Old-Timer Landings

5/18/2005

I changed lesson days from Sunday mornings to Wednesday evenings (5pm), I feel I am more 'alert' having been at work all day.

Pre-flight went much better - I only missed 'one' item! :-|

I think I actually took off on my own today. I sensed no input at all from Bruce on the dual controls. We practiced turning around a point, this I had trouble with...getting my head around the wind direction/less/more/bank etc. We also did S turns along a road.

Landing was VERY interesting. I always thought the final was with power, descend then cut power as u get over the numbers?

Well..my first landing was taught this way:

Downwind leg 1000agl...when the wingtip lines up with the start of the runway parallel to u, 10deg flaps, several seconds later cut power to idle, turn to base, more flaps turn to short final..all the while gliding in. Effectively performing an engine-out landing.

This seems a good way to me, due to:

1. If I ever have an engine-out, I know I would have had plenty of practice at landing them!

2. If engine quits completely on final, at least its a very short final and engine was running idle anyways.

Bruce reckons I will be soloing around 12 hours.