| Lesson 24 & 25:
Date: 3/15/2008 & 3/16/2008 Where: UZA Aircraft: Cessna 172N N517DL Instruction: 1.5/3.8 hours (air/ground) Dual Instruction with William Grannis Emergency Landings I'm scheduled for a 10AM flight today, but the sky is gray and the clouds are low. I called AWOS and there was no temp/dew point spread. There was fog on the ground and there was no chance I was going to fly. When I arrived at the flight school, it was empty once again except for David's mom my instructor, Bill. I wasn't flying so Bill gave me a ground lesson on navigation. We went over the VOR and ADFs. It was a great lesson. I had been trying, on my own, to understand these instruments. The Jeppesen book explained it one way, but Bill explained it another way and made it really easy to understand. After I left on Saturday a big storm came through the Carolinas. Lots of rain, lots of wind. Some tornados were sighted as well. Sunday was a different story. Clear blue skies and light winds. I arrived at the school and Bill was right behind me. I went out and completed my pre-flight and was soon joined by Bill in the cockpit. Today we were going to go over emergency landings. I checked the weather and taxied to runway 2 for takeoff. Bill informed me that we were going to stay in the pattern at 1,700 ft. I had to keep my climb outs at 60 knots today due to noise abatement. This climb speed allows for a much faster rate of climb, keeping the noise levels down for the homes around the airport. I took off and climbed to 1,700 feet. Once I was on the downwind leg, abeam the numbers, Bill pulled power. I pulled on carb heat and established a 65 knot glide speed, then went through my emergency checklist. I made a short base turn and lined up for a final approach. I was doing well, but Bill had to remind me about using flaps to help me get down. I put in my flaps and made the landing. I retracted the flaps, pushed in the carb heat and trimmed for takeoff. We were rolling once again. We did the same thing as before, only this time I made the landing with no problems. I was ready to takeoff again and as soon as I was in the air, Bill pulled power and I immediately dumped full flaps and put the plane back down on the runway. Bill said, "OK, let's do it again". I took off and climbed again to 1,700 feet. Again, once I was abeam the numbers, Bill pulled power. This time as I came in on final, I only put in 10 degrees of flaps. Bill came right behind me and dumped them in full, asking "What do flaps do?!". "They allow you to steepen your glide without increasing your speed", I responded. "Well put em in!", he said. Since he had already dumped them in, I just had to settle the plane onto the runway. We took off again and this time we departed the downwind leg to the south. Bill had me climb to 4,000 feet, making heading changes all along the way. Once at 4,000 feet, Bill pulled power on me. I established my 65 knot glide and went down my checklist. I looked below and saw a grass strip below. I could see the windsock on the ground and decided which way I wanted to come in. I then began to circle my touchdown point on the field. At 1,700 feet I started to do a brief pattern. When I turned final I was high. Really high. Bill reminded me to dump in full flaps. I did so and established a steep glide path down to the field. Just before touch down, Bill said, "Go around". I gave full power and pushed in carb heat. When I took my eyes from outside the plane to the inside of the plane (to see what I was doing), the plane swung right. I retracted some flaps and caught the plane to keep it level. I started to climb again. After retracting full flaps, Bill had me climb again to 4,000 feet. We repeated this entire exercise with slightly better results. Again, once back to 3,000 feet, Bill pulled power, but this time wanted me to shoot for the runway at Chester. Along the way we noticed an aircraft making big roll and pitch changes. Bill made a call that we were simulating an engine out to land on runway 5. The other plane acknowledged. I made a short base and then final approach. I lowered the flaps and again, just before touchdown, Bill said, "Go around". I gave full power and pushed in carb heat. Again, I took my eyes from outside the plane to the inside of the plane and the plane swung right. I retracted some flaps and caught the plane to keep it level. I started to climb as Bill explained to me that I need to get a feel for where the controls are and operate them without looking for them. After retracting full flaps, Bill and I headed back to UZA. We checked the weather and I entered the downwind on the 45 for runway 2. Once I was abeam the numbers, Bill pulled power on me again. I immediately turned towards the runway this time, as I was at least 200 feet lower than when we were practicing earlier. I made it through my checklist and by this time I was already on a final approach. Once I had the runway made I dumped the flaps in and I put the plane squarely on the runway. We were done for the day. I headed back to the ramp and we jumped out to push the plane back and to secure it. When we got inside, Bill and I discussed me keeping my eyes inside the plane. Once I am an IFR pilot, that won't be an issue, however, right now I need to make sure I'm looking outside. Also, I explained to Bill that my reluctancy to use flaps came from not really being able to tell how far the plane can glide without power, so I am slow to put them in, until I am right at the end of the runway. He explained that once I know I can make the runway I should put in full flaps. I understand that now and I feel confident about doing this going forward. David explained that Air Combat USA was in town. That explained the plane that Bill and I saw over Chester that was rolling and making the big pitch changes. It was one of them. As we spoke we went outside just in time to watch as both planes came in for a landing. Check the photos page to see them. Conclusion: Keep my eyes outside the plane during an emergency. I have to get the feel of the controls down without looking for them. What I learned: Look outside the plane, while flying. Don't concentrate on the instruments....yet. :-) |