Ski's Flying Blog - February 2007
last updated 12 March 2007
This blog is an ongoing account of my flying career. The opinions expressed within do not necessarily represent those of Cabair, BCUC or OFT.
Today’s weather was scattered showers, sunny with high winds. Which meant it was very bumpy up there on my first IMC lesson today! All good experience, but I was a tad nervous about landing a PA-28 in conditions prevalent today. Given that the last time I’d flown was at the beginning of the month, and that the last time I’d flown a PA-28 was about 10 months ago, I was a little apprehensive landing in the winds today. It was gusting 44kts by the time we landed, and there was some impressive sink just over the threshold. Not that I shied away from trying! I gave it two attempts before I handed over to the instructor, and in all fairness I think I could have landed it anyway. I’d just rather make sure I’m not going to prang the airframe!
But anyway; today was my first IMC lesson, with the excellent Phil as my instructor. First time since Florida that I’d flown on instruments (As I understand it, IFR flight is actually permitted for PPLs…as long as you’re in VMC! I haven’t felt the need anyway). Under the foggles (Old Sarum do have aircraft equipped with IMC screens, but not the aircraft we were flying today, G-LAZL) suddenly my whole world became the 6 dials in front of me. I thought that flying on instruments would be more precise, easier to handle, and I would be glad to get rid of the constant need for a sharp lookout. I was wrong……I was nowhere near as accurate as I should have been! In any case, the turbulent conditions, in addition to making me crack my head on the roof on occasion, did not aid accurate flight and in any case we soon headed back, due to increasing winds and turbulent air.
The rest of the flying day was taken up with groundschool; mostly revision from PPL level I thought, but since I’d forgotten most of it, it was good to have. Back to Top
Since John Farley is a noted test pilot and engineer, whose articles in Flyer magazine I read with much interest, I'd been looking forward to his talk on Forced Landings at Old Sarum Flying Club for some time....after all, he spent 19 years contributing to the development of the Harrier, was the Chief Test Pilot at BAE Dunsfold, and was also the first Western test pilot to fly the MiG-29 "Fulcrum" fighter. So therefore, I was eager to hear his lecture on the subject of landing without power.
However, the lecture did not unfold as I expected! In hindsight, I really did not have any fixed preconception of what the lecture content would be - other than that it would be worthwhile to listen to, given the speaker. And it was very worthwhile - but the emphasis was on preventing stall/spin accidents (with reference to where this situation would occur during a forced landing) rather than, I felt, on the actual forced landing itself. Strange, you might think, given the title of the lecture...but then, as John Farley pointed out, he was not there to teach a flying maneuver. And indeed, although a portion of the material was basic PPL stuff (AoA, lift/alpha curve etc) the main thrust of the lecture was on the importance of avoiding low-level stall/spin accidents, and the need & necessity of continuation training within the GA community. I have planned a number of CT slots into my hourbuilding program, and I’m confident I don’t need an instructor when I do so. In any case, before I can fly the club aircraft solo, I’ll have to have a checkride on each type anyway, which will cover stall/spin avoidance and so on.
Mr Farley pointed out at the end of the lecture that a forced landing can go wrong in one of three ways – in order of increasing seriousness, you can land long, and hit a hedge/fence/etc, land short, or spin out after a stall, perhaps at low level. When put like that, the main thrust of his lecture, avoiding the last situation, suddenly made quite a lot of sense. Back to Top
Today, there were three reasons for making this particular flight – one, I’d just passed my tailwheel conversion last weekend, and felt a need to use it, two, I’ve not flown solo cross-country since October, and three, the weather really was co-operating this Saturday, it was lovely! Also, as a plus point, the destination airfield of White Waltham boasts a well-reputed restaurant which I’ve never visited before. It’s said it’s well worth flying under London TMA & CTA for. Also, my friend Susan said she’d come along. I’ve not flown with another pilot who hasn’t been an instructor before, so it was good that Susan could help with (and offer helpful criticism!) my piloting, in a non-official, not-offending-the-CAA-or-invalidating-the-aircraft’s-insurance kind of way.
With my lack of substantial recent experience in mind, I has eschewed going out last night & stayed in flight planning. However, somehow it seemed to spill over into the next day…damn you MSN Messenger! Despite that, the planning (NOTAMS, TRAs, weather, route, nav log, map, danger areas, PPR, signing-out and so on…) was done by the beginning of the slot. As I walked out to check & fuel the aircraft, I was feeling pleased with myself for getting it done on time (eventually), when, to my surprise, I saw G-DRAG being taxied out to the active! Bearing in mind the fact that it was doing so 5 mins into our booked slot, I enquired at Ops, and found that it was actually the student/instructor pair from the previous slot. I accepted this with a promise that in the event I overran my slot, it would not be a problem.
However in all fairness it was back inside half an hour. And it was oiled, fuelled (with almost exactly the amount of fuel I’d calculated to need!). All good…
The wind was almost straight down the runway, and the weather was very, very. On the outbound leg, Takeoff was fine, climbout was good, en-route navigation was generally fine (In that I didn’t get lost!) – with the exception of the points below. We routed over Frome, Longleat House, Melksham and Membury before descending into White Waltham. My handling was OK – not awfully accurate, but my main bugbears with myself were;
-Feature Following
Rather than the accepted method of determining a heading, time & speed and flying on that, I was more finding features to align myself with. I didn’t abandon the accepted method completely, but then again I wasn’t strictly speaking using it all at times. This was I think due in part to my familiarity with some of the areas I overflew, and also my fear of infringing controlled airspace, especially London’s! In those cases, I found it much easier to say “well that is this, so I’m here”, or “If I stay behind this feature, then I won’t bust anything” and so. Perhaps this would be fine around those areas only, but I was using it more than I should (and thus spending more time heads down in the cockpit, which is a bad thing in busy airspace – see below)
-Pre-route planning, with regard to destination airfield joining procedures
The joining procedures for White Waltham consist of 3 reporting points, which I had trouble finding as we approached. Had I marked these on my map, instead of referring the Pooley’s page in my kneeboard, things would have been easier for me. As it was, it was half-guess half-informed location. Also, as Susan gently pointed out, I would do well to buy some pre-printed route plan sheets & get a proper watch!
-Lookout
Never easy in a high-wing like the Cessna 152, but there’s no excuse. To be fair to myself I was lifting wings and so on before turns, but if my mapwork had been better, I would have spent more time eyes out, which would have prevented a few encounters near busy areas. Nothing worthy of an airprox, but I should have been aware of them earlier.
And the biggy of the day – When To Go Around
Having joined the circuit at Waltham, my approach into the field was fast by about 10 knots or so. So, at this point, I should have gone around (a point voiced by Susan….) but, as I thought I could slow the aircraft down - and I did, but to an insufficient extend, by sideslipping - I continued with the approach. This lead to me coming in too fast, again by about 10-5kts, which lead to bouncing as I put the tail down. This in turn lead me to let the aircraft get away from me (taildraggers are unstable remember) and we skidded to the left, performing a nice 180 deg turn. We weren’t going very fast, there wasn’t much wind, which is very good, because otherwise we could have tipped over. After that, we calmly taxied to the stand.
So….why did this happen? Because I didn’t go around (even though Susan, a fellow PPL, said I should!) and I came in too fast. The resultant bumps then contributed to my lack of control.
It’s said that there are two kinds of tailwheel pilots…those who have groundlooped…and those who will. I’ve moved into that second category with damage to only my pride (the aircraft was fine) so since I know why it happened, and feel suitably stupid, I think I can put it down to inexperience, learn from it, be grateful it wasn’t worse, and move on. If a similar situation presents itself again, I shall certainly go-around!
After a very good lunch in West London Aero Club’s clubhouse (during which the crash alarm went off, still don’t know why, there wasn’t any apparent emergency), the return journey ended with a good landing (although I did make the mistake of putting in a 10 deg slant to the final leg of the circuit. I now know this only applies to opposite circuits, to avoid Old Sarum).
Overall, I think, a good day – made a few mistakes, learned from them, didn’t get killed…and they can even use the aircraft again! Result.
28 February 07 - First IMC Lesson
20 February 07 - John Farley Talk
03 February 07 - My First Groundloop