Logbook in hand!

Now I’ve just got to wait for the WX to clear up in Melbourne and I’ll be starting my flying down at Tyabb! Back on the road to solo again, after all this time. Persistence is the key :)

It’s looking to be about one fortnight before I’m being in the cockpit! Excited? You bet!

With all the set backs and disappointments, you have to keep going on. Perseverance and motivation is more than you can imagine.

It’s nights like these I really wonder why and how it all comes to happen. I haven’t flown in over a month now, and after being solo standard for all this time it’s really starting to get to me. Why I’m yet to go solo is something I’ll explain next week, but at the moment I just need to get a few things sorted out to avoid a WW3.

It’s in a way ironic because I knew that challenges and disappointments were all going to be in the picture, and always will as I move up the ladder in my aviation career. Questions like “how did that happen?” and “why didn’t that turn out to be as I thought?”; they’re all things that you ask yourself.

You just need to keep the dream alive. Never forget where you’re going, or how you’re going to get there. It’s the only thing keeping me afloat at the moment.

Today I drove out all the way to Bacchus Marsh aerodrome to complete my pre-solo written exam. It was a good way to log some driving hours, 4 hour round trip for an exam that only took me 15 minutes! I scored 95% with only one question answered incorrect which was worded crap. But hey, a pass is a pass and hopefully it’s next weekend I can get up in the sky and if all goes to plan, it’ll be by myself.

Unfortunately I received an email the other night saying the flying course might not go ahead because of some accommodation issues. If it does go ahead, fantastic. If it doesn’t, my flying will be delayed for yet another month. :/ Which doesn’t work out well, because it falls in the middle of my mid-year exams.

I took the opportunity to show my Mum around some of the aircraft and in particular VH-AIF. I have a connection with AIF because it was the aircraft I logged my first hour in, and she took this photo of me when I was showing her around the cockpit.

Couldn’t help myself to reblog this fantastic picture…not something we see as Pilots, but definitely as pax in small aircraft!

(Source: theairshow)

Fair to say Australian pilots find American ATC so funny. I'd piss myself laughing if I ever heard this (which are actual events heard):

ATC: "Report sighting a 757 in your 1 o'clock at six miles"
Capt: "We got em on the fish finder". (TCAS)
ATC: "Squawk 5125".
Capt: "Fifty one twenty five is comming down at yer".

PFLs, steep turns and instrument flying

Hours logged
Dual - 22.5 

PFC02-2012

Well, much to my disappointment, I was unable to go solo due to an administrative stuff up between the flight training provider and AAFC. The AAFC didn’t include the time needed for me to be briefed on the pre-solo theory (which I already know!) for the week when they requested the aircraft and instructors from the flight training provider, and as a result when they arrived at Point Cook with their flight schedule all set for the week, they couldn’t afford taking an instructor and aircraft out of the sky for half a day to cater for it.

In saying that however, I attempted to make a plan to have it still all work out. What I’ll do is go on the next 3 hour flying course with Cadets, and the time between now and that course drive up to where this flight training provider is located and do my pre-solo exam there. Then on the 3 hour course I’ll be all set to go solo, weather permitting.

So that’s the confusing part out of the way! Let’s get to the flying.

Circuits

I finished up all of my circuit training with Ben over two hours in VH-WWQ. WWQ, also known as ‘Whiskers’, is actually a really nice Cessna 150 to fly, and has been mentioned previously as Tim’s favourite aircraft. For long flights I can see how the seats would be very comfortable, but like all aircraft of it’s type (and age) it definitely has a hard time climbing out with the little power it has up the front.

Finishing circuit training involved practicing flapless approaches. For the two hours I can recall, this went uneventful however due to such variable winds, it was difficult to time the turn onto base from downwind and what RPM to use. For example, a strong headwind will reduce the length of final you need, so you’d turn onto base earlier. If you were to turn at the normal time, you would then need to compensate with dragging out the approach with power and flying the final leg like a B737. It’s finding the ‘sweet spot’ between both the length of downwind and engine RPM that will make a good approach, in my opinion.

With it being flapless, you also have to factor in a lower approach angle, and higher nose attitude leading to reduced visibility. This is because of the lack of drag that would usually occur with the use of flaps, and we practice flapless approaches to simulate the possibility of an electrical or mechanical failure that would lead to the flaps not operating.

The next lesson would have been the only in which I would have soloed, but due to what happened (as explained at the start) I instead opted to move on to pre area solo stuff instead of wasting time and money continuing circuits.

PFLs (Practice Forced Landing)

Finally, after a good few months in the circuit (because I don’t fly often), I flew out to the training area with Pozzi in C152 VH-IBL. I must admit, climbing past 1,000ft to 2,500ft felt so high! I couldn’t believe it, but the feeling of executing a right hand turn was unbelievable haha. After flying along enjoying what it was like to be outside of the circuit, Pozzi commented how the bad the traffic was. On a turn towards Melbourne city, we flew along the highway observing a standstill of traffic from the CBD all the way out to Werribee! For those that know the Melbourne area, they’ll realise how much of a massive distance this is. It was then time to get to the lesson, so we flew back towards Avalon and started a search for suitable paddocks that we might conduct PFLs on. I selected one that I thought would work well, and Pozzi demonstrated a PFL on that paddock. Using what seems to be a gymnasium as our “high-key” position and a communications tower as a reference for our “low-key”, we were soon in a steep decent towards a grass field. After turning base and final and extending full flap we soon hit 500ft AGL (above ground level) which is the legal minimum altitude we could fly at. When you reach 500ft AGL you simply execute a go-around, like you would in a runway.

Climbing back out to 2,500ft, it was my turn. At our high key position at 2,500ft, Pozzi cut the power and simply sat back.

To give you a mental picture, I *attempted* to draw it.

So when I was overhead the gymnasium, I planned to be at 2,000ft and that’s when I turend onto downwind. My low key position was at 1,500ft, which is essentially where you complete the emergency checklists of PBUSH - Passenger brief, brakes off, undercarriage down, shutdown (master, magnetoes etc to essentially ”shut down” the aircraft) and hatches and harnesses (doors slightly open and harnesses secure, but we don’t worry about the doors as it’s a training scenario). At around 1,200ft I turned base, using the radio tower as a reference. This was also the time to decide how much flap to extend - too much flap and you’ll fall short of the paddock, but too little/none and you’ll overshoot. I used 20 degrees, and when turned final at around 800-700ft extended to full flap. The approach seemed fine, and at 500ft I did the go around.

It was a great challenge of flying and we did some more PFLs before heading back to the airfield. Runway 04 was in use so we joined for a right crosswind, then landed. I flared just a little too early but Pozzi still said it was a solo standard. Taxiing back to the parking area he made the comment “if only you had your exam done, I would have sent you solo right now”.

Instrument Flying (IF)

This was fantastic for me because it’s all new training. With Pozzi again in IBL, we went out to the training area and I donned the famous hood! If only I had a picture haha. We did some left and right turns, climbing and descending, then a mixture of climbing and descending turns. It was a perfect day for it too, not that I could see it much. Another good part about IF flying is that quickly levelling off every 500ft in a climb or descent to check course and looking is needed, because you wouldn’t be able to see anything anyway.

The only hard parts was keeping on top of the DG, because if that went out (like it always does) then you’re essentially flying off course, and to quite a large deviation at times too. The trick here is everytime you’re in straight and level flight, quickly take a look at the compass and realign the DG if needed.

Steep Turns

I have to say, this has been the best sequence of flying I’ve done to date. At first I thought I was going to be a little queasy when Ben banked the aircraft through 30 degrees to 60, and I was a little. Then I did it and it was fantastic! To hold 60 degrees angle of bank, significant rudder in the direction you’re turning needs to be applied as well as a large amount of back pressure so the nose stays above the horizon, otherwise you would descend in the turn. At one point my turn was so spot on, we actually entered our own slipstream from the turn before it. The aircraft seemed to loose it’s stability and wobbled a lot, so I banked back to wings level and flew out of the turn.

The extra back pressure also means a higher amount of g-force, so instead of a 1g turn n 30 degrees angle of bank, 60 degrees meant that g-force was multiplied by 2, to 2g. Whilst it’s not that much, you certainly feel it after the 5th or so rotation in your turn.

The next turns I was doing I was looking down the wingtips and everything, once I had set my attitude. It was fantastic flying!

Conclusion

Whilst I didn’t go solo, I at least still progressed enough to continue with my training instead of being held back. I’ll do the exam probably the week before I go flying again, which is the first weekend of May. You can’t plan everything, but now things are starting to finally piece together. I’ll also be able to film it with a mates GoPro camera, and I’m going to set the audio up and everything so the aircraft intercom is also recorded.

Cheers,

Nick

Tim and I

What a fantastic video from Capt. Rodrigo Davi, the pilot who made the famous “SAIL” video. This one is even better in my opinion!

MY DELIRIUM - rodrigodavi

Well, you just can’t plan everything.

Solo becomes delayed for another month. Cheers flight training provider. Maybe next time you can factor in the fact you need to bring down a pre-solo exam before you get to the stage where the instructor says “yep, I’d send you solo right now! Oh wait, we haven’t given you the pre-solo exam”.

Off to RAAF Williams for the last time on my scholarship

Over the next few days until Thursday 5 APR, I’ll be doing 5 hours flying at RAAF Williams, Point Cook.

Solo is, by the training syllabus, one more lesson away. And it’s not even a lesson; my next flight is the pre-solo checkride, then the solo. The weather looks to be okay for flying, however some moderate winds that are down at Point Cook now might pick up throughout the week. Fingers crossed my check-ride instructor has confidence in me to still fly in them, or there’s a break in the weather for it.

I’ll let everyone know how it goes, but for now, fly safe and I’ll post soon!

Nick

Lessons 14 & 15

Glide Approaches
Flapless Approaches
Emergency Procedures

Hours logged: 17.5 dual 

PFC01-2012

Well after just over three months with no logbook entry, it was finally time to get started again! It was a nervous watch on the weather Thursday/Friday as Melbourne had some extreme weather in the form of storms, humidity and torrential rain but when I arrived at RAAF Laverton on Friday night, it seemed to all clear.

Tim and I went on together on the train as we took all our gear to school on Friday, got changed afterwards then headed off. It was a great train ride in and we met up with another cadet from our Squadron - Krish - at Flinders and we got to Aircraft station at 1800h, with our reporting time 1900h. So what did we do? MACCAS RUN! Krish was the only other person from my Squadron on the same promotion course as me, so we became really close mates there. We stayed up one night just talking about absolutely everything and it was amazing to build that friendship to one we’ll have for life. I can tell he has a real passion for flying and is always putting in 110%, meaning he’ll get there to becoming a pilot if he wants to. Also on course was Stephanie - who I actually met on tumblr and realised we were on the same promotion course in January. We talked a lot on facebook and became reasonably close, then on promotion course essentially became life friends. She aspires to be a fighter pilot in the RAAF, and I can tell you now, I know she’s gonna make it! Tim and I convinced her, along with Krish, to come to this flying course. Krish says I gave him the aviation bug by my flying stories, which made me feel quite proud. We met Stephanie at Maccas too, and after witnessing a horror parking by a CUO we walked back over the bridge and went into the RAAF Laverton base.

We were met by SQNLDR(AAFC) Lindner, FLGOFF(AAFC) Croxford and FSGT(AAFC) Ellis. Linder is a top bloke (if I may say so in casual terms) and was the detachment commander for the whole weekend, so we knew we’d be having a good time. After 45+ years of service, he is the longest serving member of the Royal Australian Air Force to date. We signed out our room keys and headed to the condos, which were the accommodation blocks we stay in whilst on base.

That night was full of catching up and general relaxing, which was a great way to end a Friday night and a stressful week at school.

Glide and Flapless Approaches

On Saturday I completed two one-hour flights, the first being with Andy in C150 WWQ and the second being with Ben in C152 IBL. The weather was absolutely beautiful as we taxied to the run-up bay to complete some fault-free checks, and then we were backtracking runway 35 for 22 no sooner. The wind was a light breeze right down the runway and as I applied full power it was fantastic to start rolling again. We rotated and started a smooth climb at 65 knots, and I once again felt alive.

The rest of the circuit was spot on to be modest, and the landing was the best I’ve ever made. Eyes to the end of the runway, and right as you feel the sink then you start pulling back on the control column to fly her onto the runway. Full power, and off we were again. This time Andy asked me to set up for a flapless approach, which requires a slightly higher approach speed of 70 knots and a lower approach path due to the lack of drag from the flaps. There were no problems with those approaches, the only thing I really need to watch is keeping right rudder on takeoff to make sure the aircraft is perfectly balanced and staying on the centerline as power is applied for a go around. Everything else was fantastic though, and getting back on the ground Andy said it was an excellent lesson considering I hadn’t been flying for three months!

Glide Approaches

Just before lunch I completed another hour with Ben. I have never flown with Ben before but Tim does all the time, and from what he told me his a top bloke. He certainly was, and really knew how to instruct effectively. We used C152 VH-IBL and took off on runway 17 because of a slight wind change, when suddenly “VRRRRRRrrrooooom——” (or whatever an engine going from full power to idle sounds like).

Ben: “You just had an engine failure.”

Me: “Well we have insufficient runway remaining, carburettor heat hot, trimming for 65 knots, only water ahead so unlatch doors and prepare for a water ditching.”

Ben: “Fantastic, go around.”

I absolutely love situations like that. Once we were back on circuit altitude, we came level with the runway then Ben pulled the power.

Me: “Engine failure, field is 8 o’clock so we’re going to begin a turn to the left, carburettor heat hot, mixture rich, magnetoes both, fuel tab on, quantities sufficient.” 

In a real life situation, you would conduct those checks to ensure the engine hasn’t stopped working on a fault of your own and after checking all is normal you’d attempt a restart. However I knew this was a practice, so I made the call on the CTAF.

“Point Cook traffic, India Bravo Lima turns base for 17, practice glide approach, touch and go, number one, traffic Point Cook.”

After deciding I’d make the runway, I applied flap incrementally by 10 degrees as I felt more and more comfortable with our approach position. Ben was looking out the window the whole time, so I felt comfortable that he seemed so chilled. Must have meant I was doing something right! ;D

Next Ben said “right, this will be another normal circuit just so you can see the difference” and I made my first mistake of believing him. On turning downwind, he pulled the engine again and the following conversation ensued. 

Ben: “Life or death situation mate, what’s it gonna be?”

Me: “Well we’re in the right spot to be able to make a glide approach to 22”

Ben: “Alright then, let’s do it! Real deal mate, you have to show me what you can do.”

Me: “No worries, well lets start turning towards the field, and I’ll make my call…’Point Cook traffic, India Bravo Lima turning base runway 22 practice glide approach, touch and go number one traffic Point Cook.’
Carburettor heat hot, mixture rich, magnetoes both, fuel tab on, quantities sufficient. We’re alright for about 20 degrees flap, so we’ll do that”

Ben: “All’s great, now we’re 300 feet above the ground and suddenly you have engine power again”

Me: “Umm…I would continue with the landing as I can’t trust the engine if it was to quit on me again”

Ben: “GOOD CALL mate, good call. We’ll go around anyway.”

So off we went, going around. The lesson went fantastic in my opinion, and that was my flying of the day.

That night we all spent chilling to 2am, and managed to source ourselves sugar lollies and milo. It was a fantastic night and we took heaps “selfies” on my new Macbook Pro. There were some freaking funny moments on Saturday but they’ll always be ones that you’ll have to catch me for a drink to hear :)

Mixed Circuits

The next day was just a consolidation lesson really of emergency procedures, flapless and glide approaches. I was with Ben in WWQ, and as much as I’d love to write every single aspect of the flight I can’t say much happened! It was just practice, practice, practice to slowly perfect it every single time. :)

Something special did happened on Sunday though, I received a call from a friend in Western Australia. Phil and I have never met in person, but have emailed and spoken much about life and flying so what feels like quite some time now! It was fantastic to hear from him, and whilst he is a little sick I really hope he gets well soon, and I really look forward to the day we meet, whenever that may be.

So to put it sweet and simple:

My next flight is the pre-solo checkride, then my first solo after that!

To say I’m excited is a complete understatement. On the train coming back from flying course, Tim and I were discussing what we could do. His mate recently bought a GoPro camera, and I’m thinking about wearing it when I do my solo. We’re planning to make a whole point-of-view video about the whole course, so it’ll be fantastic to see how it comes out.

Over this weekend I realised why I love flying so much:

1. The actual flying.
2. The people.

Tim, Stephanie, Krish and many others whom I share this flying experience with, they’re all friends I’ll have for life. We have the best time together and always have a story to tell at the end of the day.

So from me, that’s all. Until my next post in two weeks…hopefully I’ll have a video of my solo flight!

Cheers,

Nick

Well you hear all about my best mate Tim Byrne, and here’s a video he took whilst up with his instructor of a C152 (VH-IBL) making an absolutely beauty of a landing at Point Cook.

Forget everything you learned in the BAK, these are the real four forces of flight. :P

(Source: pilotwisdom)

152flyer said: So long as you don't answer yes to taking any illicit drugs and your not an alcoholic you shouldn't have a problem with your medical ;)

Hahahaha! I hope there won’t be any issue there, so long as an above-average consumption of coffee and orange juice is okay. ;)

imarealist93 said: I can't believe how much you have to pay / go through to get your medical..I got my first class medical with one AME and it was only $110. It's quite the difference

Australian aviation regulations mate…they just never end! I’ll be sure to post how they all go so others know what to expect if they do what I’m doing. I’m just really anxious because it’s make or break for knowing my future career prospects…