What can only be
described as a leaf blowing in the gale, I experienced just what it's
like to be flying in strong wind!
Having missed 3 weeks of
lessons already as the unrelenting weather keeps teasing me, there
was a glimpse of let up and out I went this morning for my weekly
lesson. When I say let up, today the wind speed was around 13 mph
compared to last week's nearly 30! I felt confident but nonetheless
nervous as a windy day would mean a shaky plane. And from the take
off it was evident as I was about 1-200 f
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Rookie mistake was soon
evident as I had pushed my seat too far forward and I was having
trouble stepping on foot pedals. There are 2 foot pedals, one for
each foot. Each foot pedal is separated into 2 parts, the top and
the bottom part. The top parts are perhaps only a 1/3 of the entire
pedal and these are the brakes. The bottom parts are what controls
the rudder, which shifts the nose of the plane (if you like) from
left to right. Even with my heel firmly planted on the floor my feet
where pressing squarely on the brakes. So rookie-doh moment, when
taking off where I'm suppose to be at full throttle and my foot
slightly on the right rudder, my foot is on the brakes. Fail.
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| Rudders corrects 'yaw' (left to right) movements, last picture on the right |
Rookie-doh moment
number 2 happens as soon as the plane is around 3-400ft and has been
recovered from the earlier roller coaster dip, my side plane door
pops open. Fail again. Let me first ease the dear reader's mind in
that, like the car, there are seat belts so I was strapped in with no
danger of falling out. And though the door is popped open its not
gaping open, just off the hooks, so this was quickly slammed shut
again. This aircraft's doors are not like a car in that after you
close it you can lock the door, there are no locks. The second is
that the doors are really stiff, so even when you think you've shut
the door you actually haven't done it properly. I have to say that
this is the first time it's happened to me, even though I have seen
the passenger side door pop open a couple times cause the instructor
didn't close theirs properly. I'm going to blame my small personal
training (gym) classes I go to, I normally don't go on a Saturday but
yesterday I went to class and my arms were killing me at the end of
it. I really felt how tired my arms were today fighting to control
the aircraft against the gale force winds! And be more aware and
careful next time!
Proud moment one – I
actually remembered to do all my radio chat today, usually a bit
daunting because I'm trying to remember what to say while still
remembering how to fly the plane! Followed by proud moments two –
able to go round the circuit much more accurately, and three – land
the plane both with flaps and without.
Going round in the
circuit – you'd think flying in a rectangle, where the final side
(one of the longer sides) is the final line that makes the rectangle
is the runway, was simple enough. And it is if it was 2-dimensional
and on a calm clear day. But not today as I was thrown about like a
lonely leaf being dragged along by the gale force winds alternately
drifting and pushing me between heights and directions. Luckily for
me I have a few more instruments to allow me to guide where and how
high I end up flying about in.
My first landing was
with the flaps, that's the little bits that come down adjacent to the
wings to help slow down the plane by creating drag. You will see
these also on commercial planes, that's the point where the plane is
about to land and you hear the noise of machinery moving; the flaps
and landing gear (i.e. the front wheel) is coming down. Although
thinking I was too high I actually wasn't and landed the plane 1/6
down the runway. You're suppose to land the plane right at the
beginning where you see the numbers by the way in case you didn't
read my last post! Ok, definitely room for improvement, especially
as I was still battling to step on the rudder parts of pedals!
Definitely important to keep the plane flying straight, without them
it's like having you hands off the steering wheel while still
hurtling at speed!
The next few landing
were without flaps. The reason for this I was told was because with
it being so windy you do not need the extra drag to slow the plane
down on landing, and because you can control the power better without
them in these conditions. Imagine your in a car on a long straight
track with a parachute attached to the back of the car. With the
parachute the car is able to stop in much less time than without one.
But imagine you need to sudden not stop but apply some speed (i.e.
power), inevitably the parachute then becomes a hindrance. Kinda
like what the flaps were today if I required to add power (full
throttle) the plane. In theory this all makes sense, now if only I
could still remember I need power to land!
So improvement but also
points to remember today, don't over trim the plane, watch for the
wind pushing you off (directional) course and keep an eye on the
airspeed! By the time I left the plane I was feeling a little dizzy
and thankfully only a small hint of nauseousness, only helped by the
fact I was actually flying the plane. In the instance where my
instructor took over in the last few minutes I felt what he had been
feeling for the last hour, the full blown dizziness of the whole
plane ride! I wasn't looking forward to the hour's long journey home
but it went super quick as my head just kept me zombified and next
thing I know I was home!
So more next week!
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