Solo Flight Practice: Soft-field Takeoff, Flight Maneuvers and Landings

The mid-day weather at KTTA (Raleigh-Exec Airport) today (April 19, 2010) was sunny with clear skies with a temperature of 75 degrees but with gusty winds of about 4 knots varying in direction. I preflighted the Allegro 2000 LSA just after my instructor, Jim Schmidt taxied the airplane to the FBO after his flight training session with another student.

I taxied the airplane with the stick all the way back and entered the RWY 3 without stopping to simulate a soft-field takeoff. I applied full-power and the airplane lifted off at 50 mph with flap 1 (15 degrees). I levelled the airplane to gain airspeed in the ground effect and climbed out at the best rate of climb (Vy = 70 mph). I retracted the flaps at about 150 ft altitude and crossed the remaining runway.

I flew the plane at an altitude of 1400 msl to the NW of the KTTA Airport and performed the two following flight maneuvers, each a couple of time to gain practice:
1) Circle around a point (intersection of two state roads below)and
2) S-turns around a straight stretch of a state road with the intersection as the mid-point.



After the flight maneuvers, I entered the mid-point of the downwind leg for RWY 3 at 1250 ft. Turning base and final with an airspeed of 70 mph, I landed the Allegro 2000 LSA and turned off to the taxiway. I took off from RWY 3 for the second time today entering it via taxiway Echo. I performed a normal takeoff with Flap 1 and lifted off at 56 mph. I did the traffic pattern work and entered the base and final legs a little high. I applied full-power to perform a go-around (I should have tried a forward-slip!). After another traffic pattern with idle power from abeam the number 3, I landed the airplane after a short flare. The varying winds with not much corrections made me land a little off the center-line. I taxied the plane to the FBO.

Today marked my eighth solo flight and with this short 36 minute flight, I now have accumulated seven hours of PIC solo time.

Solo Crosswind Takeoff and Landing, Flight Maneuvers Practice

On Friday (April 16, 2010), I preflighted the Allegro 2000 LSA and taxied to runway 21 at the Raleigh-Exec Airport (KTTA) for solo flight practice. The weather was mild (70 F) but with strong winds of 8 knots from 260 degrees gusting to 12 knots. I performed my first solo crosswind takeoff with right aileron into the wind with flap 1. I lifted of at 60 mph as opposed to the normal 56 mph and retracted the flap at 150 ft. On climbing at 70 mph, I held a crab into the wind as I cleared the runway 21-3 and headed to the NW of the airport.

I climbed to 3,000 ft and practiced the following flight maneuvers: clearing turns, steep turns, power-on stall & recovery, power-off stall & recovery. I then descended to 1400 ft to try S-turns and circle around a point maneuvers. The wind aloft was high with updrafts. I piloted the Allegro 2000 LSA to the SE of KTTA. The wind conditions were still gusty and hence I decided to try these maneuvers another day. I entered the downwind mid-point for RWY 21 and performed my first solo crosswind landing with an approach airspeed of 70 mph with right aileron into the wind. I turned off the runway at taxiway Bravo to the FBO.

Dual PTS Flight Maneuvers Practice

Power-ON Stall & Recovery

Power-OFF Stall & Recovery

On April 13th and 14th 2010, I practiced several flight maneuvers after Jim demonstrated each of them. During the flight training on the 13th, Jim demonstrated the first takeoff with flap 1 (15 degrees) as a soft-field takeoff with the stick all the way back from the taxiway. Applying full-power, the airplane lifted off at 50 mph. Jim reduced the nose high attitude to allow the airplane to gain further speed in the ground effect and climbed at Vy = 70 mph. After clearing over the runway, I took control of the airplane. I performed my first soft-field landing with Flap 1 at downwind (AS=70 mph) and Flap 2 (48 degrees) at final with an airspeed of 62-64 mph in a nose down attitude. I still held a little power after touchdown to simulate rollout on a soft-field. Touch and Go...Tookoff from the remaining runway with flap 1. After the traffic pattern at 1,250 ft (crosswind, downwind, base and final), I performed my second landing as a short-field landng with flap 2 in the final and cutoff any remaining power as the main wheels touched down. I performed six short-and-soft field landings with flap 2 to gain proficiency.

During the second day of PTS Flight maneuvers training, Jim demonstrated several flight maneuvers and I repeated them under his guidance. I practiced the following flight maneuvers:
1) Clearing Turns
2) Steep turns at 45 degrees to left and right
3) Power-ON stall with 4,500 rpm and recovery
4) Power-OFF stall in landing configuration with Flap 2 with idle power and recovery
5) Circle around a point at 1,400 ft
6) S-turns around a straight road from 1,400 ft

I then performed the landing at RWY 21 and taxied back to FBO.

Sport Pilot Ground School - Knowledge Topics for the PTS Checkride

On Friday (04/09/2010), Jim instructed me on some of the key Sport Pilot knowledge topics required for passing the PTS Checkride and for my subsequent flights. These included the understanding of the weather, airspace, flight planning, wind and course calculations, fuel management, aircraft weight & balance calculations, medical and single pilot resource risk management.

I also completed the six DVD course on "Sport Pilot Checkride" from the King Schools as part of my preparation.

Solo Flight Maneuvers Practice - 2

As a continuation of my solo flight maneuvers practice, I soloed today (04/02/10) from 10:45 to 11:45 EST in the Allegro 2000 LSA. The weather was 80 F with 3 knots of wind from 320.

I taxied the plane to RWY 03 and performed a soft-field takeoff and climbout. Turning north from left crosswind leg, I climbed to 3,000 ft. After executing clearing turns, I then headed east and performed a power-off stall and recovery. I then piloted above a plant and did a circle around a point flight maneuver. I kept the airspeed at 80 mph and altitude at 2,500 ft AGL by increasing the back pressure and adding a little power during the turns. After crossing the KTTA mid-point of the RWY and entering a left downwind for RWY 03, I landed the Allegro 2000 LSA with Flap 1 and turned-off at the third exit for the taxiway. I then performed a short-field takeoff and climbout and headed north towards a highway. I did a S-turn flight maneuver with the intersection of two roads below as the center point. I tried to maintain the airspeed at 80 mph and the altitude at 2,500 ft AGL.



Heading towards the KTTA RWY 03, I entered the downwind leg mid-point at 45 degrees from west and switched on Flap 1 at abeam the no.03. I was unable to land with Flap 2 switched on at final and did a go-around about 150 ft above the RWY. Again entering the traffic pattern, I landed the plane with flap 1 but got bounced and added a little power. After a short roundout, I landed the light sport aircraft on the remaining RWY 03 and turned-off at the second exit for the taxiway towards the FBO - B Bar D Aviation.

I still need to practice short-field landings with flap 2 with my flight instructor, Jim Schmidt...

Solo Flight Maneuvers Practice - 1

Spring 2010 has finally arrived in North Carolina ! The temperature in Raleigh Exec Airport [KTTA] today (04/01/10) was 85 F at 4.00 PM with a mild wind from SW. The density altitude at the airport was 1,700 ft (Elevation: 246 ft).

After a preflight check on the Allegro 2000 LSA, I taxied to RWY 03 and performed a soft-field takeoff and climbout. I turned left crosswind and reached an altitude of 3,000 ft about 7 miles North of KTTA. I reduced the airspeed just below Va (= 90 mph) and then performed clearing turns and slow-speed turns at 62 mph. I then turned the Allegro 2000 LSA towards KTTA and flew over it. Now, the winds have changed and the traffic was using RWY 21. After a left downwind, I performed a short-field landing for RWY 21 with Flap 1 and turned-off at the first taxiway. From RWY 21, I now performed a short-field takeoff and climbout at Vx. Turning left crosswind, I headed South above a field and performed clearing turns and power-on stall and recovery. I then entered the downwind for RWY 21 at 45 degrees and executed a simulated soft-field landing with Flap 1. I taxied the plane to the FBO.