Saturday 3rd of June 2006 “They Come They Go”

As un-experienced students, we are advised to ring the FBO at least one hour prior to our lesson. This prevents us turning up and being told our lesson has been scratched due to adverse weather conditions, I’d rather be told on the phone than travel 5 miles instead.

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 Bournemouth but were in the process of moving head offices up to LBA. They operate a fleet of BA146, 733s, Boeing 757 – 200 (752) and were originated from the continental operator Channel Express. My previous instructor left Multiflight for Medic Air.

Back to the lessons now and I was to start training on straight and level flight, a technique that I must master in order to continue onto the next exercise, which is flying straight and level at a selected airspeed.

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.

Trimming

The trim is to relieve the pilot of after pressures and control column pressures, and is brilliant in holding the attitude and airspeed. There are three different types of trim system, elevator trim, aileron trim, and rudder trim but only the elevator trim is present in most light training aircraft.

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.

We were heading back to Leeds now and I was informed by my instructor that I needed a bit more practice on the straight and level flight at a constant power before I could move onto the next exercise.

When I got home, I created my revision timetable, there are 6 PPL exams and 1 R/T exam and two practical ground examinations to sit before I can take the skills test and receive my licence. The plan was to sit two hours in the morning on a Monday to Friday basis and leave weekends out. This fitted perfectly with my work shifts at the terminal in LBA.

Invoice Total: £147.12

TAX: £21.91

Logbook Entry: 03