He called me from Charlottesville (KCHO) two days ago to talk about flying this weekend, and as he was speaking to me saw te Presidential 757 coming in for a touch and go at KCHO. Apparently, they did several approaches, and landed each time with the mains on the runway but holding the nose off as they took off again. He sent me this picture:
Well, I hope to have some new posts after this weekend, but for now, here is another old post--my second flying lesson:
09/09/09-Lesson 2
Was CAVU again today (Clear below 12000, visibility 10, Wind 340 @ 5) and a bit hazy aloft, and I logged another 1.1 hours (2.3 total now) with two landings (done with no assistance from my CFI).
We met at 7:30 am and did a preflight where I got to do more of the preflight, verifying from the checklist that I had covered each portion before moving on. We then got in the plane, and the CFI pretty much kept quiet--so I started the pre-engine start checklist and then started it up. Feet on the brakes, Master on, tanks to "both, Mixture rich, prop full forward, (Beacon--stays on), Fuel pump HI (hold in for 4 seconds), throttle about 1/4 inch in (stick your finger out as you hold the knob about 1/4 inch from the fire wall, then push it in until your finger hits), yell "Clear Prop!" out the window, then turn the key to start. She fired right up. I turned on the avionics and checked the ATIS, and we noticed the second digit on the COMM 1 was not working--we used COMM 2. That Comm 1 is old-I'm sure it is original:
I figured 33 was the appropriate runway (didn't take a genuis). Before I started taxiing, to check the radio, I called up unicomm and said, "Chesterfield unicom, Skyhawk 18NS, request airport advisory". (I had read this in the ASF "Say it Right" communications seminar/quiz--better than saying 'radio check'). The lady behind the front desk gave me the winds--also, it confirmed the radio was working. No other traffic on frequency. As I had been instructed last time, I did not announce my taxi intentions. I taxied between the T Hangars and out to the main ramp, and taxiway in front of the airport administration buildings, then on to the run-up area at 33.
During the run-up, everything checked out fine-and I did most of it on my own with no prompting from my CFI. Still no traffic at all on the CTAF. "Lights, camera, action", said my CFI. I turned the transponder to ALT (after verifying it was set to 1200, checked that trim was set to takeoff, turned on the landing lights and the strobes, confirmed prop and fuel were full forward, then announced we were departing tot he south, checked that there was no incoming traffic not talking (both directions), and taxied into position on the runway. I gave it full throttle fairly slowly but firmly, and away we went--I gave some right rudder to counteract the P-factor, and we were airborne!
At about 900 feet (300 below pattern altitude, I announced our turn to the south, and we departed the pattern. It was fairly hazy, but otherwise clear. The toughest part was keeping my head outside and not fixated on the instruments. At 2200, we leveled out, and my CFI showed me how to adjust for cruise. We had about 2300 RPM and manifold pressure of around 23. We didn't lean at that altitude, but I had the prop back to get to that RPM. The throttle was back about 1/4 of the way. We were doing 95 indicated and about 111 over the ground (per the 496).
We flew to just northwest of Dinwiddie (KPTB--I was at first confused when my CFI used the "Dinwiddie name--I thought this was "Petersburg"-which it is, but pilots call it Dinwiddie on the radio--and it is labeled that way on the chart) to where Monty likes to practice over Lake Chesdin. He said, I've picked a couple of landing areas, we have the airport, and the lake. We talked about those spots for emergency landings. He said there are more options than at the normal KFCI practice area over Swift Creek Reservoir--which has only the lake.
One departure from Dinwiddie was the only traffic we had while we were there. I did a standard rate 360 deg. clearing turn to the right. Then, one to the left. Then we did a 30 degree turn to the right. Then a 30 degree turn to the left. It was tough to keep it level--back pressure and keep eyes outside the airplane. We did a climbing turn (at 20 deg bank) to the right using 500 fpm vertical speed-tough to keep that vertical speed constant. Then one to the left using 80 KIAS to climb--again, tough to keep the airspeed constant. We finished up there by picking a field, and simulating an approach. Down to 2000, slow and put in 10 deg of flaps. Down to 1200, and put in another notch of flaps. Then, oh, no, traffic (simulated), go around. Full throttle, flaps up, and trim the airplane for almost 1200 fpm climb! Wow! What a ride.
At 2,000 ft, we leveled off and headed for the airport. We stayed south so we could intercept the localizer for 33--announcing on the CTAF which was still silent (a few at other airports in the area, like Danville, but not KFCI). Landing lights on, prop full, mixture rich. I announced turning final and a stop and go, intercepted at 2000 ft, and began a turn to the runway and descend. A little left--I centered up. It had been calm, but it was getting bumpy near the ground.
Monty asked me, "What color are the lights?" I had to pause--this will be important for being approved for night flight. They were definitely the same color, and none looked red. "All white," I replied. I was correct. And when we got two red (to the right) and two white (to the left), I could see them clearly!
I brought it down with flaps at 10, then 20 at 70 KIAS, then at 35 at 60 KIAS. We were getting slow at 50 KIAS. Without prompting, I gave it more power. Just over the runway, I pulled back the throttle and pulled the nose up. The stall horn blared! We settled onto the runway. Maybe a little high and definitely not perfect, but my first landing!
I slowed with the brakes. Monty showed me how to pull back on the yoke when braking harder on the runway to avoid a prop strike and help slow the plane. We were at the middle turn-off. We set flaps to 10, re-trimmed for takeoff, and I applied full power. We were airborne again. A Cessna called to announce departure on 33, departing to the West. I was proud of my radio work. As I climbed to 900, I announced turning onto left downwind for 33. Monty quickly corrected that on the CTAF. "We don't want that guy taking off to get confused and think we are about to land," he chuckled. Boy, was that embarrassing.
I properly announced our turn to left downwind. As we turned, I saw the departing traffic to our left, and Monty announced that we were midfield downwind for 33 and had the departing traffic in sight. He thanked us (probably laughing at an obvious student with instructor). I put in flaps 10 at midfield, and abeam the numbers, started a descent from 1200. When the runway threshold was just 45 deg behind me, I began my turn to base, more flaps, then final. As I turned onto final, two white & two red! We put in flaps 30 just as we were getting to the runway approach lights. I was a little high, and maybe a little fast on this second and final landing attempt. I pulled back the throttle, and we sank. I felt like we were floating for a while, and then we sank the remaining several feet (felt like ten, but Monty said it was more like four), to the runway. We landed a bit hard, but not too much so. As the nose wheel lowered, there was some shimmy. Monty pulled back on the yoke, and then lowered it again and the shimmy was gone. I slowed and turned at the midfield turnoff. Cross the hold-short line, transponder to stby, strobes and landing lights off. Flaps up.
As we taxied in, a Citation was taxing out. I taxied back to Foxtrot 7--other than that, a pretty quiet day at KFCI!
Other Lessons:
- Keep your head outside the plane—inside 20%, outside 80%.
- Flaps, 80 KIAS, 10, 70 KIAS, 20, 65 KIAS, 30
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