Clear of Cloud

Sometimes I Surprise Myself.

I hadn't flown in nearly two months and with the flight test looming I decided last week that it was time to get back in an aeroplane.

The way my first flight after a lay-off normally goes thus: first landing, a peach; second, slightly off; third and subsquent landings, bruised and leaving a a slightly off taste.  Last week there was an astonishing break from the norm.

First landing, near perfect. Second, not quite as good but decent enough for the instructor to suggest that the next one be a full-stop for a crew change.  Whoo-hoo, solo time. Oh yes, the third one, the full-stop, was as good as the second.

Delighted and all as I was to be on my own in the plane, I was a little apprehensive that a deterioration in my handling was on the way.  It wasn't.  Each and every landing was perfectly acceptable.  I'd have been happy to have witnesses to any of them. I'd have been happy to have passengers witness them.  Even the change in circuit direction on my last circuit wasn't enough to through me off my stride.  I spent the rest of the evening chuckling to myself - occasionally out loud.

I may actually have the makings of a half decent pilot in me.  Man, I love to fly,

Temporarily Unsure of Position.

That's right, I'm not lost, I'm just temporarily unsure of position.

I'm going to ruin the cliff-hangar I left you with in my last post and tell you that I made it back from my qualifying cross-country in one piece.  That was back on the 29th of May. I haven't done any training between then and last week.  Not because I was so deflated by my cross-country, not because I haven't wanted to fly but primarily because this June and July have been extraordinarily wet.

Total rainfall in millimetres for Dublin Airport

Year	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Annual
2007	73.2	77.8	38.8	14.7	35.0	126.4
2006	16.4	37.7	69.7	41.1	116.9	26.5	18.2	57.6	85.2	107.0	69.1	94.6	740.0
Mean	69.5	50.4	53.5	51.1	54.8	55.8	50.0	71.1	66.4	70.1	64.3	75.8	732.7

Though I haven't done any training, that's not to say that there are no updates.  There are. Significant ones.

With the qualifying cross county done, I applied for the test and on Friday the 13th the IAA sent me notification that I had been assigned an examiner. He sent me a text a couple of days later to arrange a time.  It was then that it hit me how close I am to having to prove myself.  No more talking about becoming a pilot.  I now have to put my skills where my mouth is.  It's more than a little scary.

I rang The Man and told him that I wasn't current and that I needed some time to get current and to test standard.  He seemed more than happy with that.  I guess it's one of those indicators of good decision making - being able to say you're not ready instead of just ploughing on because you think you should.

After a friendly chat about the joys of classic taildraggers we agreed that my next contact with him should be on the 5th of August.  That call will be to pick a day on the following week to do the test.  That's my target D-day.  I'm aiming to be ready for 5th.  Any additional time will be a bonus.

Wish me luck.

Long Cross Country - finger crossing.

I looked at the charts for tomorrow and I think there is a window of opportunity to get my qualifying cross-country out of the way.  Clear and dry for most of the day, maybe a 3 knot wind.  I've had to do some juggling; frantic phone-calls, texts to re-schedule the plane so I can have it tomorrow.

Tomorrow looks like it's going to be the day - if the weather doesn't change its mind.  I'm getting giddy now.  And a little nervous.

More Vanilla Circuits.

That cross-wind that I was hoping for never did manifest itself.  I did go flying and in the the machine I'm going to use for my solo cross-country.  It has just come back from it's CofA and is now like a new aeroplane.  It flys so much better and the controls are now incredibly responsive.  The first sign of it was during the ground run-up of the engine.  With my hands off the controls, even the slightest power change caused the elevator, and in turn the control yoke, to move.

In the air the refurbished controls took the slightest movements in the cockpit and transformed them accurately to the turns, climbs and banks that I wanted,  It was fantastic,  I just did a few touch and gos but I managed to hold the centreline this time unlike my previous efforts.  While the challenge of the crosswind wasn't there it was still satisfying to keep the plane going down the middle.  Most of the landings were made without flaps, which is no big deal really but I quite enjoy it.  It adds a little bit more of a challenge.

That reminds me, I need to practise more glide approaches.

Should be Interesting

I'm booked in to do more solo circuits today.  I'm going to work on getting it nailed on the centreline for the approach; I have a tendency to land to the left.  I'm also going to pay more attention to using my feet.  There's not a great deal of rudder work in a modern trainer but I will pay more attention to the slip ball.  Given that there's due to be a crosswind today, I'll have plenty of opportunity to work on all those things.

Right now Dublin is giving 240/22 (that 240 degrees at 22knots).  22 knots, eh, not flying in that, thanks!! However, I'm not flying 'till 19:00 this evening which is forecast 290/12.  Runway direction at Weston is 25 so that's a crosswind component of say, 40 degrees and 9 knots.  At that I should have a reasonable "crab" on and the wind should be exacerbating my tendency to land left of centre (that's me, just a little left of field!!).  If I can keep it right down the line I'll be happy.  I'll pass on the flap-less and glide approaches this evening and focus on the basics. That is, of course, if the wind obliges by dying down.

The distant possibility of my first 'plane being a taildragging Luscombe is prompting me to improve my handling.  For those of you planning to fly with me, don't worry; I'm actually a fairly decent pilot; like my driving I don't chuck it around the place.  It's just that flying older aircraft requires even more finesse that the modern ones and I want that finesse.

Keeping the Rust at Bay

I went out to the airport after work yesterday to put in some touch and gos.  I haven't been flying in a week or two so it really was meant to be just 20 or 30 minutes flying.  It turned out to be a little longer since I was flying with different instructor.  He wanted to sit in for one full circuit.   He got a little more than that.

It was quiet out there last night.  I'm continually astounded by how few people fly in the evenings out there - there were only two aeroplanes in the circuit and not a lot of activity around the place.  I digress.  So we got off the ground and into the less familiar right hand circuit for 07.  Trying not to infringe Baldonnel's airspace I think I flew the circuit a little too tightly, was late making a turn to base, generally "behind" the aeroplane and overshot the centreline for final approach.  I got a landing out of it but it was well below my par.  The next one though.!

The next one was to be a full stop to let the instructor out and I widened the circuit a bit to give myself more time and I was a little more settled, still late on the turn and still a little behind the aeroplane.  On finals, I was low and "driving" it with more power to check any further descent.  As a consequence, the 'plane had plenty of inertia and when I finally cut the power I was too high, she hit the ground and she bounced - not something I normally do.  Conscious that a couple of weeks ago my instructor told me that if she bounced twice, the next one would be a prop strike, I firewalled everything and went around.  I know had a second bounce to go but it's never worth the risk.  It was good though; I was already advancing the throttle when my instructor told me to go around.  Reassuring for me, reassuring for him.  As I've always said, flying is only partially about doing things right - it's just as much about, taking the correct course of action when you get it wrong. And you will get it wrong - even the great Chuck Yeager said "there's no such thing as a natural-born pilot".

I went around, landed safely, deposited my instructor back at the apron and went off on my own to see if I could scare myself some more.  Well the first solo landing was good, not quite greased on but pretty smooth followed by poor directional control on the ground.  I really need to work on that if I want to fly taildraggers - and I do.  "Full power,  take-off flaps" and I was up in the air again.  Even a poor day's flying is better than a good day longing skyward.  Again, good position on the downwind leg and then something happened, I lost track of my position in the down wind, made the power reduction, deployed first stage flaps and made the right-hand turn to base leg -  all too early!! I realised it in the turn, eased off the turn, then realised I was setting myself up badly for a subsequent turn to finals, so I reapplied the turn and made the whole manoeuvre a sloppy turn from downwind to finals. With all of that going on I hadn't really established a nice stable approach.  Again, it was beginning to look like I was going to be driving myself in for another bounce.

I decided that there was going to be a different outcome this time.  I flew it all the way down and resisted the temptation to flare to early and drop myself into a bounce.  In the end it was a respectable landing but with more of that landing to the left side of the runway.  I wonder if I'd learnt to fly before I'd leaned to drive would I drive down the centreline of the road.  Any road, I was happy to call it an evening and hand the keys to the next flight.

I walked back to the office : "So how did that go?" my instructor asked.  Knowing that there's much better flying in me than that performance, I said so. "Hmm, not great now. Not really up to standard". He made some comments about flying a few more and trying to nail the centreline precisely but overall he felt I was flying safely all the time.  Even when the approaches weren't the ideal approach they were well controlled and overall if that was a bad day's flying for me, there was nothing wrong with my flying.

So, maybe I'll make a pilot after all.

Lots Happening.

Life's been full of aviation lately.   Easter just passed saw  my first flight in an RV-7,  my first taste of aerobatics and my fastest speed in a piston single.   Since then training flights have been relatively frequent. 

I did a refresher with my instructor on steep turns and stalling.  It had come up in conversation that handling rather than navigation seemed to be weak points in recent PPL flight tests.  But after plenty of steep turns to the left and steep turns to the right and steep turns to the left, the man in the right hand seat said that handling shouldn't be an issue for me.  I still wish there was more advanced handling in the PPL course and I'd really be happier if I was taught to spin an aeroplane.  I'll be looking for more training once I get the PPL.

Last week I went out on another solo navex.  I decided to pick a town I didn't know and a village I'd never seen before as my turning points.  They were all within range of much larger navigation features so that even if I didn't find my targets, I wouldn't get completely lost.  It was a good strategy.  I flew my course and made my waypoints at the expect times.  It was really very satisfying  particularly the village.  The town was large but I new it would be obscured from view by some high ground.  This meant that while I couldn't just cheat by flying towards the town I would still be able to find it easily once I was over the high ground.  The village, on the other hand, was just that a village.  But it turned up and I turned for home.

Last Friday after work, I went out to do some touch and goes.  The landings were patchy at best but I got the plane down in one piece.  My instructor, who cleverly opted to stay on the ground, was happy enough though, pointing out that conditions weren't ideal but it was a good idea to go flying on imperfect days.

What's next?  Good question.  I took a trip down to Kilrush airfield yesterday and my other mount was still mid-maintenance.  Once she's back, it'll be a flight or two to refresh on using the navaids and then wait for a suitable day to do my qualifying cross-country.  After that - preparing to finally do the flight test.

Highs, Haze, Sighs.

There's a lovely high pressure system sitting over the country at the moment.  I should be reporting that I expect to get qualifying cross-country completed this week.  But no.  While the weather's great on the ground the haze makes navigation that little bit more difficult.  Add to that the fact the airplane with the functioning navaids is undergoing maintenance and you have a recipe for local flying.

I made it down to Abbeyshrule today on a navex, though had I not been there before, I'm not sure that I would have.  And my cockpit management and general flying were a little rough.  Bearing in mind that Knock isn't the easiest airport to find ( hard to believe,  I know); me trying to find it on Wednesday, with no VORs, and raggedy navigation, would probably have been overly optimistic.

So, the plan for the week is to curb my ambitions and stick to some local flying, upper airwork and circuits.  At least this season the airport is going to stay open till end of VFR and not repeat the debacle of last Autumn when it decided to close a 6pm- meaning I couldn't fly after work.

BTW- Abbeyshrule is now charging €10 for a full stop landing.  I thought that this was a bit much but they're actually doing something with the money, including fitting out a new clubhouse and coffee dock - so I happily forked out the tenner.  There's a bit of life about the place and a sense of future for GA in the midlands.  Drop in, pay the fee, watch and support its growth.

Weather, no 'Plane

I was examing the weather yesterday and I see that Thursday looks good for a local navex (navigation exercise).  Unfortunately, some one else had the same idea and has the instructor and airplane booked.  Darn.  I really want get one local cross-country flight under my belt before I tackle the long, solo, cross country (150nm).  Quite apart from the practical requirements of training, I need to fly.

In the interest of my sanity, I've booked a check flight with my old club.  I plan to do a lot of my flying with them once I get this confounded licence so I might as well start the refamiliarisation with the TB9 now.  That's booked for Saturday morning, which is a good way to start any weekend.

Solo Circuits and Beyond

It was another glorious morning.  Crisp and clear with a hint of frost. What little frost was there flowed away as I wiped down the aeroplane's window.  The wind was calm and what patches of fog remained burned away as the morning's shadows shortened.

The little Lycoming engine was reluctant to start but start it did.  In appreciation of it's cooperation  I gave it plenty of time to wake up - eagerly waiting for the oil temperature needle to enter the green arc on the dial.  Clearance to taxi obtained, I wiped away the last of the condensation and we were rolling.

"Cleared for take off, left hand circuits"

There's a special feeling as you turn of the taxiway an on to the runway.  You straighten up the airplane, checking the airplane is really ready to go, flaps, mixture and a final scan of the gauges, and then there's a moment.  It happens when your eyes move from the cockpit and they gaze out at the runway ahead. Bordered by swathes of green, the runway guides your eyes skyward and for that moment this is your place.  No one else on that road, no one else in your sky.

One last exhalation to gather myself and I advance the throttle, keep it straight, feeding in that rudder,a last check inside, full power on the dial, airspeed indicator is alive, looking out again, a little back pressure and my little machine lifts free.  In the cold air, the Lycoming breathes deeply and the aeroplane just wants to climb but I have to level out at the required thousand feet. Me and my airplane wheel around onto the downwind leg, turning through the the glaring sun, till Howth is distant in my windshield and the sun now warms the side of my face.

I try for a couple of flapless landings.  As with any landing, it starts on the downwind leg so I've decreased the throttle earlier and a little more than usual.  Turning on to base my rate of decent is a little faster than I like so I feed a little more power back in, say a 100rpm, the engine note changes only slightly.  I maintain 69 knots.  At this speed without flaps the nose is a higher than normal but my view of the of the approach is still fine. Turning onto final approach the tower crackles- "..you're cleared to land, wind is calm". It's really not so different from a normal landing though the approach is shallower - slightly lower over the houses before crossing the hedges at the end of the runway. Over the hedge and I start taking a little power off - not too much mind, there's no wind there and the extra power helps with flying the plane all the way to touchdown.  I've landed long but there's plenty of room for me to let the nose wheel settle and continue my roll for take-off. Full power, take-off flap and we're away again.

It's been a long time since I've been flying - three months or so - but it all comes back quickly for me.  This experience of flying solo is still a little unnerving though.  I've over a hundred hours at this stage but only 8 of them are solo.  I remind myself frequently that the worst thing I'm going to do on my own is bust airspace or get lost and that I'm resourceful enough to be able to deal with those things.  That's not really good enough for me though - I want to get it all right, all of the time.  I don't want to be a Sunday flier but I constantly worry that my aspirations are greater than my skills.

The best thing for me now is to cut loose from my instructors and fly.  A few hours on my own in an airplane, with a chart, pencil and plotter, finding my way across the skies - only that will give me the confidence to allow me to say "I, am a pilot".