Flying Training
Lesson 67: Class D Procedures
Sunday 28 Nov 2010 at 8.00am with Dave Cooper in Warrior VH-PBS
Weather: wind calm, overcast 8000 feet, scattered cloud to north and west 800 feet, 20°C. Scattered showers.
Almost two years (708 days) since the last flight. In the meantime (from 3 June 2010) Camden and other GAAP) airfields have switched to Class D Airspace during tower hours (8am to 6pm). This means quite a few changes to radio procedures. Curtis Aviation has produced an crib sheet on these procedures, which is reproduced here. It's very helpful and I kept it close by me during the flight.
After tidying up some confusion over the booking (I had noted 8am; Curtis had me in the book at 4pm), I set off with Dave Cooper, and we travelled hither and yon over the training area, to practice the new Class D procedures for departing and entering the Control Zone, and incidentally to test Dave's handheld GPS unit. Specifically, we made approaches from Mayfield, Bringelly and The Oaks, with one go-around, one touch & go and a full stop.
Because we started up before the tower came on, we made a CTAF taxiing call, but by the time we'd completed the run-up checks and taxiied to the holding point, the tower was on, so it was:
"Camden Ground, Papa Bravo Sierra, Warrior, holding point runway zero six, ready for crosswind departure to the training area, received Alpha."
To which the tower replied, "Papa Bravo Sierra, cleared for takeoff." and we were off. I kept back pressure on the yoke to lighten the load on the nosewheel, and held the centreline till we lifted off at 60 knots. Without any wind at all it was easy to keep straight (I used a mobile phone tower ahead as an aiming point). At 800 feet I turned to the left (Dave reminded me to clear the right side first, then ahead, and finally in the direction of the turn), switched off the fuel pump and continued to climb in the direction of Mayfield (look for the trotting track). Dave called the tower and requested, "depart the control zone on climb.", which replaces the previous "cancel climb restriction".
At Mayfield I made a wide turn to end up pointing back in the direction of Camden before checking the ATIS (still Alpha) and then calling the tower:
"Camden Tower, Papa Bravo Sierra, Warrior, at Mayfield, 1800 feet, received alpha, inbound."
Tower: "Papa Bravo Sierra, join left base, runway 06, maintain 1800, report at 2 miles."
Readback: "Join left base, runway 06, maintain 1800, report at 2 miles, Papa Bravo Sierra."
I asked Dave to clarify the 2 mile point and he pointed out the river. As I passed overhead I called again:
"2 miles, 1800 feet, Papa Bravo Sierra."
Tower: "Papa Bravo Sierra, number one, cleared visual approach."
Readback: "Number one, cleared visual approach, Papa Bravo Sierra."
"Cleared visual approach" is new; previously the sequence instruction was sufficient to descend to circuit height.
The trouble with all this communication was that it interfered with aviation, and it became obvious that I was too high and too fast to make a normal approach. At Dave's prompting I put in a sideslip (as I would do in a Citabria), but it was to no avail, and I decided to go around. Dave called the tower while I powered up and climbed back to circuit height, but he wasn't too busy to miss the fact that I'd reduced flap before achieving a positive rate of climb.
Rather than simply make another circuit, Dave directed me to depart north, past Oran Park towards Bringelly. It was straightforward to find, to the left of the 'L' shaped lake. Basically I followed the road, identified the brickworks beyond the road junction and then the brown-roofed shopping centre. Once again I turned and set course towards Camden again before reporting inbound over the shops. This time I was given an instruction to join downwind for 06, and there was plenty of time once cleared for visual approach to descend, throttle back and make a stabilised approach. Dave had me put in three stages of flap, which produces a very nose-low attitude. By comparison with the Citabria it feels like you're diving at the runway, but was easy enough to flare using Jason's suggestion of pulling the yoke back, waiting briefly, then a bit more until we were flying along just above the runway. Dave said, "Don't let it land, don't let it land," and when we eventually did touch down it was pretty smooth.
We'd already told the tower we were doing a touch and go, so off we went again, this time towards The Oaks. I haven't actually piloted an aircraft inbound from The Oaks, though I've been a passenger on several flights out west where that's been the obvious entry point. Dave said it was actually the hardest approach to make, because you have to be at 3000 feet over The Oaks itself (because there's a recreational airfield below), but then reduce height quickly if you're given a straight-in approach (which is likely).
I was given a straight-in approach, with an instruction to report at 3 miles. This is abeam Mount Hunter, a very small village, just to the right of track. By this time the runway is looking fairly close, so it's a good idea not to be too quick at this point. Pretty soon I was throttled right back with full flap, though always ready with the throttle if we were sinking too fast. Dave emphasised attitude for speed and throttle for rate of descent.
This approach was for a full stop. I'd like to say it was as smooth as the previous landing, but I'd be lying. I was insufficiently committed to keeping it flying, and as a result the landing was heavier, though nothing the oleo legs couldn't easily soak up.
The other new part was making the taxiing call on 121.9 once we'd left the runway:
"Camden Ground, Papa Bravo Sierra, for Curtis grass."
Tower: "Papa Bravo Sierra, Camden Ground, cleared to taxi."
Readback: "Cleared to taxi, Papa Bravo Sierra."
Dave summarised the flight by saying that I wasn't bad at all considering the two year gap, and that some students were all over the place after 4 weeks off. But he said that it was obviousl that I was losing seconds by looking for instruments and controls because I wasn't familiar with the aircraft. He recommended that I book another similar lesson (which I have, this coming Saturday), and that I spend some time sitting in the cockpit until I can find all switches and controls with my eyes closed. Good advice, and I'm looking forward to the next flight.
Lessons Learned (re-learned in some cases)
- Even after a long gap, most of it comes back to you.
- Double-check the cowling latches after checking the oil!
- Normal cruise in a Warrior is at 2450 rpm.
- Clear the sky around you before each turn, before you start to bank (which obscures the view).
- On a go-around, do not reduce flap until you have a positive rate of climb, even if you have plenty of air below you.
- Visually identify each switch or control before operating it. Dave suggested just sitting in the cockpit, and practising reaching for every control till you can do it with your eyes closed. Very sound advice, with a bit of a military ring to it.
- Turn off all avionics before shutting down.
Photos
On the drive down I saw no fewer than five hot air balloons. The wind was flat calm, so perfect for balloon flights, though the overcast conditions made for less than spectacular pictures.
After the flight I wandered up the rows of parked aircraft, some gleaming, others looking little-used. Many are refugees from Hoxton Park (closed) and Bankstown (becoming expensive).
 Hot air balloon |
 Hot air balloon |
 Nil wind |
 PBS |
 PBS |
 Cowling latches |
 Hangar 56 |
 Tiger Moth |
 Tiger Moth |
 Camden parking |
 Beechcraft Bonanza |
 Cessna 340 |
 Cessna 172 |
 Liberty XL-2 |
 Piper Cherokee 140 |
 Flying Scottman |
 RRW |
 Cessna 414 |
 Beech 76 |
 Cessna 182 |