It’s about time I got started on my 6 PPL and R/T exams, I plan to study two hours in the morning Monday to Friday.
The Six PPL exams:
Air Law
Metrology
Pilot and Human Factors
The Aeroplane Technical
Flight Performance and Planning.
Principles of Flight
Air Navigation
R/T Licence Exam:
COMMS
Ground Practical
Flying in G-LH for the first time and I was to keep on practicing my straight and level flight at a selected airspeed. I was beginning to get the hang of trimming and straight and level. I was being taught the take-off techniques and how to counteract the crosswinds on take-off, holding the control column into wind and slowly centralizing the stick before rotation. This is because the surface wind tends to lift the into-wind wing, and obviously, this can be hazardous.
The lesson was also to consist of power change observations, the effect of increasing and decreasing power (thrust). The power is controlled by the throttle, the type of throttle the Hr200 has is a Plunge Throttle. A throttle that sticks out of the dashboard, it is a basic and easy to use throttle, which is close to the instruments.
The effects of changing power
When the power is increased, the nose will pitch-up, and when the power is decreased, the nose will pitch-down. This can be counteracted;:
Pitch-Up:
Relevance some control column back-pressure and then balance with rudder
Pitch-Down
Increase back pressure and trim the nose at a higher attitude then balance with rudder pressure
Half way through the duration of the flight, I spotted a Gr7 “Harrier” flying around 200ft below us. The aircraft as only visible for around 2 seconds then all you could see was a strobe light becoming faint in the distance.
The exercise was to continue training for straight and level flight at a specific airspeed and to start becoming familiar with flap.
Invoice Total: £139.36
TAX: N/A
Log Entry: 05
Departing Leeds at 09:25UTC, we were outbound the zone via
Climb: 75kts
Decent: 70kts/75kts
Approach: 75kts, though it is advisable to be flying at 70kts when coming over the runway threshold.
The aircraft I was flying, G-DT, had many stories underneath her wings. Stories of forced landings and wheel barrowing landing rolls. One of which, a student was flying DT on an approach to runway 14 at Leeds and instead of pulling out the carb-heat for the approach, he pulled out the mixture; which shut-off the engine and the instructor was forced to land a few hundred meters short of 14 in a field. That’s where we got the nickname “Dirt Tracker” from, as her initials are DT. Another story, was about a student on his qualifying cross-country flight, wheel borrowed (landed on the nose wheel instead of the wing wheels) on his landing at Teeside and struck the propeller (prop) nose ward onto the runway surface. He then continued to bounce until coming to stop half way down the runway.
Entering the zone again, via
Arriving at back at
Invoice Total: £185.82
TAX: £27.67
Log Entry: 04
Heading into the building I noticed a tall man staring up at the sky, shortly I was informed that he was my new instructor, I guy who was in the process of starting a First Officer (F/O) position on Boeing 737 – 300 (733) with Jet2.com. Jet2.com were, at this time, based at
Walking out to the aircraft, G-DT, which had a new paint livery. G-GW and G-DT had the same new livery while G-LH and G-OR, still had the old blue colours. The new all white and blue schemes were supreme, and suited the fleet and also matched the colours of the business. Starting up DT and completing the power checks, we had our zone clearance and were ready to set-off. There are two sets of controlled aerodrome areas, Controlled Area (CTR) and the Control Zone (CTZ), the CTZ is the 10nm circumference around the aerodrome, if it controlled that is (Class D or above) and can also be anything from a 5nm boundary depending on the size of the runway measured from the middle. It is totally controlled and all VFR aircraft have to be issued an entry or exit clearance before flight, if they are leaving the zone that is.
I was swiftly getting the hand of the taxying controls and the foot brakes, but I wasn’t confident at controlling them at speed, on take-off for example. I become very scared when the aircraft would veer off the runway centre line and I’d get the impression that if I applied heavy pressure the aircraft would top-up. On this take-off, my first controlled take-off, I had opened throttle and began my take-off roll with the foot brakes slightly pressurised, like accelerating down a motorway in a car with the brakes on. We lifted off after rotation (Vr) and the instructor took control, “I have control”, swiftly I handed over the control and replied “You have control”, an old military procedure which should always be used when flying in all types of aircraft.
Flying straight and level was quite simple, we’d use the reference Attitude, was to set the aircraft’s nose on the horizon, Power, to set the power back to 1,200 RPM and Trim. That was the levelling out reference, ATP.
The technique in a level out ATP, is to hold the attitude and reset the power, then let the climb/decent reset and to trim the aircraft to the attitude, it should hold relatively accurately if trimmed correctly and the pressure on the control column will relax.
I will blog photos from my FlickR account to this page randomly according to their date taken, I will post them as accurately to the aircraft they were taken from.
Each control movement has a primary and secondary effect on the aircraft you’re flying in, for example:
RPM – 1,800 for 20 seconds then reset to 1,200
Radios – Off
Magnetos – Check for dead cut
Mixture – Fully lean
Throttle – Closed
Strobe – On
Lights/Electrics – Off
Flying Controls – secure and chocks in
Flying in a light aeroplane wasn’t something new to me since I’d been a member of the Air Training Corps/ Air Cadets/ Air Force Cadets since I was 13, and had accumulated around 3 hours in a Grob 115E and a Grob 109B. These were with the Air Experience Flight (AEF), which are situated at numerous RAF stations around the
RAF Linton-On-Ouse (York); and a strip shared with the British Army from which I travelled to from RAF Brize Norton (Oxfordshire/London).
(German) Grob 109B “Vigilant”:
The fixed-wing fleet of Multiflight:
4 (
2 (American) Piper PA-28s “Warrior”; G-GXLY, G-BOVK
2 (American) Cessna 152; G-BFFC,
1 (American) Cessna 172 “Skyhawk”; G-BEUX
3 (American) Beechcraft 76 “Duchess”; G-BNYO, G-TRAN, G-OADY (CPL training only)
I was taken to the airport by my mum; who was just as nervous as I was. On arrival I met the reception staff, still here today in 2008! I was then introduced to my first flight instructor; he was a young looking smart-dressed guy who I reckon was around 25. The reception was a small office attached to a café bar which, of course, was separated by the main entrance area. After the café was the flight training school with three study rooms and a Radio Transmission (R/T) training room for the R/T ground classes.
After a good ten minutes wait for my instructor to sort out my paperwork, after the initial person who enrolled me onto the course lost the paperwork, I and my new instructor walked out towards the aircraft. I’d previously sat in one of the robins during my enrolment and course introduction with an instructor who left the company before I started my training. The aircraft was parked at the top of the “pan”, which is a circle of apron outside the Multiflight West hangar. The aircraft I was to fly in was G-OR, an abbreviation of G-BXOR, which is used in R/T. I was briefed through the exterior checks, which consist of surface examinations, aileron and elevator checks, wheel/tyre and oleo extension checks, oil content and fuel contamination checks. I asked what all enthusiasts ask, “Do I wear a parachute?” The instructor replied, “No, we burn with the plane”. I considered it rather concerning but since the aeroplane had flying hours in six-figures, I knew I was safe. We got ourselves strapped in; I sat in the left-hand seat; the student or Pilot-In-Command (PIC) sits in the left seat in fixed-wing aircraft and the reciprocal for rotary aircraft.
We studied the internal checks, which consist of instrument, control surface checks, throttle and mixture and carb-heat checks, radio (COMMS) and circuit breaker (CBs).
We then completed the pre-start-up checks and called “clear prop!” to warn other people that we were about to start our engine. It won’t be a pretty sight if you start up with someone around your propeller!
Hr200 Company Checklist:
Internal:
Seat – Adjusted & locked, with harness fastened.
Canopy – Exercise locking mechanism and lock
Parking Brake – On
Trimmer – Full & Free – Set Take-Off
Flying Controls – Full and free, correct sense
Throttle – Check movement
Carb-Heat – Check movement and locking mechanism
Mixture – Full movement, set rich
Strobe light – Pre-set on
All other electrical switches – ensure off
COMMS and NAV – Off
CBs – All accounted for and none cracked or popped outward
Instrument – None missing, cracked or broken.
Warning panel, test and check all illuminate
Starting Checks
Electric Fuel Pump – On
Throttle – Prime for start-up/ 10 times cold or 5 times hot. Leave one inch open.
Check all around and turn key to both
RPM – Set to 1,200
Starter Warning Light – Not illuminated
Oil Pressure – Rising within 30 seconds
After Start Checks
Alternator – On
Electric Fuel Pump – Off
Fuel Pressure – Still in the green
Low volts – Not illuminated
Suction – 3/5 Green
Magnetos – Check L/R for RPM drop
COMMS and NAV – Select frequency
DI – Synchronise with compass
Flaps – Up in stages
With the engine running, I put on the headset I was provided with, later on in my training I purchased a Sennhieser HME100:
When I first started flying the power checks were completed on the stand, but because of an accident involving G-GW and G-LH, power checks were to be completed on the hold. I’ll continue with the exact story.
Power Checks
Nose into wind, straight and clear
Parking Brake – On, with foot brakes covered.
Throttle – 1,200 RPM
Oil Pressure and Temperature – Yellow or Green
Check behind - For buildings, aircraft, and personnel
Throttle – Set to 1,800
Carb Heat – Hot for 10 seconds minimum
Magnetos - Check L/R for RPM drop, maximum drop: 175 and 50 maximum distance
Oil Pressure and Temperature – In the green
Suction – 5 inches in the green
Throttle - Close, idle 5 – 700RPM reset to 1,200 RPM
Pre-Take-Off
Trimmer – Set take-off position
Mixture – Set fully rich
Magnetos - Both
Carb-Heat – Cold and locked
Fuel – Shut-off valve on and sufficient
Electric Fuel Pump – ON
Flaps – 10 degrees if needed for short field
Gauges – Checked and all in the green
Gyros – Attitude indicator (AI) erect
DI – Synchronised with the compass
Strobe Light – On
Pitot Heat – On, if needed.
Nav lights – Off, for daylight flying
Canopy – Closed and secure
Harness – Passenger and pilot correct
Flying Controls – Correct sense
Transponder – Squawk entered and set to STBY
QNH/QFE – Correct pressure setting in subscale
The instructor radio air traffic and requested our taxy clearance. The exact instructions are unknown but since we departed from runway 32, I presume the R/T transmission was something like “G-OR, taxy to L1 via Golf and
After the line-up instructions we taxyed onto the runway and began the line-up checks. Certain checks like the line-up and after-take-off checks have to be memorised since we can’t be looking at a list when we’re trying to fly a plane. They are printed in memorable lists, for example:
Line-Up Checks
T – Time - Note
T – Transponder – Set to ALT with correct Sqwuak code
L – Landing Light - On
C – Compass aligned, correct with runway +/- 5 degrees, and lined for DI
P – Pitot Tube – On, if required
We had our take-off clearance and the instructor opened throttle, the rotation speed of the Hr200 is 60kts Indicated Airspeed (IAS), so when the aircraft reached that speed, the instructor pulled back lightly on the control column. Me being daft I decided to push slightly on the stick for no reason at all, I got told! Once we were 300ft above aerodrome level (AAL) we initiated out after take-off checks, again these are to be memorised.
After Take-Off Checks
F – Flaps - Retracted
E – Engine Ts & PS – In the green
L – Landing Light – Off
Note:
Engine Ts and Ps is just a terminology phrase for the engine Temperatures and Pressures.
Once fully airborne, I was taught basic techniques, turns for this lesson. Because of my previous flight experience back in my ATC days, basic manoeuvres weren’t anything new. I can remember levelling out of a turn and watching the AI follow my return. The hour lesson of turns had passed like seconds, and I knew it was time to re-enter the control zone (CTR) for the landing. The instructor had flown the aircraft back to
Pre-Landing Checks
B – Brakes – Off, equal foot brake pressure
U – Undercarriage - Down
M – Mixture - Rich
F – Fuel – On, and sufficient
F- Flaps – As required
I – Instruments – Engine and Flight
C – Carb Ice - Check
H – Hatches- Canopy checks
H – Harness – Passenger and pilot secure
L – Landing Light – On
We’d been issued our landing clearance, which would have sounded like “G-OR surface wind 300/7kts cleared-land runway 32”. After landing we vacated the active runway and headed back down Golf for the Multiflight West apron. We parked up in a different stand from the one we departed from, and I jumped out and took my first picture, my mum in the background.
Me and my instructor walked back into the Flight School (FBO) building to sit a debrief and to settle the price. I shook my instructors hand and left the building with a heavy thought, this I knew was the biggest thing that’ll I’ll ever take part in in my life.
TAX: £17.72
Log Entry: 01
