Well today I would get up to speed with my landings. It would be a late start as I was booked for an afternoon lesson so that I could at least have one lay-in during the weekend.
The weather looked good, but the TAF’s forecast the wind getting up. While having my first fresh coffee of the day the phone rang. It was Mel, could I get in as soon as posible, they had just got an updated weather report and things were closing in fast. Currently 9 knots and nearly straight down the runway but it would get worse and soon!
A super fast shave, shower and dress, then it was jump in the car and off. An hour later and I was in the club house meeting Mel and Richard. Once again I would be in the new plane, G-GALB.
Once through security I found the plane just outside the security office and started my pre-flight. By this time the cloud had started to roll in and a gusting crosswind had started, about 20 knots. While still finishing the outside checks it started to rain. Great, this was not going to be an easy re-introduction to the circuit.
Starting the plane after the internal checks, I got cleared to holding point Bravo. In all my times here I think I have been told to hold at Bravo 99% of the time. Setting the QFE on the altimeter I questioned Richard about the setting. At the start I had set QNH which should have shown 120 feet but was a lot lower. Once I set QFE which should show height above ground ie 0, it should about -150 feet! We decided to ignore the QFE and set it so that it did read 0. Richard made a note to have it checked and I made a note of the time 11:55 and hand-brake off.
Following the yellow taxi line I headed off to Bravo, but before we got up to much speed up I tested the brakes and then swung off to the right and then back to the left, checking that the DI (Directional Indicator) and turn indicator. Once at the holding point I commenced my power checks, then called the tower and waited for clearance. This was soon given so I lined up on Runway 21 checking the DI again and then increased the power to full.
Out loud I made my checks.
“Speed increasing.”
“Track the centre line.”
“Engine Temperature and Pressures in the green.”
“Track the centre line.”
“Pull back on the yoke to protect the nose wheel”
“Track the centre line.”
“Speed increasing.”
“Track the centre line.”
Once we had reached 60 knots pull back on the yoke and we were in the air.
I let the speed increase to 80 knots and then raised the nose to the climb attitude, at 200-300 feet I called out flaps up, and reached down and checked the flap lever, I knew that I had not used flaps due to the length of runway 21 but I always check anyway to develop good habits. At 500 feet I made a gentle turn to the left. I carried on climbing until I reached circuit height of 1000 feet. Now I lowered the nose to the cruse position and waited for the speed to climb, after a few seconds I reduced power to the cruse setting.
Trimming for the circuit was proving difficult, it was very bumpy. I made my turn to downwind and made my radio call.
“Solo02 Downwind runway 21 for touch and go.”
“Solo02 Report final runway 21.”
“Report Final runway 21, Solo02.” I replied
I now made my downwind checks and Richard pointed out my height, 700 feet, I had lost 300 feet while I did my checks and had not noticed! I increased power but it made little difference so Richard told me to increase power to full and do a proper climb back to 1000 feet. PAT; Power Attitude and Trim, and we were soon back. It was now time to turn again and get set up the the descent. Carb heat on, power reduced and two stages of flap.
When ready I turned to final and made my radio call, I was cleared to land and also told that the wind was 10 knots straight down the runway but with a 30 degree cross wind at 30 knots!
As we approached the runway we hit a patch of bad sink, I increase power and still we headed down, prompted again by Richard I increased power to full! We stopped sinking and once past that area I reduced the power again. As we came down to the runway I leveled off to late and then flared to much causing a large balloon. I forgot to add power and did not correct the flare and Richard had to come on the controls to prevent us hitting the runway hard. Not a good start!
As the lesson progressed I slowly started to get the hang of things but the best landing of the day could only be described as bad! Lets hope I can get back up to speed soon.
After the lesson Richard did say that conditions were very difficult and it was only my third lesson of the year, lets hope I do better next week. I had booked another hour in the circuit, I must get my landings back on track or they would not let me go solo again!