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After the last flying lesson I have decided that I can do it and will do it, land that is. The other thing that I have decided that I will improve on and crack is staying at a constant height, since moving to the DA40 I have noticed that it is too easy to gain 100 ' without noticing.
So off to Sandtoft we went, I was determined to get it right, almost perfect take off, a little low on the climb out, but after banking to the left it was easy to gain the height as we had the speed. We climbed to 1500 feet and heading NE towards Doncaster and onto Sandtoft.
After an uneventful flight across to Sandtoft I enter the circuit without problems crossing the numbers on the runway without issue. I'll try and put an image together showing the joining details for a circuit as it will help me get it clear in my mind. Nice height and box shape and a gentle descent in, everything felt like it was going well.... until... I bounced off the runway... bollocks I thought here we go again, I climb out and start again. I got a bit of a telling off from Justin, the instructor, he has a curious was of doing it, he doesn't raise his voice or anything, but you know that he isn't happy with you and in this case he was right to be, I know what need to do and I can do it, but for some reason it didn't happen this time..
This time it was a lot better after another couple of goes I was landing without any real problems. During our eventful visit to Sandtoft we had a dual engine plane that joined on the live side of the circuit... in fact if had joined 5-10mins later he would have caused us a few problems and to quote Justin, it would have been bad...
Also we were cut up by a microlight, who then decided to land while we were on our final approach, it looked like he was going to vacate the runway part way down. Justin asked on the radio what his plan was, but there was no reply. The microlight then started to takeoff again. At that point Justin gave the instruction "I Have Control", which means he takes over, we banked sharp left and up. The microlight was in a world of his own, we then did another circuit and he did the same again, but on the downwind leg I flew slightly off centre to lengthen the third/fourth leg to give him enough time to get out of our way.
During the first couple of lessons there is one thing that is drummed into you, the first is if the instruction "go around" is given, you go to full power and pull up, simple without question you do it. The second is "I have control", basically you pass control, its good to rest you hand on the stick because you can feel what the instructor is doing, but you just relax and let them get on with it.
During the circuits Justin stated he did not want to here the Stall Warner come on during takeoff again, the stall warner on a DA40 is a pain in the neck, it comes on very early, the plane stalls at about 60 knots, but the stall warner can come on as early as 75knts, it sounds like someone is blowing one of those annoying party blower things that you get a christmas. Don't get me wrong, on your xmas do, when you are half cut you can get a lot of fun from one, but when you are trying to fly a plane its a pain...
Needless to say, we did not hear it again on take off. PMA - Positive Mental Attitude.
We then exited the circuit and headed towards Sherburn to pick up another pilot that had dropped a plane off, it was my first visit there and it was a nice pleasent flight. Landing was interesting... due to the size of the airfield and also the turns we basically glided in, thought we were going to miss the runway, but we didn't I landed a little hard, gauging the runway height seems to be a bit of a problem, but it is getting easier.
Justin Taxied, what felt like the miles to the terminal (sheds) and we picked the other pilot up, he then taxied back to the runway where I performed the takeoff. It was good, I think I need to start using more of the ground to generate more speed before taking off, gauging runway length would be a start... anyway its amazing what a difference having someone in the plane makes. You wouldn't think that it would, but it does. We climbed to 1,500 and headed back to Sheffield.
We dropped to 1,000 feet for the last 10-15 miles so Justin could show me what it was like for me to fly and also demonstrate how close somethings really are, at the end of the day 1,000 ft is above sealevel some of the ground we were flying over was 500' up, with masts of 250' plus. The lesson basically was, if you fly low keep your eyes open... I can see how people can get themselves into a lot of trouble at these heights as working out where you are on a map is hard as there isn't really a big enough "picture" of the surrounding land to work it out and I can see people concerntrating on reading their map before the smack in a TV mast or power pylon.
We then descended into Sheffield, glid slope was good. Sheffield has glid slope lights which helps, once we were about 10' feet above the runway I pulled on the stick and we landed, nice and gentle, it was perfect. I have not fealt a sense of joy like that for sometime. I finally did it, perfect touchdown and I also had a passenger.
All in all it was a very enjoyable lesson and has increased my determination to pass my PPL.
I decided after my last disasterous flying lesson to improve and to actually land at Sandtoft Airfield.
On reflection my last lesson did not go so well because of a couple of factors, the first was my mind really wasn't on it, I hadn't slept well the night before and I was feeling a little rough.
Part of the problem was also that I guess I was scared of Sandtoft airfield as strange as it seems.
I decided to have an early night last night and also had a bit of a lie in this morning to make sure I was refreshed and even though I had made up my mind to make today a great lesson part of me still wanted it to rain and for the lesson to be cancelled.
I arrived at Sheffield at my normal time and checked out the DA40, it really is a great plane. It flies well, it looks good and the visibility is amazing. It needed fuelling as it does most days, there is a problem with the fuel guages so we always fill her to the top before going out, she has the long rang tanks so in theory I could fly for 7 hours... that would be nice, but once I have my PPL under my belt.
I walked back to the Airport and we got the fuel ordered, I really was getting quite nervous, Justin suggested we go back to Doncaster airport, but I said "No, I need to get it cracked." so off we went, taxied onto the runway without issues, I have been crap at taxi'ing, it seems simple but I have been rubbish at it, but today it all worked.
I lined up, "Golf-Foxtrot-Sierra ready to roll..." and off we went, full power, feet off the brakes and off we went. 60 knots, pull back gently on the stick and up she climbs, "pull forward" which basically means flying level for a bit to build up wind speed and then pull back and start the climb, loads of right rudder to keep the plane straight for the climb.
At 300 feet I put the stage of flap away, for some reason that single stage of flap makes a real difference, she can get airbourne without issue from Sheffield without it, but there is less drama. At 500 feet I start a 30' turn to the left, until parallel with the runway, still climbing as we start to draw level with the runway I gently bank right to avoid an aircraft on approach.
It was great no problems, we head over to Doncaster and pass overhead the airport, there were two Thompson Fly planes on the appron, looked like 767s as we passed overhead, heading towards my nemesis and Sandtoth.
I toined Sandtoft and crossed over the airfield at 1,000 feet as is the custom and turned downwind into the circuit. I asked Justin to do the first touch and go so I could guage the height etc. He did a very good job, landed it without a bumb, off we went... my turn, the first couple were not bad, I didn't pull back enough when we were over the runway to flare the aircraft, but we carried on.
Its hard to explain the whole landing thing, you basically slow the aircraft down and it will descend, law of gravity and all that. As you approach the runway you reduce the power and push the nose down, aiming for the numbers on the runway, the first couple of times you feel like you are nose diving, but you are not, you maintain 70knots on the glid path, when you are about 20 feet above the runway you hold the plane parallel flying down the runway as the nose is now straight you carry on gliding down. You gently pull back on the stick to lift the nose, the rear wheels touch and you are down...
I landed it a couple of times with little or no help from Justin and feel so much better about it, onwards and upwards, next lesson is Thursday weather permitting and I will land it without assistance from Justin. I can do it and I know I can do it.
Flying in a small aircraft is like nothing else, anyone reading this who hasn't flown before should try it.
If anyone is interested, Sandtoft have a homepage http://www.newsandtoftaviation.co.uk/nsa_homepage.htm
The runway is 886 metres long, which sounds a lot, but at 60 knots you will cover that in under a minute. But if you are relaxed and know what you are doing then its all the time in the world.
I had another flying lesson today, but as Doncaster were busy we went to Sandtoft (not sure I spelt that right) and it was a nightmare, origionally I started flying in a PA-28 and started the circuits in Sandtoft, before switching to the DA40, but due to the size of the DA40 my instructor thought it safer to use Doncaster...
Well I managed to get the plane on the ground during the lesson, bounced it twice and after landing reasonably ok put all the flap away so nearly didn't get airborne the otherside...
On reflection I don't think my head was straight, the circuit itself seemed ok, the approach was a little off centre and the descent seemed fine, I just didn't pull back enough when close to the ground, I thought it was a perspective issue, but on reflection my mind just wasn't focused enough. I didn't like landing at Sandtoft in the PA-28 so didn't look forward to doing it in the DA40 which I think reflected in my flying.
I have another lesson booked for thursday, but the weather isn't looking good so it might get cancelled if it doesn't then I am going to get my head back into shape and master landing at Sandtoft, I know I can do it and the irrattional fear/dread is silly of me.
I didn't enjoy today and I think it reflected in my flying. Next time it will be perfect, if I can master Sandtoft then I should be able to land anywhere.
On a positive note, I did have one good landing and the radio checks seem to be coming a lot more natural on the downwind leg and also the final approach.
This week I finally cracked it, it all came together when I went flying on Thursday, an unassisted landing. Yep, thats right I managed to land the plane 3 times on thursday with no help from my instructor and 5 on friday.
Anyone who has done circuits will know that feeling when you first start, you never think that you can get it as you can read from my previous post what is involved in doing a circuit and as promised I have put together an image outlining a circuit, which you are more than welcome to use when learning your circuits.
If you are having problems with them and it feels like nothing is coming together then my advice is keep at it, stick with and it will all come together, never give up.
On Friday I had booked an extended lesson, but late afternoon so I could see what night flying is like and it is amazing, I took my digital camera and took a couple of pictures, they are a little blurred, but watching the sunset from 3,000 ft above the ground is amazing, the colours that you see are incredible. On one side of the plane the sun is setting, on the other the moon is rising and it was a full moon.
I have had a really bad week at work and had very little sleep last night and being up there today and performing the unassisted landings has made my week, flying at night is a magical experience and has made me want to get my night rating once I get my PPL.
I have passed my medical so I now need to take my first exam, which is the Aviation Law. I have started revision and will be taking it someday next week, hopeful soon after that it will mean my first solo flight.
To use the image, click on it, when it opens up at full size, right mouse click on it and do a "save as", you should then be able to use your preferred program to print it.
