Another First Solo story
Ross Younger
My landings were starting to come together in October/November but I
kept getting scuppered by the British autumn/winter weather. Things were
looking up in early January when my instructor said it was probably not
worth doing any more circuits unless the conditions favoured a solo.
Then, as if on cue, the weather was generally poor for three weeks.
Still, I kept on booking the lessons; I had been looking at the long-term
forecasts all week and wondering if my luck was going to hold.
Well, it did: calm to light southerlies, cloud base lowering in advance
of a warm front but nowhere near problematic -- a useful reminder that
CAVOK does not mean "blue sky" !
Seeing as it had been three weeks since I had last flown, I was fully
expecting my flying to be rather rusty. We went to Bourn and did various
circuits, an EFATO and a go-around; while they were generally OK, they
were all _different_. Ian did one demo circuit to let me breathe for
a minute, then circuit #9 went quite well, and we made it a full stop.
It may be cliched, but he then said he had had enough, briefed me,
and hopped out...
I was quite pleasantly surprised that the bulk of my circuit went quite
well. I watched my alignment on climb-out (even though there was no wind);
wasn't too early turning cross-wind; avoided flying over any buildings;
flew a reasonably stable, nearly "hands-off" approach; even remembered
to turn the carb heat off on short finals.
And then I so very nearly fluffed the landing... pulled back too much,
nearly ballooned, nearly bounced, managed somehow to stabilise it just in
time (I was about to go-around)... and I was down, and it was all over.
She doesn't half fly well with less ballast :-)
Ross (39h45 P.u/t, 0h15 P1, mostly PA28)
--
Ross Younger news#N...@crazyscot.com (if N fails, try N+1)
Harry Gordon
Congratulations!!!! My first (and only) solo was just a few weeks ago.
Having just passed my FAA written, I will begin my "serious" flying next
week. I hope to get my next solo done real soon :-).
You made a comment in your posting :
>... even remembered
> to turn the carb heat off on short finals.
Let me ask you this question. I am flying the Cessna 172M. My guidelines for
landing/landing approaches is to have the CARB HEAT ON and then turn it off
once your on the ground. Does this procedure vary with different types of
aircraft that are not fuel injected? Of course I also realize that turning
it on/off is also dependent upon the weather.
Thanks, and again, the first solo is something you'll never forget. Safe
flying.
Harry
SP-ASEL
San Antonio, TX
StellaStar
What's an EFATO?
Tony Roberts
Congratulations - the fun is just about to begin!
--
Tony Roberts (tonyr...@shaw.ca)
PP-ASEL - VFR-OTT
Cessna 172 C-GICE
Antony J. Shepherd
"Ross Younger" <new...@crazyscot.com> wrote in message
news:YCd*Ec...@news.chiark.greenend.org.uk...
> At last, it's my turn :-)
>
> My landings were starting to come together in October/November but I
> kept getting scuppered by the British autumn/winter weather. Things were
> looking up in early January when my instructor said it was probably not
> worth doing any more circuits unless the conditions favoured a solo.
> Then, as if on cue, the weather was generally poor for three weeks.
> Still, I kept on booking the lessons; I had been looking at the long-term
> forecasts all week and wondering if my luck was going to hold.
> Well, it did: calm to light southerlies, cloud base lowering in advance
> of a warm front but nowhere near problematic -- a useful reminder that
> CAVOK does not mean "blue sky" !
Weather's been a bugger, hasn't it. Glad you got a nice day to fly.
Congratulations.
--
--
Antony J. "Dop" Shepherd. d...@diespammersdie.btinternet.com
"Per Ardua Ad Astra"
Manuel W.
news:_UE0a.24270$rq4.1...@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
> Let me ask you this question. I am flying the Cessna 172M. My guidelines
for
> landing/landing approaches is to have the CARB HEAT ON and then turn it
off
> once your on the ground.
I've flown a C152 and 2 PA28s. I was taught to turn carb heat off on final,
not on the ground. Maybe it's just a difference between tecniques being
taught here or in the US :)
Ross: CONGRATULATIONS! Now comes the best part of you training :-)
-Manuel
PPL(A) SEP
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Ross Younger
>Bravo! Nice to fly alone, isn't it?
I'm still grinning :-)
>What's an EFATO?
Engine Failure After Take-Off [drill].
Ross
Ross Younger
>>... even remembered
>> to turn the carb heat off on short finals.
>
>Let me ask you this question. I am flying the Cessna 172M. My guidelines for
>landing/landing approaches is to have the CARB HEAT ON and then turn it off
>once your on the ground. Does this procedure vary with different types of
>aircraft that are not fuel injected?
Could be. I have been taught to put the carb heat off on very short
finals (last 200 feet or so) in case we need full power for a go-around,
but I suspect this may be related to the panel configuration. Most of
my club's PA28s have a throttle lever which travels nearly horizontally
and a carb heat lever which moves vertically. (A little googling
turns up http://www.foxflying.com/images/Archer19FPanel.jpg by way of
illustration, though it's not very high resolution.) On the other hand,
our oldest Cherokee (1966) and our Cessna 150 have adjacent pull-me-out
knobs for throttle and carb heat, so I guess if you need to go-around
you can easily push both knobs in simultaneously?
I'll drop my instructor a line and see what he says.
>Of course I also realize that turning
>it on/off is also dependent upon the weather.
I've been taught to always put it on before we reduce power on base leg
-- but then, our typical British weather is such that the temperature
drop induced in the carb is probably almost always sufficient to bring
it into the icing range... ;-)
Blue skies,
Ross
Robert A. Barker
You Have many "firsts" to come soon,please be sure to tell us how it
goes.
Best of luck
Bob Barker PP-ASEL
Harry Gordon
> ... I have been taught to put the carb heat off on very short
> finals (last 200 feet or so) in case we need full power for a go-around,
....
> our oldest Cherokee (1966) and our Cessna 150 have adjacent pull-me-out
> knobs for throttle and carb heat, so I guess if you need to go-around
> you can easily push both knobs in simultaneously?
The 172 that I fly is set up the same as the 150 (adjacent pull-me-out
knobs). My instructor(s) have told me that when I do a touch-and-go or do a
go around, that as I push in the throttle to simultaneously push in the carb
heat knob with my thumb.
Last night I was reading the Pilot Safety and Warning Supplements book put
out by Cessna. In fact it came with my 172M Owner's Manual. It says under
the section CARBURETOR HEAT AND INDUCTION ICING: "When a go-around or balked
landing is initiated after use of carburetor heat during the landing
approach, the pilot should usually advance the throttle first, then move the
carburetor heat to off or cold."
I am sure their point was if your not going to stop, you need power and a
couple of seconds delay on pushing in the carb heat "wont hurt" (or maybe
the writer hadn't heard of the technique of pushing both in at the same time
:-) or since they used the word "usually" their saying this is just a guide
line and not an absolute procedure).
As an added thought, the carb heat is to keep the gas flowing and the engine
running. I would hate to have my engine shut down 50 feet off the runway
because of carb icing - after all who needs that additional level of
frustration? Just my opinion though.
I guess the bottom line is to do what is appropriate for your particular
aircraft, situation, and CFI's desires.
Stay safe, and remember takeoffs are like getting married - you don't have
to, but once you do your committed :-).
Harry
SP - still learning
highflyer
>
> Let me ask you this question. I am flying the Cessna 172M. My guidelines for
> landing/landing approaches is to have the CARB HEAT ON and then turn it off
> once your on the ground. Does this procedure vary with different types of
> aircraft that are not fuel injected? Of course I also realize that turning
> it on/off is also dependent upon the weather.
>
> Thanks, and again, the first solo is something you'll never forget. Safe
> flying.
>
It actually doesn't make much difference. By the time you are on short
final the power has been down for long enough there isn't much carb heat
anyway. Some people teach that you should put it off on final so you
are ready for a go around. Others teach you to extend you thumb when
you advance the throttle and push the carb heat in along with the
throttle for a go around. Both methods accomplish the same thing. It
IS important to get it off for a go around though!
I remember once I was flying a little Stits Playmate. This airplane was
a little brick and it stalled without warning at about 98 mph. Since it
cruised at about 103 mph this didn't leave you a lot of slack! :-) I
was landing at a short grass strip. I pulled carb heat on downwind like
I usually do. It was about my third landing in the airplane and I blew
the landing and bounced big time. The field was short enough that at
100 mph it was a "one bounce" strip. I punched it for a go around. The
carb heat was on the opposite side of the panel from the throttle and I
FORGOT to put it off. Things were a bit sticky, and I didn't
immediately notice. With full power on I couldn't climb! Every time I
tried to put out of ground effect the right wing would pop and start to
drop. I would quick stir the stick and stomp the rudder and pick up the
wing and break the stall, but I couldn't get out of ground effect. The
trees at the end of the runway were getting close fast! After about
three attempts to climb and three barely averted stalls I looked down
and sat the carb heat all the way out. I pushed it in and the engine
roared up to full power and we started to climb. I cut an arc out of
the treetops leaving! After that, I got in the habit of pushing in the
carb heat on short final! :-)
I was going over to the little airport to pick up an exhaust system for
my Taylorcraft. I returned to my primary airport with 5000 foot runways
and DROVE over to get the exhaust system. It was only about five miles
away! :-)
--
Highflyer
Highflight Aviation Services
Wizard of Draws
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"Cartoons with a Touch of Magic"
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Jack Allison
that smile that will stick on your face for a week.
--
Jack Allison
PP-ASEL
It only takes two things to fly. Airspeed and money. Amount
of potential airspeed directly proportional to amount money spent.
(Remove the obvious from address to reply via e-mail)
"Ross Younger" <new...@crazyscot.com> wrote in message
news:YCd*Ec...@news.chiark.greenend.org.uk...