10/8/13: Flight Lesson #8 - Crosswind Circuits

Beautiful sunny day for flying! 

As usual, before attending my flight lesson, I do a quick review of theory relevant to the lesson... go through the PowerPoint slides, review my notes from previous flights, etc.

I re-read the Circuits theory slides but thought I'd go through the Crosswind Circuits slides just to get a better understanding of flying a crosswind circuit given I went through this last week.

Checked Archerfield AWIS (ph 07 3239 8720) on the way to Archerfield for another basic circuit training session.  AWIS advised wind was 210 degrees at 7 knots, meaning 28R will probably be the active runway.  210 degrees is less than 280 degrees (runway heading) so the wind will be coming from my left during the takeoff roll and upwind leg.  This is a 70 degree angle difference between wind direction and runway heading which gives a crosswind component of approx. 7 knots and headwind component of approx. 2 knots.  There's a wind component conversion table in the ERSA (En Route Supplement Australia).

I had Mick as my instructor today who is the Chief Flying Instructor (CFI) for my flight school.  This is the guys that does the checkrides and decides is you pass to achieve pilot certificate and endorsements.  Last time I (almost) flew with Mick, we discovered a flat tyre just after completing runup checks!  :-)

Mick asked I do pre-flight inspection on 24-7829... same aircraft that had the flat tyre!  Fingers crossed history doesn't repeat... same instructor and same aircraft!  :-)

Pre-flight inspection all done, Mick advised we'll take advantage of the crosswind today and jump ahead to the Crosswind Circuits lesson (flight lesson #8).  Lucky I had a skim of the Crosswind Circuits PowerPoint slides earlier.  Mick took me through the theory of flying a crosswind leg and how you need to configure the aircraft on each circuit leg dependant on wind. 

Before I can do my first circuit solo, I need to prove I can fly crosswind circuits and landings plus handle various circuit emergencies to a certain level of proficiency.

Before we jumped into the aircraft and did my usual checklists, Mick walked me out onto the apron so we could see the windsock.  He said position your body into the wind and we put our arms out like wings... must have looked like idiots to passing taxing aircraft  hahaha!  :-)  Mick then turned right 90 degrees and asked where I felt the wind on my body.  This would be the crosswind leg.  So on for downwind and base legs.  Good way to reinforce the concepts just described on the whiteboard.

1st circuit... Runway 28R is active so circuits are right-hand for YBAF.  Takeoff ok applying some left aileron into the wind and some right rudder to balance.  "Weathercocking" meant the aircraft naturally pointed its nose into the wind... my heading was slightly to the left but my ground track was following the runway heading 280 degrees.  ATC requested I maintain my upwind heading as an aircraft was joining downwind 28R, so I'd come in behind him.  Entering downwind, Mick took over and demonstrated wind drift and what to look for visually to indicate drift.  This takes quite some practice but the best method for now is to check my position relative to the runway against the wing strut whilst flying downwind.  Need to achieve zero drift.  On final leg, Mick took over demonstrated the crosswind landing technique while flying down to threshold.  Mick landed with the left wing slightly down into the wind and on one wheel.

2nd circuit...  My crosswind leg was a bit stretched as you'll see in the My Tracks screenshots below.  The wind was wanting to push me back and away from the runway, so my turn needs a bit more steeper angle of attack.  I was a bit closer to the runway this time when flying downwind parallel to the runway.  Coming on base leg, the wind was wanting to push me away and out from the runway, so my turns had a shallow bank angle than normal.  On final, I crabbed into the wind tracking to the centreline and aimpoint (just past threshold).  This circuit I did all flying, radio and final leg plus landing with no instructor assistance  :-)

3rd circuit...  Good touch-and-go and much better crosswind leg coming onto downwind where I wanted it.  Downwind separation from runway was good.  Base leg was more a smoother turn.

4th circuit... Best circuit on all legs plus did my first unassisted crosswind landing!  :-)

5th circuit... Last circuit so this would be a full stop.  During upwind, Mick asked if I'd been shown a glide approach.  "No", I replied.  "OK, lets do one".  Mick explained we'll be simulating an engine failure late downwind by cutting the throttle and gliding direct to the runway.  We won't have enough power to do a proper base leg plus it was pretty much a headwind on the base leg.  So, got to abeam threshold on downwind (1000ft), I cut the throttle, held the nose up and put on full nose up elevator trim setting for a glide speed of 65KIAS.  Turned right directly towards the runway threshold.  Applied full flaps and lowered the nose quite a bit more.  We're still pretty high, so to drop altitude quickly I did a sideslip (ie full rudder with lots of opposite aileron)... dropped like a lead balloon!  As we came over the threshold, I had to almost do a 90 degree right turn to quickly line with the centreline and land... kept full right rudder but eased off the aileron a bit and whammo!  there was the centreline in front of me, so I completed the rollout, flare and landing  :-)  You can see the direct line from late downwind to runway threshold on the maps below.  Taxied off the runway and back to the apron, parked and shutdown.

Fun lesson and learnt a lot.  The GPS tracking of my circuits shows my last 3 crosswind legs were consistent but all my base legs were a bit over the place.

Tomorrow... Basic Circuit Training #3  :-)