Trust Your Instruments

Flying Hours Today 1:00, Total 10:15

The weather forecast over the weekend did not look good for flying lessons, but it was expected that the overcast cloud would clear early on Sunday morning. My instructor called me just after 0700hrs and suggested I make it to the flight school by 0900hrs and we would review the weather at that time.

This wasn't such a bad plan as I was intending on sitting my meteorology exam and so would need to be at the flight school today anyway.

On arrival I could just make out small patches of blue sky through the thick stratus. The cloud cover was still really 8 oktas, it couldn't be classed as broken, but things looked up.

As we were going to fly to Full Sutton (EGNU) again, where the cloud cover further east was forecast to break up, we decided to take to the skies for another flying lesson.

Today's lesson was to be all about approaches, and getting the appropriate visualisation of the runway confirmed. A short briefing on this, the PAPI lights - not for our use - and the importance of an accurate and fixed glide slope. You don't want to be approaching the runway at different angles time and again, learn the approach well and then the landing will be a piece of cake. Remember: it is power to control altitude and attitude to control air speed.

We booked out for a Special VFR departure from Leeds where the instructor would be doing most of the flying, then moved out to the apron to refuel G-BODD. All the usual checks completed, and instructions to taxi to runway 32 given.

A different route this time, keeping us from the usual Foxtrot taxiway we were instructed to take Golf then Lima at Leeds Bradford (EGNM). It is striking how easy it becomes to get set in a pattern, I'd always left the Multiflight apron via Foxtrot and duly headed that way, with a plan to then turn onto Golf and Lima, but was quickly prompted to make a sharp right turn to the correct entry on to Golf.

We had to wait at the Lima holding point for a Gulfstream - N16NK - to taxy by. By the sound of the pilot's voice and the time of day I assumed this had just flown in from the USA - but I could not be sure.

I completed the power checks then moved out to R32, initially heading 14M to backtrack at Delta then the usual take off. Slight wind from the left so to factor this in.

Instrument Flying

"The three fundamental skills in instrument flying are: instrument cross-check (also known as scanning the instruments); instrument interpretation (understanding their message); and aeroplane control (directing the aeroplane along the desired flightpath at the desired airspeed using attitude flying)."

From Trevor Thom's The Air Pilot's Manual 1 Very soon we were flying in cloud. The instructor took the opportunity to get me some instrument flying practice. Flying completely by the attitude indicate with no visual reference outside. We turned to the east, saw a break in the clouds over Harewood House and then we were back in the clouds. As we headed to Full Sutton it was becoming clear that the cloud was not improving and so we maintained radio contact with Leeds and requested a Radar Information Service. At very short notice the lesson changed to one of instrument training.

Instrument flying was not quite as challenging as I had expected - although I was only doing the extremely basic work of turns and maintaining altitude.

Although the attitude indicator is the main instrument to monitor during instrument flying, it has to be remembered that the instrument could still fail. Therefore it is imperative that we scan the other instruments to back up what the attitude indicator is telling us.

If flying with our wings level then our heading will not change as we are not banking.

Iif our attitude is correct we will not climb or descent - if expecting to be in straight and level flight.

So remember to scan the instruments : dot for altitude i.e. if the dot in the centre of the attitude indicator is aligned with the attitude dot - dot on dot - then altitude will remain constant, and wings for direction.

Every few seconds scan right to the altimeter and then down to the direction indicator. We practiced a few turns left and right, using rate one turns in IMC conditions. Get the rate one bank then hold that for the turn, level out with about 10 degrees remaining on the DI. Climb and descend as in VFR conditions. I managed to maintain 3000ft incredibly well, it almost seemed easier than in VFR conditions.

The instructor had also been navigating using radio nav aids. We flew over Drax Power Station, about 30 miles to the east of Leeds and felt the turbulence caused by the cooling towers, this made the instrument flying more challenging as I had to handle the turbulent motion and maintain heading and level.

As is always the case it was soon time to return to Leeds. The instructor made the calls to receive the vectors and we headed on 280 back to the airfield.

It was interesting to hear the radar service gave us indications of other aircraft in our vicinity. Quite unnerving to know that others are flying near by with no visual contact - the traffic controllers certainly do an excellent job and in one case we took their advice to change heading to maintain distance with another, unseen, aircraft.

Now the lesson got really interesting as the localiser was brought into play, along with the glide slope indicators. The instructor was making some rapid calculations on heading, direction, height, cloud base etc. etc. as I just flew the aeroplane.

Shortly we were flying over Leeds as I could see Kirkstall Abbey through a break in the cloud. We were making an instrument approach on R32 as is done by the big jets, this is the first time I had made this approach as a pilot, having lived it maybe a hundred times as a passenger.

We broke clear of the cloud at about 600ft aal. The runway was lit up in all its glory. The approach training was back on as I targeted us for a point just to the right of the PAPI lights. Closer and closer, dropping the power as we neared the ground, back pressure, then allow the aircraft to fall gently onto the concrete. The instructor was in control for the landing, but it was the closest I had yet come to making a landing.

The instructor made an excellent point about landings - you are not trying to fly the aircraft onto the ground, i.e. making a precision approach where you intercept the ground at almost zero vertical speed, instead you aim to fly level with the ground, then use attitude to lower airspeed and, consequently, lift and then the aircraft will slowly fall onto the runway and you have landed.

Taxy back to Multiflight West then back to the flying school.

Flying At Full Sutton

Flying Hours Today 1:40, Total 9:15

I'd been studying meteorology during the week, but by the time Saturday came around I was tired Saturday and so didn't put myself through the PPL Confuser practice exam. I didn't want to sit the real exam without doing the important PPL Confuser work so decided to study for another week.

The weather forecast for this weekend wasn't too great anyway and I didn't plan on attending the flight school just to sit a single exam, so it wouldn't be a major issue to wait another week.

I was in for a rare pleasant surprise when dawn broke on Sunday and my flying lesson was confirm to be on. I arrived at the flight school just before 0900hrs and we headed for the apron as there was no need to repeat the circuits briefing from the previous week.

Doing the fuel checks I found, for the first time, some water in the fuel sample - probably due to overnight rain and also condensation in the tanks. It just goes to show how vital these checks are - they are not to be skipped under any circumstances.

Checks complete and out to R14, holding at F1, then proceeding out to the runway and take off. As Leeds Bradford (EGNM) is a relatively busy airport with various Boeing and Airbus jets flying in and out we couldn't practice our circuits there. So today we would be heading for Full Sutton (EGNU), a small grass airfield just beyond York, to practice.

This ariel shot of the airstrip clearly shows the prison to the north of the strip - a strictly no fly zone.

It didn't take long before we arrived at Full Sutton. Leaving the Leeds approach controllers we set squawk to 7000 - switching to standby mode before we made the change, then contacted the air/ground radio at Full Sutton, where we were informed that circuits were to be flown right handed, which was contrary to the usual left hand circuits that I had been practicing in my head.

Getting closer, we avoiding overflying the prison and the town of Stamford Bridge, descending and flying right around the airfield to cross over the threshold of R04 at circuit height - 1000ft - then on to join the circuit with the instructor's assistance.

I did the line up and approach for R22 with the instructor taking over for the landing. My first touch down on a small, narrow, grass runway - quite a different experience to the huge, wide, concrete runway that I have become accustomed to at Leeds Bradford.

A short stop into the club house to confirm permission for the circuit practice. This was also the first time I had flown to another airfield - we had had to book out at Leeds to inform them that we would not be a local flight and would be landing elsewhere - Full Sutton in this case. It is important to always give the right information as Leeds will be watching for us on their radar and if we disappear at ground level - well, they might start to think the worst has happened...

Back into G-BODD and the instructor took the controls to get us back to the runway - taxying much more slowly and with full back pressure on the yolk to keep the weight off the nose wheel in the event of coming across any holes or bumps.

We took our time to complete the power checks while waiting for another aircraft to land. Then crossed from the hard surface of the taxy way - a former runway - to grass at 45 degrees before backtracking down the side of the runway to the arrow just before the "22" numbers. We would have 2 levels of flap for this short field take off.

We aligned the aircraft to the left of the stone-chalked arrow to minimised blown stones - and noted a distant pylon as the aiming point of the runway centre line. Time to apply power and as we start to move the instructor weaves us from the arrow between the stones of the 2 and 2 and along the grass strip - we are airborne before we even touch the hard surface of the former runway that crosses the grass strip.

Note also that Full Sutton uses air / ground radio. There is no ATC here but radio is used to communicate position and intentions so that other pilots flying in the air or manoeuvring on the ground aware of the situation.

The instructor flew the first circuit - full power climb to 500ft at 75kts, turn right through 90 degrees using 15 degrees angle of bank, continue climbing to 1000ft where we level off and turn right at 30 degrees angle of bank to run parallel to the runway - i.e. heading 040.

Reduce power to cruising speed around 2300rpm at 100kts and trim. When abeam of the end of the runway a quick radio call : "G-DD downwind for touch and go on R22" - I soon picked up that it is runway two two, not twenty-two, as I did state more than once.

Time for the pre-landing checks: Brakes, Undercarriage, Mixture Rich, Carburettor Heat On, Magnetos Both On, Primer In and Locked, Fuel Pump On, Check Fuel Tank In Use and Sufficient Fuel, Hatches And Harnesses, Flap, Carburettor Heat Off.

When the end of the runway is 45 degrees over my right shoulder I commenced a 90 degree turn to the right, using the DI bugs to assist me, and 30 degrees of bank - but I must remember not to go too steep!

During this turn put carburettor heat back on. When flying straight and level power down to 1700rpm, and enter the glide attitude - you know when this is correct when airspeed is at 80kts. The airspeed is already in the white arc so it is safe to apply 2 stages of flap, but I must ensure that I maintain the same attitude when the flaps deploy.

At the appropriate time, turn right through 90 degrees, using a maximum of 30 degrees of bank, due to slow air speed, to line up with the runway.

Do not try to make the turn steeper if overshooting as there is a danger of stalling, instead overshoot then turn back on course.

Maintain the runway numbers / threshold marker in the same position in the windscreen. Monitor for any change in the descent angle and adjust with small - 100rpm - changes in power. Get trimmed and at 500ft apply the 3rd stage of flap and turn carburettor heat off. When your right hand isn't doing anything, put it on the throttle.

Gentle bring the aircraft to the runway, as the runway begins to fill the visual picture it is time to reduce power to idle, to glide along the ground and then to drop down slowly on to the runway - but we didn't do any of that, it was time to do a go-around without touching the ground.

When within a few feet of the ground, gradually apply full power, drop the 3rd stage of flap, climb to 200ft before dropping the remainder of the flap. Then simply repeat all the above 4 more times before heading back to Leeds.

Flying back to Leeds we took the opportunity to start to look at navigation. Using the instructor's aviation chart to identify landmarks, to set a course and to calculate the heading to take by checking against VOR/NDB schematics on the chart which provide a ready made compass rose on the paper.

We passed Ruffoth and maintained altitude above the 2100ft where gliders may be being towed. Then over Wetherby and on towards Eccup.

As we contacted Leeds Tower we made to join the left hand circuit at the downwind leg and then to do an orbit when abeam the threshold of R14. Setting the QFE at 973mb - yes, that low. We headed for Cookridge tower which is an obvious landmark for pilots and then turned right to join the circuit.

The orbit wasn't necessary in the end and further instruction from ATC told us to proceed to final approach at 2nm - confirmation was requested that this overruled the orbit requirement. We were at 1000ft height above airfield level (aal) in the circuit, we turned for the base leg and then for the approach - going through the checks and actions we had been practising already. The instructor did the R/T work while I concentrated on the approach - the runway at Leeds / Bradford looked enormous. A Jet2 jet had just taken off before us and looked quite small on the runway.

There was a strong crosswind. As we came nearer to the runway I was uncertain of our ability to land as we were crabbing and pointing significantly out of line of the runway but were tracking in the right direction.

For the final seconds of the flight the instructor took control and I followed through, an uneventful landing in the end. I took control and taxied us back to Multiflight West on the south side of the airport via Lima. My taxying skills are improving greatly. The end of another fantastic lesson - more of the same next week except this time I will be looking to land as well.