Circuits At Doncaster.

Its hard to believe that only 10:00 hours ago I was flying down that runway. Today was my first time doing circuits in the DA40, although it feels easier than in the previous PA-28 (I suspect that some of that is to do with the massive runway...) its still hard going. The DA40 can move so when travelling down the downwind leg the final turn comes on quick...

I guess that performing a circuit sounds easy an on paper it does, until you do it. I'm flying again Thursday so will upload a diagram of the circuit with notes.

I think part of the problem is that I am perfectionist and although Justin, my instructor, is very good with praise I still feel that I'm making a mess of it. I'm getting better and feel more confident in this plane, but I know I can do better and can't understand why its not working for me. A pilot that I was talking to last year said, there will be times when you think that you just can't get it right and you want to give in, then all of a sudden it just clicks.

I'm not going to give in and I won't be beaten by it.

To give you an idea of what happens in the circuit I'll run through it, assuming that you have touched down from the previous circuit. So you are rolling down the runway, trying to maintain the centre line of the runway using the rudder, its harder than it sounds. You put your flap away, push the engine to full power, mainting the centre line. As soon as the craft reaches 60-65 knots you gently pull the stick back and she takes off, at about 100ft you push the nose gently down to reduce the climb and gain speed. Once you have reached about 80 knots you can pull the stick back and carry on the climb.

Once the plane reaches 500-600ft you look around and then bank either right or left (depending on the circuit type, today was left). Still climbing maintaing 80knots, once you are at a right angle to the runway you straighten up, still climbing once at 1000 ft you bank left to run parallel to the runway, reducing the power to maintain the 1000 ft, dropping to about 75% power. About halfway down you report in to the tower, naming your callsign and your location. "G-xx Downwind"

Once the other end of the runway is about 45' behind you, you bank left, again at a right angle to the runway. While banking left, you need to reduce power all the way back while keeping pulling the nose up to reduce speed down to 70knots, once at 70knots you trim the plane for that speed, slowly descending as the speed drops. Once the airspeed is in the "white arc" you can drop a stage of flap.

You then bank left and line up for the final approach, announcing it to the tower "G-xx Final", you need to maintain the 70 knots. Keeping the nose of the plane into wind, today that meant that plane was pointing about 30' off centre which was a very strange feeling.

If you slow you can either put the nose forward to increase the speed or add in a little power. Once you are over the airfield you "aim" for the numbers on the runway, reducing the power to nothing. Once you are about 20' above the runway you pull back gently on the stick to flare the aircraft and it should gently touch down. Once on the ground you use the rudders to maintain the centre line, pop the flaps away, push the engine to full power .... and repeat.

Its hard work, doing all the things at once, but I'm going to get it right on my next lesson.

Till thursday.