17 - Getting the hang of it again

<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="id77.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="16 Solo"><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="id79.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="18 I Follow Railways"><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> <A HREF="id74.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="13 Developing a flair for the flare"><U>13 - Developing a flair for the flare</U></A></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> 17 - Getting the hang of it again</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>17 - Getting the hang of it again</I></div> <bR> <div> 14th August</div> <div> Thanks to a combination of bad weather and non-availability of instructors, it's been almost a month since my last lesson, and so I was expecting to have got a little rusty since my solo. The lesson was scheduled for 1pm, and at just before 12, I had a call from Alistair asking if I wouldn't mind postponing till 3pm so he could complete a navex with another student, since the morning's weather had been too poor. I naturally agreed (one day the boot might well be on the other foot!), and anyhow It gave me the opportunity to get the front hedge under control.</div> <bR> <div> 3pm, and I arrive at Enstone, but there's no sign of either Alistair or the Katana; they're obviously not back from the navex., so I while away the time waiting with some coffee and a copy of the Pratt Navigation book. Around 3:40, we hear the sound of the Katana taxiing back in, and shortly after, Alistair walks in, apologises for being late again, and tosses me the keys to do the pre-flight while he debriefs the other student.</div> <bR> <div> With the pre-flight completed (no issues, although the engine was down to 5 quarts of oil, which is not a problem, since the minimum is 4, but it's the lowest I've seen it.), It's go back to the clubhouse for the briefing.Today's lesson will be nothing new or exciting; it's revision all the way - bashing the circuit to regain some of the skill that 5 weeks of not flying has dulled. As with all recent lessons, we'll do a PFL on the way to Wellesbourne. Still concerned that I wasn't flaring at the right height, I remembered a discussion that had gone on in the Flyer magazine forum a few weeks ago, and asked Alistair if he wouldn't mind flying the first landing and holding the plane at flare height for as long as possible so that I could get it fixed in my mind.</div> <bR> <div> Taxiing out to the hold was not my first problem of the day; that was just starting the engine! It was a hot start and --  as  usual -- it took 3 or 4 goes; two using the prescribed method in the book and then another two using the in-house standby of full throttle and mixture at ICO, prime for 2 seconds then turn the key. As the engine catches, mixture full rich and throttle to idle. If I ever get a plane of my own, it'll have to be a plane that starts easily when the engine's hot! It was a busy day at the airfield, and the plane had been backed up onto the stand out of the way. </div> <bR> <div> Taxiing to the hold meant a sharp right turn onto the taxiway, and I made a complete bodge of this very low speed turn! The secret is gentle tapping of the brakes rather than steady pressure, but I still had trouble with it. It was much easier once we were on the taxiway. At the hold, we were number three for take off, with another behind us. The threshold for runway 26 was also displaced, thanks to the rally cars at the other end of the airfield, so that when our turn finally came, it was full power as soon as we got onto the runway.</div> <bR> <div> The climb out and turn onto heading for Wellesbourne was uneventful, although our lookout was always kept busy with lots of other planes about. We did a PFL just South of Shipston, aiming for a ploughed field, as there were no suitable green ones. My choice had a farm house in the far corner, so at least help would have been close at hand, had it been for real. Climbing back to 1800 feet, we contacted Wellesbourne Information and set up for a downwind join to runway 18.</div> <bR> <div> The first circuit was to be Alistair's demo landing, and he took control at the end of the downwind leg. His approach was low and flat (compared with mine, which are high and steep, relatively speaking), but as he flared, I was concentrating on looking out the window, fixing how low everything looked into my mind. Second time around, and it was my go. High on the approach (as usual!)  we had to side slip to get back on the glide path. But with the correct flare height freshly imprinted in my mind, I at least started the flare at the right time. Problem was I was too quick in cutting power, and we did a quick impression of a rock. Oops!</div> <bR> <div> Next circuit was too slow (down to 55 knots at times!) on the approach also I let it drop too low on short final and then fed too much power in to compensate, completely cocked up the flare and just sort of plonked it on the runway, bounced, but recovered  well. Still, at least I nailed it on the centre line this time! On the climb out, Alistair said I was getting the flare height right now, but wast too quick in reducing power. Instead of bringing back stick and throttle at the same time, next time I should try flaring but keeping a trickle of power. This should hold me at flare height, and by slowly closing the throttle I can lower the plane gently onto the runway. Determined to get it right this time, my fourth approach was on the button and tracking the extended centre line all the way down, although I was concentrating so hard that I forgot to call final, and Alistair had to chip in on the radio! Flare height and pull the stick back, then as I'm established in the flare, gently close the throttle, and the stall warning goes off just as the main wheels touch the ground. Excellent!</div> <bR> <div> Just as I start to get it right, Wellesbourne is about to close and go unlicensed, so we have no option but to head back to Enstone. This is a straight out departure towards Brailles Hill (yes, I've finally discovered the name of "the hill with the trees on it"!), switching to QNH as we climb to 1800 feet. Time for a FREDA check en route. I still had trouble spotting the airfield, but I'm starting to recognise more nearby features and so can eventually find it by deduction rather than simply spotting it. We joined the circuit downwind, extending slightly to compensate for the displaced threshold. I dropped a bit low on final, but just added a blip of power, remembering what happened when I over-compensated earlier. Flare; hold off, ease back the power to let it settle, with another 'eek' out of the stall warner.</div> <bR> <div> Echo Delta, the TB9 was holding by the runway, waiting to backtrack, and we followed her back all the way to the fuel pump, although rather than waiting to refuel, we continued past and went straight to the hangar. Back in the clubhouse, there's time for  a quick coffee while the paperwork is sorted and we go back over the lesson. I've also booked a lesson on each of the next three weekends, so hopefully, weather willing there won't be such a long gap before the next one.</div> </td> </tr></table></body>