Nightmare

Hey, wait till you start leaving the circuit area and start making your Circuit departure, rejoin and inbound calls. The important thing is, that we talk with other pilots on the radio, especially when we are at non-controlled airfields or in their vicinity. It is our responsibility to accurately and clearly organize our separation when in the air. The more we talk, the more successful we will be at this very important task.

At my first flying school, who charged $250 per hour dual, briefings were part of the price. With my latest school, they charge a class room rate for exams, or any time the briefings were anything but basic. Very reasonable though. Wow Spooks, you could go for a PPL here at those prices!

I just completed my Recreational Pilots Certificate in February this year (2016). I was paying $170 per hour Dual, flying Lightwing GR912's. I paid about $8000 all up over 10 months. I took a little longer as I changed flying schools after about 10 hours. I had to get my head around a different plane, airfield and instructor. I passed my RPC at 39 hours. The usual is around 30 hours I believe. Does this help?

Not sure if this helps you, but may I suggest, on your takeoff roll, try starting the roll at a fast taxi speed, slowly increasing the throttle, keeping it straight, then slowly apply full power when you are nicely going down the centre line. It's easier to compensate for the pull to the left. It's what my instructor taught me. He was constantly on to me about not using my feet enough, until it sunk in.

Sometimes I forget the other aircraft's callsign, so my reply to them is just, "reading you 5 as well, 7600." Since you have established coms with that other pilot, I think it's ok to drop their callsign, but it's not the best practice:hide:

I believe the broadcast you would do, Brent, would be something like: "Redcliffe traffic, Tecnam 7600 radio check, Redcliffe" Someone in the vicinity should reply, "7600, reading you 5 (or otherwise if less than clear), Jabiru 4567." You should then report their signal back to them, "Jabiru 4567, reading you 5 as well, 7600." (Now you are talking with an individual pilot , not the traffic area, so you can address the callsign without the "Redcliffe Traffic") Tony

Welcome Owen! So what have you flown, and what do you want to do now to satisfy the flying urge? Tony

I know it's a little off topic but I took a Pax up recently who was terrified of flying. It was so bad for him, that once he got a job at the other side of the country, instead of flying there, he went by coach, I think it took him 4 days. I was just about to leave the circuit to show him the countryside, when he said he couldn't handle it and to land immediately, which we did. When taxiing back, he said, "that wasn't so bad, can we go again, but just stay at that height?" I said, "Cool! we can do touch and goes" and we did, about a half dozen of them, he loved the take off and landings. Weirdly enough, he wants to go for another fly with me.

Brent, a month off from flying? I feel your pain! Reading about your strip runs was interesting. The last stage of flight is just after the round-out when you go into straight and level flight, the float, so I can see how this would be extremely helpful for you. Glad you're back in the air. Loved the vids, keep them coming. Tony.

I started my flight training at YRED, clocking up about 10hrs there. My instructor there said to me that there is an unwritten rule that outgoing traffic remains at 1000ft and incoming traffic is at 15ooft, and we always overflew the field before joining the circuit. Always seemed to be mid crosswind. As I was only 10hrs into my training I was never PIC. I don't think I'd be doing anything different now, except listening to the radio to see what runway was in use.

The name of this site is Recreational Flying, not RAA or HGFA or any other organization. Am I right in saying any recreational aviation that gets you in the air is welcome here, whether VH, RAA, balloon, GA, Trike, Ultralight, glider or Cessna?

Just listen to the radio, if you hear someone is inbound from the direction that you are intending to leave the circuit, it may be prudent to maintain circuit height until out of the circuit area (3nm) and then begin your climb. Better yet, contact that aircraft on the CTAF to ensure separation. You could make a call like: "Aircraft approaching XXXX Airfield (or the aircraft call sign if you can remember it). 3 nm north 1000 tracking north, I will stay at no higher than 1000, Lightwing 1234." If you get a response, you should get a position report and organize your separation. In that case, all is good, you are both aware of each other. Keep an eye out though, not all aircraft are radio equipped.

I don't pull the power to slow to flaps speed until I am ready to turn base. At my 1st flying school, they taught me to pull the power when level with the threshold on downwind and start deploying flaps. My current instructor pulled me up on it and pointed out that if there's other aircraft on downwind, having an aircraft in front suddenly slowing down, could be dangerous. The natural effect of the turning aircraft will also work to slow the plane quicker. All my flaps and trim are all fully set on base before getting to final so then I can just concentrate on keeping the approach stable and doing the landing. Something maybe to discuss with your instructor? Circuits are quite busy for the pilot, what with the takeoff, the landing checks on downwind, setting the plane up for landing, but believe me with time, dedication and practice, it does get easier.

That's good, but in some instances, such as nav exercises, some training recommends overflying the field for timing reasons. Also some aerodrome local procedures recommend overflying the field to depart, but you would have to be listening to the radio. If there was someone inbound, yes, I would be extending one of the circuit legs and departing it that way.

Your procedure for joining a circuit starts at 10nm with your inbound call on the CTAF for that aerodrome. At 3nm and within sight of the field you should be at least 500 ft above circuit height, bearing in mind that some aerodromes have high power aircraft circuit heights of 1500ft, so you would need to be 500ft above that. If you know the runway in use, make your intentions known on the radio, eg: "Caboolture traffic, lightwing 1234, overflying from the west joining crosswind runway 12, Caboolture". With practice and experience, comes fluency and competency. May I suggest that when you are alone, run scenarios in your head, and verbalize the calls that you would have to make at each stage of the flight. That technique helped me in the early days. I would take an imaginary trip from one field to the other, saying all the radio broadcasts that I would have to make starting from the Taxi call, to the exited the runway and taxi calls at the other aerodrome. You will make heaps of mistakes, but better to get your head around these calls on the ground than in the air. If you are comfortable and confident with the radio, your instructor will be very happy and you will be well on the way to gaining your certificate.

I was keen on flying planes with EFIS until I flew one, the sunlight hit it and I couldn't see anything but the backup gauges. I'm definitely not a fan of the glass cockpit.

I'm quoting the Visual Flight Rules Guide by CASA 3.36 "Departing the Circuit Area" "Aircraft should depart the aerodrome circuit by extending one of the standard circuit legs or climbing to depart overhead." It further goes on to say that you should not fly contrary to the circuit direction unless the aircraft is well outside the circuit area. Also be aware of other aircraft and local procedures.

I remember reading an article about a fuel pump being left on, caught fire during a cross country flight, the cabin filled with smoke, and the pilot had to make an emergency landing around Gympie last year. I can't remember if it was supposed to be left on through out the flight. But to address the original post, I guess it greatly depends on the plane, what do their procedures and checklist say?

Did you see him do the HASELL check before he did it? He stressed several times to never do a skidding turn or a maneuver that will cause this situation to occur, without altitude. They lost about 1000' each time they did it. From memory, I lost about the same each time. What was scary was seeing the speed rocket up near the Vne just before pulling out, that and being upside down when that wing drops. He taught me this on my very last lesson before I was issued with my certificate, so it was in a sense, advanced training, but I stress, part of the requirement to pass the certificate.

Well done Debbie, just follow your checklists when adrenaline wants to take over, for me, it reminds me to remember my training and do the right thing. I'm looking at buying my first plane after I complete my cross country endorsement, and Skyfox Gazelle's are in my sights! Still a little way off, studying the material and saving for the 12hrs dual training required.

That is what my instructor/CFI taught me, it was called "wing drop training". It scared the you know what out of me, and I asked him, "Do I have to do this?" He said, "It's part of the curriculum" So I did about 3 or 4 of them. You need to know what to do if you get into that situation, so I disagree that it is dangerous or irresponsible, as it is part of the training. As I said, it is actually part of the flight training syllabus for the issue of RPC, so I would say that it is dangerous and irresponsible if an instructor doesn't teach his/her students this.

My Dad got his PPL in the 1960's. I remember with great fondness going up with him in his Piper Cherokee as a kid. It was with that inspiration I always wanted to be a pilot. So finally, I bit the bullet with the help of my wife who purchased a TIF for me, at the age of 50, and I started my flight training for my RPC which I attained in February this year. And I still think it's awesome.

As Nev said, never be afraid to go around. Besides, that's just a bit more in the air time. A good landing is always preceded by a good and stable approach. If that approach is not stable or difficult to stabilize, prepare for the go around. Also, decisions can be made on the ground before you go. Look at the ARFOR and the TAF, check wind directions and strengths, clouds and other relevant conditions. Know your crosswind capability of the aircraft. Sometimes it's good airmanship to call it a day and fly another time, if the condition fall outside your minimums. What are your minimums? Clouds, winds, precipitation, fog, your health, frame of mind, etc. Just remember Doc, your instructor will be looking at your maturity in the cockpit, your ability and decision making to always conduct a safe flight. Risk taking is very frowned upon in non-military aviation, so there is no need for it. You will be taking a Human Factors exam soon, if you haven't already, where this is covered. If something is risky, in your opinion, then make another choice. If it's a difficult landing, go around, if you've done that a few times and still no good, divert to another airfield.

:roflmao:Glad you clarified that, what with the talk of them being on the left and right.... maybe in those cases they may qualify as "unusual attitudes"

Now it's my turn to admit that I'm a baby pilot, What are the green and blue bits that you are talking about?