Flightblog

Lesson #3: Ground Reference Maneuvers

Oh boy, well...we got to something that was a little bit challenging today, ground reference maneuvers.

Up to this point I've been totally fixated on the instrument panel and keeping all of my maneuvers within the standard tolerances: perfect bank angle, airspeed, altitude, heading. Today we flew entirely by feel and it was FUN!

Oh boy, well...we got to something that was a little bit challenging today, ground reference maneuvers.

Up to this point I've been totally fixated on the instrument panel and keeping all of my maneuvers within the standard tolerances: perfect bank angle, airspeed, altitude, heading. Today we flew entirely by feel and it was FUN!

The weather was a little iffy so when we got started at 8am it was unclear whether we'd fly or not. After a 1/2 hour or so things were looking good so Fletch had me preflight the Aerobat and get ready to go. I got to work the radios for the first time! Fletch gave me a kneeboard and asked me to listen to ATIS and write down my information, then ask the tower for clearance to takeoff. It was COOL! I got to talk to ATC and ask for permission to takeoff. I was cleared immediately for SE departure from RWY 20 (still Konas) and taxied to the centerline. Power up, Vx and rotate, pitch for Vy (I think I can...I think I can...the little airplane that could ;) and begin climb to 1000'. At 1000' we made a turn to 065 and were handed off to Maui tower. Excellent.

Our first maneuver was the turn around a point. Fletch pointed me to a water tank and had me maintain 1000' (about 800' AGL) as we headed to the upwind side. The task is to fly a 360° around the tank, maintaining a constant distance (turn radius around the fixed point) from the tank. Easy, right? Well...in calm air, sure it is. Just maintain a constant turn rate and airspeed and you'll fly a perfect circle. But we live on Maui...it's never calm air. I was in 25kts of wind from the SE!

It turned out to be easier than I expected, but I'll have to practice to perfect this maneuver. You bank steeper to increase the turn rate on the downwind side, and level off a little to penetrate the wind on the upwind side, and then adjust as needed in between. I flew a bunch of left 360s around the tank and after 20 minutes or so was doing pretty good...keeping a constant distance from the tank without losing or gaining more than 100' of altitude.

I noticed that I was flying a lot from the feel of the airplane. Making pitch and power adjustments not from the instruments (which I was barely glancing at) but based on the sound and feel of the airplane. That was a really neat thing to discover. I think the word is kinesthesis, being able to detect motion speed and direction from the sensation in the body. This is apparently a learned skill, but I was pleased to see a natural propensity at the very beginning. Basically, 100kts *feels* and sounds different than 80kts. A 250fpm climb feels and sounds different than a 100fpm descent. This is extremely helpful when you're looking out the window and trying to fly the plane.

Next, we flew S-turns over the Piilani Hwy. This was more difficult. I had a tendency to overbank on the steep parts of the turns and then have to correct by flying the shallow parts a lot steeper than I should have. No worries, before my checkride I'll be cleared to fly in this area solo and practice these maneuvers. I figure a few hours of practice both ways and I should be able to nail them both.

We reviewed the PTS (Practical Test Standards) for the Private Pilot certificate and I was surprised to see that you don't have to be all that precise. Altitude deviations of 100' are defined in the standards and Fletch told me the examiners will usually allow you to get away with a lot more than that. I guess the higher standards will come later with my commercial and instrument work.

After the S-turns we headed back and I got to talk with the tower and approach to get clearance to land. Left 45 to downwind, reduce power, base, final into wind shear turbulence and bounce, bounce, bounce down the glide slope on final. I stuck it right past the numbers :)

.8 hours

Posted by johnpeace at November 26, 2003 05:13 PM