Iain Hosking - Flying Training - Lesson 36

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Lesson 36: Circuits

Sunday 1 October 2006, 2.30pm in Citabria VH-RRW. Instructor: Kerry Scott

Weather: a little gusty?

Nearly two months after this lesson and I can remember very little except that my circuits were 'pathetic', and my ears were burning as I taxiied back. It was meant to get me back on track after last week's almost-disastrous landing, and I recall thinking as I taxiied out that I was going to put that memory behind me, but as I flew round and round I could hear Kerry's voice becoming more and more exasperated as I totally failed to put together an acceptably precise circuit. Normally Kerry will find something positive to say at the end of each lesson, but not this time.

At least Kerry's notes in the Student Record give me the chance to learn from the experience:

1/10/06 CTS RRW 1.0 Kerry Scott

Fly an accurate circuit - BRoC, spacing, height, trim, base speed & RoD. Finals - Trim!!
60kt threshold. S&L @ windsock height, then let a/c decelerate & sink, stick back.

Stick central for t/off - NOT LEFT!

Suggest early am or late pm - calm conditions to consolidate solo circuits.

Kerry's actually been quite restrained, as she didn't mention that at one point I landed while we were still at flying speed, and a gust got underneath and lifted us straight off the ground again in a very unpleasant nose-high attitude. I pushed the nose over and throttled up, but Kerry was already on the case.

I will confess that there was a little voice inside me saying, "give up now and stop throwing money at it," but I think stubbornness will see me through.