After a bad solo check in my last flight, I got planned for a quite different lesson on Tuesday. It was an Area Revision lesson which I will fly whatever I've learnt in the training area since my very first flight.
My flight was scheduled at 1415hrs on a day with quite crazy gusty winds. Had I been planned for solo flight it would definitely get cancelled. Good thing that the limits haven't been reached and it was considered safe enough to head out into the training area to do some flying, with my instructor saying "it's gonna be fun!"
So we took off from base with crosswind of close to 20kts with the instructor showing me how to handle the crosswind condition during take off. We climbed to 6500ft to get some bit of stable air to fly effectively.
After a short period of straight&level, I was told to show him a mid level turn, meaning 30degrees angle of bank. It wasn't easy as the conditions were turbulent and gusty. I tried my best but I was having trouble maintaining my altitude during the turn, causing me to move the control column forward n backward randomly. My instructor took over the control and mimicked my flying to show me my mistake. The flying wasn't very comfortable for the passenger. He then proceed to correct my mistake, teaching me to turn consistently using the horizon cutting on my instrument panel as a better gauge. To show me that it's effective, he covered my G1000 screen and I was 100% relying on the horizon cutting to maintain my altitude. After a 360degree turn, he removed the cover from the screen and I was super amazed to see that I didn't lose or gain much height at all!!
After a few MLTs and steep turns, I did a Practise Forced Landing. My altitude was about 6000ft when the instructor simulated the engine failure. Immediately I adopted 68kts flying speed and started looking out for a field to land while going through the PFL checks. Still, my PFL wasn't polished enough and I lost about 1700ft before choosing a field.
We headed back to base after one PFL and the instructor took over the controls during circuit joining as the crosswind was too strong for me to handle. He showed me how it was done and I was in awe watching at how he controlled the aircraft so well during landing.
The lesson was a good reminder of how much I've forgotten in my other aspects of flying outside of circuits. Before I head into navigation flying I will have to go through a lesson of Area Flying Check. Hopefully I will fly better than what I did today.
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| Elements of the lesson |
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| Keeping the focus before flight |
Thursday
The gusty winds continued and with the strong crosswinds on the runway, I know it couldn't be possible to go solo in such conditions. The instructor had every intention to cancel my solo check but I requested that we go up and practise some crosswind landing.
He obliged and up we went to further sharpen my crosswind skills. Crosswind landing is way more heart pumping and there is this tinge of fear in me whenever I'm near to touchdown, where the unpredictability heightens. I must be ready for any last minute gust or wind that will blow me way off the centre line.
The lesson was short but useful. The 0.7hrs of flying enhanced my confidence in crosswind handling and let me have a better feel of the technique executed in the landing. I went home after the lesson feeling accomplished.
Friday
Another day of strong wind but one which was weaker than the day before. Same thing, I was planned for a solo check which I have confidence in passing considering how I did my crosswind practice yesterday,
The first two rounds weren't that bad but it got worse as I went more rounds with the wind getting so strong that I was landing with 10kts crosswind. It takes quite some skill to land safely with the level of flying proficiency I'm currently at. I was tensed at every landing, it wasn't easy.
Eventually, the instructor declined in sending me solo considering the winds getting worse, but he was happy with the lesson and my flying. According to him, I started initially with the least experience among my mates under his instruction but I've now come on par with the rest. "You've worked really hard from what I can see to reach this level, or should I say I'm a great instructor to have brought you to this level?", he said. To that, we had a laugh in the cockpit.
I was quite disappointed to have not gone solo as I thought I could nail it. However I was pleased to hear what he has to say about my training.
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| Damn the xwind |
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| Lunch 280214 |
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| Laptop broke down in midweek |
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| Managed to get it back alive with limited resources. Now I can continue blogging |
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