10.45 for an 11 am start but the aircraft wasn't even returned till 12.30pm...
The preflight involved checking the fuel and oil levels, and a quick
familiarisation on the new radio stack (see photo). Darren pointed out
that there were two radios, and it was possible to independently select
headphones (PHONE) and microphone (MIC) so it would be quite possible to
inadvertently be listening on one channel and transmitting on the other. So we
manually selected COM1 on both PHONE and MIC, and then tuned in Camden's tower
and ATIS frequencies. Darren also pointed out that while checking the flight
controls, test the elevator first, with ailerons neutral, then push the yoke
full forward before testing the ailerons. This avoids ramming the yoke into the
passenger's legs.
I remembered to push the key in to start (but forgot to hold the stick back). Taxiied to the run-up bay for 24, and turned almost a 180° turn to point back into wind.
On the take-off I held in substantial left aileron to counteract the crosswind from the left, and kept straight with the rudder. Rotate at 65 knots, wings level, point into crosswind, climb at 75-80 knots (seems quite nose-high) and turn at 800 feet. The wind made for a very short downwind leg, so on future circuits we climbed to 900 feet before turning crosswind.
The air was very bumpy, and the wind particularly interesting on final. Darren pointed out rotor effects from trees, and also the fact that the crosswind could be blanketed by trees, then be apparent when the ground was clear, meaning a greater correction was necessary.
A couple of my touchdowns were heavier than I'd have liked, but the oleos absorbed them well. The last one (of around six) was the best, so a good time to stop. By this time I was feeling pretty queasy. All in all, a fairly intense session.
P.S. Kerry has moved on and is now converting to Dash 8s in Sydney before returning to Cairns for base training.
PPS. Update on Niall's Tiger Moth - apparently he found a nice smooth field but at the last minute saw a lady walking her dogs who just stood and started open-mouthed so he had to move right and ended up in some long grass which is what eventually caused it to nose over. Will be repaired in 2 months or so.