We flew up to 1500 feet and it was a great day until we took off when the sun went behind the clouds. ..we also had a very interesting take off and got to have 2 for the price of one as they say..i shall not continue with the story but let you work out why perhaps that may have been… it was fun though and it was an experience worth having at a safe altitude..
Today we revised what i have been learning for the first week of my PPL. It has been a hell of a lot to take in and the learning curve is getting steeper and the mental focus required to keep up with the learning makes me quite tired afterwards. I have been very committed to the ground school. listen, you have to do alot of the so called boring stuff before you get to do alot of the fun stuff, but overall, when i read, and make notes ahead of each lesson – me and paul discuss notes. He always answers questions on topics i have issues with extremely well.
I am starting to fall in love with aviation and my passion for it gives me the discipline and dedication which i believe is essential to make an exceptional pilot. I certainly want to become the best pilot that i can and excel. Believe me, I know the value of my training as it is second to none. Not only Paul to share his knowledge but talking with with other pilots at the BDFA and outside the BDFA.
Funnily enough just after week 1, i can see how it is benefitting me in lot of ways outside of aviation. I am starting to understand why the BDA is so important. It has given me alot of ideas and great strenght to help grow the organisation with, Louise, Ben, Martin, Simon and everyone else at the BDFA.
AIRMANSHIP for flap control revision:- LOI
L IMITATION – (SPEED) (103KNOTS)
O PERATION – (MOVEMENT OF FLAP STAGES)
I NDICATION – (LOOK TO CHECK FLAPS POSITSION)
“What are five advantages provided by using flaps for landing?”
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(a) A lower safe approach speed.
(b) The nose down attitude provides a better view of the landing area.
(c) The steeper approach path provides better obstacle clearance and can be controlled at will. (d) The float after rounding out is shorter. (e) The ground roll is shorter.
AIRMANSHIP general flying:- F R E D A
AIRMANSHIP – DO THIS CHECK EVERY 15 MINS WHEN FLYING – F R E D A CHECK
F UEL
R ADIOS
E ENGINE – T X P
D IRECTIONAL INDICATOR
A LTIMETER – SET AS REQUIRED
AIM:- straight and level (2) in balance at a selected aiirspeed. SPECIFIC SPEED – POWER – ACCELERATION – DECELERATION – FLAPS.
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Forces in a climb
difference between the current power requirement and power available – the excess power – can be used to accelerate the aircraft or climb, to accelerate and climb, or perform any manoeuvre which requires additional power.
if the pilot has potential power available and opens the throttle the thrust will exceed drag – utilise that extra thrust to accelerate to a higher speed while maintaining level flight.
Or opt to maintain the existing speed but use the extra thrust to climb to a higher altitude. The rate of climb (altitude gained per minute) depends on the amount of available power utilised for climbing, which depends in part on the airspeed chosen for the climb.
If an aircraft is maintained in a continuous full-throttle climb at the best rate of climb airspeed the rate of climb will be highest at sea level and decrease with altitude as engine power decreases.
It will eventually arrive at an altitude where the excess power available for climb reaches zero.
All the available power is required to balance the drag in level flight, and there will be only one airspeed at which level flight can be maintained and, below which, the aircraft will stall = absolute ceiling.
forces aligning the angle of climb with the line of thrust. In fact the line of thrust will usually be 4° to 10° greater than the climb angle. The climb angle is the angle the flight path subtends with the horizon.
The relationships in the triangle of forces shown is:-
Lift = weight × cosine c
Thrust = drag + (weight × sine c)
In a constant climb the forces = equilibrium but now thrust plus lift = drag plus weight.
lift is less than weight!
It is power that provides a continuous rate of climb, but momentum may also be used as a temporary energy exchange expedient.
A very important consideration, particularly when manoeuvring at low level at normal speeds, is that the steeper the climb angle the more thrust is required to counter weight.
Forces in a descent
If an aircraft is cruising at, for instance, the maximum 75% power speed and reducing the throttle to 65% power, the drag now exceeds thrust and thus 2 options
1 maintain height allowing the excess drag to slow the aircraft to the level flight speed appropriate to 65% power
2 maintain the existing speed and allow the aircraft to enter a steady descent or sink. The rate of sink (a negative rate of climb or altitude lost per minute) depends on the difference between the 75% power required for level flight at that airspeed and the 65% power utilised.
If I move forward on the control column to a much steeper angle of descent, while maintaining the same throttle opening, the thrust plus weight resultant vector becomes greater, the aircraft accelerates with consequent increase in thrust power and the acceleration continues until the forces are again in equilibrium.
Actually it is difficult to hold a stable aircraft in such a fixed angle “power dive” as the aircraft will want to climb –
When I close the throttle completely, there is no thrust, the aircraft enters a gliding descent and the forces are then as shown in my diagram below. In the case of a constant rate descent the weight is exactly balanced by the resultant force of lift and drag. From the dashed parallelogram of forces shown it can be seen that the tangent of the angle of glide equals drag/lift.
climbing and descending – PAT
P OWER
A LTITUDE
T RIM
Deceleration: – L R A L P I
L OOK OUT
R EDUCE POWER TO DESIRED RPM (1st sound) for desired speed
A ALTIDUDE
L OOK OUT
P ROGRESSIVELY ADJUST ALT TRIM
I NSTRUMENT CHECK 1 – ALT / 2 – DI
Acceleration: – L I H T L P I I
L OOK OUT
I NCREASE POWER TO RPM (1st sound) for desired speed
H OPLD ALT- needs pressure to counteract thrust of propwash
T TRIM
L OOK OUT
P ROGRESSIVELY ADJUST ALT TRIM
I NSTRUMENT CHECK 1 – ALT / 2 – DI
I NDICATOR AIR SPEED QUICKLY CROSS CHECK 1 – ALT / 2 – DI
SO WHAT SHOULD THE HORIZON DATUM LOOK LIKE AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS WHILST FLYING STRAIGHT AND LEVEL AND IN BALANCE –AND AT DIFFERENT AIRPSEEDS
