After a preflight check of the Allegro 2000 LSA (N50631), I taxied to RWY 03. I tookoff with no flap, at 56 mph but with the left wing into the crosswind. Once airborne, I held a crab angle into the wind and climbed over the runway as usual. After performing the traffic pattern (left crosswind, downwind, base and final) maneuvers, I approaced the RWY 03 with a crab and descended by a forward slip maneuver (left aileron and right rudder) and landed the airplane with a left stick to compensate for the crosswind. I tookoff from the rest of the runway (touch-and-go) and landed with a litte bounce during my second landing. Jim applied full-power and we lifted off for another traffic pattern. I performed the third traffic pattern with a crab at downwind and the landing with a short touch-down with aileron and rudder corrections for the crosswind from the left. After a fourth touch-and-go for the final traffic pattern work, I reduced the power to attain 70 mph and lowered the flap to 15 degrees at abeam of RWY 03 during the downwind leg. I descended to base and final legs maintaining an airspeed of 66-68 mph. I landed the airplane for the fourth time in the crosswind condition and taxied back to the FBO.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Training: Crosswind Takeoffs and Landings
My flight instructor, Jim Schmidt, CFI instructed me today on how to perform takeoffs and landings with a crosswind that he demonstrated to me during one of my earlier sport pilot training lessons. The winter weather today at Raleigh Exec (KTTA) was mild (50 F) but with a wind of about 10 knots from 310 degrees. This gave me the opportunity to practice crosswind takeoffs and landings before my long cross-country solo flight.
After a preflight check of the Allegro 2000 LSA (N50631), I taxied to RWY 03. I tookoff with no flap, at 56 mph but with the left wing into the crosswind. Once airborne, I held a crab angle into the wind and climbed over the runway as usual. After performing the traffic pattern (left crosswind, downwind, base and final) maneuvers, I approaced the RWY 03 with a crab and descended by a forward slip maneuver (left aileron and right rudder) and landed the airplane with a left stick to compensate for the crosswind. I tookoff from the rest of the runway (touch-and-go) and landed with a litte bounce during my second landing. Jim applied full-power and we lifted off for another traffic pattern. I performed the third traffic pattern with a crab at downwind and the landing with a short touch-down with aileron and rudder corrections for the crosswind from the left. After a fourth touch-and-go for the final traffic pattern work, I reduced the power to attain 70 mph and lowered the flap to 15 degrees at abeam of RWY 03 during the downwind leg. I descended to base and final legs maintaining an airspeed of 66-68 mph. I landed the airplane for the fourth time in the crosswind condition and taxied back to the FBO.
After a preflight check of the Allegro 2000 LSA (N50631), I taxied to RWY 03. I tookoff with no flap, at 56 mph but with the left wing into the crosswind. Once airborne, I held a crab angle into the wind and climbed over the runway as usual. After performing the traffic pattern (left crosswind, downwind, base and final) maneuvers, I approaced the RWY 03 with a crab and descended by a forward slip maneuver (left aileron and right rudder) and landed the airplane with a left stick to compensate for the crosswind. I tookoff from the rest of the runway (touch-and-go) and landed with a litte bounce during my second landing. Jim applied full-power and we lifted off for another traffic pattern. I performed the third traffic pattern with a crab at downwind and the landing with a short touch-down with aileron and rudder corrections for the crosswind from the left. After a fourth touch-and-go for the final traffic pattern work, I reduced the power to attain 70 mph and lowered the flap to 15 degrees at abeam of RWY 03 during the downwind leg. I descended to base and final legs maintaining an airspeed of 66-68 mph. I landed the airplane for the fourth time in the crosswind condition and taxied back to the FBO.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Second Solo Flight !
After a gap of one month in my Sport Pilot flight training due to severe winter weather, today I was able to practice from the Raleigh Exec Airport (KTTA). The wind was mild (5 knots from 020 degrees) and the weather was cold (37 F). I performed three takeoffs (one with 15 degrees of flap and two touch-and-gos with no flap) and landings with my flight instructor, Jim Schmidt,CFI of B-Bar-D Aviation. I taxied clear of the runway and left Jim at the FBO after a complete engine shut-down. I then started the Allegro 2000 (N50631) fitted with a new Rotax engine and taxied to RWY 03 for my second solo flight !
On my second solo flight, I departed from KTTA runway 03 at a takeoff speed of 56 mph and climbed at 70 mph. Taking a north magnetic heading, I flew over the 3M Plant and turned towards KTTA and made a go-around of the runway at 3,000 ft. Again I flew north and turned back to KTTA. Descended to 1450 ft and entered the left downwind leg at 45 degrees and performed my first solo landing of the day with an approach speed of 75 mph. I taxied out of the runway and departed again from runway 03. After a normal takeoff with no flap, I headed towards the practice area flying for about 6 to 8 miles N and turned towards KTTA . Piloting the Allegro 2000, I entered the left downwind, followed by another plane, and turned to the base leg and then final at a high speed (80 mph). I perfomed my second landing of the day after a long flare to bleed off the higher than normal speed...and that completed my second solo flight. I now have a full one hour of PIC (Pilot In Command) time in my Pilot Logbook !
On my second solo flight, I departed from KTTA runway 03 at a takeoff speed of 56 mph and climbed at 70 mph. Taking a north magnetic heading, I flew over the 3M Plant and turned towards KTTA and made a go-around of the runway at 3,000 ft. Again I flew north and turned back to KTTA. Descended to 1450 ft and entered the left downwind leg at 45 degrees and performed my first solo landing of the day with an approach speed of 75 mph. I taxied out of the runway and departed again from runway 03. After a normal takeoff with no flap, I headed towards the practice area flying for about 6 to 8 miles N and turned towards KTTA . Piloting the Allegro 2000, I entered the left downwind, followed by another plane, and turned to the base leg and then final at a high speed (80 mph). I perfomed my second landing of the day after a long flare to bleed off the higher than normal speed...and that completed my second solo flight. I now have a full one hour of PIC (Pilot In Command) time in my Pilot Logbook !
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