Lesson 9: Round in circles again!

More Pattern Work at KEAU, My First Unassisted Landing!

After some rest and relaxation on the weekend, I was raring to get back in the air, eager to push through this current bout of frustration.  As I was driving to work, I saw a jet departing to the southwest, and given the weather I had been watching, I was pretty sure that runway 22 would be the active.  Got to the airport, grabbed the headset, Matt, the lineman, was putting fuel in as I was walking out.   Preflight done, I still take my own sweet time doing preflight, I think I will always take 15-20 minutes, I am not in any rush and it gives me confidence in the plane, and in turn confidence in myself.  So, I hollered over to Jack that I was ready, in we climbed in, fired up the engine (helps if you turn on the master switch), got the weather, radioed Ground, and we were taxing to runway 22 via alpha.  For the first time, I positioned the aircraft correctly for runup WITH the nosewheel straight, a small, but important accomplishment!  So, on the first run around the circuit, I pretty much did everything correct.  Although I failed to hold right rudder on climb and as a result my upwind leg was off-center.   I continued this mistake for several laps until Jack decided it was time to point it out to me, doh!  Anyway, on my first landing, I touched it down, probably not the smoothest landing, nor the straightest, but it worked.  As Jack got the flaps up and we lifted off for another go, I realized and asked Jack, "Did you do anything on that landing?"  he replied "Besides a little advice here and there, no, I don't think I touched the controls at all."  Alright!! My first unassisted landing.  We had several more rounds around the pattern, until as we approached the base leg, he pulls the throttle, "Lost your engines, now what?"  Ah crap, I knew this was coming eventually, I of course froze and hesitated.  As I blinked out of my malaise, I said, ok best glide!  65 kts.  Ok, pitch the plane to 65 kts., got it.  Jack then replied, "I'd be heading back toward that really long concrete road we call the runway, don't worry about a proper pattern, FLY THE AIRPLANE, and get back to the runway if you have the altitude to do it!"  So, as I turned, I did my best to maintain the pitch attitude and maintain 65 kts.  It was an ugly approach, but there was actually a lot less thinking involved without worrying about throttle (since I had no engines), maintain flying speed, get yourself over the numbers, then a normal landing, since I didn't have to worry about making a nice rectangular pattern.  Now despite my hesitations, you realize if you don't panic, setting down the airplane with no engines is not a big deal (if you have a place to do it).  After the next takeoff, Jack reiterated the importance of NOT PANICKING, and as Jack's own CFI would say more properly, "FLY THE F-IN AIRPLANE!" I told him to use the actual word if he thinks it will make a deeper impression on me :)  

So, we did a few more landings, Jack took the controls once or twice to give me a break.  We did two go-arounds, and another simulated engine out, even tried a little slip on one approach to lose some altitude.  We also had good traffic in the pattern including some jets, so that was interesting adjusting our approach, either extending downwind, or abbreviating an upwind.  Of course, I remember two absolutely horrid, hard landings.  One in which I pulled the power out too quickly, and we landed with a big thud.  And only one or two landings came on all 3 wheels at the same time (bad), the rest came ok, although I have a tendency to float a bit on the flare, and holding centerline on touch down.  So, the things I really need to work on...

• Last time, I had a tendency to pitch up during my turns to base and final, this week I did the opposite, and even once busted my airspeed in flap range.  I have to find the proper descent attitude and maintain my airpspeed through the turns.  I got a little better as the lesson progressed, but lots of improvement needed here.
  
  
• Remember that right rudder on climbs, and hold that centerline after take off.
  
  
• Remember to do that after take-off checklist, which is basically turn off the landing lights, but still!  I got a little frustrated with myself as I did the GUMPS descent checklist and got to the "S" for safety items and realized I never turned off my landing lights.  Grrr!
  
  
• When you begin the descent from pattern altitude, work on a more smooth coordination between power and pitch to get my speed into flap range.  The first couple times, I would pull the power, and then jerk the joke to maintain horizon.
  
  
• I still have trouble with the flare, and Jack says that is completely normal, most students have an issue here. 
  
  
• Hold the centerline through the flare.  About 80% of the time, I would be able to come over the numbers on center, but as soon as I would attempt to flare, I would lose the centerline, this would result in landing either off center or sideways.  Yuck.  The other 20% I couldn't find the centerline at all, so we don't count those :)  I can't be afraid to use the rudder liberally at those final moment before touchdown.  The rudder is a low risk input and will not significantly affect your airspeed, so I need to USE THEM RUDDERS on the landings!
  
  
• We had a couple crosswinds landings, that was by far the hardest task, I know the concept, but execution is terrible.  Aileron into the wind, use opposite rudder to compensate.  The problem is using them in coordination to maintain centerline, oi!

As we taxied back to the Heartland ramp, Matt (the lineman I mentioned early) commented, "A couple of nice, smooth landings there!"  Of course, I responded, "Those must have been the ones Jack did for me!" We all had a nice laugh, but I think there was a sincere compliment there, thanks Matt!  

So, a decent evening of flying.  12 more landings, 2 go-arounds, 2 engine failures, 2 jets, and 1.5 hours for the log book.  Oh!  Jack mentioned for the very first time the concept of me soloing, no, I am not ready at all yet, but basically if I can give Jack confidence I can put all the pieces together consistently, that is when he hops out.  I really think that is still weeks away, maybe even over a month, but just in case, I told him Laura would really like me to be present for the special day.  Of course, I will never know exactly when it comes, so if he has a feeling it maybe be one day or another, he has her phone number to let her know ahead of time.  Man, that will be a tough secret for her to keep, when the time comes!  I will at least have a warning, Jack has to sign off on my student/medical certificate an endorsement for solo (usually done a lesson or more ahead of time), which usually means an oral test.  So, fun night, great flight, looking forward to the next lesson!