| Lesson 30: Date: 4/19/2008 Where: UZA to UZA Aircraft: Cessna 172N N517DL Instruction: .9/.2 hours (air/ground) Dual Instruction with Derek Alter Who Knows� On my way to the airport today I noticed heavy winds. When I arrived at the airport, I noticed the windsock was also at full attention. What was good was that it was straight down the runway. No crosswind. Good. I walked into the flight school and noticed that Derek was outside with the handheld. That usually means he had someone soloing. I joined him outside and watched his student come in for his last of three landings. He floated slightly, but made a good landing. Derek and I walked out with Phil to meet the student and take a few photos. With Phil behind the camera, comedy ensued. We headed back inside for some lunch and Derek and I discussed the lesson for the day. I was going to be doing more short and soft field takeoffs and landings as well as emergency landings. I completed my pre-flight and Derek joined me in the plane. I taxied to runway 20 for takeoff and completed my runup. Derek asked for a soft field landing. I made a radio call, rolled onto the runway, put in 10 degrees flaps and continued down the runway for takeoff. We were airborne very quickly. So quickly that I didn�t believe we were off the ground when we were. I put the nose back down slightly to stay in ground effect. The headwind was strong. The takeoff was good and after I had climbed 200 feet, I retracted my flaps, made a call and turned for crosswind. The sky was clear today, but dark to the west. I continued flying the pattern and turned for final. By this time, Derek told me that with the direct headwind, I wouldn�t need full flaps. I kept in 20 degrees of flaps and made a good final approach. Derek wanted to see a soft field landing. That meant coming in very slow and staying in ground effect until the plane set itself down on the runway. I kept the yoke back as we floated to the runway. With the headwind we ballooned slightly, I adjusted, and we came down on the right main and the nose wheel. Ouch. We settled down and I put on the brakes. I cleaned up the plane and Derek asked to see a short field takeoff. I held the brakes and put in full throttle. Derek put in 10 degrees of flaps and we started rolling. Again, I made a good takeoff and Derek helped me correct my staying centered on the runway after takeoff. I had a tendency to drift right. With Derek�s help I was able to correct that this lesson. I again made my crosswind, downwind and base turns. Derek wanted to try that soft field landing again. I lined up for final and made another great approach. I had to put in more power due to the headwind and I put the plane down on the runway for a smooth landing. I was slightly right of the center line, but the landing was smooth. We came to a stop and I executed a normal takeoff. Just before I made my crosswind call and turn, Derek pulled the power. I made a call that we were simulated engine out coming back to runway 2. I made a tight teardrop turn back to the runway. Once I had turned and could see the runway, I dumped in full flaps and nosed over to maintain the 65 knot best glide. The strong headwind now turned into a big pushing tailwind. We were traveling at about 80 knots when I settled the plane onto the runway. With the strong tailwind, I used up most of the runway and exited close to the end for a quick turn around in preparation for takeoff on runway 20 again. Derek asked for another short field takeoff. I executed this well and I made my crosswind and downwind turns. When we were abeam the numbers, Derek pulled power once again. I made my turn towards the airport and made a radio call. We were high and the headwind wasn�t helping, so I had to slip the plane to lose altitude quickly. I slipped right and then back left. We lost altitude quickly and I was able to settle the plane onto the runway for a pretty good emergency landing. I landed with enough room to takeoff again. Derek asked for another short field. I cleaned up the plane and put in full throttle again, holding the brakes. I executed another good takeoff and climbed out at Vx. I flew a normal pattern this time and lined up for final on runway 20. This was going to be a normal landing. I did a pretty good job and settled Delta Lima onto the runway. There wasn�t much traffic in the area at this point. I did a soft field takeoff and climbed to about 1000 feet. Just before I was going to make a crosswind turn, two things happened. Derek noticed a huge rain storm moving our way from the southwest. We also heard another plane calling Rock Hill traffic. The pilot announced that he was crossing midfield and turning downwind for landing on runway 20. Derek and I didn�t see the aircraft. Derek had me extend my crosswind leg and I announced my intentions. �Rock Hill traffic, 5-1-7 Delta Lima, is on an extended crosswind to allow other traffic to land, Rock Hill.� We didn�t hear anything on the radio. I continued my crosswind leg and we started to get a bit of drizzle on the windshield. Derek panicked. He had left his windows down on the Jeep and wanted me to get him on the ground. I made a small loop to put us on a 45 for downwind. I made another call. �Rock Hill traffic, 5-1-7 Delta Lima, is on a two mile 45 for the downwind to land on runway 20. Other area traffic, please advise location, Rock Hill.� No response. By now I was too close to the runway and no choice, but to make my downwind turn. I made a call to announce my turn. Derek and I didn�t see or hear the other aircraft. The rain was close now. I made my final approach and settled Delta Lima onto the runway and quickly taxied back to the flight school. I stopped just in front of the school. Derek jumped out and headed to the parking lot. I parked the plane and the rain starting pouring. I quickly tied the plane down and headed inside the flight school. Conclusion: Today�s lesson went well. I got to practice my landings, which I needed to do. I got to practice emergency landings. Again, something that I needed to do. What I learned: Basically the same things. Small corrections. Don�t flare too early. Watch the PAPI or VASI and adjust the throttle and glide path accordingly. I don�t have to put in full flaps on every landing. Like today, I had a strong headwind and didn�t need full flaps because the wind was slowing me down on approach. |