Zero-E-Zero

Today’s lesson focused on circuit flying. Circuits are often defined as either left-hand or right-hand. The pattern in use today was a right-hand pattern, and that’s what we discussed in the classroom. Flying the circuit is a well defined procedure, and it’s essential to keep within the defined limits. This involves altitude, speed, and distance. All other aircraft are flying the same circuit, and some aircraft may be joining the circuit at various stages, so maintaining formation is absolute paramount.

The weather was superb; a fantastic winter’s day without cloud or surface wind. The sun was very low in the sky as I sat in my PA28 at the end of runway 28. I disengaged the park brake, applied full throttle and took the aircraft down the runway and up into the sky, directly into the sun.

Runway 09/27, Gloucestershire Airfield

The circuit pattern altitude is 1,000ft. After take off, and reaching approximately 500ft, it was time to make a right-hand turn from the upwind leg onto crosswind, using the airfield in the distance as a point of reference for the turn.

Having turned the aircraft onto crosswind, it was time to turn again onto the downwind leg of the circuit. With the aircraft on the crosswind leg and finally at 1,000ft, I levelled the aircraft off. This involves adjusting aircraft’s attitude, before reducing the throttle back to 2350RPM and trimming for straight and level flight.

Flying straight and level, I ran through the landing checklist:

• Brakes — off
• Undercarriage — down
• Mixture — rich
• Flaps — set as appropriate
• Fuel Selector — on fullest tank
• Fuel pump — on
• Instruments — check
• Carb heat — hot
• Harness — tight
• Hatch — secure

Checks completed, still at 1,000ft, it was time for a radio call to ATC before turning onto the base leg. As soon as the turn was complete, I needed to slow the aircraft down ready for landing. Closing the throttle and deploying two stages of flap, the aircraft quickly slowed from 90 down to 70 knots. Another look back at my four o’clock to see where the runway was before turning again, this time onto final.

Lined up with the airfield maintaing a speed of 75knots and using the Visual Approach Slope Indicator (VASI) to correctly intercept the glide slope. I applied the third and final stage of flap to slow the aircraft further. When descending onto the runway, my instructor reminded me of the classroom principals we’d covered. The first was that the aircraft’s pitch (nose attitude) is used to regulate the airspeed, while adjustments to the throttle controls the rate of descent — the more throttle applied, the slower the aircraft will descend.

Getting closer to the ground, lined up on the centre line, flying straight into the sun, I crossed into the area within the airfield’s bounds at approximately 50ft before closing the throttle when safely over the runway start markers. The aircraft descended rapidly towards the tarmac as I did my best to keep it aligned with the centre line. Flaring the aircraft by pulling back gently on the yoke, the ground came up to meet us with a jolt, but we were down! With no time to celebrate, I had to prepare for an immediate take off without stopping. This is known as a touch and go.

With the PA28 hurtling along the runway at approximately 50knots, I had to drop the flaps, then apply full throttle before moving the aircraft back onto the centre line. Then it was just a case of waiting for the airspeed to increase. 65knots is the take off speed, and with the end of the runway getting ever closer, it seemed to take an age to gain speed. As the aircraft his 65knots, I pulled back and lifted off again. Back into the air, and back onto flying the circuit with a few yards of runway left!

I managed five take-offs and landings (with four touch and go approaches). I wasn’t very happy with any of the landings, and it’s by far the most difficult part of my training this far. Having to manage and control so many variables, it was very difficult to remember everything. Luckily, my instructor was fantastic in reminding me exactly what I should do next, but it’s obvious that I’ll need a lot more practise before I feel confident enough to take control of a complete circuit for myself.

This lesson was a fantastic introduction to circuit flying, simply because the conditions were so still. I didn’t have any crosswinds to contend with. I’ve been told to expect to be flying circuits for the foreseeable future, preparation for my first solo. I’m looking forward to nailing my landing technique.

I wasn’t able to book my usual 0930hrs slot with the flying club, so today I’d be flying at approximately 1500hrs. Exactly as each time before, lessons began in the classroom discussing the lesson ahead. Today I’d be practising stall recovery. Classroom session over, I headed to the aircraft, which I then checked, refuelled, and taxied it to the end of the runway, giving way to a Malibu hurtling down the runway and taking off into the sun.

Final power and break checks completed during the hold and we were cleared by ATC for a take off. Park brake disengaged, throttle 1/4 open, and the aircraft was turning out of its hold position and onto runway 27L. Once on the centre line and without stopping, I increased the throttle to full. The aircraft accelerated, and keeping it on the centre line as best I could, I waited for the speed to increase to 65 knots per-hour, before pulling back on the yoke until the tiny PA28 was off the ground.

Having cleared the area around the aerodrome at Gloucestershire Airfield, the aircraft continued to climb and I kept it on a south westerly heading (following the River Severn as it meanders its way towards its estuary near Bristol). The wind was still and the county had patchy clouds hanging at approximately 2,000ft. Upon finding a nice break in the cloud a few miles wide over Elmore, Rodley, Moreton Valence, and Framilide, we were able to climb to the minimum safe height (over 3,000ft) required to cover today’s lesson topc: stalling.

I was briefed on what would happen during a stall, and my instructor demonstrated a stall before giving me control and talking me through the process of stalling the aircraft. As instructed, I closed the throttle and maintained a high nose attitude. With the increased angle of attack, little power from the engine to climb, and the airspeed decreasing all the time, I knew stalling couldn’t be too far away. As the aircraft slowed to below 50 knots per-hour still with a high nose attitude, a loud and constant beep sounded — the stall warner.

As the airflow over the wings deteriorated, the aircraft began to buffet before the nose dropped and the aircraft began immediately descending: stall! Still descending and under instruction, I flicked the carburettor heat to hot, lowered the nose below the horizon, applied full throttle and waited for the airspeed to increase. When the airspeed began to increase I levelled off, flying straight and level, having lost approximately 50-100ft in the stall.

Many people I’ve spoken to associate stalling with the aircraft’s engine stopping. This is not the case. Stalling an aircraft is the disruption of air moving across the airfoil in such a way that the airfoil can no longer create lift. Stalling can also occur at any speed, something I didn’t quite realise until this flying lesson. My instructor demonstrated various types of stall, some power on stalls, some power off stalls, having me repeat each stall multiple times to ensure I could get myself out of it. The stall associated with slow flight in the circuit which can occur when turning on to final was particularly important because of the altitude involved. Although all of these stalls were performed quite high up, in reality, stalling while turning from base to final could see the aircraft stalling at approximately 750ft. With such little distance between the aircraft and the ground, it’s essential to know how to recover.

Sunset over the Severn with Frampton on Severn below

After stalling, we moved onto spin recovery. This involved rolling the aircraft to about 80 degrees of bank, and applying lots of back pressure.  The aircraft begins to spin, similar to water draining out of a sink. Spinning around and around, each turn was tighter than the last while the aircraft is descending. It was at this point that I was instructed how to get out of the spin. This involved closing the throttle, and then rolling the aircraft’s wings level. With the wings level, the nose was pointing towards the ground, I pulled up which reduced the speed that the aircraft had picked up during the spin. Overall, this was a really enjoyable manoeuvre, as was the stalling exercise, all the while the weather was calm and the sun was low, lighting up the river Severn below.

I flew the aircraft on a heading that’d take us back over Gloucester and towards the aerodrome. The weather wasn’t great – lots of light rain and low cloud. Upon contact with ATC at Gloucestershire, we were greeted with an empty circuit, and allowed to make a standard overhead join, which I’d never flown before, but my instructor (as always) talked me through the entire process. I turned the aircraft onto our final and did my best to keep the aircraft on the centre line.

As the aircraft got closer to the ground and under instruction, I had one hand on the yoke, controlling the pitch and roll, while both feet were working the rudder pedals (yaw), all the while using the throttle to adjust our approach speed. As we crossed the fence at the end of the runway, I closed the throttle completely and waited for the ground to come up and meet the tiny PA28. Flaring just before touching the ground, the aircraft bumped and the noise level increased — we were down, safely on the tarmac. I slowed the aircraft down and taxied back to the hangar.

Stalling, spin avoidance, landing, and fantastic views. It doesn’t get much better! Next lesson: circuit training. Finally, a chance to really work on my landing technique.

Another fine Saturday, another flying lesson. Same time (0930hrs), same place (Gloucestershire Airport). My girlfriend and I turned up with plenty of cake ahead of my upcoming birthday. This week I’d be doing more work on ascending and descending, with some slow flight work thrown in. I’d had a lesson on ascending and descending already, but this was the second phase.

Following the usual protocol I headed into the teaching room with my instructor where he covered some of the previous ascending and descending work I’d already done, before digressing slightly and covering the principals of aircraft weight and balance. He produced a sheet that contained two tables of information and a graph with some lines marked on it. “This”, he explained, “is the weight and balance sheet for each of the aircraft in our fleet”. This simple chart would enable each pilot to estimate whether his or her aircraft was within the designated weight. I found it very interesting, seeing how an aircraft can handle so differently when weight is added.

Back to slow flight principals and rate of climb analysis and I was inducted to the varying climbing techniques I’d be using. These included a steep climb, where altitude is gained quickly at the cost of airspeed, and the steady climb where the aircraft climbs steadily while maintaining a faster airspeed. Classroom session over, and it was time to inspect the aircraft. Today I’d be flying G-BSOK. Built in 1977 she was still in good condition (ignoring the usual wear and tear that comes with any “classic” machine).

I was performing my checks when my instructor emerged and demonstrated the process of checking for water contamination in the fuel. This inspection aims to seek out any water that may’ve gotten into the fuel tanks (luckily, it hadn’t). However, as it’d rained at some point during the morning, the aircraft had collected small drops of water across each wing. Holding the half-full of fuel tester under the wing and dragging my hand across it, I was able to get a few drops of water to land inside the tester. The water showed up immediately; I could compare each water droplet that’d fallen into the tester as a bubble, similar to those found in spirit levels. Useful for helping me identify what water in the fuel looks like in the future.

With the aircraft checked, engine running, and everyone on board, I taxied out to the taxiway where I positioned the aircraft and held (as instructed by ATC) while performing some final tests. After being given the all clear, I disengaged the park-brake, increased the throttle steadily whilst applying some hard right rudder to turn the aircraft out of its hold position and set it moving towards the runway. All lined up and strapped in, I opened the aircraft’s throttle, cruised along the runway, and took off. The flight away from the airfield was superb. The weather conditions were fine with little wind and almost no clouds in the sky. I flew north over Hartpury, the M50 (between J1 and J2), and we crossed the Malvern hills at 3000ft. This is where my instructor demonstrated some of the classroom principals we’d covered, starting with climbing.

My work on climbing began with the cruise climb. The cruise climb is typically used to gain altitude steadily. After each climb I would practise descending in much the same way I had done in a previous lesson. What was different in this lesson was the emphasis on slow flight principals and the affect of flying with varying stages of flap. I didn’t see it coming, but this was all preparation for my first landing.

As I turned the aircraft back towards the aerodrome, my instructor informed me that I would be performing the landing today. Conditions were good and there was little surrounding air traffic, so I had little choice other than to comply and follow his instructions. As I turned the aircraft onto final, my instructor issued a series of commands in what felt like quick succession. Overwhelmed by this mass of information, and the fact that I was about to perform my first landing, I asked for him to repeat his instructions, which he did. This gave me time to configure the approach as best I could.

Doing my best to keep the aircraft along the centre line, we came in low over the industrial estate at the base of the runway, forcing me to increase the power slightly to make sure we didn’t undershoot! Clearing the fence at the edge of the airfield, the aircraft was coming in just off the centre line. Under instruction, I pulled the yoke back and waited for the aircraft to touch the tarmac. We came down with a thump, and the aircraft raced along the runway. As soon as all three wheels were on the tarmac, my instructor took over and brought the aircraft to a stop, before taking us back to the hangar for a debriefing.

It was a fantastic feeling to walk away from this lesson knowing I’d achieved my first ever take off and landing. Next time I’ll be covering stalling, in preparation for circuit flying before another huge landmark: my first solo.

As I’m just a few weeks away from my 24th birthday, I decided to treat myself and book an aerobatics flying lesson with Aeros. I knew very little about what would happen during the lesson, other than being shown some aerobatic manoeuvres and being taught how to do some for myself.

I managed to get the 30 minute aerobatics experience flight at a reduced rate of £110 because the airport were holding their annual open day, and were raising money for the charity Help For Heroes. Before booking the lesson, I did check that it was most definitely a hands on lesson; I didn’t much like the thought of an experience flight in an aerobatics plane and not being allowed to have a go myself. As I was about to find out, this wouldn’t be the case at all.

My lesson was scheduled to begin at 1030, and I arrived at the airport for this time. However, it appeared that the aircraft I was scheduled to fly hadn’t made it to Gloucestershire yet (it was flying in from Wellesbourne, north east of Gloucestershire Airport). Rather than hang around waiting, I decided to head over to the main hangar at the airfield where there were a whole host of aircraft lined up inside, as well as plenty of small stands offering information and advice on things like helicopter lessons and model aircraft. Outside were even more aircraft and one of the airport’s fire engines, as well as the counties air ambulance.

Back at the flying school I was introduced to my instructor who’d be taking me flying today. He sat with me and we discussed some of the principals of aerobatic flight, as well as asking me what I’d like to get out of today’s lesson. He said I could do as little or as much flying as I’d like, to which I told him that I want to fly every minute I could in the hope that I could count the flying experience towards my PPL. Not long had we been talking when I caught out the corner of my eye what I thought to be the Robin that we were due to be flying today. Soon enough, a brilliant blue and white aircraft rolled towards the hangar and pulled up outside. It was a Robin R2160I, built in 2002 – the newest aircraft I’d ever flown.

ROBIN R2160I

We climbed into the aircraft and I strapped myself in as tightly as I could. This was the first time I’d had to strap myself into a five-point harness, and I could tell by simply looking at the instrument panel and noticing an accelerometer (used for measuring g-force) that this aircraft would be great fun to fly. The aircraft taxied out to the runway, past all the people that’d now gathered to enjoy the open day, where we stopped and my instructor performed some final checks. Not long after he opened the throttle to the Lycoming engine and the two-seater Robin was off. At approximately 65knots, my instructor pulled back on the stick and we were up (gently adding some right rudder to keep the aircraft on a constant bearing). At approximately 1000ft I was given control and instructed to climb on our current heading to 5000ft, where I was to level off and make some course alterations at altitude to ensure we ended up over a small village called Westbury-on-Severn.

The Robin was an absolute joy to fly, even though I’d only been flying in a climb, and then straight and level. My instructor had briefed my on the ground about why we were headed for Wesbury-on-Severn. “There’s a long and very straight section of railway line down there”, he said. “We’ll be using it as a point of reference, especially when doing loop-the-loops”.

Notice the railway line running almost perpendicular to the map marker for "Jordone Hill"

As we flew over the railway line, still at 5000ft my instructor began talking me through the principals involved in flying a loop-the-loop. He demonstrated it first, and then it was my go. Flying straight and level I pitched the nose steeply forward, sending the aircraft into a dive. The Vertical Speed Indicator (VSI) that shows your rate of climb or descent had almost spun a complete circle as the aircraft plunged towards the ground. At roughly 115kph (132mph) I pulled back on the stick and the aircraft came out of its dive straight into a long climb. At this point I was instructed to look up (literally, looking straight up through the dome canopy on the aircraft), while still pulling back. As I did I could begin to see we were reaching the apex of the loop and before I knew it we were upside down, if only for a moment. As I flew the aircraft down the exit side of the loop, the accelerometer I’d noticed before was reading 4 gees! I could feel my cheeks getting very heavy, as well as my arms and indeed myself. We were only subject to this number of gees for a few seconds before the aircraft was climbing again. I’d been instructed to climb the aircraft upon exiting the loop (as if we were going to go around again, except we weren’t).

By climbing the aircraft was losing speed as well as gaining altitude. This was desired, as we’d lost some altitude in the descent and upon exiting the loop the aircraft was moving faster than required. Therefore, climbing the aircraft would both regain height as well as dissipating any excess airspeed. At the peak of the climb, nearing the stall speed, I pitched the nose forward again and experienced negative G for the first time.

Negative G occurs when the aircraft is accelerating towards the ground faster than gravity would naturally pull the pilot (sans aircraft) to the ground. The feeling, therefore, is that of weightlessness, as you’re essentially in free-fall, within the cockpit, confined to your seat by your five point harness. This feeling was incredible, and I noticed the keyring attached to the keys in the initiation were floating, as were loose straps used to tighten my harness, and indeed the headphone wires. It was fantastic fun.

After loops it was rolls, taught in exactly the same way of my instructor demonstrating, and me copying. First a roll to the left, initiated by an initial dive to built up airspeed to 130kph (150mph), then check forward (get the ailerons and aircraft level – very quickly), before moving the stick as far left as it’ll go, This causes the aircraft to roll. As the aircraft’s at 90 degrees, I pushed the stick forwards then rolled it around the outside of its moveable area until the aircraft righted itself, flying straight and level again. I was also taught turning, albeit somewhat more extreme than the controlled 30 degree turns I’d been training in my PA-28. Rolling the aircraft onto its edge before pulling back on the stick and feeling the aircraft swing around was an amazing feeling, and the G-force experienced was incredible!

Westbury-on-Severn (shot from a PA-28)

After looping, rolling, and manoeuvring my way around the sky with my instructor offering some fantastic advice the whole time I felt completely at home in the aircraft above the ground, exactly the same as I’d felt when I stepped out of my first ever flight in a PA-28 a few months previous. To be in total control of an aircraft is an amazing experience and I couldn’t help reflecting on how amazing it was as I flew this brilliant plane back to Gloucestershire, where my instructor did the radio as I flew the circuit. I flew the circuit and lined the plane up on and flew in on final. A few hundred yards from the tarmac I relinquished control and let my instructor bring the aircraft in over a few thousand people gathered below. It was a great landing, and the perfect end to a brilliant lesson and the best birthday present I could’ve asked for. I was very lucky because there was a small camera mounted to the instrument panel which recoded the aerobatics section of my flight. I’m still waiting to receive the video from my flying school. When it arrives I’ll make sure that I upload it here. Aerobatic flying – amazing. I highly recommend it.

After my third flying lesson was over, I walked into the Aeros hangar with my girlfriend, where we were introduced to a pilot called Martin. Martin owns a Jodel D140c and had just had it serviced. As a part of this routine service, Martin was required to take the aircraft into the sky with passengers (or talking luggage), where he’d be required to analyse the aircraft’s performance as well as performing other checks and tests. With no hesitation, Rhiannon and I immediately agreed to help Martin by letting him take us up for a free flight!

We wandered out onto the tarmac and climbed into the aircraft, a Jodel D140c, built in 1965 and still in fantastic shape. They only made seventy of these!

JODEL D140

Twenty-eight hundred feet and climbing, the five-seater Jodel is a truly fantastic aircraft. As Martin was piloting the aircraft I found time to catch some fantastic views of Gloucestershire and Herefordshire as we climbed up to approximately 5000ft. Martin was busy recording various aspects of the flight, while I concentrated on taking as many photographs as I could from the righthand seat.

View Across the Jodel's Starbord Wing

Compared to conditions on my lesson nearly an hour before, the skies had really cleared up with broken clouds all around. We climbed up through patches in the clouds (the ground always visible below us) and levelled out before adjusting course and heading out towards Pershore, Worcestershire. As we levelled out, Martin handed me the controls of the D140c. I couldn’t believe my luck. My first taste of free-reign flight at zero expense. It was an absolute dream come true.

The Jodel D140c uses a “stick”, rather than a yoke that I’m used to. The sensation of using a stick was odd at first, however the aircraft feels much more responsive when flying stick. The sensation of gently moving the stick around whilst weaving the tail around with the rudder pedels was brilliant. It was fantastic to watch the canvassed winged aircraft weave around the sky under my own control.Martin flew the plane back towards the airfield, and Rhiannon and I caught a glimpse of Tewkesbury town (scene of some catastrophic flooding in 2007). It was great to see the abbey, as well as the weir and other attractions down below before joining the circuit before finally landing back at Gloucestershire Airport after approximately 50 minutes in the sky. Over all, a fantastic experience! We were very fortunate to be in the right place at the right time. I would like to say a huge thank you to Martin for letting us come along with him and experience (as well as letting me fly) his fantastic aircraft.

Flying Across Gloucestershire in a Jodel D140 from Alex Elder on Vimeo.

I arrived at the airfield, the wind gusting and the skies overcast and grey. I didn’t hold up much hope for flying today, especially as a large weather-front had moved across the county a few hours before, leaving it soaking wet. Regardless, I ventured into the flying school, at the same very moment as the strong winds overhead managed to disperse the low cloud hanging over the airfield, giving me the green light I’d been waiting for.

I began my lesson on the tarmac, climbing into my PA-28 and performing the pre-flight checks (as covered in my last post), which included electrical systems, control surfaces, gauges and a whole host of other checks. With the aircraft checked and the parking brake most definitely on (the wind was rather strong).

Back inside I was introduced to the turning technique I’d be practising on this lesson. My instructor broke the manoeuvre down into component parts, discussing each part in detail on the whiteboard, and using a wooden aircraft model to simulate the varying parts of each manoeuvre. Beginning the turn starts with a good lookout before entering the turn using the aelerons to roll in the direction of the turn, and the rudder to yaw accordingly to 30° of bank. With the aircraft rolled according, maintain the lookout and angle of bank by applying back pressure, and keeping the balance ball in the middle (achieved using the rudder pedals). Exiting the turn requires some anticipation of approximately 15° (using a landmark of the heading indicator) before using co-ordinated aileron and rudder to steadily roll out of the turn, bringing the wings level and relieving the back pressure, ultimately returning to a straight and level attitude.

Balance Ball and Heading Indicator

Theory covered, it was finally time to fly! I headed out onto the tarmac with my instructor and girlfriend (who’d be sitting in the back during this flight, having enjoyed her previous flight so much). Everyone was in belted up, as I ran through more preflight checks, this time with my instructor giving advice and pointing out what needed to be checked. Checks completed, “CLEAR PROP!” yelled, before I started the PA-28′s LYCOMING O-320-D3G engine. We taxied out into the holding position, more checks (everything is running and reading as it should), radioed Gloucestershire Airport Control Tower, who cleared us for take off. I steered the aircraft out onto runway 22 before opening the throttle on the PA-28 and keeping her straight and level as we accelerate down the runway before pulling back on the control column and watching the ground disappear (a sensation that’s yet to lose its majesty). Another unassisted take off, this time in less-than-ideal conditions; I was very happy.

Conditions above ground at approximately 2800ft weren’t great; the persistent wind was just that, buffeting the PA-28 around, making straight and level flight somewhat challenging. Regardless, we were airborne and it was time for me to practice turning. This manoeuvre, as with all others, begins with my instructor demonstrating, and me copying. Demonstration over, and it’s my turn. I lookout, before rolling the aircraft left, making sure to keep 30° of bank, while applying back pressure, and making sure the balance ball stays centred using the rudder to compensate for and adverse yaw encountered during the turn.

After turning right and left multiple times, stopping occasionally to get catch my bearings, my instructor decides to combine everything I’d learned so far, staying something very similar to: “Okay, Alex, I’d like you to turn the aircraft left to zero-nine-zero while ascending to a height of twenty-two-hundred feet”. This continued, the process of my instructor binding together each move, with me complying and doing my best to fly the aircraft as instructed. For the first time I began to piece together the basics of flying an aircraft with intent. Rolling left, while climbing to a desired altitude before rolling out and trimming the aircraft for straight and level flight, or turning the PA-28 through 360° before descending to 1800ft.

During the flight it was impossible not to notice a large weatherfront moving north over the Malvern Hills at approximately 2400ft. Dark clouds and pouring rain with a wind blowing out of the weather system. It was at this point my instructor suggested I fly across the weather front (not through it) so get an appreciation of weather systems, which, while beautiful, can be a real nightmare for pilots. My girlfriend in the back took a few photographs of the PA-28′s wing tearing through the rainclouds. It was at this time I vectored an aircraft at our 11 o’clock, approximately 400ft below heading right into the weather front. To be on the safe side I adjusted the PA-28′s course and set us on a heading that would take us back towards the airfield. Despite there being no chance of collision, it was good to practice vectoring another aircraft and then taking evasive measure. The flight back to the airfield was eventful; my instructor had me practising turning, climbing, and descending (usually all three together) all the way back.

Dragging the starboard wing through a weather front

The flight back to the airfield was beautiful; the dispersing clouds ahead were letting the sunlight through, and the green fields of Gloucestershire rolled out in front of the aircraft as she headed for home with a strong tailwind. The view of the county from a few thousand feet up is stunning, and a view that I don’t believe I’ll ever tire of.

The green fields of Gloucestershire

I joined the circuit, 2000ft above the airfield at Gloucestershire where my instructor took over and brought us in for a fantastic landing, despite the strong crosswind. I hopped out of the PA-28 wishing I was back above the fields and clouds. Little did I know that 20 minutes later my wish would come true and I would be back up there. What a day!

G-BPBM flown from Gloucestershire to Gloucestershire, 2010-09-04

August saw no flying at all for me due to poor weather conditions on the dates I’d booked to fly, which was unfortunate, but unavoidable. August passed and September rolled around and I was finally able to climb into my PA28 and get into the sky, this time to work on ascending and descending as well as practising techniques covered in my previous lesson.

The lesson began at 0930 in the classroom at Gloucestershire airport where my instructor talked, walked, drew, and acted me through the techniques associated with ascending and descending. This began with ascending, and how to enter a climb, and to then maintain the climb under control, making sure to get the best angle-of-climb airspeed which in turn gives the maximum height gain within a given distance. At the desired altitude, levelling the aircraft out into straight and level flight was required before discussing the principals of descending an aircraft. This involved the techniques for a glide descent where, ideally, the aircraft will travel the maximum distance over the ground without sacrificing too much altitude.  According to Pratt (2007), a typical training aircraft will have a 10:1 descent ratio, meaning that the aircraft is producing 10 units of lift for every 1 unit of drag (or 10 feet forward for every 1 foot lost in height).

The aircraft I flew was a PA-28-161 Warrior II, built in 1997 and still in great shape. The conditions were fantastic, very still and calm with plenty of gaps in the cloud. However, before getting airborne, the “A” checks needed to be completed, and my instructor walked me through the entire check list, going into great detail what was involved when performing such checks.

These checks are numerous, and I won’t cover them all in this post, but a subset of the checks performed include:

• Checking first aid kit and fire extinguisher
• Lights, pitot heat, and stall warning
• Fuel sample from all fuel drains (check for water in the fuel)
• Fuselage skin, radio aerials, stabilator and anti-balance tab
• Fin, rudder, flaps, and wing surfaces
• Landing gear condition (oleo extension, tyre conditions, and brake pipes)
• Brake/oil fluid levels, cooling intakes, propeller blades, and windscreen condition
• (Engine running) brakes, rudder, instruments
• Door (latched), harnesses (secure), passengers safety briefed
• Flaps (set up), carburettor heat (set cold), circuit breakers, alternate static
• Magnetos (left, right, both)
• Power checks
• and many, many more…

Checks completed and we were cleared for take off. My instructor let me handle the take off on my own, and talked me through the entire process. It’s a fantastic feeling to lift off unassisted for the first time. Shortly after take off I relinquished control and my instructor got us clear of the aerodrome before handing control back to me and I flew us out across the Gloucestershire and Wiltshire countryside.

Clear of the aerodrome it was time to begin the first classroom manoeuvre: ascending. In typical pilot-under-training fashion I paid close attention as my instructor demonstrated climbing before giving control to me. I struggled to find the best angle of attack to set the aircraft into the most efficient climb possible, but after some practice it began to make more sense. The reward for doing so was definitely worth it. I’d climbed to over 5000ft and decided to take a photo of the 1400ft Malvern Hills down below, with cloudbase level with the aircraft. The view was astonishing, as were the conditions (beautifully calm at altitude) and the aircraft handled really well.

Sadly, what goes up must come down. Descending was the next topic covered in the classroom that I’d need to cover. My instructor demonstrated a glide descent, and then I did my best to copy. I found the glide descent to be an interesting experience, especially when setting the aircraft’s throttle to idle and hearing the engine wind down in RPM to a gentle tick over. The entire aircraft transitions from a vibrating and rackety machine to that of a very smooth and docile glider very quickly. So fast, in fact, I was, for a split-second, wondering whether the engine would stop altogether. As expected, it didn’t. With the engine ticking over, I flicked the the carburettor heat to hot, and used the rudder to stay in balance while pitching down to the glide attitude. At the glide airspeed I trimmed the aircraft, maintained visual observations, checked my heading indicator/landmarks and at the desired altitude, levelled off. This involved setting the carburettor heat to cold, and calibrating the aircraft for straight and level flight using the Power, Attitude, Trim technique I learned in lesson 1.

I repeated the climbing and descending techniques for the entire lesson, ending the lesson joining the circuit 2000ft above Gloucestershire Airfield, before handing control over to my instructor who handled the final approach and landing. The circuit was very busy, with our PA28 the fifth in a queue to land, so there was a lot of radio chatter and visual lookouts going on. The Cessna ahead of us decided to err on the side of caution and go around as the aircraft ahead of it landed a little short. It all seemed quite stressful, yet fascinating. I’m already looking forward to my first landing.

In my next lesson I’ll be taught turning, as well as practising all of the techniques covered previously. I just hope the weather holds up, as I don’t fancy another month without flying.