Lesson 9 - 20th November 2019

I was on a half day from work today and the weather around Cheltenham was not looking that favourable.  It wasn’t rain, but wind.  Microlights are not very heavy so have a lower operating threshold to larger GA aircraft.  In the C42 manual, it has a maximum wind speed of 22 kts. and a maximum crosswind of 15 kts.  However, Dave says it will still fly in much stronger winds but it would not be wise to do so.

When I got to the airfield at about 1:30pm, the wind had died down a lot.  Dave was up in the air with another student so I had time to have a coffee and also read and sign the 2020 club rules and regulations.  There is nothing in there that should be a surprise to anyone and it is all common sense.

Once I had had my coffee and Dave had had his lunch, we got started.   

Lesson 10B – Stalls (Continued)

This lesson was a review and continuation of the previous lesson where we had started to look at stalls.  Martin had demonstrated the effects of stalls and we had started to practice the straight ahead stall with no flaps.  Dave went over this and then talked through the principals of stalls with flaps and also stalls in the turn.  All this is building up to being prepared in case this happens when flying the circuit and, more importantly, when landing.

Following the briefing, we headed to the aircraft, went through the usual checks and headed to the end of the runway. 
  • NB: Make sure not to taxi too fast and to include a couple of largish S turns to make sure the rudder, slip ball and compass are working correctly. 
It was still a little bit windy so I followed Dave through on the take off and took over control at 200ft.  We headed out of the circuit to the south to practice the stalls.

Before we started the manoeuvres we did a full HASELL check.  For the subsequent manoeuvres we reduced this to the reduced HELL check.  The process for each was for Dave to demonstrate and then for me to try.  It took a few attempts with each for me to get more comfortable.  I was over correcting the elevators at the start but eventually started to get it.  This is what we covered:
  • Idle power stall no flap
  • Low power stall (3300 rpm) no flaps
  • Idle power stall 1st stage of flaps
  • Idle power stall 2nd stage of flaps
  • Idle power stall in both a left hand and right hand turns 
  • Idle power stall in both left hand and right hand turns with full flaps – to emulate landing approach and then turning too sharp
Recovery from each of these was the same:
  • Small movement forward on the stick to un-stall the wing
  • Full power on the throttle
  • Allow the aircraft to climb away to recover height.
Where flaps are engaged, follow the above and then:
  • Start to climb
  • 1st stage of flaps away keeping forward pressure on the stick to prevent a nose high attitude.
  • 2nd stage of flaps away keeping forward pressure on the stick to prevent a nose high attitude
We repeated the exercises until I was a little better at them.  They still need practice, like everything, but they will come in time.

 Eventually we headed back to the airfield and Dave talked me through the proper joining process and then the circuit and landing.  I did the landing with a lot of help and guidance.  I certainly didn’t feel like I was in control!  All this, and the previous lessons: straight and level, climbing turns and so on, have all been building up to the next lessons ….. circuits.

Purchases this post

Lesson £140.83 - 1 hour 5 minutes
RAM holder extension bar - £14.70

Totals

Total Costs = £3048.91
Total Hours PA-28 = 1.05
Total Hours Icarus C42 = 9 hours 50 minutes

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