DA42 Circuits

My lesson today was another VFR multi-engine flight, although this time instead of general handling it was to practice some circuits, both normal and flapless (and a go around for good measure!). It is great to help you get to grips with the aircraft a bit better, and also grasp the take off and landing techniques of the aircraft. As well as this though, circuits are part of the CPL flight skills test, so it is great to get as many of them in my training as possible. The weather wasn't great; there were showers and a strong crosswind (very bumpy), so I was able to practice crosswind technique. The aircraft lands quite differently to the Cessna, although I managed to pick up the technique after a few attempts! The Twinstar seems to handle turbulence a lot better than the Cessna, although I guess that is unsurprising when you consider how much heavier the Diamond is. Next few lessons are asymmetric handling which is going to be good fun!

Flying update

Hi! Thought I would do an entry on all of the flying I have been up to in January - which is quite a lot! I now have exactly 40 hours in my logbook, all on the Cessna 172S. The flights have pretty much been half dual, half solo; 16.1 hours of the 40 are solo.

So after my first solo, there were lots more circuits to be done! The lessons were called "circuit variants" and included flapless landings and glide approaches. The flapless landings aren't too bad, as the only difference really is the aircraft's attitude and the slightly higher speed. Glide approaches, however, are rather different to a normal landing. As you descend, you need to try and edge your way closer to the runway in order to make sure that you don't become too low. You then turn on to base a lot earlier than usual and if required, can use flaps. It is vey strange, as you have to have the aircraft in a nose down attitude until flaring height, meaning you are basically nose diving to the runway until the very last second!

Practice forced landings was one of the dual flights this month. This is naturally a very important lesson, as you do need to know what to do should you lose an engine or need to do an emergency landing away from an airfield. We simulate the engine failure after selecting a suitable field and then carry out the necessary procedures before going around at 500ft AGL (which is about 700ft indicated around here).

The next dual flight was steep turns, which is also a sort of mini test to make sure you are ready to go solo out of the Hamilton control zone. This lesson was good fun, as you get to throw the aircraft around a bit and experience a fair bit of positive G.

After this flight, it was the first out of circuit solo. For this we are expected to practice steep turns and PFLs during the 2 hour flight, before making out way back in to land.

Yet more circuits were next, before three general handling and circuits flights. During the general handling parts of the flight we could practice PFLs, steep turns and stalling. I found these flights useful, as you really get a feel for what the aircraft can handle, and get a big confidence boost when you make it in and out of the control zone without any issues!

There have been three instrument flights, which of course, are dual. My instructor first got me to close my eyes and face down, before doing various manoeuvres in the plane and asking me to tell him what I thought was going on. It is a very strange sensation and also surprisingly difficult. After this, I was given control and had to try and fly straight and level with my eyes shut. Again, this was tricky, as your body just isn't designed to be an aircraft instrument!

Flying with one of these on is certainly interesting!

The second lesson included compass turns, which is when you have to compensate for various errors by either over or undershooting the desired heading, before making slight corrections to get as accurate reading as possible. The third was my favourite - unusual attitudes! My instructor, Grey, had me put on the IFR hood as usual, before putting the aircraft into crazy attitudes. I would then have to recognise this attitude from instruments alone, before recovering and putting the aircraft back into straight and level flight. This flight was also where I had my first experience of negative G - weightlessness. It was absolutely great fun to feel myself hovering above my seat, as well as see my airport plates float into the air!

The past 4 flights I have done have all been nav flights. The first two are dual and the second two solo. These second flights are the same routes as the first two, although in reverse. The first one was basic enough, although I had a fair amount of turbulence going against me. The second, however, was different, as in the dual flight version, you are asked to divert at some stage in the flight, meaning you haven't seen the entire route until you go solo. At the time this seemed pretty daunting although after all of the preparation for the flight, you realise that all you need to do is trust your headings and you will be fine!

Both of my solo nav flights have been on ZK-JMY

Every day I get more excited about getting to fly one of these in the not too distant future!

The weather has been really nice over the past few days and I have seen some spectacular sights whilst buzzing around New Zealand. Just take a look at some of these photos:

Stalling and the C130

I had my sixth lesson yesterday, which was all to do with stalling. I had a mass brief in the morning before my flight, which was at 1215. Mass briefs are basically when a few cadets are booked in with an instructor to go over flying lessons which we will all be doing in the near future. Coincidentally, the one I had yesterday was on stalling!

My plane, ZK-JZM, was in maintenance, so we had to push the flight back slightly; as I would be the first flight of the day, this also meant I had to do a full preflight check. This involves checking the lights, flaps, airframe, fuel, oil, control surfaces etc to make sure everything is working as it should be.

Here are a few photos from the walk around...

During the walk around you have to check that everything is working and prepare the aircraft for flight

Making sure the flaps, which give you lift at low speeds, are functioning is important! 

Checking the propeller for any faults and making sure all openings and vents are clear and unblocked is another walk around task

It was quite blustery yesterday, with a crosswind gusting across the airport. I took off from 25L headed towards Raglan, to the west of Hamilton. After crossing Temple View, which is a large white building and a visual reporting point, we knew that we were clear of Hamilton's control zone and so I reported to the tower we were clear before climbing up to about 3500ft on a course to the coast.

Once we got there my instructor, Grey, demonstrated the stall and stall recovery, as well as the various checks we need to do before we practise this exercise. Throughout the lesson I also got to practise my medium turns and climbing and descending, so everything I have learnt so far was put to the test. After about 40 minutes stalling over the ocean, we headed back to Hamilton. On the way back, we slowed the aircraft down and tried manoeuvring the aircraft at low speed (around 65kts) in a clean configuration. Maintaining a speed which being thrown all over the place by the wind is pretty tricky! I flew the approach into 18L behind a Beechcraft Duchess, a light twin aircraft and managed to somehow line us up with the centreline and keep us there despite the wind having different plans. At this stage, the crosswind was 12kts gusting about 21kts and so Grey demonstrated a crosswind landing. Next time there is a crosswind, I will now be able to attempt a landing!

It was a great flight which made me realise just how much I have learnt in a week and it is nice to see everything is coming together nicely from the various lessons I have had so far.

After the excitement of the C17 Globemaster the other day, we had a C130 Hercules at the airport yesterday. After seeing it on approach, some of us donned the very dashing yellow high-vis jackets and went onto the apron to watch the large quad engine aircraft do three touch and goes before rocketing back up and leaving the city's airspace. It was quite a sight, although not quite as thrilling as the monstrous C17!