13 - Developing a flair for the flare

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#006699" TEXT="#080000" background="045085a3.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><B>Golf Mike Bravo going around...</B></FONT><B>    </B><B> |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Golf Mike Bravo going around..."><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Golf Mike Bravo going around..."><U><B><IMG SRC="03b0e0e0.png" border=0 width="14" height="14" ALT="up" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>   </B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="14" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="14"><B>     </B><A HREF="id73.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="12 More circuits (and brain fade)"><U><B><IMG SRC="02f0e0e0.png" border=0 width="14" height="14" ALT="previous" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>  </B><A HREF="id75.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="14 Close But No Cigar!"><U><B><IMG SRC="0300e0e0.png" border=0 width="14" height="14" ALT="next" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" background="046d2e83.jpg"> <div>     <IMG SRC="53da0780.jpg" border=0 width="160" height="120" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <A HREF="id61.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="1 Trial Lesson"><U>1 - Trial Lesson</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id62.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="2 Effects of Controls"><U>2 - Effects of Controls</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id63.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="3 A trip to Henstridge"><U>3 - A trip to Henstridge</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id64.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="4 Straight and Level"><U>4 - Straight and Level</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id65.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="5 Or not!"><U>5 - Or not!</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id67.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="6 Up, down and around"><U>6 - Up, down and around</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id68.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="7 Stalls and Slow Flight"><U>7 - Stalls and Slow Flight</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id69.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="8 More stalls and PFLs"><U>8 - More stalls and PFLs</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id70.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="9 Into the circuit..."><U>9 - Into the circuit...</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id71.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="10 Golf Mike Bravo Going Around. Again!"><U>10 - Golf Mike Bravo Going Around. Again!</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id72.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="11 Circuits and spice (and Things Not N"><U>11 - Circuits and spice (and Things Not Nice)</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id73.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="12 More circuits (and brain fade)"><U>12  - More circuits (and brain fade)</U></A></div> <div> 13 - Developing a flair for the flare</div> <div> <A HREF="id75.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="14 Close But No Cigar!"><U>14 - Close But No Cigar!</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id76.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="15 Still no cigar"><U>15 - Still no cigar</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id77.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="16 Solo"><U>16 - Solo</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id78.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="17 Getting the hang of it again"><U>17 - Getting the hang of it again</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id79.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="18 I Follow Railways"><U>18 - I Follow Railways</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id80.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="19 Head in the Clouds"><U>19 - Head in the Clouds</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id81.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="20 Second Solo"><U>20 - Second Solo</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id82.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="21 Reach for the Pie!"><U>21 - Reach for the Pie!</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id84.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="22 Into the Zone"><U>22 - Into the Zone</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id85.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="23 Back to the Circuit"><U>23 - Back to the Circuit</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id86.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="24 Another Navex"><U>24 - Another Navex</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id87.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="25 First Solo Nav: The going gets tough"><U>25 - First Solo Nav: The going gets tough...</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id88.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="26 Divers Diversions"><U>26 - Divers Diversions</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id108.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="27 Diversions, in a roundabout way"><U>27 - Diversions, in a roundabout way</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id109.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="28 Landaways"><U>28 - Landaways</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id110.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="29 Solo Landaway"><U>29 - Solo Landaway</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id111.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="30 QXC"><U>30 - QXC</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id112.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="31 Where do you want to go today?"><U>31 - Where do you want to go today?</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id113.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="32 Revision"><U>32 - Revision</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id114.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="33 Finals"><U>33 - Finals</U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#CCCCE4" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I>13 - Developing a flair for the flare</I></div> <bR> <div> 20th June</div> <div> Driving to the airfield, I was keeping half an eye on the weather as usual. The forecast was "cloudy with sunny spells and showers, some heavy", and the cloud bases looked to be at around 2500 feet or higher, with a fair amount of blue in between. No sign of rain yet, although off in the distance there was what looked like the classic anvil shape of a thunder head...</div> <bR> <div> After last week's poor performance, we were to concentrate on the last few tens of feet of the approach, and the flare. In fact the briefing was about the flare and nothing else; how to judge the flare height, and when to close the throttle, then pulling the stick back and back to maintain the height, until the plane slows and the wing stalls, just as the plane settles on the tarmac. Okay, so much for the theory, but what about the practise?</div> <bR> <div> Being the first lesson of the day, Mike Bravo was still in the hangar, so the pre-flight was out of the way of the elements. Once completed, Alistair turned up and we pulled the plane out and onto the taxiway. It's actually quite chilly outside (60 degrees F according to the OAT gauge) and I wondered whether I should have brought a jumper. Once inside the plane with the hatch closed however, it soon became noticeably warmer.</div> <bR> <div> “Got your chart?”</div> <div> “Yep”</div> <div> “Good. Always make sure you have your chart from now on, just in case…”</div> <bR> <div> Pre-start checks completed and ready to start. There was a microlight also prepping to leave, and we get a glance from him as I  yell “Clear Prop” through the window opening.</div> <bR> <div> <I>"Enstone Radio, Golf Bravo Yankee Mike Bravo request radio check and airfield information."</I></div> <div> <I>"Golf Bravo Yankee Mike Bravo, readability 5.  QFE 987, QNH 1005. Runway in use 26 right hand. No known traffic"</I></div> <div> <I>"Readability 5. 26 Right hand.1013. Taxying to hold echo.  DA-20, with 2 POB to Wellesbourne. Golf Bravo Yankee Mike Bravo"</I></div> <div> <I>"Golf Mike Bravo report ready for departure"</I></div> <div> <I>"Golf Mike Bravo."</I></div> <bR> <div> We taxyd round to the hold and did our power checks.</div> <bR> <div> <I>"Golf Mike Bravo ready for departure"</I></div> <div> <I>"Golf Mike Bravo, no known traffic"</I></div> <bR> <div> Another look around and we move off the hold onto the runway. As we get lined up with the extended centre line, one last call, <I>"Golf Mike Bravo rolling". </I>Smoothly apply full power and a light touch on the right toe brake just to keep straight. As the speed starts to build, feet down onto the rudder pedals and plenty of right welly. 55 knots on the ASI, gently back on the stick and we're off. As we get to 300 Feet, the flaps go up. 1000 feet and the electric fuel pump goes off, and once we've passed the big house we can turn towards Wellesbourne.</div> <bR> <div> We level off at 2000 feet and start to go through the FREDA check. This prompts another call on the radio, "<I>Golf Mike Bravo changing to Wellesbourne Information on 124 decimal 02</I>". Wait for the response and acknowledge it, then press the button to switch frequencies. I evidently hadn't got the plane very well trimmed, since by the time I'd finished the check, we were up to 2200 feet. Ahem! Although we are headed towards the clump of trees as normal, there is a large cloud shedding lots of rain to the West of us and coming our way. We alter course to the right of the trees (which puts us closer to the gliders, although we can't see any), and the rain cloud passes behind us.</div> <bR> <div> This course alteration has placed us slightly to the East of the airfield, so Alistair suggests we ask for a straight-in approach to runway 36. This is a new experience, and as the field comes into sight we descend to 1000 feet on the QFE and get lined up with the extended centre line. First stage of flaps and trim for 75 knots. Then it's just a matter of judging the right point to start the descent. Take the second stage of flaps and re-trim for 60-65 knots and descend smoothly onto the runway. Of course it sounds simpler than it is, and as usual I was slightly high and fast, although not so much as before. Anyhow we get down, and the flare height is about right, although I wasn't pulling back on the stick enough, and Alistair had to remind me "pull back even more"</div> <bR> <div> I remembered “return to the centre line BEFORE applying full power”, then it was full power and full right welly again and we were off into the circuit. Turn right onto 030 for noise abatement and climb to 1000 feet. I'm getting the plane nicely trimmed for the initial climb out at 65 knots and then 75 knots with the flaps raised. The difficulty comes with levelling off at 1000 feet, accelerating to cruise speed, trimming and turning onto crosswind all at the same time. Invariably I end up 100 feet too high at the end of it! This part of the circuit is not very square because of the villages that have to be avoided, but by the time we cross the extended centre line, we're all squared up.</div> <bR> <div> A nice turn on to downwind and into the checks. Now instead of just noticing that my height or heading are slightly out, I'm also correcting it. Turn base, cut power and trim for 75 knots. Almost immediately I start descending and get to about 750 feet before starting to turn final. Second stage of flaps and trim for 65. This time as I'm coming in, I notice the resident Vulcan sitting on Runway 5. Today is a taxying day for it, which is a bit of a local event, and I quietly wonder whether we'll catch any of it before we leave.</div> <bR> <div> That landing was not bad. Next time around, I drift in towards the runway on the downwind leg, and even worse, turn in too tightly onto base, and end up just drifting into final, too high and too fast. I try to shed speed and height at the same time, but not enough, and we balloon, so it's immediately on with full power and execute a go around. Feeling a tad foolish, I explain what went wrong to Alistair, and he correctly said it went wrong way before that, when we were drifting in on the downwind leg. So as we turned back downwind, he pointed out a factory in the distance I hadn't noticed before and said “aim just to the right of that” Sure enough, along with a crisper and more accurate turn onto base, that was a much better landing. Add to that I could hear on the radio <I>“Vulcan, hold for aircraft on short final</I>”. Not only was it taxying now, but it was actually waiting for me to land!</div> <bR> <div> The next approach was ragged. There was one ahead of us on final and the clearance to land was going to be very late. I probably should have gone around at that point, but kept going in the hope that I'd pull it together and the guy in front would get off the runway in time. And then… hang on, what's he doing? Is he backtracking? With me on short final? Oh oh! Full power, raise the nose to give a positive rate of climb and bank slightly to take us dead side. “Golf Mike Bravo going around” Meanwhile the radio was turning blue while the FISO “suggested” that backtracking directly towards an oncoming aircraft on short final was possibly not a good idea! Okay, I should have gone around sooner, but that was definitely a learning experience!</div> <bR> <div> One final circuit and it was time to head back. So on the 030 climb out, instead of turning crosswind at 1000 feet, we made a climbing right turn to put us at 1500 feet heading South. Although we'd escaped any actual rain in the circuit, for much of the time there had been an ominous black cloud sitting over part of the crosswind leg, bringing a bit of bumpy air with it. But now heading back, we could see large areas of rainfall to the West of us and heading our way. So once again we kept to the East of the hill with the trees on. This is always the cue to start keeping an eye out for the airfield, and I really thought I'd spotted this time, but as we got closer, it was just a narrow field!</div> <bR> <div> Back on the ground, we taxyd round to the fuel pump, and shut down. Opening the cockpit brought a blast of cold air and I realised just how hot and sweaty I'd got. Guess I didn't need that jumper after all. As I filled the plane with Avgas, Alistair wrote down the numbers in the book and we chatted about the flight. Both he and I were pleased with a noticeable improvement over last time. My circuits were now becoming much better defined, with compensation for crosswind drift, and eight out of ten good approaches (I discussed the other two above). We then pushed the plane onto the grass next to the hangar, as it was booked for later that afternoon.</div> <bR> <div> Next time we're going to revise PFLs, EFATOs and flapless approaches, and add in glide approaches for good measure. Alistair also warned me that when he goes an entire lesson without having to say anything, he's going to get out!</div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>