Today we flew somewhere.
We left Kahului at about 12:30 for Hana. The weather finally cleared up and we had beautiful, tradewind weather enroute. Scattered clouds at about 1500' rolling off the mountains with clear skies out to sea. Our route took us about a mile offshore, eastbound to Hana at 1500' (lower when we needed to clear clouds).
Today we flew somewhere.
We left Kahului at about 12:30 for Hana. The weather finally cleared up and we had beautiful, tradewind weather enroute. Scattered clouds at about 1500' rolling off the mountains with clear skies out to sea. Our route took us about a mile offshore, eastbound to Hana at 1500' (lower when we needed to clear clouds).
I lost the engine at 1400' on the way and learned an important lesson about making decisions during an emergency: don't EVER let your field get behind you. I overflew my field into the wind, planning to make a right 270° turn back into the wind and into the field (which was perched on a cliff over the ocean). At about 180° it was apparent that I was short, which would mean an impact in the cliff. I guess I could have ditched in the water at that point, but how dumb is that. Always keep the field in front of you with S-turns or flaps or whatever you have to do.
Back at altitude, Fletch introduced me to a great exercise for learning the feel of ailerons with rudder. The Dutch Roll is a cruise maneuver where you line up the longitudinal axis of the airplane (using a rivet or feature on the cowling or something) with a point on the horizon and make coordinated rudder and aileron inputs to roll back and forth 20° without the reference mark on the plane leaving the spot you picked on the horizon. Lead in with a little rudder, then increase rudder with more aileron and go back the other way. Smooth.
This is a great exercise for learning to feel the controls and to feel coordinated flight. He told me I'll be practicing this often. Judging by how smooth his were and how jerky and nose swinging mine were, I guess I will be practicing these a lot.
We announced our position to Hana enroute and entered a left base for RWY 8. Hana has no visual approach lighting so it's all by site reference. I had a great time just getting the correct site picture on the runway and flying the airplane down to the numbers.
Conditions were wind 100° at 12-16, a little cross. But my approaches were much better than the other day, even on Hana's 50' wide runway and tire width centerline, I did a pretty good job of staying on the centerline.
It was ground effect that killed me today. I'd float down into my nose high, ground effect attitude just right, then lose it. The nose would wag and I'd forget to apply rudder or apply too much and forget to use the aileron. The plane was all over the place on touchdown and it got sort of frustrating.
More practice is all.
As we were leaving I got to talk to Armin on the radio, he was very supportive, it was great. Back to Kahului for more touch and goes, except the controller forgot that he'd cleared us for T & G and after our first landing we had to sit while he landed a 767. My last approach of the day was on RWY 2 and was a great approach, great touchdown and then I forgot to hold the nose and it just comes crashing down on the asphalt. Bummer.
So, for next week: Practice, practice, practice.
Fletch says I will fly 5 touch and goes where he has to offer no input whatever, then 5 more at our next lesson, all hands off from him. When I do that, he'll have me pull over to drop him off.
So, that was 8 landings (6 in Hana) in 1.4. More great practice and I'm beginning to value what experience means.
Posted by johnpeace at December 6, 2003 04:42 PM